Father's Day 2017

The content in this Chronicle and on this website is intended for adults, 18 years and older

Father’s Day 2017

An R.L. Mathewson Chronicle

“Crap,” Haley said on a defeated sigh as she closed her eyes and shook her head, not really sure that she was going to be able to resist the urge to break out her fists of fury on the large demanding bastard that was calling her name.

“Haley!”

Opening her eyes, she glanced down at the large breakfast that she’d got up at the crack of dawn to make and then to the front door that she was sorely tempted to use in order to get away from the crazed man that she was legally obligated to love. When he yelled her name again, she seriously considered saying the hell with it and making her escape and starting a new life somewhere else, but then she remembered the kids and that she actually loved the annoying bastard.

“I’m coming,” she muttered, already hating herself as she picked up the tray that weighed a ton and headed for her bedroom.

“Ha-Oh, there you are,” Jason said, cutting himself off mid-yell to shoot her a huge smile as he sat up in bed and shifted excitedly as he waited for her to deposit the tray that had most likely thrown out her back onto his lap.

“Happy Father’s Day, sweetheart,” she managed to get out as she stood there, trying to catch her breath, knowing that if she didn’t say it that the pouting would start and it was too damn early for the pouting to start.

“Thank you, my little…” he started to say only to let his words trail off with a frown as he took in the massive amount of food that she’d prepared for him.

“What?” she asked hesitantly even as she glanced down at the large tray and quickly went over everything on the tray, making sure that she didn’t forget any-

“Grape jelly, my little grasshopper,” he said with a heavy sigh, “you forgot the grape jelly.”

“You don’t eat grape jelly,” she said, feeling her eye twitch as she somehow resisted the urge to point out that she’d placed strawberry jam on the tray since that was his favorite and that grape jelly was hers.

“I’m a Bradford, sweetheart. We eat everything,” he informed her as he reached for his phone while she stood there, already knowing what was coming and telling herself that she couldn’t kill him.

Well, she could, but the kids would probably be upset, she amended a minute later when he opened up the revised email that he’d sent her last night, the one that held the Father’s Day agenda that he’d created as well as all the meals that he’d requested for the day.

“If you look at item five, section B, you’ll see that I clearly requested a dab of grape jelly on my plate,” he said with a tsk and a sad shake of his head as she stood there, trying to figure out how she was going to break the news to him that he was going to have to wait until later to get his customary Father’s Day hug time from the kids, which just happened to be the next section on his agenda.

“I suppose that I could find it in my heart to overlook this slip up,” he said, giving her a smile and a pat on her butt before he picked up his fork and knife, right around the time that she felt a headache coming on.

“Jason-”

“Where are my lovely children?” he asked with a smile as he popped a bite of pancake into his mouth.

“There with your Dad. Listen, Jason, I need to-” she started to say only to get cut off by the sound of his silverware hitting the plate with a loud clank.

“What?” he asked hoarsely as though he couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing.

“She needed help setting up for the barbecue and the kids wanted to set up a surprise for you,” she explained with an off-handed gesture, wondering if he’d be willing to forsake his customary Father’s Day cupcake and brownie brunch so that she could lay down for a little while before the-

“My children abandoned me? On Father’s Day?” he demanded with an accusing glare that had her reminding herself that she only had to put up with this from him once a year.

Well, really twice a year since he got a little demanding on his birthday as well.

Actually, five times if she included Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Well, six if you included Groundhog Day even though she didn’t, but he did. She’d like to blame his parents, but she knew the blame rested solely on her shoulders for spoiling him over the years.

One day, she’d learn, but until then…

“Jason, I-”

“So, where’s my Father’s Day gift?” he asked, cutting her off as he popped a bite of sausage in his mouth that she could really go for right about now.

“I didn’t have a chance to get one,” she admitted, feeling absolutely exhausted and not really sure how she was going to tell him why.

For the past two weeks she’d been trying to figure out how to tell him the news that things were about to change only to keep finding an excuse to put it off for a little while longer. After her doctor’s appointment yesterday, she realized that she wasn’t going to be able to put it off for very much longer.

She also wasn’t sure how he was going to take the news.

“I see,” he murmured thoughtfully as he popped another bite of food in his mouth, all while he watched her in a way that had her nervously shifting her feet and wondering if she should run downstairs and grab that grape jelly after all.

“I see,” he murmured again with a small nod as he picked up the tray and set it aside and took her hand in his.

Before she could ask him what he was doing, she found herself straddling his lap and one of his arms wrapped around her.

“So,” he said, sighing heavily as he placed his hand on her still flat stomach, “you’re planning on making me wait to tell me about my present?”

“I-”

“You should have told me,” he said, smiling as he lovingly rubbed his hand over her stomach.

“I wanted to,” she said, feeling her shoulders sag in defeat as the tears that she’d been fighting for the past month finally broke free.

“Why didn’t you?” he asked, giving her stomach one last rub before he reached up and gently wiped away her tears.

“Because we’re getting old,” she mumbled around a sniffle, which only made his lips twitch.

“I see,” he mumbled again, seeming quite pleased with himself as he leaned in brushed his lips against hers.

“A baby is going to change everything,” she added when he continued to leisurely brush his lips against hers.

“I sure as hell hope so,” he said, deepening the kiss as a thought occurred to her.

“You planned the breakfast for me, didn’t you?” she asked as she went over the breakfast menu that he’d requested, noting that he’d asked for all of her favorites.

“Of co-” he started to say, but that’s really all she needed to hear.

With that, she shoved herself off his lap and then for good measure shoved him off the bed, took his spot, dragged the tray onto her lap and dug in with a groan of pleasure all while she ignored his grunt of pain, and decided that she really could use some grape jelly.

@Rerum Industries, Inc. 2017. All Rights Reserved.