Them

"Your metaphor or Maria's?"

He shrugged. "She was always better with the metaphors."

"She was," I agreed. "Anyways, thanks for saying that. Thank Maria for me, too."

"Will do."

"And, Darin, I didn't mean for--."

"You have nothing to apologize for, bud. Truly. What happened between you and Harper happens countless times every day in this world. People spend time together, grow fond of one another, and there you have it."

"How do you feel about what happened?"

Shaking his head, he said, "It's weird, you know? When we asked you to come, we did it with the understanding you might have sex with her. We had grown okay with the idea, but for whatever reason, I hated learning that it wasn't a seduction--that it had been mutual. It was tough. This was tough--coming to see you."

I nodded.

"But now?" he continued, "hearing about her from your perspective? I find I don't hate you. I'm not even mad. You and my daughter liked each other, and you had sex. I can say those words. I'm okay with it."

I didn't know how to reply.

Darin chuckled. "You know, in some strange way--now that I know my daughter isn't going to be a son, but remain my daughter and one day maybe get married--I'm almost disappointed that it isn't going to be you. I mean, once you get past the sex--and I think I am--how cool would it have been to have my son-in-law be my best friend?"

I thought about it. "Might have been pretty okay," I said.

He nodded. "Got time to play a cool-weather round before my flight back tomorrow?"

I shrugged, replying, "I've always got time to show you how the game is played."

He chuckled.

"Ask you something?" I said.

He took another drink and waited.

"Would you reach out to her--if you were me?" I asked.

He fought back a belch and said, "You remember one of my old mantras, of course. 'What we want in life, we get. What we don't get--.'"

"'--we never really wanted in the first place,'" I finished for him.

He raised an eyebrow expectantly.

I smiled and pulled out my phone. "You mind?"

He shook his head and signaled for another round of beers while I texted: "Still thinking about you a lot. Hoping you're well."

Darin said, "I can't remember, but she might have one more final exam she's studying for, so don't expect--." He closed his mouth when my phone chimed.

Harper replied, "Scabs healing?"

"No. Yours?"

"They try, but I keep picking at them."

I smiled.

Then, Harper followed up. "What number are you on?" she asked.

It took me a minute before I realized her meaning. I replied, "Still sitting at 200. You?"

"1"

My heart began to pound in my chest. "Says something, doesn't it?" I wrote.

Across the table from me, Darin remarked with a grin that Harper seemed pretty chatty tonight. I nodded. We took a few more sips before my phone chimed again.

Harper wrote, "Yep. You with my Dad right now?"

"I am."

"He okay?"

"Yes."

"He okay with everything?"

"Yes."

She didn't reply right away.

"Hey," Darin said, "does it seem like she maybe--?" He didn't finish.

I looked at him. "It does."

My phone chimed again.

"Shit," Darin remarked, grinning.

I read Harper's message. A long one. "Last exam done today. On holiday break. Pussy wet and throbbing for you because I'm missing something you once said belongs to me."

I looked up at Darin. My eyes surely told a tale.

He stared back for a moment and then, finally, said, "Really?"

A man on a mission, I told Darin we were going to have to play our round back in Lawton.

"Okay."

I wrote Harper: "Coming."

*****

EndNote: Thanks for spending the time reading this story. It's self-edited, so please forgive the errors. The narrator's perspectives are not necessarily mine. All of the characters are fictional. Hope you enjoyed the tale. Thoughtful feedback is always welcome. FS