‹ Prequel: The Pros and Cons of Loving
The Pros and Cons of Growing Up
Part Eight
Aiden’s POV
Three Days Later…
“So how is school?” Dad asked me, sitting at the kitchen table next to me and nudging me.
“It’s good.” I nodded and forced a smile, then ate a small bite of the croissant he and Daddy had brought me.
“Good? Not great?”
“It’s school, Dad.” I set my croissant down and forced a smile. “I mean, it’s okay. It’s good.”
Dad smiled sadly and nodded. “I’m so glad you’re back, Aiden. I’ve missed you so much… I can’t believe my baby is gone to college and living on his own…”
I laughed quietly. “What time does Eric get home today?”
“Oh well on Fridays he works, not school. So he’s on his way now probably… he’s so excited to see you, honey. He’s been pretty sad through this… he’s handling it though. He’s made his own new friends, he’s gotten a job, he’s paying his own bills. The few ones he has. He’s even forcing us rent, but we’ve been putting it into a fund for him. He doesn’t know that, though… I’m proud of him. I’m proud of both of you.”
He was proud of me for barely eating?
Proud of me for doing this to Eric?
I wanted to shake my father. Scream in his face.
This was the man that had raised me, almost alone. We had been through everything together. Could he not see I was hurting? Could he not see that I was miserable?
Or was he, like I, ignoring it? Did he know it was there, he just didn’t want to believe it?
Whatever it was, he shouldn’t have been proud. That made me feel even worse.
Three Days Later…
“So how is school?” Dad asked me, sitting at the kitchen table next to me and nudging me.
“It’s good.” I nodded and forced a smile, then ate a small bite of the croissant he and Daddy had brought me.
“Good? Not great?”
“It’s school, Dad.” I set my croissant down and forced a smile. “I mean, it’s okay. It’s good.”
Dad smiled sadly and nodded. “I’m so glad you’re back, Aiden. I’ve missed you so much… I can’t believe my baby is gone to college and living on his own…”
I laughed quietly. “What time does Eric get home today?”
“Oh well on Fridays he works, not school. So he’s on his way now probably… he’s so excited to see you, honey. He’s been pretty sad through this… he’s handling it though. He’s made his own new friends, he’s gotten a job, he’s paying his own bills. The few ones he has. He’s even forcing us rent, but we’ve been putting it into a fund for him. He doesn’t know that, though… I’m proud of him. I’m proud of both of you.”
He was proud of me for barely eating?
Proud of me for doing this to Eric?
I wanted to shake my father. Scream in his face.
This was the man that had raised me, almost alone. We had been through everything together. Could he not see I was hurting? Could he not see that I was miserable?
Or was he, like I, ignoring it? Did he know it was there, he just didn’t want to believe it?
Whatever it was, he shouldn’t have been proud. That made me feel even worse.