“Should I answer it?” I ask Landon. He nods.
“Yes. You need closure, one way or another. Let’s get this sorted out now.”
“Will you come with me?”
He slips his hand into mine. “Of course. If that’s what you want, I’m right here.”
I squeeze his hand back, feeling a rush of warmth for him. How can my father not see that this man is perfect for me? If he’s here to tell me he still disapproves then I’m done with pining for him. Landon has been nothing, but perfect, and I’m not going to allow my father to try and ruin that.
My hands are shaking as we walk to the door hand in hand. When I open it and see my father standing in front of me, a dish in his hands, and a guilty smile on his face, I’m suddenly angry.
“What are you doing here?” I ask bluntly before I can stop myself. My father looks taken aback.
“I...I’m sorry to come over unannounced, that was rude of me. I just...I had to see you.”
“I’ve been trying to contact you for days, ever since I got back. What’s taken you so long?”
My father squirms. “Look, Elena...I just needed...I needed a little time to think, okay? I know it might seem harsh that I ignored you, but the time I spent away from you has forced me to learn a lot. I think if you give me a chance to explain myself...well, you might be able to forgive me for the way I’ve behaved.”
I should shut the door in his face. After the way he treated me, he deserves it. But the truth is, I want him back in my life, even after everything. Things are going to be different for sure, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be okay again.
“I...I brought dinner for us,” he says, showing me the dish. “I made your favorite, chicken casserole. I thought we could sit down and talk over a meal, like adults.”
This is what I wanted all along, but now that he’s standing in front of me I feel reluctant. But Landon lets go of my hand and reaches out to take the dish from my father.
“That sounds like a good idea,” Landon says gruffly. “Come inside.”
The air is thick with tension as we all go inside. I clear my throat.
“Where’s Mom?”
“Working a night shift. She’s been really busy the past few weeks. You should know, Elena, that she wanted to come over and see you. She’s not had as much trouble coming to terms with this as I have, but I told her to stay away until I’d spoken to you. She doesn’t have to be involved with all of this mess.”
“A mess you caused,” I say, stopping and turning to him in the middle of the kitchen. “Look, Dad. I know I hurt your feelings by lying to you, but you have no right to be angry about any of the rest of it. These choices about my future are my own. I made the choice to get engaged and have Landon’s child, maybe you wouldn’t have made such a rash choice, but I did because it was right for me. If you’re here to tell me you don’t support me because of it, then you might as well leave now.”
“I’m not going to say that,” he says, and sighs. “Look, it’s difficult for me to understand. I fell for my college sweetheart and never looked back, but I’ve never looked at someone older than me and felt something for them. But I guess what I’m trying to say is we’re different people. As much as we’re similar, we’re not the same. But we don’t have to have the same experiences for them to be valid. So...if you’re in love with Landon...then I accept that.”
I blink several times in surprise. It feels like it shouldn’t be this easy. It feels like there should be a catch to his acceptance. But he just smiles at me and it feels like he means every word of what he said. I sigh.
“I guess we should sit down and talk.”
We’re quiet for a few minutes while Landon dishes out the casserole, but even with the food in front of us, no one tries to eat. My father takes a deep breath.
“Elena, I had a lot of time to think about the way I handled this, and I was so wrong. You’re my only daughter and the thought of you growing up and falling in love has always been scary to me. I was worried you’d take a wrong turn and end up in a relationship that wasn’t good for you. That’s why Landon coming into our lives scared me so much. I could see how much you cared for each other, and my parental instincts kept telling me I had to stop you. But then I thought about how happy you two seemed in each other’s company...your face lights up whenever you’re together, Elena. I was blind to it because I was determined to ignore all the signs. But now, I know better. I know that you’re happy and that’s all I’ve ever wanted for you. I know you don’t need my blessing...but you’ve got it. And I'm sorry I tried so hard to control your life, darling. You’re a woman now. You can make your own decisions.”
I feel tears stinging my eyes. I can see how sorry he is. I know things aren’t perfect yet, there is a lot of making up to do, but this is a step in the right direction. I reach out for his hand across the table.
“Dad your
