Chapter 13: Permission and a Date

David awakened suddenly when he heard a profoundly deep voice call out, “Coach MacFarlane.”

Opening his eyes, he saw Mia’s dad standing a few feet away on the pool deck. Thinking the girls were both still in the hot-tub with him and naked, he jerked upright, looking around.

“I came by to pick up both girls. They were in the house eating lunch, and I hated to wake you up since you looked so relaxed, but I didn’t want you to freak out when you woke up and found the girls were gone.”

“Thank you. That’s very thoughtful of you, Mr. Giovanini. What time is it, by the way” David asked.

“It’s almost 4:15” said Mr. Giovanini, looking down. “Why? Gotta date?”

“Actually, yes I do. It’s my first date in over 2 years” David replied. “And it’s the first time since my wife died that I’m dating for romantic, as opposed to platonic reasons. To say I’m nervous would be an understatement. Although I don’t know why I’m telling you all that.”

“Coach, I like you. You can call me Emil. My daughter told me you got her to beat her personal best in the 500m Freestyle today by almost half a minute. I’m not as thrilled that she tells me she had to strip naked to do that, but far be it from me to argue with results.”

David began to sputter, “Wait, it’s not like that...”

Emil began to laugh, a big, deep belly laugh. “Gotcha! No, she told me her bikini came off while she was trying to keep up with you and she was too stubborn to stop and get it until she finished the race. That’s the second time you’ve seen her partly nude. At this rate, I’ll come to get her next week and she’ll be swimming starkers!”

He began to laugh again. “But hey! If that’s what it takes, go right ahead and coach her in the nude.”

He turned away briefly before turning back to David. “Mrs. Nbanga will be picking them up tomorrow after the regular swim practice. If it’ okay, I’m gonna send Mia’s sisters Claudia and Evangeline over with the swim team. My wife is visiting her parents in Miami, and I’m gotta go toAtlanta and won’t be back until around midnight. I know Mrs. Nbanga has a teacher’s meeting and several parent conferences after school and she asked me if you would feed them afterwards. She said she will pick them up as soon as possible, but that it will likely be around 9:30 or so.”

“Okay,” said David. “Mia’s well-behaved, so I assume your other girls are as well. I’ll also make sure they get any homework done while they’re here.”

David watched as Emil Giovanini lumbered off toward the house. He was a giant.

Climbing out of the hot-tub, David grabbed his towel and headed to the house to get ready for his date with Julianne. As he walked by the lounge chairs, he saw Mia’s bikini, both tops and bottoms, lying in plain view right next to the path her father had taken into the house. He quickly grabbed them up on hi way. Jogging a few steps, he called out to Mia who was just about to step out the front door.