Jeah, Whatever

[ten]

[Natalie]

It was all over the news. The media everywhere was eating it up. Big time player, Ryan Lochte was actually in a committed relationship with a girl. And it wasn’t just any girl. He was dating a Crenshaw. And when my father was asked about it in an interview.

All hell broke loose.

His assistant had called me and told me I had to be in his office immediately, he wished to speak to me. I quickly hurried down the building and knocked on his door before entering.

There sat the proudest man I had ever known, staring back at me with eyes of fury and embarrassment.

“Sit down, Natalie,” he demanded coldly. I found a seat and tried to look bold and brave.

“I can’t tell you how embarrassing and at a loss I was when I was asked by a reporter in my interview of Time how it felt to have my eldest daughter with the big time Olympian, Ryan Lochte,” he said in his monotone voice.

“Dad, it’s not like he’s just some dude off the street,” I began to put up my defensive argument.

“No but it’s the fact the media knows before I knew. I had to answer on the spot how I felt when they said that. How I felt that my sophisticated, Yale graduate, daughter was dating the biggest ‘player’ in America who doesn’t necessarily have a reputation for being the brightest thing in the water,” he said, clearly angry that others knew before my dad and he was put on the spot about it.

“Dad, I’m sorry. But Ryan’s not an idiot, he’s just not good at interviews. He went to school, graduated, he’s not uneducated,” I was once more being defensive.

“Nonetheless, Natalie, this man is only a toy for you, I can’t have my 24 year old toying around. If it was Andrea, this would be a different discussion, she’s young and allowed to be foolish, you’re not. Natalie, this is unacceptable. And your mother, she’s devastated,” my dad slammed his fist to his desk, causing me to jump a little.

“You don’t know him!” I stood up, ready to leave.

“So you’re saying he’s not a toy to you?” He questioned.

“No, he’s not. He’s a great guy, you liked him when we were in London,” I replied, as I made my way to the door.

“That was before I knew he was sleeping with my daughter!” He shouted. I knew his whole side of the office could hear his yells.

“Well maybe if you took a moment to know him now, you would know he still is a great guy,” I spat back, throwing the door open.

“Then let us, bring him to dinner Friday night. Your sister is flying in from Stanford and your mother would like the proper introduction, as would I,” he said in a final tone. I turned and looked at him.

“Dad, he’s got training,” I tried to reason.

“If you’re important to him, he can make time, now, we have a big client coming in today. Let’s be professional and get through this meeting,” my dad stood from his desk and I stormed out of his office. Everyone watched me walk off as I briskly walked back to my desk.

I stopped at my assistants desk and told her to dial Ryan for me and cancel any meetings I had today.

I wouldn’t be able to stand in the same room with my father and be professional about it.

“Ryan’s on line one, Nat,” my assistant said on the speaker. I sat at my desk and picked up the phone.

“Well if it isn’t my little executive,” I heard his voice through the phone.

“You have to be in New York on Friday for dinner with the Crenshaw family,” I cut to it. The phone went silent.

“I have training until 6:30,” he said. I slumped further into my chair.

“My father is pissed that he was asked in an interview how it felt that I was dating the playboy of America,” I said filling him in, “my parents are demanding a dinner.”

“Natalie, you’re 24 years old, why is he still dictating your life?” He questioned.

“Look, Ryan, he’s not dictating my life. He’s being a parent. A parent who happens to get a lot of media coverage. I know you have training and believe me, I’m trying to understand it all but please, can you please try to come to dinner with my family? Andrea will be in from school so it won’t just be us and the maids,” I was begging over the phone, trying to get him to make this exception for me.
“Coach is going to make me do Sunday training because of this but because it’s important to you, I’ll do it. I will come to Crenshaw family dinner,” he said. I smiled a little bit.

“Thank you, it truly means alot to me, Ry, they just need to see you’re not what they think you are and then they’ll leave us alone,” I assured him.

“And if I am the guy they think?” He asked me.

“Then I still like that guy, I’m dating you, they aren’t,” I said. I looked at the photo I had of the two of us from London and smiled at the fact that we are actually not as a disturbing of a couple that I thought we would be.

[..]

Friday was a day full of airport time for me. Andrea was arriving at the JFK on our plane at noon and Ryan would shortly be arriving after at two. I got to the airport at 11:30 and bought a coffee and a New York Times.

The entertainment section had a piece on me and Ryan. I rolled my eyes, annoyed at the fact that for some reason people found personal relationships of others to be news. I read the predictions that everyone assumed and the disbelief many had that someone could “tie Ryan Lochte to one girl.” Annoyed at the article, I stood up and slammed the paper in the trash can.

“You know, you could have recycled that,” I heard someone say, I looked up and saw my little sister.

Andrea didn’t look like the Andrea I saw in London. Her hair was cut short at her shoulders and it was curly, no longer the Crenshaw pin straight hair. She wore some dark blue skinny jeans, cuffed around her ankles and a white v-neck with a scarf. I pulled her into a hug.

“Andrea! You look wonderful,” I said as we sat down to wait for Ryan to get here.

“I took ownership, Nat, it feels amazing! Cutting my hair felt like telling mom to suck it. Not buying $600 dresses feels like I’m actually living for the charities we give to. And, I have been seeing Nathan every now and then. We’re not like you and Ryan but we’re enjoying the company,” she smiled, filling me in on her life, making me proud to be her sister.

“And Conor?” I asked. She rolled her eyes.

“When him and Ry were in California, he called me up to come out with him, uhm, no thanks. That night was a huge mistake but now, I don’t regret it. I don’t have to be awkward with the next guy I sleep with. He got the worst of me, the me who wanted to be wanted that night in London. The next guy, he gets the best of me,” she smiled. I could have cried by how much she had grown up in just two months.

We sat in the airport talking about my life and work. I was overwhelmed in client cases and I filled her in on me and Ryan. We had been official for only three weeks and I had only seen him a few times. Andrea spoke on how happy she was for me and we talked about if I ever thought I would move to Florida to be with Ryan on a more permanent level.

Thankfully, I didn’t have to answer because the man himself was walking through his terminal.

Andrea took my bag as I ran up to him and into his arms. He quickly wrapped around me and embraced my welcome. I took his warmth in. I missed it every time we had to leave one another.

“Oh God, Nat, I missed you,” he said, letting me go, I took his hand and led him to meet Andrea.

“I missed you too,” I smiled. He saw my sister and barely recognized her.

“I know, I look amazing,” she giggled as she gave Ryan a hug.

“Nathan said you did a total 180 since London but I didn’t imagine this, glad you two have been hanging out,” he smiled, happy for my sister.

I fought to take Ryan’s bag but ended up losing as he took my sisters bag along with his own as we made our way out of the JFK and towards my car.

“So should we fill him in on the Crenshaw homestead?” Andrea asked from the backseat.

“Dre, don’t freak him out,” I said a little worried.

“No, I’m not freaked, tell me what it’s like,” he asked as I navigated through the Friday afternoon traffic out of New York and into the world of Connecticut.

“Our house is huge, my mother calls the maids the help, she’s a little bit racist like that. But we love them all the same. You don’t have to dress up for dinner, your button up should be fine but they won’t appreciate if you have sex in their house, right Natalie?” My sister said, tapping my shoulder lightly.

“It was one time!” I said defensively.

“Natalie, you naughty girl,” Ryan put his hand high on my thigh. I looked over at him and grinned.

“I was young, and Dre is right, we need to behave tonight while we’re here,” I said, moving his hand.

“And mother will expect to be called Mrs. Crenshaw. Now Dad, he’s a Yale man, mom’s a Dartmouth lady. Being an Ivy League is important to them but make sure you mention you’re an educated man from Florida, education sets you apart from any creep,” Andrea went on.

“Okay, I think this is enough, can we please talk about something else?” I begged, I watched Ryan fumble with his seatbelt as Andrea kept talking about our family.

“Sure, how’s training Ryan? Nathan said you guys don’t all train together until November,” Andrea changed the subject.

Ryan began talking about training and what it was like to be back in Florida doing dry practice and training in the pool. He mentioned that he was now training with his brother and what that was like. He also mentioned that he would be having a swim meet soon in Detroit. Andrea said she already knew about it because Nathan kept her informed and invited her.

“Then you should come too, Natalie,” Ryan suggested.

“Of course,” I promised.

When we got to my house, I was feeling okay. Andrea had helped when she changed the subject and I liked how Ryan was acting. He was being himself but without the games. I led him into our massive house and he looked a little shocked.

“Andrea wasn’t lying,” he said.

“No, it’s disgustingly big,” I said, leading him up to the guest room where he would be.

“So really, your parents would kill us if we had sex? Because I could take you right now,” he said, pulling me onto the bed. I smiled and kissed him lightly.

“They’d be pissed, beyond pissed,” I said, sliding off the bed and leading him to the sitting room.

My mother was already in hysterics, yelling at Andrea for cutting her hair and looking like a hippie or some girl off the street. Andrea was taking it like a pro, just nodding as mom went off. She was going to keep shrieking when she saw me with Ryan.

“Oh forgive me, our youngest decided to chop her hair off and look like one of those crazy girls, you must be Ryan, officially,” my mother stood and greeted him with a handshake and air-kiss on the cheek.

“It’s nice to officially meet you too, Mrs. Crenshaw, you have a lovely home,” he smiled at her. I took his hand into mine and leaned on his arm.

“Oh we need to redecorate, it’s been too long, I’m sure your mother can relate to that,” she laughed. Ryan cleared his throat.

“She doesn’t really re-decorate all that much but she also likes to keep the house proper,” he said smoothly. My mother cleared her throat.

“Yes, well, you’re one of how many?” she asked as we took our seats.

“Five, Mrs. Crenshaw, I have four siblings,” he said politely.

“Mom, Ryan and his family are very close still, his mom is very involved in his life,” I shared.

“Yes, I’ve been told. So your father should be home soon, he said the office wouldn’t be holding him up so it must be traffic. I will see if Meredith could pour us some drinks, Andrea, tell the help we’re expecting the horderves right now,” my mother demanded. I felt Ryan tense up a little bit.

“Mom is from Georgia, grew up a southern belle,” I whispered to Ryan.

“I mean, Andrea warned me, it was just, wow, she really said that,” Ryan whispered back.

“What’s the whispering?” My mother asked.

“Oh I was telling Ryan you grew up in Georgia mom,” I shared aloud.

“I did, right outside Atlanta. Natalie, that reminds me, Stephen called me last week, he said he saw you were involved in a man, a bit shocked, Ryan were people shocked when they heard too?” My mom asked.

“Mom, it’s not like you didn’t know about this in London,” I said, referring to our shopping trip.

“Natalie, I’m talking to our guest,” she snapped.

“No, Mrs. Crenshaw, they weren’t shocked,” he kept polite. I was about to speak up when my dad walked in and the drinks and appetizer followed in behind him.

“Natalie, did you call Marcus and tell him his campaign was ready to be picked up?” My dad said once he walked into the room, I stood with Ryan.

“Yes, he said he’d grab it Monday when he was in the city, told you to work on your swing, but dad, this is Ryan, Ryan, you remember my father,” I said, putting him back to focus on why we were all here.

“Nice to meet you, sir,” Ryan said, shaking my dad’s hand firmly and we sat back down. I took Ryan’s hand once again.

“Ryan Lochte, Olympian swimmer and boy toy of the year, it’s nice to officially meet the guy my daughter has seemed to find a liking to,” he said as he sat down, unbuttoning his suit.

“Andrea, what the hell happened to your hair?” My dad asked when she walked in. She gave a cheesy smile and kissed my dad’s cheek.

“I’m going bold, daddy,” she shared.

“You’re going granola, that’s what California does to people,” he laughed as Dre took her seat next to mom.

“So Ryan, where’d you go to school? Natalie said you went to school,” he said as he took his neat scotch that was waiting for him.

“Yeah, I went to University of Florida,” he shared. My dad grunted a bit.

“Natalie went to Yale,” he was clearly unimpressed. I was literally biting my tongue.

“Yes, she told me, your daughter is brilliant, sir. Truly she outshines me in all ways,” he said, smiling at me.

Ryan was being charming and I kind of liked it.

“She outshines many people, Ryan. So tell me why you chose Florida,” my dad asked not missing a beat.

“Well I wanted to swim sir. I also wanted to be near my family,” he shared.

“He’s one of five,” my mom shared.

“I knew that, Elaine, my books told me we put up his family at the Olympics a couple times,” my dad grunted out.

“Yes sir, I’m very appreciative of that,” Ryan said gratefully as we stood to go to dinner.

“And you don’t help your mom now? She’s divorced I heard,” my dad said. I dropped my fork mortified.

“Natalie, it’s fine, yes sir, my parents are divorced, just over a year ago,” he shared, I felt him rest his free hand on my thigh. I couldn’t believe my dad was asking him this.

“And now she’s in some financial rubble, did you know?” He asked. I looked at my dad.

“Dad, this is unnecessary,” I protested.

I wasn’t ignorant to what the reporters were saying, they were even dragging my name into it and wondering if he was in financial crisis too. I would never ask him though, it wasn’t my business.

“Natalie the boy can speak up for himself,” my dad warned me.

“Yeah, it’s fine. Uh, no sir, I didn’t know what all was going on, when I found out, I tried to help but my mother is a prideful woman, it’s all taken care of now, though, I just wish people would leave her alone,” he said, I could hear the stress in his voice.

“Amen! America is too nosy, all up in everyone’s life, needing to feel better about themselves,” my sister began to speak up. My mother rolled her eyes.

Page six was her life.

Dinner went by with only one or two more bumps in the road and by desert my dad asked the more intense questions.

“So Natalie is in New York, you’re not, how does that work?” He asked.

“Dad, I visit him, he visits me, it works great for us,” I said.

“But you said this isn’t a toying relationship, what happens when you want to take the next step, who sacrifices?” He questioned. I looked to Ryan.

“Surely we can figure that out if it comes to it. I train in Florida but you know, we can change things up to fit both of us for the best,” Ryan answered.

“And you’re being faithful?” He challenged. I was stunned my dad had to ask.

“I care alot about your daughter, sir,” Ryan said evenly.

“I’m sure you understand where he’s coming from, Natalie is his little girl, we just don’t want any gossip or hurt feelings,” my mother said.

“I think we also need to understand I’m an adult,” I said.

“Natalie last time you were hurt, you shut down for three years, you really want that to happen again?” My mother spoke up. Ryan looked over at me, not sure what she was talking about.

“So great, Ryan likes Nat, Nat likes Ryan, it’s all good, we should call it a dinner, it’s like 10, I’ve got a Skype call,” Andrea said, saving me and standing up. We all excused ourselves and Ryan and I took a walk.

“I’m so sorry about all of that, they got way into your family’s personal life, it wasn’t right,” I apologized immediately.

“Natalie, they can ask whatever they want, as long as it doesn’t change what you think about me,” he said as we walked. I was shocked by how collective he was about this all.

“You are being too gracious to my family,” I said as we sat on the dock to the lake we had on our estate.

“No, I just don’t care what they think. I’m not dating your family,” he said, “but what I want to know is what shut you down for three years,” he said. I looked out to the lake then over at him.

“Did you know that I was engaged once?” I asked. He looked a little shocked. I nodded.

“I dated a guy for three years, high school love I guess it was, we all thought I was going to be just like my mother. But when he proposed when I was twenty, he started getting money hungry. He came from an established family but he knew all that would come with marrying me. I found him in bed with another girl. I threw the ring at his head and walked out. I really haven’t dated since. I got really close to Kate and our good guy friend and kept my defense up to everyone else,” I said, he was looking at me right in the eyes.

“So you haven’t dated anyone up until me?” He asked, confused.

“Formally, no, and in London, when I got a strong attraction to you, it scared the hell out of me. That’s why I did all I did overseas,” I began letting my guard down a little more. Ryan pulled me into his arms.

“Natalie, this honesty thing you’re doing with me kind of rocks. It’s like those fears we had last month are all being thrown out. And I can’t promise I won’t be a dick from time to time because I will definitely be but I want you to know I’m going to work on being what’s best for you,” he said to me.

It was weird. Ryan wasn’t trying to impress me or play mind games with me. Instead he was being real. And I was being real too.

And what really hit me the most was the fact that I was starting to fall for him. And I could only pray he would catch me.