In the Rose Garden

Addison and Mr. Turner strolled through the grocery aisles looking around. Their dinner plans had changed when Katie called and said she wouldn't be able to get off work when originally planned. The new plan was that they were going to stay in and Mr. Turner was going to make Addison's favorite, Ted's vegetable lasagna.

"So, this Katie chick, what does she do for a living?" Addison asked.

"She's a nurse," he responded as he put a package of pasta in the cart.

"How'd you meet her? How old is she? Where is she from?"

Mr. Turner grabbed some spices off the shelf and put them in the cart. "You can ask her tonight when you meet her."

"Okay."

"What about you? Any boys I need to meet… maybe interrogate?"

"No dad!" she exclaimed.

"Okay. I just had to make sure," he said as they turned the corner and headed for the sauces. Addison pulled her phone out of her pocket as her dad checked out the pasta sauce.

I'm going to Rachel's party tonight. Which dress should I wear for my party tonight? Red or blue?

Addison responded with If the red on has the flowers on it then that one. She looked up to see her dad acting like he was trying to see the text message. Addison shrugged her shoulders and shut the phone.

"That was just Lily needing some fashion advice."

"Better you than me," he responded.

"Dad, you don't look too bad," she said referring to his light blue button up and blue jeans.

"Too bad?" he asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, you don't look bad at all, although you could use a bit of a haircut. Well, more like a trim."

"Thanks," he said as he ran his fingers through his hair. Addison shrugged her shoulders and flipped her phone open.

Thanks. You're the best. It still sucks that you couldn't be here... for any of the parties.

I know. Sorry. But I promised you next time.

"So what's up with Lily… besides fashion problems?"

"She's going to a party tonight."

"Why didn't you say so? You could have gone."

"No. I'd rather be here with you than standing around her house staring at people I have no intentions of talking to. I can see her any day. You, not so much."

"You'd rather hang out with your dad than go to a party with your best friend?"

"Dad, don't go getting all mushy and everything. You know I'd take a night out with you over anything."

"Well, you're nineteen years old now. Spending time with your old man isn't exactly at the top of the list of someone your age."

"First of all, you're not old. Second, most of my friends still have their dads living in the same house. Last but not least, their moms are nothing like the one I have so they honestly really don't get it."

Mr. Turner didn't say anything. He just kissed the top of her head and they headed towards the front of the store where the fresh vegetables were. They finished their shopping, paid for the groceries and went back to Mr. Turner's apartment.

Addison helped her father put the groceries away before retreating to her room. She sat on the bed and looked around the room. She took in how much he tried to make her room seem more like a room instead of a place she stayed randomly at most two nights whenever time allowed. She had a dresser but never once bothered to put her clothes in it. Once she had all her clothes organized in it, she would just have to take them back out anyway. The walls were still white but they were decorated with art her dad thought she might like. She appreciated his efforts but so much more could be done.

She looked over at the empty nightstand and saw a framed photo of her with both of her parents. It was a reminder of the better times when they were still a family. The picture was taken four years ago during the Christmas season and they were opening presents at Mr. Turner's mom's house. A few days after that picture was taken, Addison's mother's mother passed away. The downward spiral began. By the time Addison was sixteen years old, her mother was considered an alcoholic. Mr. Turner tried his hardest to stay for Addison's sake but he couldn't do it anymore. When she was sixteen and a half, Mr. Turner moved out. No one bothered to ask her who she wanted to stay with. When he left, he started making child support payments to his wife which were rarely used on Addison. When Addison was seventeen, her parents were officially divorced. Addison started working with her mom at her shop and her mother's drinking continued to get worse. Despite Addison's pleas, her mother wouldn't let her go live with her father. Mr. Turner himself tried to convince her but that didn't even work.

"You are not taking that child out of this house," Mrs. Turner spat at her ex-husband.

"You can't take care of yourself! How can I trust you to take care of my daughter?"

"No! She's my daughter. I carried her for nine months, not you. I promise to god, if I come home one day and she's missing I will call the cops on you. That girl will not leave this house and I don't care what you say."

Addison was now nineteen years old and her mother still had that grip on her. She quickly wiped away a tear that had fallen with the back of her hand. She looked up when she heard a knock on the door. Her dad stepped into the room.

"Are you okay?"

Addison set the photo back down and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm fine," she said as he sat next to her and put an arm around her. "I'm just waiting for it to finally be over."

"It'll be over soon."

"Maybe but no one knows that for sure."

"She's going to have to let go sooner or later. You're about to become a young adult. Hopefully one day you'll go to college and you'll go somewhere where you can live on campus or maybe even here with me…" he said sounding more hopeful on the second part.

Addison laughed. "I'll look into it. I don't know. I do kind of want to do artist management, maybe start my own label."

"Whatever you decide to do, I'm behind you all the way. Just keep me in the loop."

"I will dad." They shared a hug before Mr. Turner quietly left the room. Addison grabbed her overnight bag and pulled her pajamas out of the bag. As she was zipping it shut, she heard her phone vibrate from her pocket.

Oh dude, you're so going to wish you were here. Brandon is here.

Addison felt herself blush at the mere mention of his name. They weren't even in the same town and he still managed to do that to her. Addison always had a crush on Brandon since the moment she saw him freshman year. She had a feeling he eventually found out but they never said anything about it to one another.

Are you serious? Guess that sucks for me.

Yeah that does suck for you.

Gee, thanks Lil. I get to meet my dad's girlfriend tonight.

Good luck with that. I hope she's everything you want in a stepmom.

Very funny!

"Hey Addison, you want to come help me start cutting everything up?" Mr. Turner asked from the doorway.

"Yeah, sure," she responded and nodded her head.

"Okay," he said and walked away.

Hey Lily, I have to go. I'm helping my dad make dinner tonight. Addison shut her phone and slipped it into the front pocket of her jeans. She tossed her hoody onto the bed and walked out of the room. Her phone vibrated for the last time in her pocket. She pulled it out and flipped it open.

OK. I gave Brandon your number but I told him you're super busy so he'll probably call you tomorrow.

Addison set her phone on the dining room table and walked over to the kitchen sink to wash her hands. As they began to make dinner, Mr. Turner and his daughter picked up their conversation right where it had left off earlier. Before they knew it, Katie had shown up.

Mr. Turner let Katie into the apartment and they quickly hugged and kissed. They walked into the dining room and Mr. Turner stood behind Addison.

"This is my daughter, Addison," he said as he put his hands on her shoulders.

"Hi Addison, I'm Katie," she said and stuck her hand out. Addison took it and returned the hello. Mr. Turner excused himself to go check on the lasagna. The girls sat at the table to talk.

"So, what do you do for a living?" Addison asked Katie.

"I'm a nurse," Katie said. "What about you?"

"I work at my mom's little shop. I'd rather not but what can you do?" She shrugged her shoulders.

"How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

"Really? You don't look it."

"Well you don't look like you could be a nurse. You seriously can pass as a model."

"Awe, thanks," she said and blushed.

Mr. Turner walked into the dining room and set the dish of vegetable lasagna down in the center of the table. "Ladies, dinner is ready." He went back into the kitchen to get the cheese bread while Addison grabbed cups.

"This is going to be hands down the most awesome lasagna you have ever had. Trust me," Addison said as she sat down.

Mr. Turner sat down across from Addison and said, "Oh come on now, I'm sure there's better out there."

"Yeah, I don't think so," Addison disagreed and shook her head.

"You know, it's amazing how alike you two look," Katie said to them.

"Thanks. I really tried nineteen years ago," Mr. Turner jokingly said.

"I'm sure you did dear," Katie said and patted his hand. The girls looked at each other and laughed.

"Okay, whatever guys," Mr. Turner said sarcastically. They finished out the night enjoying their dinner and the company.