Savana's house was just a few miles down a curvy country road outside of town. Clouds rolled in, and the wind picked up. She was still out of breath from swimming so fast. The cool air coming through her open car window felt nice on her face. It helped dry her tears.

Driving in the summer with the windows rolled down was one of Savana's favorite things. She felt a sense of peace and freedom as if the world was hers for the taking. She smiled to herself as she drove faster on the sharp turns. It made her heart race again. She didn't know whether to be scared or amused. Her house appeared around the last turn, and she slowly pulled into her long gravel driveway.

Savana parked in front of the detached garage next to her modest home. The driveway was lined with dozens of young birch trees on each side. They calmed Savana as she watched them sway in the wind. The memory of picking out the exterior color of their house with her mom made her smile. They agreed on sky blue.

Savana thought it was strange when she woke up and saw a note saying her dad had to run some errands. Gavin's small green truck was still gone. Her dad always stayed home on Sundays, watching TV and napping. Their black cat, Hannibal, liked to curl up on his chest while they both napped in the recliner.

Strangely, he had worked many late nights and Saturdays for the past few months. This time, however, she was relieved he was gone. He would have known something was wrong and bombarded her with questions. He always worried about her. More so after his wife died.

Savana walked through the kitchen and ran down the hallway. Once in her bedroom doorway, she flung herself onto her bed. The bed squeaked as she landed. She grabbed one of her blankets and wrapped herself in a burrito. She shut her eyes and tried to block out the world around her. She felt better in the quiet.

Gavin Hollis happily tapped his steering wheel as he drove home from Sumner. He was optimistic. It was a gorgeous day, and something told him it was time to tell Savana. It had been months since he started sneaking around and lying to his daughter. Guilt became overwhelming. He waited for things to get serious and settled before making a decision.

Clouds covered the sky when Gavin drove up to the house. He was surprised to see Savana's blue car in front of the garage. She was usually with her friends until late. A nervous feeling bubbled in his stomach. Something must have happened.

Gavin quickly stepped up to the porch and entered the house through the kitchen door. "Anyone home?"

A groan answered. It came from Savana's room. Gavin rushed down the hallway.

"What's going on? Are you alright?" He looked around her bedroom and saw she was in bed.

The blanket burrito rolled over. Savana's face poked out. Gavin raised his bushy eyebrow and laughed. His round belly moved up and down. "What are you doing?" He was more amused than worried.

Unrolling herself out of her blanket, Savana sighed. "I was enjoying some peace and quiet. I had a nasty headache."

"Oh, so that's why you're home so early." Gavin was relieved it wasn't something serious.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired and hungry." Savana stretched her arms.

Gavin smiled. "Well, I was planning on cooking something special for dinner tonight."

Savana lit up. "Is Jesimae coming over tonight instead of tomorrow?" Gavin's sister was the best.

He felt guilty again. "No, she's coming tomorrow, like usual." He hesitated as he saw his daughter's disappointed expression. "I have something important to talk to you about Savana." He finally said.

She felt a sharp twist in her stomach. As she stared at her dad, she sat up straight in bed. Her dad was like a teddy bear to her. He can be overprotective at times. "What is it?" Savana asked.

Gavin gestured for her to follow him back into the kitchen. He sat down at the dining table, and she did the same. It had been a while since her dad looked so anxious. She could tell it was serious.

Gavin inhaled. "I've been seeing someone." He held his breath.

Savana almost laughed out loud. She thought to herself. Jeez, that's all?

Then she asked him, "So, like a therapist?"

Gavin shook his head, "No. Dating."

Savana wasn't sure she heard him right. "Dating? Like a woman? Like being out on a date with a woman? A stranger?"

Gavin answered softly. He could already tell she was upset. "I am dating a woman. But she isn't a stranger, at least not to me. I have been seeing her since my birthday. It's gotten pretty serious."

Savana stood up. "Wait. You have been dating since January? Mom hadn't even been dead for a year! And what do you mean by serious? You're not planning to fucking marry her, are you?"

Gavin stood and put his hands up. "Whoa, watch the language." He tried to keep things calm.

"Did you actually have errands or was it a lie to see her?" Savana asked.

"Savana, let me answer your questions. Just calm down." He motioned for her to sit down.

"Okay, her name is Jacklyn." Taking a deep breath, Gavin sat down and tried remembering some of the mental notes he had taken earlier while driving home.

Savana rolled her eyes. What an awful name.

Gavin ignored her expression and continued. "I met her before my birthday. She was in the support group I went to. We started talking after the meeting one day and she found out it was my birthday. She offered to buy me dinner."

Not long after Bellamere's funeral, Gavin found out about a support group for people grieving loved ones' loss. They held bi-weekly meetings in a church basement in Clear Water. He hesitated to join but eventually mustered the courage and went to the group. He soon found himself looking forward to the meetings. Surprisingly, he found solace in talking to people who experienced similar pain.

He paused and studied his daughter's face. "After that, we started going out on more dates. I didn't actively look for anyone to date. I still love your mother very much. But these things happen. And by serious, I mean we don't want to hide it from you anymore. She wants to meet you and hopes you'll be friends with her daughter, Jade. She's the same age as you." Gavin saw Savana waiting for another answer. Her arms were folded against her chest. "And no, marriage has not been brought up and won't be for a long time."

Savana closed her eyes, trying to fight off the tears. She quickly stood and paced around, waving her hands in the air. "So, all of the times you called me to let me know you would be home late from work, you were with her, weren't you? And I bet she was here while I was at school or at work! Oh, but I can't have my friends over when you're not here?"

Gavin stood up and held her shoulders to stop her pacing. He knew she had a short fuse. "I am your father. I worry about you and I know what's best for you. Now, this is my house. If I want to invite someone over I can. You are a teenager. Your friends are teenagers. I know how teenagers can be."

For a moment, she was speechless. After a few more seconds, she brushed her dad's hands off her shoulders, staring into his eyes. "If you can't trust my friends or me, why should I fucking trust you?" She felt betrayed. He was one of the few men she felt safe with, and he lied to her. She turned away from him and slammed the kitchen door. She was gone. Her dad was left standing in the kitchen, alone and speechless. He knew he had made a mistake.

Cully's red car pulled up in front of the house, as she ran outside. She opened the car's back door and flung herself into the back seat. "Get me out of here!" Savana shouted.

Gavin was still in the kitchen, in shock. His daughter had never talked to him like that. The sound of the tires kicking up gravel snapped him out of it. He rushed to the door and saw the red car speeding down the driveway. He recognized the car and was relieved to know who she was with.

He stepped into the living room and sat in the recliner. He rubbed his nearly bald head and sighed. His phone vibrated with a text. Jacklyn wondered how the talk with Savana turned out. He didn't know what to tell her. Hannibal came up to him and rubbed his head on Gavin's leg. He reached down to pet the purring cat as he thought of what to do next.