Chapter 26: Shocking my Father

Layla Smith P.O.V

I was really enjoying myself so far but then I asked Stephen what this date meant and what we were from now and his answer left me silent considering his words did I really want this kind of ambiguity 'more than friends and less than lovers' that didn't sit well with me, I really wanted to tell him that I want to be his girlfriend but at the same time I was scared that we were going to fast

But after a moment I just thought that the worst that could happen is that it didn't work so I should just go for it after Stephen I said this earlier 15 minutes had passed, 15 minutes where we just stood there in silence sitting close to each other side by side with our shoulder touching, I like this feeling sensing him that close was making my heart beat erratically I bet he could hear the sound of my heart beating with how close we were

''I don't want that I do not like the in-between kind of relationship you talk about, so you either want me to be your girlfriend or not'' I said startling Stephen who was focusing on the cat in the TV box

''Of course, I want you to be my girlfriend'' he said smiling

''Then you better take good care of me from now on Mr.boyfriend'' I said happy that he responded instantly no hesitation in his voice 

''Hehe I will do my best I can promise you that much'' he said taking my hand in his

'' So whats next'' I asked shyly

''I don't know I've never been in a relationship before'' Stephen said scratching his head

''Me neither'' I said

''That's surprising ... anyway we can just go with the flow we don't need to put pressure on ourselves to do like everyone else'' he said

''hum you're right'' I said leaning my head on his shoulder

''But I know one thing it is that we need to reserve a day where we can spend time with each other because with my baseball and your job, it won't be easy to meet I think we should spend all Sunday afternoon together what do you say?'' he asked after thinking for a while

''Well that's the only time we both are free so I'm willing... oh my dad will freak out when he learns about this hehehe'' I said laughing

''Did your dad have a gun?'' he asked

''What do you think'' I said looking at him with schadenfreude

''Shit maybe I should flee to Canada now hehe'' he chuckled

''Haha do they play baseball in Canada'' I said with a sly smile

''They should... maybe... they can't just play hockey and curling right... right?'' he said asking me

''I don't know I've never been there, the only thing I know is that their maple syrup is the best and that people walk in the snow in summer clothes like it's nothing... I'm not sure if the second one is true, though'' I said 

''Forget it I don't like cold. Sigh, well no other choice I'm running to Mexico then'' he said with a sigh

''Hahaha stop it my Dad won't do anything to you, my Mom won't let him'' I said 

''Sigh I could feel that he didn't like me very much when I dropped you at your house last time does your mother feel the same?'' he asked me

''No my mother has no opinion on you since she doesn't know you and my father... well my father absolutely hates baseball players and any guy who is close to his precious daughter so yeah you are both a baseball player and you are close to me, I think he might actually hate you now hahahaha'' I said laughing

''You know that's not funny right...'' he said with an aggrieved look on his face

'' Dont be so serious he will like you once he knows you I am sure, maybe... probably'' I said finally having a chance to tease Steph on my own

''I know you are teasing me...but it works. Damn it! I'm nervous now'' he said with a wry smile

''It's finally my turn hehe'' I said laughing

''Well let's go now I told my parents we would be back a little bit before dinner'' Stephen said getting up and offering me a hand to help me stand up

''Eh, weren't we supposed to get dinner, you don't want to anymore?'' I asked him puzzled, weren't we having a good time

''Who said that dinner can't be eaten at my home?'' he said with a mischievous smile

''NO, NO, NO you played me, you planned this from the beginning right you meanie you could have warned me at least'' I said panicking a little

''I didn't want you to think about this all the time and you already met my mother so there's no need to stress about it'' he said with a smile

''That... that's different now'' I said pouting

''Not so brave now are we hehe... want to flee to Mexico with me'' he said teasing me back

''Hmph you wish I don't care about the cold I'm going to Canada'' I said crossing my arm under my breast

''HAHAHAHAHA you are so cute... but you might want to avoid crossing your arm like this in front of me, you know I'm still a healthy teenager and ... let's just say you are stimulating enough that there's no need to show more he said taking a quick glance toward my breast.

When I realized what he was talking about my face became so hot I bet I could have cooked an egg on my forehead, I ran toward the bathroom while I could hear him laughing at me. When he said that I also thought about all the times I was careless beside him and probably showed more than I should have of course I wasn't doing this on purpose it was just that I never felt any kind of discomfort around Steph he wasn't looking at me with a disgusting gaze like some boys at our school and whenever we were talking he always looked at me in the eyes. When I had calmed myself enough and walked out of the bathroom toward him

''Pervet'' I said as soon as I was beside him

''Since you are my girlfriend now I'm not a pervert, this gave me the right to look without being labeled a pervert'' he said righteously 

'' I take back what I said... You are a BIG pervert'' I said hiding my breast and turning sideways

''Hehe, I plead the Fifth Amendment your honor'' He said with a big smile

''Humph, dummy, idiot, pervert'' I said with a small smile finding him funny 

''Alright enough about that let's go shall we'' he said extending his hand toward me'' he said still smiling

Catherine Rose P.O.V

I don't know what happened between yesterday and today but if my son told my husband that he was going on a date with that lovely girl Layla I was sure it was true and after having talked with the girl yesterday I knew she was a good girl I wasn't having any thought of warning Stephen about her like I had did with that Brady girl

After my husband finally snapped out of it we made our way back home the house was clean but if Layla was coming for dinner I thought that I should clean... more so I put my husband to work and asked him to cut the grass and washed the grill while I was cleaning the house when he was done I gave him a list for him to go grocery shopping for me while I was giving the house its finishing touch

Since it was the first time Stephen would bring a girl home, well he did bring Brandy once or twice before but I quickly realized why she was here so I never considered her as a potential daughter in law, Layla, on the other hand, was the perfect fit for my son in my eyes, pretty smart kind and most of all I could see she had genuine feelings for my son, I was a little nervous even if I had already met the girl before I couldn't calm myself

''Why have you cleaned so much, the house almost looks like the first day we moved in'' said my husband who had just come back from the errands I had sent him to do 

''Because it's a big day, do you realize that our son is bringing a girl home'' I said rolling my eyes at him

''Not like he never brought one'' mumbled my husband

''Humph ok let me be more clear he is bringing his DATE home not some, irrelevant girl who only came here to copy my son's homework'' I said with a spiteful tone

''Are you sure he was telling the truth, also where did you meet that girl?'' asked my husband

''Ask your son tonight he will tell you and yes I'm sure it's the truth, you better start thinking about what my Dad will ask you to do for those keys hahahaha'' I said laughing at my husband 

''Argh don't remind me that, god damn it with and my big mouth'' Dan said grunting

''Stop complaining and go start the grill and cook this while I'm preparing the rest of the food I said throwing the pork chops to him

''Got it, what are we having with this'' asked my husband

''Mashed potato, broad beans and green salad'' I said 

''What about dessert'' said Dan whipping imaginary drool 

''Apple berry dump cake, now stop dillydallying and get going already'' I said shooing him out of the kitchen

Mark Smith P.O.V (Layla's Father)

I spent the day taking care of our garden cutting the grass and enjoying the sun in our backyard I was so focused on my tasks that I didn't realize Layla wasn't home until my wife called me for dinner and I noticed there were only two plates on the table

''Why are there only two plates on the table, where is Layla'' I asked her

''On a date with that boy Stephen '' she said calmly

''I see... WAIT WHAT?'' reacting a little late to what my wife had just said

''She is on a date with Stephen'' she repeated 

''I heard that already how can you allow her to do that she's too young to have a boyfriend we barely know that guy and I don't like him'' I said in anger

''Why?'' my wife said

''What do you mean why?'' I asked

''Why do you hate that boy'' she said back

''I...I... our daughter deserved better'' I said not finding a reason that wouldn't upset my wife and bring back the conversation we had at the start of the week, since Monday after my outburst once that Stephen boy left our relationship was somewhat strained

''How would you know that since we barely know the boy'' said Linda with her eyebrows raised 

''I...I...he...'' I stammered searching for something to say

''Our daughter is grown up and she can make her own choices and if you do not stop with your biased opinions about the boy Layla will really start resenting you she is already a little tired of your overprotective behavior she is just too kind to say anything, what will you do once she goes to college, sigh'' said my wife with a tired look

''When she goes to college she will be able to come back on weekends and for the boy I won't change my mind, I'm her father she might be angry for a while but it will pass I'm old enough to know better than her why are you taking her side on this aren't you scared about that boy'' I said really getting angry at how my Linda was so casual about the situation

''Sigh, you have a serious problem Mark in all our years of marriage I never thought you could be like this, it would be better for you to not say a thing when Layla comes back home later'' Linda said 

''Humph'' only making this sound before shutting up

''Dont say I didn't warn you'' said Linda not saying anything more

Stephen Rose P.O.V

After leaving the Cat Cafe we slowly made our way back toward my home for dinner, Layla asked me questions about my parents from start to finish, of course, I answered them all without omitting anything I knew she was getting nervous so I tried to only tell the good things not that there were many bad things to say about my parents, to begin with

An hour later we were already on my streets, I parked my car and turned it off before opening the door to get out. Once outside the car, I waited for Layla to also step out but she was still sitting in the car making my way toward the passenger door I opened it

''What are you doing, come I can smell the food from here my Dad must have grilled meat outside, I can't wait to eat and you don't have to be this anxious I'm sure they will like you and you will also like them'' I said leaning forward to unbuckle her seatbelt

''Sigh, I didn't know it would be this nerve-wracking'' said Layla after having stepped out of my car

I took her hand and guided her inside the house sounds were coming from the kitchen after taking off our shoes I walked there with Layla beside me since I hadn't let go of her hand

''Hi Mom, we are here'' I said when I saw my mother making a salad

''Hi son, good to see you again Layla you both are just in time the food is ready I just need to put the dressings on the salad and we can start eating... Oh and your Dad is in the backyard grilling the meat go tell him that everything is ready and he can take the meat inside, wait take this with you'' my Mom said handing me a big plate to take the meat back inside

''good evening Ms. Rose I'm glad to see you again'' said Layla stiffly

''I'll be right back'' I said giving a reassuring smile to Layla before walking toward the French door we had at the back of the kitchen 

I came beside my dad who was busy looking at the meat while taking a sip of his beer and I waited beside him saying nothing just looking at him with a smug smile on my face, I knew my Dad knew I was there he even looked at me for a second before turning his gaze back toward the meat 

''Sigh alright I know I lost stop looking at me like this, the meat is done bring it inside'' said my Dad while walking inside 

After taking the meat out of the grill and bringing it inside we all sat around the table of course Layla was sitting beside me at first we ate in silence but then my Mom started asking questions to Layla, well personal questions they probably hadn't talk about yesterday talking to the friend of your son and his date was different after all

Soon Layla became more comfortable even laughing a couple of times at some point my Dad chimed in asking a question he must have been holding for all this time

''I want to know where did you two meet'' asked my father talking about my Mom and Layla but before they could say anything I answered in their stead

''They met at my baseball game yesterday'' I said taking a bite of mashed potato

''I see so they meet at... what did you just say'' said my father looking at me with a serious gaze

''I said they met at my baseball game Layla came to see me play with Mom and Aria too'' I said now taking a bite of meat 

My Dad looked toward my Mom asking for confirmation about what I just said but the only thing he got was a beautiful smile and my Mom taking another bite of her salad while Layla was looking at this with interest 

''Can the both of you stop eating and tell me what the fuck is going on'' said my Dad slamming his palm on the table which made Layla jump in surprise 

''Don't scare my girlfriend like that Dad'' I said with a smile knowing that dropping another bomb right now would just make this all the more funny for me

''Don't try to avoid my question your girlfr... did you just say girlfriend... omg I think beer won't be enough tonight said my dad getting up and walking toward the alcohol cabinet before taking out his favorite bourbon

Layla beside me was looking down at her plate but I could see he ears were bright red ' Cute ' I thought before finally deciding to stop my Dad tourment

''They met at my baseball game because I'm playing baseball now and yesterday was my first game, well if you hadn't accepted another job you would have known already since I'm playing for the Knights hehe I tried all summer for this and I wanted to surprise you so I waited until now before telling you ... next Saturday I also have a game and I would like for you to come and see me, as for Layla being my girlfriend it happens today so your not late for that news'' I said taking a sip of water after finishing talking

''Youre playing for the Knights, unbelievable how can... you... you never played baseball before and you're telling me you are trying for the varsity team right off the bat, so if you played yesterday you played with the reserved team right and you are still in tryouts ... that's why you are late every night, what position do you play and even if you do not make the team we can always find some amateur league for you to play in'' said My dad excitedly already assuming I was just giving this a shot without really a chance to make the team

''Well you will need to come on Saturday if you want to find out hehe'' I said with a sly smile