Like a Fool

He rolled his eyes and picked up a menu. Through out the lunch we maintained casual and light conversation, never once breaching the subject of moving tomorrow or of our recent break ups with both Adam and Lexi.

I loved that about Mattie, he knew when I needed to talk and when I didn’t. He didn’t force anything unlike Adam.

We ate, kept up the conversation and laughed like the old days. It had been awhile since it was just us, but it was different this time. The way he looked into my eyes seemed almost deeper, his hand made its way across the table to hold mine, his dimples appeared at even closer intervals.

Hell, even my smile was becoming even more apparent. This was the comic relief that I had needed the past couple of days, I was finally getting the rest I needed (both mentally and physically).

But my happiness was short lived. As Murphy predicted if everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something. This wasn’t so much a something but a someone.

Matt’s gaze had drifted from my eyes to something just above me, his hand squeezed mine quickly as he nodded to someone who had clearly just arrived.

I turned but as recondition dawned my seat flew out from the table as I bolted up.

“What the hell are you doing here?” But my father was only staring at Matt.

“Cain, can I speak to you for a moment?” His eyes merely flickered to me then glued themselves back to Matt, who was now standing up.

“Whatever you can say to me, you can say to Matt.” I crossed my arms and stared defiantly at him.

“I don’t like what I see here right now.” He didn’t even hesitate.

“Wanna elaborate? Because right now all I see what used to be a nice a peaceful lunch.”

“I see you and Matthew on a date. And I don’t approve.”

“You lost your right to approve when you walked out on us. So why don’t you leave?”

“Look, your mother has told me about the kind of things that he’s put you through. How many times you’ve cried because he’s gone out with some girl. And I don’t like that you might be one of those girls!”

“Leave. Now. I don’t care. I’ve replaced you, you know who took me to the father daughter dance? Matt. Do you know who comforted me on every father’s day? Matt. So guess what, you can just go fuck off.”

Cue dramatic exit, complete with stomping and door slamming.

Matt’s POV
“How you can judge based off of gossip is beyond me. Let alone try and force your ‘fatherly opinion’ on to Cain. I’m more of a father to her than you’ve ever been.”

“And now you’re dating her. After eleven years. Why now Matthew? Forgive me if I’m a little protective of my daughter, and if you’ve really been like a father to her then you would spare her all the hurt she’ll experience once you dump her.”

“Shove it.” Was my entirely thought out and mature response.

I threw thirty dollars onto the table and ran out to see Cain. She wasn’t in the parking lot or pacing frantically past the stores. But a glint of fiery red hair caught my eye, she was standing knee deep in the mellow ocean with her pants rolled up and her shoes lying haphazardly on the shore. I quickly kicked off my shoes but didn’t bother to roll up my pants, I’d rather get to her right now.

She didn’t turn but I know she heard me by the way her shoulders slumped as grew near. “Don’t let him get to you Cain. You handled that perfectly, and you’re right he doesn’t get to decide what’s best for you.”

“But why is it that when something is going right in my life something else has to come fuck it up?” I could tell she was really straining herself to stay still and not lash her anger out on anything she could reach.

“I really hate to say it, but that’s life. It likes to kick you down when you feel confident. But you know what helps?” She looked up at me with those big sad eyes, I nearly melted on the spot “When you have someone to help you back up.” I didn’t hug her, that just makes her more frantic when she’s upset, instead I merely rested my forehead against hers.

But she surprised me by wrapping her arms around my torso and burring her face in my chest. Not that I minded of course, I thought that maybe if I could hold her and protect her long enough then she wouldn’t have to feel like this. Seeing her upset was horrible enough, but when her father causes it… Well it’s hard on both of us.

But seeing her tears reminded me of something her father said “How many times you’ve cried because he’s gone out with some girl”. Did she really cry because of all those stupid meaningless flings?

I made my mind up then and there, I would do everything in my power to make sure I never hurt her. I won’t be the man her father expects me to be.

She looked up at me with bleary eyes “Stop Matt.” I furrowed my brow “You’re over thinking it. I don’t give a shit what that man thinks. I know you’d never hurt me on purpose.”

“Ya know, it really freaks me out when you can tell what I’m thinking.” Laughter bubbled out of my throat, she soon joined me. We just stood there, laughing. It was bizarre, but therapeutic in some way.