Contessa (52 page)

“
Will you wear it?
”

“
Of course!
”
He places it on my ring finger, exactly where a wedding band will someday be. He rubs his thumb over a red stain on my pinkie. I pull my hand away to hug him, but he
’
s careful not to kiss me.

“
Do you know what that looks like?
”
Dad says from the kitchen doorway. Jon stands up, taking my hand in his. I stand next to him, linking his fingers with mine.

“
I know exactly what it looks like. It looks like a ring that a man would give to a woman he loves.
”

Dad rolls his eyes as his face pales.
“
Is it really an engagement ring?
”

“
No, sir. It
’
s a promise ring. I would have asked your permiss–
”

“
And what exactly
is
your promise to Livvy?
”
Dad interrupts abruptly.

“
I want your daughter to know my intentions. I want all of you to know.
”

“
And those are?
”

“
That, yes, I intend to ask Olivia to be my wife someday.
”

“
This is ludicrous.
”

“
I don
’
t understand–
”

“
Why did you give her this ring?
”

“
I don
’
t understand your question.
”

“
Why does she need to know that someday you
’
ll ask her to marry you?
”

“
I want her to know I
’
m serious about her.
”

“
Why?
”

“
Because I am, I don
’
t know.
”

“
Are you hoping for something in return?
”

“
I certainly hope she feels the same way.
”

“
Aside from her affections. What else are you hoping for?
”

“
I understand what you
’
re implying, but that
’
s not why I gave her the ring. I
’
m a little offended you
’
d think that about me.
”

“
So you don
’
t want to sleep with her?
”

Jon hesitates a fraction of a second too long to be convincing with a lie, so he doesn
’
t try.
“
That is a private matter between me and Olivia–
”

“
The
hell
it is!
”
Dad throws his hands up and turns to walk out of the room, but he stops himself abruptly and walks back into the living room, standing behind the couch. His hands clutch the back of the sofa so tightly his knuckles turn white.
“
Have you slept with her already?
”

“
Jacks–
”

“
Emi, don
’
t.
”
Dad continues to stare at Jon.

“
Your son is in the room.
”

“
Livvy, go take your brother downstairs.
”
He still doesn
’
t look away from my boyfriend.

“
No,
”
I tell him, afraid to leave Jon here alone with Dad. Mom gets up and takes Trey down to the basement. I can tell she
’
s angry by the way she stomps through the room.

“
Because I do know about your past indiscretions,
”
Dad continues on, ignoring my defiant answer.

“
Dad!
”

“
That was personal information that has nothing to do with my relationship with your daughter.
”

“
That
’
s a matter of opinion–
”

“
No, I haven
’
t!
”
Jon interrupts loudly with his answer to Dad
’
s original question, his attention focused solely on my father.
“
We haven
’
t,
”
he reiterates, his voice shaky.

The tension visibly leaves my dad
’
s shoulders. He lets go of the sofa and crosses his arms in front of his chest.
“
Good, because regardless of what you
’
ve already done, you
’
re both too young.
”

“
You were in high school!
”
I counter my father
’
s argument, but he
’
s not listening to me at all.

“
True love knows no age, sir.
”

“
Agreed. And teenagers don
’
t know true love.
”

“
That
’
s not fair, Mr. Holland–
”

“
Can we cut it out with the respectful names? I see what you
’
re trying to do–
”

“
Jack,
”
Jon interrupts,
“
I do respect you, but I love your daughter more. Just because you didn
’
t find your true love until much later in life doesn
’
t mean that people my age can
’
t fall in love.
”

“
You don
’
t know what it is. You can
’
t know, so young. I don
’
t want Livvy
’
s first boyfriend to be her last.
”

“
Well, now I
’
m confused. I thought you had issues with my past dating history.
”

“
I didn
’
t say
lover
, Jon,
”
Dad says, and I can tell it was hard for him to say that out loud.
“
I said
boyfriend
and that
’
s exactly what I mean. How can she make an educated decision about who she decides to commit her life to when you
’
re the only boy she
’
s ever dated?
”

“
First of all, since when is love determined by an educated decision? And secondly, I
’
ll be eighteen in two months, sir.
”

“
So what are you implying? Because my little girl won
’
t be–
”

“
I
’
m only trying to say that I
’
m not a boy, Jack. I
’
ve been the man of the household for the last five years of my life. I
’
m more a man than most of the boys Olivia spends her time with at school every day. I can see why you
’
d be concerned, if that
’
s the only point of reference you have. But I
’
m not like them.
”

“
And that
’
s sad to me, Jon, that you were forced to grow up so quickly. How unfortunate that your childhood was stolen away from you. That gives you no right to take my daughter
’
s.
”

Jon is quiet for a few minutes. Just when I think my father can claim victory, Jon speaks softly.

“
Is it wrong that I want to show her that I love her?
”

“
That
’
s what flowers and greeting cards are for.
”

“
Those can
never
say what I want to say to her. And if that
’
s the way society as a whole feels, I can see why the divorce rate is so high. I
’
ve seen you and your wife together, and with all due respect, there
’
s more to that than–
”

“
She is my
wife
! That
’
s the difference.
”

“
I
’
d marry Olivia tomorrow.
”
He grasps my hand tightly.

“
You most certainly will not. She
’
s not equipped to make those decisions. She
’
s still in high school! If that threat
’
s going to be looming over us, I
’
ll keep her from seeing you altogether.
”

“
I
’
m just trying to make you understand that I would do anything for her.
”

“
Then wait for her.
”

Jon finally breaks his combative stare and relaxes his shoulders. He speaks softly.
“
What if we
’
re ready?
”
I let go of him and bury my head in my hands, feeling the tears forming in my eyes. I can
’
t believe they
’
re talking about this.

“
She
’
s
sixteen
. Wait for her.
”

When the room goes silent, I look up at my boyfriend first, then my dad. Jon is simply staring at him, who
’
s not blinking, and his teeth are clenched and nostrils are flaring.

“
You know, Jon, I can appreciate what you
’
ve said. I think you did an incredibly grown-up thing tonight by talking to me about this. You
’
re right, most boys Livvy sees would never dream of doing that. So, am I a little impressed? Yeah. Might I even consider you a man? Maybe.

“
But do you see that little girl standing next to you?
”
I turn my attention back to my dad, averting my eyes as he drives his point home. Jon shifts his stance, breaking his intense stare with Dad and glancing in my direction. I wipe tears from my eyes.
“
Do you see that girl who
’
s too embarrassed to look at us while we
’
re talking about this? The one who
’
s crying because we
’
re even having this conversation? Those aren
’
t the actions of an adult.

“
That
’
s
my little girl.
That
’
s
who I
’
m trying to protect.
”

“
Fair enough,
”
Jon says.
“
Thank you for your time.
”
He runs his hand down my arm lightly, finally taking my fingers in his. He swipes another tear away before he kisses me. I can feel the tension through his touch, and the kiss only lasts a few seconds.
“
I love you,
”
he whispers to me, letting go of me.

“
Jon,
”
I call after him as he walks toward the door. He
’
s left his gift behind, but doesn
’
t stop at the sound of his name.

“
I
’
ll take the bus,
”
he says,
“
and I
’
ll talk to you later.
”
He barely lifts his hand to wave.
“
Thank you,
”
he says to my dad before opening the door and walking out, shutting it carefully behind him.