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“Thisis Leslie? Your roommate?” I fight the urge to clutch my chest as it skips a beat. In all the conversations we’ve had, she never once mentioned Leslie is a boy. Maybe it’s my fault for assuming since it is a—albeit old-fashioned—unisex name.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Kramar.” The boy sticks out his hand.
I take it. The kid’s grip is firm, confident. And I’m not sure if it makes me feel better or worse.
He’s a big guy. Closing in on being eye to eye with my six-foot-two. Massively broad shoulders. I’d put a million bucks on him being a football player. Perfect frat boy material. So, what’s he doing rooming with my daughter?
A river of heat snakes up my spine and boils behind my eyes.
“Dad.” Julia’s voice barely registers. Nor does the pain on Leslie’s face.
“Let go, Dad. You’re going to break his hand.”
I let go. And before Julia can replace my hand with her own in Leslie’s palm, I grab her wrist, shut the door in Leslie’s face, and bark, “You are not living with that boy.”
Julia crosses her arms over her chest. “I’m an adult. I can live with whomever I want, thank you very much.”
“You might be an adult by law but that doesn’t mean you’re ready to make good adult decisions. How much do you know about him? That boy is over twice your size. If he got it in his head—”
“Dad, please. Leslie’s a good guy. And not a stranger. We’ve been chatting online all summer. We were both scared we’d end up with the worst roommate in the world and since we’re in a lot of the same classes, we thought it would be cool to live with someone who had the same interests and we could study with.”
“The dorms—”
“We got an apartment. Like a block off-campus. It’s full of students.”
That boiling heat behind my eyes only gets hotter the more she tells me. “No. Absolutely not.”
“Dad—”
“No. I will not allow this. You’re telling him to leave. We’ll contact the school on Monday and get you on the waiting list for the dorms. You’ll stay here until a room opens up.”
“Mom said—”
“Of course,Mom said. Mom always says. She’s not exactly a beacon of light when it comes to making good decisions, Julia. Your mother has made some really bad choices for herself. She’s not who you should aspire to be.”
“I suppose, instead, I should aspire to be like you. Pushing everyone away and not experiencing anything. Sad and lonely for the rest of my life.”
“Tell him to leave.” I point at the door, deliberately ignoring her remark.
The truth fucking hurts.
Maybe I’d still be with Julia’s mother if I’d been a better husband and father. Listened to what she needed. Gotten out more often. And as a parent, worked with her, instead of thinking only I knew what was best.
My stomach turns. There’s a sour tang on the back of my tongue.
This time is different. This time I do know better. Living with a boy she barely knows is not a good idea.
“He can’t afford to rent the place on his own,” Julia argues further.
“He can find another roommate.”
“That’s a really shitty thing to do.”
“But it’s therightthing to do.”
And she knows it. I can see, in her eyes, deep in her heart, she knows it’s the right thing to do. Because even as little influence as I’ve had on her life, I’ve always pointed her in the right direction. Or at the very least, never pointed her in the wrong direction.
With an exaggerated huff, Julia opens the door. “I’m sorry, Leslie. You’re going to have to go home without me. As I’m sure you heard.”
