A Peaceful Evening

“What?” You ask your daughter to repeat her question, so you can make sure you heard her correctly.

“Paige is asking if you’re still looking to date other girls.” Stella repeats.

“Is Paige asking if she can date me, or are you asking for her?” You ask your daughter. Well aware of her inclination to set you up with everyone.

“Oh-ho-ho~” Cassie and Stella react in unison while laughing.

“Oh! No! I asked Stella that Mr. Craig, and uh~...” Paige reacts upon hearing your question.

“She’s not asking if she can date you, Dad. She’s asking for someone else.” Stella clarifies for you.

Oh. Oh shit.

“She wasn’t even asking it seriously too.” Cassie points out while laughing.

“Awkward~” Stella says, as an obvious tease towards you.

“Is that something you would want, Mr. Craig? Would you like me to date you?” Paige asks you naughtily, but her facial expression and demeanor are acting all innocent. The question gets Stella and Cassie to laugh even harder.

“You get it, Mr. Craig? From when we were having lunch at Viv’s restaurant?” Paige asks you, her demeanor back to normal.

“Why are you asking, Paige?” You ask her, trying to act like you didn’t fuck up with your assumption that she wants to date you, and that you wanted to test how your girlfriends will react with Normalized Polyamory now in place.

“I just wanted to make sure you know I’m kidding.” Paige answers, a bit defensively.

“Oh!” You react, realizing you weren’t clear with what you were referring to.

“Yeah, Dad. She just wants to make sure, before you go assuming she seriously wants to —” Stella tries to add on as a tease, but you don’t let her finish.

“I mean why are you asking if I’m still looking to date?” You clarify to Paige, a bit too seriously with your tone.

“Oh, um… It’s a bit stupid to say now.” Paige says, a lot less livelier than the three of them were before you seemingly ruined their fun.

“Sorry. I’m sorry.” You apologize for being serious, when they’re clearly just having fun with you. “I’m overcorrecting for my embarrassment.” You explain, letting out a chuckle to let them know that you’re okay now. “Okay, let me try this again; what made you ask, Paige?” You repeat, a little more lighthearted.

“You remember Candice, Dad?” Stella asks you.

“Who’s Candice?” You and Paige ask back, making you even more confused.

“Candice girl go on a date with you?” Stella jokes, pointing at Paige who immediately reacts negatively to the joke.

“STOP!” Paige shouts, as Cassie laughs boisterously next to Stella.

“Oh, Jesus Christ.” You react in disappointment. “Please tell me you didn’t call me here just to do that awful pun.” You say while chuckling.

“We didn’t, Mr. Craig. I swear. What Stella said was just a joke.” Paige tells you in a panic.

“You didn’t answer the question though, Jay.” Cassie points out, still laughing.

“She can if she wants to.” You confidently tell Cassie.

“You hear that, Paige?” Stella teasingly asks Paige.

“What!? No! I swear this all started from a different joke I tried to make, Mr. Craig.” Paige reacts. “I know you’re open to dating other women, Mr. Craig. I just asked Stella as a joke if you were still open to dating other women since I had a classmate who had a crush on you back when you subbed for us. I was going to suggest you try and date her as a tease, until I was Lots-o'-ed over here.” Paige explains.

“Lots-o’-ed?” You ask Paige, the only part of her explanation you didn’t get.

“You’re talking to a boomer, Paige. You need references from his time period.” Stella teasingly reminds her.

“I am not a boomer!” You react defensively. “I’m ‘kewl’. I’m hip. I’m with it.” You add, trying to be as comical as possible.

“Durka-durka-durka-durka…” Stella starts saying while doing the… uh… macarena?

“Dr. Evil. Austin Powers?” Stella explains, after the three of you let her play out her bit. “Wasn’t that what you were doing?” Stella then asks, and you shake your head to answer her question.

“You really love those movies, huh?” Cassie teases her.

“What’s not to love? They’re classics!” She reacts.

“That’s an egregious use of the word classic.” You correct her teasingly.

“Ugh! Et tu Brute?” Stella reacts. You want to point out the irony to her that that’s a classic, but you assume that’s what your daughter’s going for and stop yourself from doing so.

“That’s what being Lots-o’-ed means by the way. Getting betrayed.” Paige explains.

“What? Why?” You ask, incredulous.

“Toy Story 3. Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear?” Paige tries to explain, and you still can’t believe that that’s slang for getting betrayed.

“What does he have to do with being betrayed?” You ask, and all three of them react in shock.

“Where’s your kid now, Sheriff!?” They all ask you in unison, trying to imitate the character.

“Oh~, I actually forgot that part.” You admit.

“How!?” Cassie asks.

“That’s egregious!” Stella reacts right after.

“When he left them all to die at the incinerator, I was bawling. I hated teddy bears forever after that movie.” Paige adds.

“Okay, okay. I get it.” You concede.

“Oh, we’re definitely watching that now. How long can you stay over, Paige?” Cassie asks her.

“I can stay a while. Might as well enjoy my last few days of unemployment.” Paige jokes.

“I’ll make the popcorn!” Stella shouts excitedly.

“Movie Night!” Cassie shouts excitedly.

“How about you guys go make dinner first and we can do movie night after I pick up Tanya?” You suggest, which they all agree to.

“Oh! Ask the others if they’re free to join us!” Cassie reminds you, and you give her a nod that you will.

After picking up Tanya, you and her make your way back to the apartment. On the way back home, you asked Tanya to message Brooke, Becca, Maddy, and Viv if they’d like to stop by for a movie night, and all of them gave reasons as to why they couldn’t join.

Brooke had to close up the gym since Chad didn’t go to the gym today. Viv wants to finish dinner service to check on her staff since she didn’t go to work yesterday. Becca and Maddy are having dinner together, something you tell Tanya the story behind during the drive back. Tanya informs the girls back at the apartment about the others not being able to make it so that they don’t prepare too much food for dinner.

After Tanya gets changed into something more comfortable in her apartment, the two of you head to yours to have dinner. As you enter the apartment, you find Paige and Stella setting up the dining table, while you see Cassie cooking some pasta. Once the food’s ready you all sit down to eat dinner.

Dinner goes by smoothly, as the girls talk about the events of this afternoon; including the fun you and Stella had in one of the changing rooms. Tanya takes the news in stride; and is actually more interested in Cassie’s theory behind Maddy’s intention to have your group leave the boutique, and leave with only Becca instead.

After dinner, the five of you get ready to watch Toy Story 3 like the girls planned earlier. Stella makes popcorn, Cassie grabs a few beers you have left over from the fridge, while Paige asks Tanya about work life and for any advice she can give her before the movie starts.

It’s a peaceful night. Something you sorely needed after the whirlwind that was yesterday.

It’s towards the end of the movie, where Andy and Bonnie are playing with the toys, that your doorbell rings. Tanya moves to get up from the couch, but you stop her and tell her you got it. The younger girls are all tearing up as they watch Andy drive off to college.

You open the door and see Brooke carrying an overnight bag and a dress.

AUTHOR'S DEDICATION
In loving memory of my grandmother.
(Nov 20, 1932 - March 6, 2022)
You can finally rest, and have an eternity of peaceful evenings.
Love you, Lola.
-SM