Every second felt like a lifetime, worsened by the lack of conversation. I looked outside, as if some passer-by would notice and free me from the mobile prison. Scenarios raced through my head, none of them pleasant. Was I due for a trip down to the station or off the edge of a cliff?
"Relax, boy; you're not under arrest or anything like that," Amy's dad spoke gruffly, obviously sensing my unease. "Just wanna bring you somewhere so we can have a man-to-man talk. Nothing more."
We ended up pulling over at the local bar, and I got off as soon as we'd parked safely like I'd been sitting on molten lava. Under a watchful eye I was escorted into the establishment where the policeman's presence was greeted by a series of familiar calls.
"Aye, Kenneth! Brought a newcomer, did you?" drawled the bartender.
"I told you to stop using my middle name and call me Piers," growled the cop, pulling up a chair next to the bar. "Usual for me, thanks. And a beer for the kid."
A beer and a Long Island Tea swung across the polished surface, the latter which Amy's dad grabbed and downed. "So, Ian," he coughed, wiping the dregs off his lips. "Now - you're probably wondering what I brought you out here for. Well - I understand that you've been dating Amy for some time now."
I nodded meekly. There was no point in saying otherwise.
"Show some confidence, boy! I'm not going to eat you alive." Amy's father patted me on the back like a thunderclap.
"Um... yes, sir." I managed, after I'd finished **** on my drink.
"You can call me Piers, Ian." Another pause as the policeman took another long swig. "Now you might be thinking, why call you out now? When Amy's about to leave in a matter of weeks?"
"Because you want us to break up?" I muttered.
"Break up? Hell no, boy! That's not something I can decide for you." To my surprise, Piers actually started to chuckle. "Is that what you were thinking? I was going to read you the riot act, make mincemeat out of you, and tell you to stay away from my girl?"
My only reaction was to grin sheepishly as he guffawed long and loud.
"The truth is, Ian - that day when I drove Amy home from prom? She locked herself in her room and wouldn't let me in for hours. Usually when she does that it's because she's watching my videos, got friends over or pissed as hell at me," continued Piers. "But when I saw her again later that day? She looked like a princess. There was something about the way she carried herself that made her just that bit more different." He glanced down at his now empty glass. "She reminded me of her mother."
I felt my stomach lurch.
"Amy's mother was someone I'd met back in high school," Piers recalled. "We'd had dates, the occasional fling, and even after we graduated, we still kept it going. We were in love - or so I thought, anyway."
"What happened?"
"Pretty much what's happening to you right now, I'm guessing," chuckled Piers, though this time there was definitely a hint of regret. "After I qualified for college, I ended up halfway across the country from her. We swore we would still be together when I returned. Of course, nothing prepared me for what I came to learn."
"And... what's that?" I hesitated.
"There's a reason why most people don't recommend long-distance relationships. You don't get to see the one you love, and the only way you could interact with them back then on a student's budget was writing letters. No mobile phones, no emails. And somehow, you need to make sure that flame stays alive." Pensively, Amy's father leaned against the bar. "I ended up seeing someone else when I was in college."
"What?!"
"It's not something I'm proud of. She was a classmate just like me - lived in a different state, and she having a long-distance relationship with her boyfriend. Until he broke up with her halfway through the first semester, via mail." He closed his eyes, undoubtedly reliving the memory. "She was devastated. I happened to have beer at the time, and - well, you can figure it out for yourself. One thing led to another, and I basically cheated on my girlfriend for three years of college.
"Of course, deep down I told myself this couldn't last. I had a girl waiting for me back home, and there I was, making a mockery of the promise we swore to each other. But I thought, we would simply go our separate ways after we'd graduated. We were just a pair of lonely people trying to figure things out, and once we left college no one else would know." Piers wiped his eye. "And in fact, it did. I came back to town, settled down with Amy's mother. But - "
"Your college girlfriend came looking for you?" I offered.
"Still don't know how she did it. One day she just showed up at my place while I was still on duty. When I got home I saw two women tearing the house apart and screaming, ready to tear each other to shreds." At this point he actually thumped the table with his fist, a tear escaping his clenched eye. "...Amy was ten at the time. The last time she saw her mother was when she left the house, swearing never to have anything do with me... or Amy."
My jaw dropped. "...Ouch."
"She used to be like any other girl - you've probably seen her room by now. But then she hit puberty, and got interested in boys. I was scared that she'd make the same mistakes I did - still am. That was before I realized how deeply I hurt her," He buried his face in his palms. "Amy's never talked to me about boys or sex because she doesn't trust me. I don't blame her for it - her parents ruined her faith in love. So she resolved to never be hurt by love."
The tension in the air had grown dangerously thick. I didn't know what to say - I hadn't expected the burly policeman I feared months ago to suddenly start pouring out his fatherly sorrows to me.
"But in the last few months, something changed. I see the sparkle in Amy's eyes whenever she mentions you and your friends; something different about her when she talks about anything else. I came to realize that for as long as I can remember - she's genuinely happy with herself, because she no longer has to protect herself. She can be anyone she wants to be around you, because you appreciate her for who she is." Turning, Piers patted me on the back. "You're a good boy, Ian. Even though she hasn't said it, I can tell. Amy's learned to love again, and it's because of what you've done for her."
"I, uh..." I gulped, trying hard not to think of what might happen if Piers found out about how much action I had gotten over the months. "Th-thanks, Piers."
"And that brings me to what I need to tell you tonight," he frowned. My heart sank.
"You and Amy need to decide how your relationship is going to work out. There's only so much time before Amy goes to USC - and from what she's told me, you're going to end up on the other side of the country." Piers stood up, placing a firm hand on my shoulder. "I'll say this again, Ian. You're a good boy, and I appreciate what you've done for my daughter. Which is why before she goes for college, the two of you have to figure your shit out. Decide if you really love each other, and if you're willing to wait. Or you'll end up hurting each other, and Amy's already been through that crap once. ...Have a good evening, Ian."
I sat in silence, even after Piers paid for both our drinks, and offered to drive me home. It was all a lot to take in - and there was only one conclusion I could arrive at.
I needed to talk to Amy. Without the mind-blowing sex.
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