There's no way

“Mindy, stop,” you say. The girl is confused.

“Is there something wrong, John?”

“No, no, you’re amazing. It’s just… we can’t. This is wrong.”

Mindy is hurt, confused. Your heart aches for her. You want to reach out and comfort her, but that is what got you into this mess in the first place. You watch as the girl gathers her clothes and leaves, crying.

...

You wake up feeling like a heel. You didn’t sleep well anyway, so you’re not feeling all that great. Utterly crushing Mindy’s feeling like that, well, it doesn’t sit right with you. It’s very little consolation that you did the right thing. You do the domestic thing again and make a hearty breakfast. Izzi and Sara fall over themselves in heaping praise on you. Mindy picks at her breakfast. She looks very different from the girl who was naked in front of you last night…

Crap. Another subset of thoughts you must suppress.

Izzi surprises the table by declaring she has plans for tomorrow. Some of her school friends are getting together, and she wants to go out with them. You’re not in the habit of choosing your daughters’ pastimes for them, so you simply inquire as to who she is going out with, recognizing and reminiscing about many of the names.

The day goes much as the last, although Izzi, Sara, and Mindy pull out the game of Risk and begin to play a long, slow game. They invite you, but you demur. Never did get the hang of that game, and besides, you enjoy watching your girls have fun and interact with each other.

During the game, Sara’s phone buzzes. “Hey, Izzi, you aren’t the only one whose friends are getting together tomorrow. Sam and some of the others are meeting up.”

Izzi punches Mindy playfully. “Looks like you and John will be alone tomorrow night. Like normal, huh?”

Mindy looks away from you. “Maybe I’ll have a friend over.”

You feel absolutely horrible. You would do anything to make Mindy’s pain go away, if only you could. “Of course, you can have a friend over. Hell, have four!”

Izzi and Sara laugh, while Mindy just looks at her cards. You didn’t think your heart could be in any more pain. You’re wrong again.

You spend the rest of the day and the next morning just trying to be normal. Meals are provided for the girls, grades are inquired about, and you even get the chance to give them the little gifts you got for them. Izzi and Sara are delighted, while Mindy looks like she is going to cry again. You wish you knew what to do, but you’re fairly sure that parenting book has not been written. You make a note to Google it just in case.

Izzi and Sara get ready to go out. You’re not sure what they are doing, but it seems to involve and extraordinary amount of makeup, perfume, and hairspray. And giggling. Lots of giggling. Mindy looks hopefully at her phone. When the doorbell rings, you arch an eyebrow. Your house is not exactly on the beaten path. You leave Isabelle, Sara, and Mindy to their preparations to answer the door. You open the door to see a girl you know. “Hello, Sam! Welcome!”

Samantha smiles up at you. “Hello, Mr. Doe!”

“I’ve told you before, Sam, we’re not that formal here. You can call me John.”

“My parents would kill me, Mr. Doe.”

“Well, then, Sam, when we’re at your house you can call me that. Until then, do what my daughters do and call me John.”

Sam laughs and cedes to your logic. “Okay, John.”

She stands and looks at you. In that part of your brain you weren’t supposed to have, you notice her similarity to your youngest. Like Mindy, Sam is slender. Unlike Mindy, Sam is fair and freckled. You realize that this moment has gone on a moment too long. “Right, Sam, Mindy is upstairs. You know where to find her.”

Izzi and Sara come down the stairs, mock fighting with each other. “Have fun, sweethearts!”

“We will, John! Don’t wait up!”

You turn on Jeopardy! Mindy and Samantha have not emerged from upstairs. You’re used to Mindy being a teenager, but you are still very upset by how much you wounded Mindy two nights ago. If Lisa were here…

Shut that thought down.

You realize that it is now ten o’clock and you’ve registered nothing on the TV. You decide it is time to go to bed.

You go to the top of the stairs. You debate knocking on Mindy’s door, but decide against it. “Ladies! I’m off to bed! Sleep well!”

You hear nothing, so head to your room.