parents got divorced last year. I feel bad that he doesn’t see his dad much anymore. It makes me think back to when I was little and didn’t have a father. Now my family is the one everyone envies.
When the game is over, Dad takes us out for pizza and ice cream and then to Uncle Dirk’s for a swim. Mom almost never joins us. She works the second shift as a nursing assistant. But Dad’s hours have always been flexible. He’s a manager at Uncle Dirk’s car dealership. He’s related to the boss, so he gets to do whatever he wants. He says maybe someday Luke and I can work there. Uncle Dirk is a lot older than Dad, and he and Aunt Sylvia don’t have any kids. I guess it’s why he always lets us use his pool.
Crew and I do cannonballs into the deep end, splashing Dad. He jumps in and dunks us. Luke sits at the side of the pool on his phone. He’s always on his phone.
“Aren’t you coming in?” I ask.
He shakes his head.
“You’re missing out,” Dad says.
“I’m good here,” Luke says without looking up.
An hour later, when we’re drying off, Crew nods to the house. “Why is your uncle always watching?”
I study the house. It takes me a second to find him among the many windows. He’s standing in his office, sees us staring, and moves away. “Maybe he’s jealous that he doesn’t have kids.”
“He’s weird.”
“That’s what Luke used to say.”
“Used to? Luke doesn’t think he’s weird anymore?”
“I don’t know. He never really talks about him.”
“Weird or not, you guys are lucky to be related to someone who lives here.”
“Yeah, it’s kind of cool.”
“Come on,” Dad says. “We need to get home and walk Sally.”
We drop Crew off at his mom’s and head home in our decked-out Mazda SUV. Another perk of working for Uncle Dirk is that Dad gets to drive all the great cars.
We pull up to our house. Sally’s furry face is in the front window. She tackles me when I go inside. “Hey, girl. Did you miss me?”
She licks my entire face and neck. I think she loves me the most because I’m the only one who will let her do it.
“You two hit the shower before bed,” Dad says.
“Me first!” I yell, racing to the bathroom I share with Luke.
Hair wet and a towel around my waist, I go to my bedroom. Dad is sitting on the bed, waiting for me. He has a magazine in his hand. Maybe he’s going to give me his old Sports Illustrated.
I duck into my closet and put on pajama pants. He pats the bed beside him. I sit.
“You got me thinking,” he says. “Today at the game you said you were a man. I guess it’s only fitting you find out what it takes to become one.”
“Okay.” I scoot back against the headboard, expecting a life lecture.
“Mom hasn’t talked about this with you. She said it’s a father’s job. Like all women, she’s embarrassed to talk about what goes on down there.” He nods to my lap. “And it’s really none of her business, is it?” He puts a hand on my knee. “You’ve probably been touching yourself for a while, right?”
My cheeks flame. How does he know?
He offers me an understanding smile. “It’s okay. All men do it. Even me. It’s perfectly normal. Healthy even. You shouldn’t be ashamed of it. But that doesn’t mean we go around talking about it. A man never tells what happens in his bed. Understand?”
I nod, still embarrassed.
“Have you ejaculated yet?”
My face heats up again. It’s something I’ve heard about, but I don’t really get it. I shrug.
He squeezes my knee. “Don’t worry, it’ll happen soon. And when it does, your whole world will change.”
I can’t speak. This whole thing is mortifying.
“You can talk about it with me. I’m your safe place. Whatever you tell me will never go beyond these walls. I’m here to protect you. I brought you and Luke and your mom into my home. We have a good life. Lord knows what would have become of you if I hadn’t married your mother. I hate to think of you back in that tiny apartment, wondering where your next meal is coming from. You wouldn’t want to go back to that, would you?”
“No. I love it here.”
He grins. “I love having you here. I love you and your brother. I love you as if you were my own flesh and blood.