Perfect Storm

17- Ian

"Are you sure you don't mind driving out of our way to bring me to my father's?"

I reached for her hand, brought it to my lips, and kissed the top of her hand. "Of course not. The more I get to spend time with you, the better," I said, smiling while turning my head her way. I noticed a look of worry on her face, causing my smile to fade. "Did I say something wrong?

She let go of my hand and shook her head, turning to face the window. "No. You didn't say anything wrong. I like that you want to spend time with me."

Okay. But then why the strange look, the sigh while letting me know I said nothing wrong, and turning to face the window as if I did say the wrong thing? "Talk to me, Tawny. I can tell there's something on your mind."

"It's nothing," she said, not very convincing.

"Sure it isn't," I groaned underneath my breath. After the night and morning we shared, I didn't want to fight with her. So instead, I bit my tongue, tightened my hold around the steering wheel, and to not sound like I was angry, I took a deep breath, exhaled, then calmly said, "Well, when you want to talk about whatever is bothering you, I'm all ears."

Finally, after a long moment of silence, she said, "I'm just a little worried about my father. He hasn't been answering any of my phone calls lately. So because of me being in town, I thought I'd call to let him know and see if it would be okay if I were to stop by. But he never answered, and he still hasn't called me back after I asked that he do."

"Is he sick or something?"

With a heavy sigh, she said, "I guess you could say that."

"What's he got going on?"

"When my mother passed away, he took it pretty hard. And he's been blaming himself for her death ever since."

That doesn't sound good...

Which reminds me, the day of our accident was the day of her mother's funeral, and I still haven't offered her my condolences. I reached over and rested my hand on Tawny's thigh. "I should have said this to you a long time ago, but I'm sorry about your mother."

"Thanks," she sadly sighed, then she surprised me with what she said next. "But I should have been there for her, too. If I were, it never would have happened."

My eyebrows shifted together as my head snapped towards Tawny. "What do you mean if you were there, it never would have happened?"

"It means my mom would still be here," she snapped. "You know what? Just forget I said anything. I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"Fine," I groaned, anger building up inside me. And to keep me from losing my shit and ruining going forward with Tawny, I zipped my lips, then remained quiet until I pulled into her father's driveway.

As I was stepping a foot out the door, Tawny turned the knob that initiated the blood flowing through my veins to boil. "Just wait here; I shouldn't be too long."

I closed my eyes, deeply inhaled, then slowly exhaled, hoping to stop myself from snapping at Tawny outside her father's place. "Do you have an issue with me meeting with your father? Do you not want him to know you and I are an item? Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?" I didn't want to snap at her as I just did, but I couldn't help it. I thought we were past our differences, and dammit, she's my girl. If she needs someone to help her get through whatever she has going on with her father, I want to be that person standing by her side, comforting and helping her.

"Ian, stop. This isn't about you or even about you and me. Since my mother died, I've been the one taking care of him. And I've been bothered with how I left him the way I did. Even though I told myself not to let it bother me, it has. So all I want to do is make sure my father is okay."