Hungry for Love (58 page)

“
Obviously.
”

“
Wait….I get it!  It was them getting caught.  I wanted them to get punished.  These older guys—older guys like my….
”

“
Father!
”
said Ben.

Suddenly Angie turned to look at Ben
,
and this time she actually saw him.  Her eyes opened wide
,
and she pulled him to her
,
wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.  And she kissed him.  And kissed him.  She stopped only for a moment to ask
,
“
What about Colette
?”

“
Don
’
t worry about her.  Let
’
s go to your place and I
’
ll tell you all about it.  After
,”
said Ben.

“
After
,”
said Angie
,
sighing sweetly.

– THIRTEEN –

The judge had decided that he would just go over to Angie
’
s new apartment instead of barging into her deli every single day.  At least she
’
d have to come home at some point and finally they would talk.  He
’
d just sit there at her door for as long as necessary.  He thought about bringing her flowers but he knew such a cheesy gesture wouldn
’
t mean that much.  And it wasn
’
t as though he could bake her a cake.  All he had to offer her was words
,
and he knew they were long overdue.

Inside the apartment
,
Angie lay snuggled in bed next to Ben
,
deep in a sweet afterglow.  For the first time in her entire life she felt safe and truly happy.  And how she
’
d laughed when he told her about Colette
’
s scheme to snap her out of her trance. 
“
I guess we
’
ll have to double date
,”
laughed Angie
,
“
Maybe at a barbecue place.  At least now I don
’
t have to shop for a deodorant that masks the smell of bacon.
”

Ben laughed. 
“
I
’
d love you even if you smelled like pig feet.
”

“
Pigs
’
feet are a delicacy.
”

Ben grimaced and said
,
“
Good to know.
”

When the bell rang
,
Angie and Ben said simultaneously
,
“
Pizza!
”
She grabbed a robe and headed toward the stairs as he scrambled for his clothes. 
“
You can stay in bed
,”
she said adorably.

“
I can undress again.  No point in dripping pizza on your new sheets.
”

“
Romantic
,”
said Angie
,
laughing as she dashed down the stairs and opened the door
,
still chuckling.  It wasn
’
t pizza though
,
it was her dad.

“
Please let me talk to you
,”
he said sincerely.

“
This isn
’
t a good time
,”
said Angie
,
her voice cold. 
“
I
’
m not alone.
”

The judge pushed his way in the door. 
“
That maniac isn
’
t here
,
is he
?”
  But it was Ben who came down the stairs in just trousers
,
no shirt
,
no shoes
,
no socks. 

Angie looked nervously at her father.  Would he now go all berserk on Ben
?
 

Instead Sam
’
s face lit up
,
and he strode smiling toward Ben
,
and reached out for what Ben assumed to be a handshake but instead the judge crushed him in a massive hug. 
“
Thank God
,”
he said
,
“
Thank God.  I
’
ve hoped you two would get together for years.
”

“
Since when have you hoped anything about me other than that I
’
d go away
,”
said Angie frostily.

Sam reached out and took his daughter by the hand and said
,
“
Please sit and listen to me.
”

“
I
’
ll give you some time alone
,”
said Ben
,
rushing up the stairs before Angie could say anything.

“
I wish I had a good explanation or something cathartic to say
,”
said Sam
,
“
But what excuse do I really have
?
  When your mother left
,
I allowed myself to put a wall around my heart and was too lazy to knock it down.  Pathetic
,
I know.  You
’
re my daughter and I love you so much
,
but for years I
’
ve tried to avoid feeling anything and it just got easier to be an old crank instead of a nice person.  But it wasn
’
t about you at all.
”

“
Nothing has ever been about me
,”
said Angie. 
“
Wolves do a better job raising humans than you did.
”

“
Yes.  I
’
m so sorry.  I wish I hadn
’
t hurt you.  I wish….  But look at how fantastic you turned out.  You
’
re this sweet
,
loving
,
kind
,
generous girl
,
a big success
,
and everyone loves you.  If only I could take credit
,
say I must have done something right
,
but maybe this is just you being you.  And I
’
m proud of you
,
really so proud of how you turned out and all you
’
ve accomplished.
”

Angie started to cry. 
“
But why didn
’
t you ever say so
?
  It would have meant so much to me.
”

“
I was an asshole.  But I
’
m saying so now
,
if that means anything at all.
”

Angie sobbed and said nothing.

“
When you said those things to me it was like a shock to my heart and maybe it knocked that wall down
,
I don
’
t know.  I had no idea you felt that way
,
Angie
,
really.  And that
’
s my fault too.  I should have been looking and listening
,
not figuring if you were right outside the door and physically safe
,
everything was all right
,
you were all right.  What a jerk
,
huh.  I can take care of plants but not the person I love best in the world.  I just hope you
’
ll give me another chance.  See me now and then.  I know I don
’
t deserve it.  I
’
m a terrible person.  But I want to be a better person.  And a better dad.  And I never wanted you to be hurt.  And that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
”