My dad, in his fluffy bunny suit with the hockey mask lunges at a man who was in a Captain America costume about an hour and a half ago.
And just as expected Captain America quickly gets the bunny in a headlock before it starts trying to throw haymakers from around the side.
But it’s no use.
Bishop is just way too big and too strong for my dad and to be honest it’s a complete embarrassment for me, but not exactly in the way I was expecting.
The other party guest in the house step back and watch the mayhem unfold.
“Everybody out!” Bishop yells at deep octave that would make Barry White jealous. “Now!”
How he projects his voice at such a low pitch is beyond me, but he sure does and it sure works.
The crowd disperses quickly as Bishop guides my dad onto the couch, still keeping him wrapped up, but not in a headlock thank god.
Bishop’s behind him and has my dad’s arms pulled back as Bishop’s arms go in front of my dad and then his hands lock behind my dad’s head. It looks like something a policeman would do to submit a suspect, and I suspect the rest of my life just got a lot more complicated.
A few seconds later everyone is out of the house and onto the front lawn, but thankfully they’re not loitering. They’re still in a bit of shock but also deciding where to go next.
“I’m going to let you go if you don’t try anything crazy,” he says.
“Crazy? Sticking your dick in my eighteen-year-old daughter isn’t crazy?”
“Peter,” he begins.
“Fuck you, Bishop. Oh wait…you probably already got fucked tonight. Let me guess, my daughter beat me too it.”
“Don’t disrespect my woman,” Bishop says and I see his mood change from annoyed with my dad to absolutely pissed the fuck off.
His grip tightens sending my dad’s head forward with his chin buried in his chest.
“You say another bad thing about my woman and I’ll make it so you can’t speak at all. You understand me?”
My dad mumbles something totally incomprehensible.
“This is your daughter you’re talking about. Your flesh and blood. And what happened between us just happened and it happened fast. I was going to tell you and I’m sorry you had to find out this way. It’s not perfect, but life never is. But dammit Peter, don’t go coming into my house and talking like that. Hell, don’t be talking about like that anywhere. If I hear you are our friendship is over.”
My dad hasn’t tried to squirm since Bishop pressed his chin into his chest. I’m not sure if he wants to or not, but in that position I think any kind of squirming is only going to provide futile, and only result in more of a stiff neck in the morning.
“I’m going to take my hands off you and you’re going to act like a gentleman now or you can leave,” Bishop says and slowly lets my father loose.
My dad takes a step forward and turns back to face us both. As he rubs his neck he stares at Bishop like he’s shooting lasers right through him.
And he gives me a look like I’ve never seen. He looks at me like I’m the biggest disappointment on planet earth and as much as I try and let it slide off my back, I can’t. It hits me like a ton of bricks and I feel the tears forming.
My dad walks right out the front door and I hear an engine fire up.
“Has he been drinking?”
“No. I’d stop him if he had. He just got here and he was ready to drink, but no…he hadn’t started yet.”
Suddenly everything just overwhelms me and I run back into Bishop’s room and throw myself face first onto the bed.
I notice the ring on my hand and realize the thing that’s supposed to signify the happiest part of my life is causing me all kinds of pain I would never wish on anyone.
Family is the most important thing in life and it looks like mine just might be turning its back on me right at the moment I win the heart of the only man I want to start a family with.
This is not how this day was supposed to end.
Chapter Twenty-One
November 1st (the next day)
Penelope
I guess it’s no strange coincidence that I’m in a city known for black magic and voodoo on a day that falls right in the middle of Día de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead as it’s known in English which runs from October 31st to November 2nd.
I’ve been dragging a bit all morning.
I’m partially tired because I was up all night celebrating our engagement, but now that it’s light out and I’m on my way home from class by myself I’m thinking more about my family and how things went down with my dad.