Chapter 9

Bill’s turn:

Major disruption in The Force. As if marrying a sixteen year old neighbor wasn’t enough.

No, erase that. Haley and I knew we were destined for marriage as soon as she turned sixteen. It was a vow we’d made to each other almost two years ago. The major disruption is that my daughter moved away from her mom’s house. And she’s fourteen. And my wife’s best friend, if I take either of their word for it, and each has said so at different times.

This is one of those times that I have to, as the saying goes, pull up my ‘big boy’ pants and do what’s right.

Shouldn’t be too hard. The two loves of my life, Deena and Haley, had already informed me that this was going to happen.

The surprise is that it happened so soon. I would’ve loved having a few weeks of me and Haley married, the house to ourselves, but to be honest, we’ve been sort of doing that for almost that same two years. Basically, ever since Haley’s mom informed me that not only did she know, but she approved, Haley’s spent most of her nights in our bed. Fact is, the only times she didn’t was when Deena was over for her alternate weekends with Dad, and that month in the summer.

A whole month. During that month, Haley spent a few nights at her parents’ house, but most of those nights she spent with Deena.

Now it’s full-time Haley in my bed. With Deena in her bedroom up the hall. I miss the naked Haley between the time we showered together and we went to bed, even if going to bed meant a happy bounce, then up to watch TV or something, then back to bed. Not with Deena here.

I could make a case for being a bit despondent, really. That goes away, though, when I call the house on my way home from work and Haley says, “You’re on speaker, baby.” And I hear both of them in the kitchen laughing together. They really are best friends. Just that one of ‘em’s my wife.

The three of us were learning how to live together. It takes some doing. For me and Haley, not so much, but including Deena, well, a bit. Haley’s got this delightful habit of coming up behind me and hugging me. I like it. Deena adopted it. Haley’s hands roam a bit. Thankfully, Deena’s don’t.

Haley and I are circumspect about dressing when we come out of the bedroom after showering in the master bath together.

“Do y’all ALWAYS shower together?” Deena queried.

I had no powers of speech.

Haley did. “Uh-huh. Saves water.”

Deena’s mouth made a smirk. “Uh, yeah. THAT’S the reason.”

Haley snickered. “It’s ONE reason.”

“Deena,” I managed to squeak.

“Oh, Dad, you know I’m just picking.”

Haley reinforced the statement. “My chain is being jerked, baby. Since you’re attached to me, you get jerked around, too. I must manage my daughter better.”

Said daughter stuck her tongue out at her stepmom.

We ended up sitting on the floor around the coffee table playing dominoes this evening. Deena won. Gloated a bit.

She kissed me and Haley good night and headed to her own bedroom. Haley took my hand and tugged. Yeah, like I NEED encouragement.

Haley’s turn:

“Mizz Dasson, here’s my dilemma,” I said. Mizz Dasson is one of the high school guidance counselors. She had the kids with last names of A through L. She kept me even though I changed my name from Buckley to Simon.

“Go ahead, Haley. I’m listening.”

“I’m idling. I haven’t been challenged in class yet this year.”

She regarded me carefully. I wonder how many kids come in and say something like that.

“I’ve heard that one before, Haley. Just that the last one who tried wasn’t running a straight A average for the last four years. I suppose you have some ideas...”

“I want to go to college.”

“You’re sixteen.”

“Do you think I’m not up to college-level work?”

She shook her head. “No, Haley, I think back on some of my own college classes and I fear you’ll idle there as well.”

“But it will be college, at least,” I inserted. “Degree.”

“Major?”

“Engineering.”

“Huh?”

“Husband’s an engineer. I’m imprinted.”

She smiled. “Yes. A married Haley.” A sigh. “I’ve seen more than a few high school marriages, you know. None of them look like yours. None of them seemed to end up with a participant wanting to jump into college. Matter of fact, I can’t think of one where the female wasn’t pregnant.”

“Not pregnant,” I said. “Not gonna be. Too young. Gotta get college out of the way.” I didn’t feel I needed to explain about Bill’s vasectomy, that I had a step-daughter who was almost my age and an only child.

I was, however, paying close attention to this conversation with Deena’s situation clearly in mind.

“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do.”

“I’m listening,” I said.

“October, we get you into an SAT session. That’s the Scholastic...”

“Scholastic Aptitude Test,” I finished for her. “Okay. I’m good with that.” And I knew that it was legitimately called ‘SAT’ now. Too many problems with what the words in the full title meant. Political football and all that. But no sense in arguing with somebody who wants to help me.

“ACT, too?” I asked.

“We can do that. I’ll get the schedules and the forms. Let’s get you some scores, look at them, and then see what our next step will be.”

“Sounds good,” I said.

She looked at me, said softly, “You’re correct, Haley. You can be much further along. I actually think you ARE much further along.”

“I don’t want to be strange,” I said. “I just want to get on with life.”

She smiled again. “You seem to be doing that quite well.”

“I do try,” I said.

“I’ll let you know something as soon as I find information.”

“Thank you, Mizz Dasson.”

I walked into World History class, handed my hall pass to the teacher.

“We’re re-reading the chapter on the Protestant Reformation, Haley,” she said.

“Yes ma’am. I read it. Quite interesting the way that the Catholic Church fought against its loss of control...”

“Yes. Go sit down. I know this is wasting your time.”

“Oh, no ma’am,” I said. “It’s very interesting.”

“But I suspect that you could already pass the test.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The conversation was loud enough for the students in the front row to hear it, in other words, by the end of the next hour, it would be general knowledge. However, my academic prowess is old news. Haley with wedding ring is still a subject of conversation, though.

I ignore the malicious questions, and answer those that don’t get too personal or nosey. I’m pretty tired of explaining that I am not pregnant and my husband is older than me, has a job and house and yes, that’s OUR car I’m driving to school, but I find those much less tiring than the stares. At least the novelty is wearing off.

That novelty is, anyway.

The novelty of being married to Bill isn’t. Nor is the novelty of Deena living with us. We’re three weeks into that little alteration of lifestyle, a mere week longer than the marriage itself.

It’s working.

Actually, I felt pangs of jealousy when Deena stayed with one of her classmates for a Friday night sleepover. I know, we talked about it. I knew she was trying her best to give me and her dad some running room in our relationship.

“Can you pick me up after school Friday and drop me off at Emily’s house?”

“I can,” I said. “What the plan?”

“I’m gonna ask Dad, but I wanna spend the night at her house. Her mom’s gonna bring us to the movies, then we’ll go home and spend the night there...”

“Okay. If your dad...”

“You KNOW he trusts me.”

“He does.”

“Emily’s sort of one of my best friends. That ‘peer’ thing we talk about. She’s an honor roll student, too.”

“Uh, how about we wait until your dad gets home and let HIM drive us over there. He’ll make a better impression than your sixteen year old step-mom.”

She giggled. “Yeah ... I didn’t think of that. You know, when we go to the school for ‘open house’ night, it’s gonna be fun introducing you as my mom.”

“You’re soooo mean,” I laughed. “You sure your mom’s not going to go with you?”

She shook her head. “She’s still mad. She thought for sure I wasn’t serious about moving here for good.”

“But she signed the papers,” I said.

“Yeah. Go figure. Now she’s ... Well, I see that she and Harv are having a much more active social life without me hindering them.” She scrutinized my expression. “On the other hand, you ‘n’ Dad...”

“Are completely happy, dear,” I said. “Don’t even think about it.”

“I’m sorry, Haley. I messed y’all up.”

“Deena ... what’re you talking about? We talked about this a long time. Me ‘n’ you. Me ‘n’ you and your dad. It’s okay. We LIKE it, don’t we?”

“You sure?”

“I’m not going to abandon my daughter,” I said loftily. “Just isn’t done.” I ran a quick calculation in my head. “Period,” I said. “You’re...”

“Omigod ... you’re right. I’m PMSing.”

“You’re a little more sensitive,” I said. “I am, too. Your dad knows...”

“But ... I’m okay here, right?”

“Not gonna abandon my daughter. I already said that,” I giggled.

So Friday after school, I picked up Deena and her friend Emily. Since I was only two years ahead of them, leaving behind me the same school they were currently attending, we talked about some of the teachers and the facilities and such. We went to our house, waited for Bill to get home, then he drove us all to Emily’s house.

They’re not ‘McMansion’ people either. We all got out, Bill and I introduced ourselves to Emily’s mom, Amanda.

“Oh, believe me,” Amanda said, “I’ve heard everything about you two. At least what Emily knows.”

I smiled. “Just a marriage,” Bill said. “Stranger things have happened.”

“Oh, don’t I know it,” Amanda replied. “Just making the effort to get married, though, that says something these days.”

“That’s what we decided.”

“Well, Emily ‘n’ Deena have been friends for years. I heard the news, sorta had to think about it, but I know Deena, and well, nothing to change that.”

“I hope not,” Bill replied. “I want Deena to have as normal a life as possible.”

Amanda smiled. “That’s what I want for Emily – as normal a life as possible. Hard to do these days.”

“I know,” Bill said. “Deena hanging out with Emily, though, that’s a good part of it.”

“We’ll do the best we can. Movie tonight. I don’t imagine those two will get to sleep early after that. We’ll bring Deena home after they wake up.”

Bill reached in his pocket for a card. “My phone numbers, just in case,” he said, handing it to her.

“I’ll call, Dad,” Deena said. Then she put on an exaggerated smirk. “Mom.”

“Deena!” I squeaked. Then to Amanda. “Be careful with my stepdaughter.”

Amanda looked at me, then Bill. “How do you put up with that?”

Bill grinned. “Every day it’s something new.”