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“I’ve heard a rumour…”
“Yes,” I said. “Katie and I are in a relationship.” I met his eyes, held firm. “I wanted to tell you. I’m sure you understand why I didn’t. The secrecy didn’t rest easy with me, I can assure you.”
He paced. Nodded his head. “How long?”
The admission was the only thing that made me uncomfortable. “Before she joined the programme. Before I knew she was your daughter.”
I could see the shock in his face. “That’s quite some time, Carl.”
“I know,” I said. “I’m sorry this is the first you’re hearing about it. Genuinely, David. But with Katie being your daughter, with your relationship being as it was, and her participation in the internship programme complicating matters, I felt it best to let time… take its course.” I sighed. “I wasn’t hiding things with any subversive intent, David. I’m not ashamed.”
“I had my suspicions,” he said, and his eyes pierced me. “Is it serious?”
“Very.”
He nodded again. “You’re a good man, Carl. I have nothing but respect for you, and under the majority of circumstances I would wholly support your relationship with my daughter.”
Such a mix of emotions churned in my stomach, but his praise hit hardest of all. “Thank you,” I said. “That means a lot.” I paused. “What do you mean by the majority of circumstances?”
He didn’t sugarcoat the issue. “Rick,” he said. “Where is Rick in all of this?”
I didn’t sugarcoat the issue, either. “Exactly where you’d expect,” I said. “Rick is very much in all of this.”
He raised his eyebrows. “What is this? Some kind of…orgy?”
I shook my head, unable to resist a smirk. “It’s noorgy, David. We’re a polyamorous couple, Rick and I, have been for years.” I stared at him. “You know that.”
“Yes, I know that.” He sighed. “But I didn’t… she’s my daughter, Carl.”
“I’m aware of that.” I didn’t break eye contact. “I always felt you supported mine and Rick’s relationship, David. We both count you as a friend.”
“And Iama friend, of both of you.” He took a seat, and I followed his lead and took one, too. “You know I like Rick, Carl. I’ve always liked Rick. I like both of you.”
“But?”
“But I’m not sure…” he sighed again. “This isn’t what I imagined for my daughter. It makes it…”
“Different?” I raised an eyebrow. “So, you support our relationship just so long as it doesn’t involve a member of your close circle, is that what you’re saying? That it’s conditional, David?Do what you want, just so long as it’s not in my backyard?”
“No,” he held up his hands. “That’s not what I’m saying.”
But he was saying it, that’s exactly what he was saying.
“We love Katie very much,” I said. “Both of us.”
“And she feels the same?”
I smiled. “I would hope so. I certainly believe so. Feel free to ask her for yourself.”
He fixed me in a stare. “Would you not consider making a choice, Carl? If you chose to be with Katie, I’d be very happy about the situation.”
I stared right back. “I’m not even going to grace that question with an answer, David.”
“You must understand,” he said. “She’s my daughter, Carl, she’s my little girl.”
“And she’s very happy. We’re all very happy.”
He sighed. “You’d understand,” he said. “If you had a daughter.”
