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Helena
After what happened to be the best breakfast I’ve ever eaten in my entire life, Max and I took Ceecee home. This was where I thought the two would drop me off home and have some father/ daughter time.
I was wrong.
As soon as we walked through the door, Ceecee stated, “Sundays are so boring.”
Why did I feel the need to open my mouth? Because that was just me. I responded, “They don’t have to be.”
She slumped in her chair. “No. They are. It’s like a rule or something.”
I eyed her, then Max. “I don’t know who is making these rules you two claim are law…”
Then something spectacular happened. Ceecee looked over at her dad, and at the same time, he looked over at her. They exchanged a secret glance before bursting into laughter. She giggled. “Daddy makes the rules.”
He chuckled back. “Oh, hell no, little woman. You are in charge of the rules.”
A smile I could not help lit my face. “Are either of you going to tell me about the rule thing, or are you just going to laugh behind my back and make me suffer?”
Max narrowed his eyes at me then nudged Ceecee. “Should we tell her?”
She side-eyed her dad. “I don’t know. What do you think?”
He shrugged. “Up to you, baby girl, but I think she’s okay.”
Ceecee smiled at me, nodding. “Yeah, I guess. She is family now.”
And at the very same time, my heart ached with pure joy, then burned from sheer terror. It hit me like a brick to the face. I did not want to lose this. So what happened when Max got sick of me because he thought our non-relationship had gone far enough? I would just have to wait for that day and hope it would be later rather than sooner. I would also have to pray I had it in me to nurse my wounded heart once I lost not only sweet Ceecee, but also sweet, moronic Max. Worst-case scenario, I would go home to California to lick my wounds in private.
Ceecee explained, “Daddy has a rule about rules.” I tilted my head in confusion as she went on. “If you see that you’re in a no-win situation, you make a rule to help you get there.”
I chuckled. “Isn’t that…? Hmmm. What is the word I’m looking for? Oh yeah, I got it.” I looked pointedly at Max and accused, “That would be lying.”
But Max shook his head. “Strictly embellishment. And it works.”
I peeked over to Ceecee. “Does it really?”
She smiled. “It does.”
I sighed and threw up my hands. “Well, okay. Now that I know about this, I’m going to have to try it myself.”
Max plucked at his tank and toed off his shoes. “I’m going to have a quick shower. You girls good?”
I looked over at Ceecee. We smiled and said in unison, “Fine.”
As Max disappeared, I called Ceecee into the kitchen, where we spent some time baking cookies and making a mess of ourselves. As I used to do with my sisters back home, I dipped my finger into the butter and painted Ceecee’s face, then flicked flour on it to make it stick. Leaning over the counter, I encouraged her to do the same to me. I closed my eyes and let her go to work on my face. When Max popped into the kitchen, he looked at us, threw up his hands, and backed out of the door slowly.
The man can read between the lines.
As soon as our cookies were done, I got a paper towel, wet it, and cleaned my face. I handed Ceecee another wet towel and let her clean her own messed up face. We made our way to the living area, where Max had his feet up watching a college sports match. Ceecee transferred herself onto the pink single-seater I could see was hers, while I parked myself next to Max.
Ceecee looked over at the DVD shelf. “Want to watch a movie?”
I had no reason to decline, not that I wanted to. “Sounds great. Max, get up and choose.”
He mock-glared at me. “We’ve been dating a whole day and you’re already making demands?” He stood and walked over to the shelf. “Sheesh. Talk about high maintenance.”
We watched How to Train Your Dragon, and I actually really enjoyed it. Actually, I’m not sure whether I liked the movie, or being snuggled up to Max with his arms around me. I was becoming surpri
