rpfiend_123
Planetoid
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2016
Mike had positioned himself outside of a clothing store on a bench, one arm laying across the back of the black metal, remembering the last time he'd been there, not one day prior, with a small redhead next to him. Now, he was back at that same mall - but the redhead was inside shopping, with his daughter. He was finally settling in to the 'weirdness' of the situation; accepting that if he truly wanted things to move forward, he'd have to be prepared not only for the most dire of consequences, but also, just run-of-the-mill strangeness.
He folded one leg over the other and pulled out his phone, using the large, calloused pad of his thumb to clumsily type out a reply to an email thread he was on with a bunch of the other principals, glancing up every now and then to make sure Sammie and Brooke were still in the store. The number of times he'd lost them at the mall, only to find them in a completely different level shopping for something way-too expensive for them had left him wary of leaving them out of sight for too long. He noticed two other girls had stepped in their vicinity - most likely a few years older from the looks of it. He glanced back down at his phone, thinking nothing of it, but hearing some faint giggling. As a dad, husband and educator, he knew it was better not to care about what went on in those conversations that were more laughter than words. A small smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he thought about it.
He was halfway through the reply on his phone when he heard the uncharacteristically loud, yet unmistakable yell from Brooke inside the store. He reflexively whipped his head in that direction, expecting to see her and Sammy horseing around - wanting to shoot them a disapproving look for disrupting the store; instead caught what seemed to be a tense moment between the 4 girls. He uncrossed his legs, sitting forward, ready to get up in case the situation needed some adult supervision. Words were exchanged, and soon Brooke was burying her face in her friend's shoulder, and Sammie was looking at her father, her face screaming "What do I do??" Mike stood up as they approached, not able to see Brooke's face completely, but from the way she her head was lowered, and her hand repeatedly dabbed at her eyes, it was clear she was crying.
Mike frowned, searching the crowd for the two girls who had disappeared quickly before glancing back at the pair. "What happened?" He asked, the empathy clear in his tone. He slipped a hand across Brooke's shoulder as Sam handed her off to her father. Sam took after her mother slightly when it came to messy, emotional situations; she wasn't as cold as Claire, but was just as unsure. Mike, on the other hand, had a minor in counseling and was used to crying, emotional teens in his office all day long. Most of the time, he was understanding, yet firm; but when it came to Brooke, even before that week's events, he'd been a lot more coddling. Who knows? Maybe he'd been harboring some complicated feelings for her for some time? Either way, that side of him came out immediately as he brought her into a tight hug, holding her against his stomach and leaning over her a bit. His forearm wrapped around her back entirely and his other hand rested on the back of her red hair.
"Do I need to go find those girls?" He asked, his eyes still scanning for them. "No.." Sammie said. "They didn't really do anything to us they just.." she paused, knowing that her father wouldn't leave well enough alone if he wasn't 100% sure justice was dispensed. "They just said some stuff about you and Brooke.. err.. we got upset." Sam reached forward, placing a palm on Brooke's shoulder and patting her a couple times. He cocked an eyebrow in curiosity. "What?" He glanced down at Sam "What did I do to them??" He said, the tone of his voice making it clear that he wasn't at all upset, but playing to be so. "They don't have to tease me just because I'm an old man.." He gripped the top of Brooke's arms firmly, pulling her away from him and leaning down a bit to get a better look at her reddened face. He put one finger under her chin and raised it up. "Don't worry.. I can take it. I was teased a lot as a kid, so I'm used to it." he winked at her and smiling wide. He got between Sam and Brooke and slipped his arms around their shoulders. "I think we need Ice Cream. Who's in?"
____________________________________________________________
On the way home, Sam was texting on her phone when Mike heard a soft "Yessss.." come from the back seat. "Hey dad, Becca and some of the other soccer girls want to do a pickup game at the park tonight. Can I go? Becca said she can pick me up and take me back home." Sam often felt guilty about her dad chauffeuring her everywhere; often, securing rides with friends was a favorite tactic of hers when it came to getting his permission to go places. Mike looked in the rear view mirror, meeting her pleading gaze. "Sure." Glancing from Sam to Brooke and then back to the road. He hadn't been alone with Brooke since the incident in the dressing room, and was eager to be one on one with her again. "Just be home by midnight."
____________________________________________________________
Mike stood at the entrance to his house, waving as Becca drove off down the street with Sam in tow.
He shut the door, locking it instinctively before turning around, noting the silence of the empty house and feeling a tinge of nerves spread over him. Alone at last. But what would that mean for him? He wasn't sure. He walked up the stairs to Sam's room, knocking on the door. "Hey Brooke, can I come in?"
He folded one leg over the other and pulled out his phone, using the large, calloused pad of his thumb to clumsily type out a reply to an email thread he was on with a bunch of the other principals, glancing up every now and then to make sure Sammie and Brooke were still in the store. The number of times he'd lost them at the mall, only to find them in a completely different level shopping for something way-too expensive for them had left him wary of leaving them out of sight for too long. He noticed two other girls had stepped in their vicinity - most likely a few years older from the looks of it. He glanced back down at his phone, thinking nothing of it, but hearing some faint giggling. As a dad, husband and educator, he knew it was better not to care about what went on in those conversations that were more laughter than words. A small smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he thought about it.
He was halfway through the reply on his phone when he heard the uncharacteristically loud, yet unmistakable yell from Brooke inside the store. He reflexively whipped his head in that direction, expecting to see her and Sammy horseing around - wanting to shoot them a disapproving look for disrupting the store; instead caught what seemed to be a tense moment between the 4 girls. He uncrossed his legs, sitting forward, ready to get up in case the situation needed some adult supervision. Words were exchanged, and soon Brooke was burying her face in her friend's shoulder, and Sammie was looking at her father, her face screaming "What do I do??" Mike stood up as they approached, not able to see Brooke's face completely, but from the way she her head was lowered, and her hand repeatedly dabbed at her eyes, it was clear she was crying.
Mike frowned, searching the crowd for the two girls who had disappeared quickly before glancing back at the pair. "What happened?" He asked, the empathy clear in his tone. He slipped a hand across Brooke's shoulder as Sam handed her off to her father. Sam took after her mother slightly when it came to messy, emotional situations; she wasn't as cold as Claire, but was just as unsure. Mike, on the other hand, had a minor in counseling and was used to crying, emotional teens in his office all day long. Most of the time, he was understanding, yet firm; but when it came to Brooke, even before that week's events, he'd been a lot more coddling. Who knows? Maybe he'd been harboring some complicated feelings for her for some time? Either way, that side of him came out immediately as he brought her into a tight hug, holding her against his stomach and leaning over her a bit. His forearm wrapped around her back entirely and his other hand rested on the back of her red hair.
"Do I need to go find those girls?" He asked, his eyes still scanning for them. "No.." Sammie said. "They didn't really do anything to us they just.." she paused, knowing that her father wouldn't leave well enough alone if he wasn't 100% sure justice was dispensed. "They just said some stuff about you and Brooke.. err.. we got upset." Sam reached forward, placing a palm on Brooke's shoulder and patting her a couple times. He cocked an eyebrow in curiosity. "What?" He glanced down at Sam "What did I do to them??" He said, the tone of his voice making it clear that he wasn't at all upset, but playing to be so. "They don't have to tease me just because I'm an old man.." He gripped the top of Brooke's arms firmly, pulling her away from him and leaning down a bit to get a better look at her reddened face. He put one finger under her chin and raised it up. "Don't worry.. I can take it. I was teased a lot as a kid, so I'm used to it." he winked at her and smiling wide. He got between Sam and Brooke and slipped his arms around their shoulders. "I think we need Ice Cream. Who's in?"
____________________________________________________________
On the way home, Sam was texting on her phone when Mike heard a soft "Yessss.." come from the back seat. "Hey dad, Becca and some of the other soccer girls want to do a pickup game at the park tonight. Can I go? Becca said she can pick me up and take me back home." Sam often felt guilty about her dad chauffeuring her everywhere; often, securing rides with friends was a favorite tactic of hers when it came to getting his permission to go places. Mike looked in the rear view mirror, meeting her pleading gaze. "Sure." Glancing from Sam to Brooke and then back to the road. He hadn't been alone with Brooke since the incident in the dressing room, and was eager to be one on one with her again. "Just be home by midnight."
____________________________________________________________
Mike stood at the entrance to his house, waving as Becca drove off down the street with Sam in tow.
He shut the door, locking it instinctively before turning around, noting the silence of the empty house and feeling a tinge of nerves spread over him. Alone at last. But what would that mean for him? He wasn't sure. He walked up the stairs to Sam's room, knocking on the door. "Hey Brooke, can I come in?"