"Relax… It's okay… We'll just explain to him what happened. I'm sure he'll understand." He said it in such a cool and reassuring manner that Mia found herself not only believing his words but relaxing with them.
"Can we call him?" Jayden asked. Mia smiled. She hadn't thought to call him. Sheepishly she nodded her head. He passed her his phone.
"Thanks…" she softly said as she called her home phone.
"Hey daddy, it's me…" She spoke into the phone and Jayden made himself scare to allow her a measure of privacy.
"I'm sorry… things got a little screwed up… I got caught in the rain and then I realized I didn't have my phone and couldn't call you to pick me up…" Jayden wasn't trying to listen to her conversation but he couldn't help but overhearing that she still didn't have her phone. That explained why she hadn't mentioned his calls. That no good dirty, dirty old man he cursed Skip. Skip had kept her phone.
"No, you don't need to come and get me… A friend is going to bring me home now…" Then suddenly she paused for a long time.
"Friend, who… oh-of… just a friend." She tried getting away without telling her father that it was Jayden.
"Who? Oh of… well… Jayden…" Her voice spiraled downward as she said his name. She was hoping that he would misunderstand her.
"Daddy… no there is nothing for you to worry about." She quickly objected and Jayden imagined that her father had hit the roof at the mentioning of his name. What in the world had she told her father about him to get such a strong reaction from the mentioning of his name?
"Okay, I'll see you in a few… Love you too…" She said and then she hung up the phone.
"Everything okay?" Jayden asked with the keys in his hand.
"Fine…"
Once they got to the car, Jayden was bothered about something. Why did her father object to her being with him at this time of night, yet it was okay that she had spent the other night out with Skip.
"Mia?"
"Yea?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure go ahead…"
"Why does your daddy object with you being with me all night, yet it was fine that you were out all night with Skip the other night?"