No More Wasted Time

"How are you doing, Dad?"

I smiled and shook my head. We were at my daughter Bethany's wedding reception, and she was asking me how I was doing. Say what you want about my ex and my relationship, but we did pretty good in the parenting department. Either that or we were awfully lucky. It was probably a little bit of both.

"I'm supposed to be asking you that." Bethany smiled at my reply and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. She stepped back and her smile turned into a frown, which confused me until she reached out and wiped off the lipstick she'd left behind. I couldn't resist teasing her. "You know, you don't need all that makeup. You're beautiful without it."

It was an old joke between us. It went back to her early teens when she was just starting to figure out how much makeup was too much. We used to argue about it all the time.

"That's what I keep telling her." Neil walked up and wrapped his arm around my daughter. I guess he had the right now that he was her husband. Who was I kidding? He had that right long before they said their I dos, but only because no one else made my little girl's eyes shine the same way.

Bethany and Neil had that special spark that some couples had. I hoped it would help get them through the tough times, and there would be tough times. All marriages had them. Mine certainly did. Unfortunately, Bethany's mother, Adrian, and I didn't make it, but if I was being honest, that spark wasn't something our marriage ever possessed.

Don't get me wrong. There was definitely a time when we loved each other. Hell, I think down deep we still did, but just not in that way. You didn't spend almost twenty-five years together without it being based on something real. Unfortunately, that wasn't always enough.

"Dad, I know it would have been your twenty-fifth anniversary next week. If Mom having Don with her bothers you, you don't have to..." Bethany was always good at reading my moods.

"I'm fine," I interjected. "And Don seems like a nice guy. Believe it or not, I'm happy for your mother. You have to forgive an old man for feeling a little melancholy at his daughter's wedding, but I lost my little girl to this joker today." It was a sad attempt at humor. Neil was kind enough to laugh. Bethany stepped away from him long enough to give me a hug and whisper in my ear.

"Don't be ridiculous! I'll always be your little girl." She stepped back into Neil arms before adding, "And you're not that old. You're only fifty-one."

"You know," Neil teased. "My aunt Ann is single..."

"Don't even think about it." I did not want to be set up by his newly minted son-in-law, or anyone else, for that matter. Besides, I'd met his aunt Ann. She was single for a reason.

"I'm just saying, I can almost guarantee you'll get lucky tonight. I mean, you know women and weddings." Neil had a twisted sense of humor. It was one of the things I liked about him, my daughter, not so much, at least not in front of her father.

Bethany slapped Neil on the shoulder, which only made him laugh, pull my daughter into a hug and give her a quick kiss. Of course, Neil being Neil, he couldn't leave it at that. She stepped away from Bethany and grinned at me before adding, "I could let Aunt Ann know you're interested. Just say the word."

"You do and my daughter will be a widow before the night's over." The threat was meaningless, but he got the point. Neil looked ready to tease me some more, but he glanced behind me and whatever he saw made him lose his smile.

"Oh hell," my new son-in-law sighed. "Here comes Walt Millerson. He's one of the partners at my company. I didn't want to invite him, but I couldn't exclude him and invite the others."

"That must really suck now that you're giving your notice when you get back from your honeymoon." My son-in-law was very good at what he did and was quickly moving up in his field. He hadn't planned on leaving his current job quite yet, but he received one of those offers you can't refuse from another company.

"Right?" Neil snorted. "If I'd only known when I sent out the invitations." He sighed, glanced over my shoulder again and added, "At least the arm candy with him this time looks more age appropriate."

"Wow, she's pretty," my daughter added. I was curious, but I didn't think turning around and staring would be all that polite.

"They always are." Neil took a breath and looked at my daughter. "Let's hope this one has a brain. The last one was half his age and a quarter his IQ. Well, I supposed we can't avoid him forever."

"Are you sure?" I grinned. "I've been dodging your aunt Ann all night. So far so good." That made Neil laugh again, which was sort of the whole point. Of course, the down side was that it also made my daughter groan.

"You know," she sighed dramatically. "I'm just starting to realize just how much you two are alike."

"No way!" Neil replied. "I'm much funnier."

"And better looking," I added easily. "But only because you're younger. Besides, I'm still smarter."

"What do you mean only because I'm younger?"

I know some people might be surprised by my relationship with Neil, but the truth was that I'd known him since he was ten and moved in next door. His father was a good guy, but he worked a lot and was on the nerdy side. I was the one who taught Neil how to play baseball. Hell, I'd taught him a lot of things over the years. On the other hand, I learned quite a bit from him as well. My daughter could have done a lot worse.

"You should have seen me back in my youth," I laughed. "I was pretty damn good looking." I'm sure my son-in-law was ready with a good comeback, but this guy Walt took that moment to find Neil and my daughter.

"Neil! My boy!" The man said as he interrupted our conversation. He actually tried to shoulder me aside, which was pretty funny in its way. Of course, I had to reach out and put my hand on my daughter's arm to calm her because Bethany wasn't nearly as amused. I thought she was overreacting a bit, but it was her wedding day and emotions were high. The guy seemed oblivious as he looked at her and added, "And this must be your lovely bride!"

He opened his arms as if he expected my daughter to give him a hug. Instead, Bethany stepped closer to me. Frankly, I didn't blame her. He was giving off a creepy vibe.

"Yes, I'm Bethany," she said with a frosty smile. "And this is my father." I stepped forward, in part to shake his hand and in part to put myself between him and my daughter, which I guess was silly in a way, but like she said earlier, she would always be my little girl and Bethany clearly didn't like Walt.

The guy actually looked at me with what seemed like a touch of distaste, which was odd since we'd never met before. Walt probably never had a chance with Bethany, but he wasn't helping himself any.

"Hi, I'm John." I offered my hand, figuring it was my job to keep the peace.

"Ah yes, the man who considers himself 'pretty damn good looking'," Walt said as he took my hand somewhat reluctantly and shook it.

So, not only had this guy tried to shoulder me aside, but he decided to judge me based on part of a conversation he'd been rude enough to interrupt. He thought I was serious earlier. I couldn't help it. I laughed.

"Back in my youth," I clarified, still amused. I'd decided that this day was too special to let someone like Walt ruin. He would just be a funny anecdote years from now.

"You haven't changed all that much."

The voice came from behind me. It had a teasing tone I recognized immediately despite not having heard it in over twenty-five years. Was that possible? Could you remember a voice after so long? The answer was obvious, but part of me still wasn't sure.

"This is my date, Jessica," Walt said, his frown deepening as he gestured behind me. I guess he didn't like the way she'd chosen to join the conversation. I turned and there she was, after twenty-five years.

"Hey Johnny," she smiled as I took the sight of her in. I wasn't surprised to see that she still looked good. Jessica was always the type to take care of herself. Still, the years seemed to have only added to her beauty. Her hair was long and dark just like I remembered. If possible, her eyes were even sexier than I recalled.

Don't get me wrong, Jessica looked her age, but she was the hottest fifty-year old I'd ever seen. That's when I noticed my daughter staring at me oddly. I shook myself and returned my first serious girlfriend's smile.

"Hey Jess, long time no see." Yeah, I know, but it was the best I could come up with considering I was beyond surprised to find her at my daughter's wedding. Okay, it was more than that. It was my reaction to seeing Jessica that really shook me. How could she still make me feel this way after all these years?

She stepped into me and gave me a quick hug as old friends are wont to do. I squeezed her briefly feeling parts of me wake up that I thought were long dead. Just the smell of her was enough to remind me of how we used to be.

"Still wearing the same perfume, I see," I said, hoping no one noticed how shaky I was feeling. Jessica smiled and shook her head, but didn't respond. It was a very old joke between us. Then again, everything between us was very old news. I felt a twinge of regret, but then looked as Bethany and it disappeared. There was a reason why things happened the way they did.

"Jessica doesn't wear perfume," Walt interjected with a frown, bringing my attention back to Jessie. "She's allergic."

"I know," I laughed, unable to think of anything else to say. Walt looked confused and not remotely amused. Jessica didn't bother replying, although she did blush slightly. Bethany, on the other hand, had something to say. Thankfully, her maid of honor came over and interrupted us before my daughter could speak.

"Sorry to bother you, but they're looking for you both on the dance floor. It's time for the bride to dance with her father."

"That's our cue." Okay, so I was more than a little relieved to escape the conversation with the look in my daughter's eyes, but I was also having problems walking away from Jessie... again. I glanced at her, and suddenly I was certain she knew exactly what I was thinking. I couldn't leave it at that. "So, maybe we can catch up later?"

"We aren't staying that long," Walt interjected, clearly not liking the obvious connection between me and his date. I looked at Jessica and she smiled and shrugged. Damn.

"Well, it was nice seeing you again Jess," I said, leaning in and hugging her one last time. "Take care of yourself."

"You too, Johnny." Jessica surprised me by kissing my cheek. Afterward, it was her turn to wipe her lipstick from my face. Needless to say, although the action was the same, the effect on me was far different than when my daughter had done it earlier.

The band leader was now calling for my daughter and me on the dance floor. I smiled at Jessica and turned toward my daughter. I refused to address the question in her eyes and led her to the dance floor. The band started playing 'Butterfly Kisses'. Yeah, I know it's not that original, but so what? Some things didn't have to be.

"What was that all about?" my daughter asked as I took her into my arms and started dancing. I raised my eyebrow and looked at her.

"Do you really want to ask that now?" Bethany stared at me for a moment longer before laughing gently.

"No, but don't think this is the over. There a story there that you will tell me."

I looked at my daughter and shook my head. Sometimes she sounded so much like her mother that it was scary, but that wasn't necessary a bad thing. Of course, it didn't mean I'd tell her about Jessica later.

Jess was my past and she was here with a date. Okay, so I may have thought about her over the years, especially now that I was divorced, but we probably didn't have anything in common anymore anyway. Well, except for an attraction that I was at a loss to explain after all these years.

"I still can't believe I'm actually married." My daughter was smiling as she changed the subject.

"You?" I snorted. "Half the time I still think you're a little girl like the song says." I paused and shook my head. The song came to the chorus and I couldn't help but sing softly to her.

"...Sticking little white flowers all up in her hair..."

"Oh please don't!" Bethany gasped. "I'll lose it if you do!"

"Even with how badly I sing?" I teased, trying to make her laugh. It was yet another old joke. It seemed to be the night for them.

"Especially with that!" she retorted and suddenly we were both laughing. That didn't stop her eyes from misting up. If I was being perfectly honest, mine weren't much better.

The rest of the dance was pretty much a blur. It was time for Bethany to spread her wings and have her own family. I was extremely proud of the young woman my daughter had become, but I knew a part of me would always miss the little girl she'd been. That's why I couldn't help it when I joined in and sang the end of the song.

"...With all I've done wrong, I must have done somethings right! To deserve your love every morning and butterfly kisses-I couldn't ask God for more, man this is what love is! I know I gotta let her go, but I'll always remember every hug in the morning and butterfly kisses."

"I hate you!" Bethany snapped as a couple of tears ran down her cheek, but then she leaned in gave me some damp butterfly kisses to take the sting out of her words.

"I love you too, baby-girl," I replied, my own tears threatening as I kissed her forehead. Bethany smiled, but then quickly turned and left the dance floor. She was moving toward Neil who was standing with my ex, so I let her go. Adrian and I were on decent terms, considering, but I was too emotional at the moment to face her and her boyfriend.

I'm not sure if it was seeing Jess, having to deal with Adrian and her boyfriend, dancing with Bethany or just the simple fact that it was my daughter's wedding day, but I was feeling more than a little melancholy.

I hadn't ended up with the life I dreamed of when I was a young man. The truth was that by this point, I expected a handful of kids, mostly grown up, a woman next to me that was my better half and a sense of... something... maybe completeness?

On the other hand, Bethany had turned out even better than I could hope. A father couldn't ask for a better daughter. She was my pride and joy. I knew I wasn't losing her. Not in any of the ways that really mattered, but things would be different now.

"Hey, you're lucky Dad is gone." I looked toward the voice and saw my brother Tommy standing there with grin. "No son of his would dare embarrass him by crying in public."

"Too true, big brother," I laughed, relieved by Tommy's interruption. "Although, I seem to remember someone blubbering like a little girl at his daughter's wedding last year."

"I did not blubber! It was a single tear and there was something in my eye," he insisted.

"You just keep telling yourself that," his wife Emily teased as she joined us.

"Hey, I wasn't half as bad as him!"

"Maybe not," I admitted. "But you still have another single daughter. Wait until it's your last you're saying goodbye to."

"Ouch," Tommy groaned. "I don't even want to think about it."

We moved off the dance floor because it was time for Neil to dance with his mother. Our younger sister Mary, joined us. She was carrying an extra drink which she promptly handed to me.

"Thanks," I said, taking it and downing half in one swallow. "I needed that. You're a life saver."

"So," my sister began without preamble. I knew I was in for it based on her smile. "Did I see a ghost earlier?" There was no need to clarify who she meant. There was only one person that would garner the type of reaction my sister offered.

"Yes, Jessica is here."

"No way!" Tommy cried, before I could explain how it happened. "You didn't!"

"Are you crazy?" I snapped in response. "Don't be ridiculous! Of course, I didn't invite her. Hell, I haven't seen Jess in more years than I care to think about."

"Then why is she here?" Mary looked like she didn't quite believe me.

"Would you believe she's here as the date of one of Neil's bosses?" The impossibility of it all was just starting to sink in.

"So, you two talked?" Emily was smiling in a way I didn't like in the least. She could be as bad as Mary when she was in the mood.

"Briefly," I said succinctly.

"With you two, that would be enough." Emily was so not helping. "I have the feeling that this is going to be a very interesting night."

"Look," I sighed, hoping I could get through to my siblings. They could be difficult at times, especially with something like this. "Jess is here with a date and this is not the time, even if I was interested in her in that way."

"Please," Mary snorted. "You've always be interested in Jessie 'that way'."

"So not the point," I groaned, not bothering to deny it before giving them all a serious look. "Bottom line, this is Bethany's wedding and I don't want anything to distract from that."

"I think you mean detract, little brother." Tommy was using that older brother tone he knew I hated. He was also grinned. I shook my head and replayed what I'd just said.

"I don't want anything to detract, distract or in any other way ruin Bethany's special day." I paused to make sure they understood I was serious. "You three will forget you saw Jess tonight. You can tease me as much as you like tomorrow, but tonight is all about Bethany."

"Fair enough." Emily was always the most understanding out of us. I almost breathed a sigh of relief as the other two nodded in agreement, but then my sister had to go and ruin it.

"But you'd better hope that Adrian doesn't notice her." Mary wide-eyed expression said it all. "If she does, the fireworks will be spectacular, divorce or no divorce."

"You got that right," Tommy added helpfully.

"I need another drink." I'd already finished the one my sister gave me.

"I'm not sure getting drunk is the right answer to this situation." Emily was frowning and I could see what she meant. Still, I desperately needed at least one more drink.

"I'm not sure there is a good answer to this situation. Maybe getting drunk is all he can do." Tommy and his wife started arguing. I shook my head and glanced at Mary. She rolled her eyes and we shared a brief smile over their heads.

"I probably should go find my date." Tommy and Emily barely reacted to my sister's comment. Mary was here with some random guy. I say random because I knew she wasn't serious about him. If she was, then I would have met him before tonight. "See you in a little bit." My little sister wandered away from us and I turned back to my older brother and sister-in-law.

Tommy and Emily fought all the time, but it never really amounted to anything. They were almost always fine moments after finishing an argument. I was always jealous of them for that. Every time Adrian and I used to fight it never worked out half as well for us. Frankly, it usually ended up with me sleeping in the spare bedroom. Hell, by the time I moved out, most of my stuff was in there.

I only hung out for a few more seconds before I decided to leave them to their weird kind of foreplay. At least, that's what I always teased them that their arguing was. They never did deny it.

I made my way to one of the two bars and ordered a fresh drink. It was just my luck that good old Walt chose the same one. He saw me and frowned. I tried to ignore him because I was so not in the mood to have another conversation with him, but he clearly had something to say.

"So, how do you know Jessica?" he asked without preamble. I was wondering why he wasn't asking her that question. There was definitely something about this guy that irritated me and it had more to do with just the fact that he was here with Jess.