"Really?" There was still a lingering tinge of skepticism laced throughout the timbre of Patrick Gerlach's gravelly voice.
"Yes! Really! In fact, just to prove to you that what I'm telling you is true, why don't the two of us plan on going fishing next Saturday?"
"Are you serious?"
"Yes, Dad! I am."
"What about John? I mean, he enjoys fishing as much as the two us do."
"That's true. John does like to fish. Tell you what, Dad. John can join us some other time. Next week, given that this is the first time you'll be taking this new daughter of yours fishing with you, how 'bout we make it just the two of us? That way, Dad, if you or I want to talk further about any of this shit, we can do so in private. That's to say that as it stands right now, I would prefer it if it was just the two of us, Dad. Look! If you're worried about John's feelings, don't. He'll understand perfectly. Besides, there'll be plenty more weekends for him to join us, okay?
"Look, Dad, I'm sure you have a whole shit load of questions. I mean, if I were you and you were me, I sure as hell would want to know why my son all of sudden opted out of the manhood gig only to dive headfirst into unfathomable depths of the feminine mystique. The only thing I ask is for you to understand that I might not have the answers for all of your questions as yet. All I know right now is that this girl-thing feels right to me, and that John and I were somehow meant to be together. He loves me, Dad! He really, really loves me!
"And - God help me! - though he can be a real asshole, not to mention, a pain in the ass sometimes, I love him as much as he loves me! Truth is, Dad, I love him so much it almost hurts."
Compassionately stepping forward and enfolding his daughter in those massive, construction worker arms of his, Patrick Gerlach sympathetically intoned, "I know, kitten. I know."
Given that John still had an apartment, whereas Nicole was in the income taxing process of purchasing the townhouse in which she lived with those two precocious cats of hers, the decision as to where the two of them would live was basically a no-brainer.
