Chapter 24: Girlfriends

Chapter Cast:

Darren, Male, 54
- Narrator, retired, father of Gwen and Victoria (Vic)
- 5’11, beige skin, 195lbs, cropped greying brown hair
Audrey, Female, 16
- High school senior, daughter of Duncan and Theresa
- 5’9, pale skin, 140lbs, light-green eyes, straight auburn hair over her shoulders
Gwen, Female, 16
- High school sophomore, daughter of Darren, sister of Victoria
- 5’6, beige skin, 135lbs, shoulder-length wavy black hair
Victoria (Vic), Female, 14
- High school freshman, daughter of Darren, sister of Gwen
- 5’4, beige skin, 120lbs, wavy neck-length light-brown hair

It is simply amazing how quickly my mindset changed over those first two weeks in January. With Audrey back in my life, I felt young again, energized, worthy of each breath I drew from the world. It wasn’t that I’d done anything in particular to deserve such a reversal, but I flourished like never before just from knowing that each day I’d get to see Audrey. To kiss her. To hold her close to me and hear her say she loved me. I lived for those moments. I missed her when she was at school. I missed her when she was at home in her bed and I in mine. When I’d heard people in movies in new relationships describe themselves as if they were teenagers again, I’d always found that rather corny. But, with a second shot at a real relationship with Audrey, the feeling was well understood. The word ‘giddy’ would have described the fluttering in my stomach, the warm, eager thoughts in my head, and the way my rigid flesh sought out Audrey’s touch whenever there was an opportunity.

Thursday evening was Vic’s first softball game and I met her sister at the field around five in the evening. It was still light out when the game started, though the sun was drifting behind some low clouds and casting grey shadows over the field. Victoria wasn’t starting, so the first few innings were mostly me and Gwen talking together.

“So, about Vic,” Gwen said, changing the course of the conversation from schoolwork to her sister, “she, uh, she told me she is one...”

“Is one...”

Her voice lowered, “A lesbian...”

“Ah ... yeah, I knew,” I replied, “she basically let me know a day or two ago.”

“Simone’s her girlfriend...”

“So,” I asked, “how serious are things, do you think?”

Gwendolyn shrugged, “I dunno. They’ve kissed, I’m sure of that ... but ... I dunno.”

I nodded, “Alright. I see Simone got the start at third base. She’s a very pretty girl.”

Gwen laughed and shook her head, “Careful, Dad. You don’t need to go picking up another underage girlfriend.”

Her voice was a touch louder than I’d have liked and I cringed visibly, hoping the other spectators around us did not overhear.

Gwen’s mouth tightened and she said quietly, “Sorry!”

I nodded but didn’t reply.

“I only meant that,” she said much lower in volume, “as a joke, Dad. Sorry...”

“It’s fine, just,” I said barely above a whisper, “we have to be really ... careful ... about things...”

“I know,” Gwen replied, looking properly chastised, “I’ll be careful. Promise.”

“So,” I said a bit louder, “I guess you don’t know Simone well, then?”

Gwen shook her head, “Nah. She’s in Vic’s class, not mine. I only see her when I give them a ride home. She’s just a freshman. Not really much to know about her...”

“And ... the fact that she’s black ... is that a problem in this school?”

Gwen shrugged. “I dunno. Probably to some. There are definitely some rednecks here, Dad. But I never see it...”

“Try, Gwen.”

“Huh?”

“Try to see it,” I replied. “It’s easy to miss such things, especially since you’re a beautiful white girl in a southern school filled with mostly white middle and upper class kids. Go out of your way to see how others treat people like Simone. Don’t let racism escape your attention. Be an ally if needed. But definitely don’t be ignorant about it existing.”

Gwen pursed her lips and thought a moment. “Yeah. Okay. I’ll start watching. I know what you mean, Dad ... I’ve seen it sometimes ... last year there were a couple of guys who used the ‘n’ word and harassed a couple of black girls ... just joking, they said, but ... I know it wasn’t funny...”

I’d raised my girls to do their best to overcome biases. Racism is often part of a genetic disposition to associate with those most like you and isolate those less like you. But a lot of racism is taught at home. Vic and Gwen were raised to understand that it was too easy to be prejudiced and much more difficult to put aside such things and treat people equally. They weren’t taught to be colorblind. That sort of naive thinking led to people missing the fact that bias and prejudice and inequality are real problems. Colorblindness, while nice in theory, only made it harder for people to be allies and for them to spot the problems they could help correct.

“Let me know,” I replied, “if there’s anything I can do. I’m curious, of course, how Vic’s relationship with Simone might attract that sort of racist attention. I’d prefer that they work things out on their own and learn how to deal with it, but if I have to break a kneecap or two, I will.”

Gwen laughed, “Easy, Dad. You aren’t as mafioso as you think you are. Some of the guys here work out every day. No offense, Dad, but these guys are ... rather tough...”

“Have one of them pick on my daughters, and I’ll show them tough. Oh, I won’t fight fair, don’t you worry. Tough is meaningless when I play dirty.”

Gwen laughed again and leaned her head against me, then she said softly, “I, uh ... I talked to Pete today...”

“And?” I asked. My daughter had mostly been silent about her breakup since the day it happened. I knew it still stung, as any breakup did, but I’d hoped she was doing better than most.

She replied, “Nothing much happened. He just said ‘hi’ and I did, too. That’s it.”

“Are you thinking about trying to work things out with him?”

Gwen was quiet a moment, then replied, “I don’t know...”

“Well ... I won’t tell you what to do. Hell, I barely manage my own relationships as it is, but,” I told my daughter, “just remember that what he did to your sister was not nice. I’m not saying he can’t be a better person or that he can’t change ... but don’t let him sweet talk you back together thinking that was isolated. I’ve seen guys act like that, Gwen, many times. Sometimes, it’s just a stupid teenager being a stupid teenager. But often, it’s a pattern. Just keep a defensive stance and make sure that you consider things fully before deciding he’s worth a second shot.”

“Yeah, I know ... I haven’t forgotten what he did. But ... I guess I’d at least like to talk to him ... to ask why he did that...”

“Fair enough.”

Before I realized it, the softball game was into the sixth inning. This high school league only played seven innings in a full game, and, unfortunately, our girls were down seven to one. But that gave Vic a shot as a pinch hitter, and she came up to bat in the bottom of the sixth with two on and two out.

“Hey, there’s your sister!”

Gwen sat up and leaned forward, yelling, “Go Vic Go!”

Two pitches, two strikes, and it looked like Vic’s first career at bat was going to go the way most first career at bats went: badly. But then a swing on a slow pitch sent the ball between center and right, and in seconds, Vic was on third base, two runs scoring on the triple. The home crowd went nuts, and Gwen and I cheered as loudly as anyone.

The team couldn’t keep the rally going, and in just over ten minutes, the game was called at seven to three, but at least Vic had a moment to shine and did herself proud.

After the game finished, Gwen took off for home. Once the players had a chance to change out of their uniforms, I met my youngest daughter near the gym and gave Vic a huge hug, and despite the team’s loss, I could see Vic’s smile coming through. “Awesome hit, Sweetie!”

“Dad!” Vic protested lightly, “I’m not Sweetie!”

“Err, sorry, Vic.”

“Better.”

“Anyway, that was a great hit!”

She beamed, “Thanks!”

“Ready to head home?”

“Umm ... yeah ... ummm ... one moment...” Her head was scanning the crowd around her, then she said, “Be right back...”

I watched as she chased down Simone who was talking with a dark-skinned couple, perhaps the girl’s parents. Vic all but dragged her girlfriend over to where Gwen and I waited. “Umm, Dad?” Vic said.

“Yeah?”

“Can, um ... can Simone stay the night on Friday?”

A thousand thoughts went through my head, and some of them recognized what that sort of thing might mean. Still, Victoria would be fifteen in just a few days, and I’d already extended her the trust and opportunity to make adult choices. If she wanted to have a safe, comfortable place to spend some time with her new girlfriend, I had no reservations about agreeing. “Of course, so long as it is okay with her parents. Care to introduce me?”

“Uh,” Vic’s eyes darted to Simone’s and I saw concern pass between them, “Uh...”

“I won’t mention ... anything personal ... I promise...” I assured them.

Simone’s words rushed out, “Okay, thanks, cause, they, uh, they don’t know ... uh ... they don’t think I’m ... uh...”

I raised my hand and smiled, “Don’t worry. You’re just friends, right? Nothing unusual about friends staying over. I just want to meet your parents to assure them all is well.”

“Uh, ok, ok, thanks, thanks,” Simone stammered.

I walked over and left the two girls behind. “Hi, uh, are you Simone’s parents? I’m Vic’s father, Darren.”

The man stuck out his hand and replied, “Mark. This is my wife Aisha. Nice to meet you.”

“You as well,” I said, shaking Mark’s hand and then Aisha’s. “Your daughter and mine are good friends and they are asking permission for Simone to stay over tomorrow night. That’s fine with me. I’ll be home to keep an eye on them.”

I saw the couple look at each other with an expression bordering on uncertainty. “Uh,” Aisha replied, “yeah. That would be ... fine. Listen, Darren ... do you think it’s ... odd ... that your daughter and mine are friends so suddenly?”

“Hmm?” I said, “Not sure what you mean...”

“Well ... No offense, Darren, but...” Aisha paused.

Her husband took up the point, “We’ve noticed that some of the girls on the team ... They aren’t exactly... Christian.”

I narrowed my eyes and replied, “Still not sure what you mean...”

The man lowered his voice and I couldn’t tell if he felt any shame when he told me, “We aren’t comfortable with our daughter around so many girls with... the Devil’s urges...”

I stood dumbfounded. I couldn’t tell if they were upset that there were non-believers or those with beliefs other than the ones they held on the team, or if they specifically meant that they didn’t like having their daughter associate with girls who might not be straight. I almost challenged them on their narrow-minded statements, but instead, it occurred to me that Simone deserved to spend time away from such backwards views, and arguing with the girl’s parents would assure they would not allow her to visit Vic on Friday.

So, I lied. “Oh, I am certain you have nothing to worry about in my house.” I emphasized my meaning the way I’d seen so many condescending religious hypocrites doing over the years. “My daughters were raised correctly.”

Mark smiled and I saw the relief on Aisha’s face, as well. “That’s good to hear, Darren, very good to hear. Simone may visit on Friday. We’ll need her home by Saturday night, though. She has early church with her mother and me on Sunday. I’m sure you understand how important it is to stay right with the Lord in all things.”

“Trust me, I understand.” Miserable assholes, I silently muttered. “I’ll be sure she gets home on time.”

I shook their hands again, feeling a bit soiled for doing so, and returned to the girls. I could see how nervous Simone was when I walked up. “They have given permission to stay Friday, Simone.”

Her eyes widened, “Really? Did you ... uh ... did you tell them ... anything?”

I shrugged, then said quietly, “I ... might have suggested that we’re a bit more... religious ... than we really are...”

Vic raised an eyebrow, “You lied to them?”

“Not exactly,” I replied.

“So what did you say?” Vic asked.

“How about we discuss it in the car ... Simone, I’ll pick you up with Vic after practice tomorrow, how’s that sound?”

“Great!” the girl exclaimed. She shook Vic’s hand so deliberately that I could feel the romantic tension trying to turn it into a hug or a kiss.

On the way back to my car, I texted Gwen to let her know we were on the way home. She sent back a message saying she’d just got home herself and would put the lasagna I’d prepared that day in the oven for dinner. Then I texted Audrey to tell her I hoped to see her soon. I didn’t get a response before I started driving home.