My dad asked me to stay with him during Christmas break so I went to Michigan instead of Belcrest.  Jack was staying back home to be around Lindsey and my mom was going on a cruise with her new boyfriend.  I would miss Mackenna and Bryan but with Gabe and I not spending time together it increased my time as the third wheel with them and I was sure they wanted some alone time.  Trent was only coming home for a few days during Christmas and then going back to campus. His coach was putting on a soccer tournament and supposedly scouts would be there.  This is all information I gathered from Bryan since I hadn’t talked with Trent since before Thanksgiving.  All the Basso brothers seemed to be giving me the cold shoulder recently.

I spent quality time with my dad during Christmas break.  It was just us and he was adamant about doing everything together.  We even crossed the border over to Canada and drove up to the Upper Peninsula.  One weekend he booked us a room at a resort in Mackinac Island and I looked forward to a relaxing time at their spa.

“So, you ready to talk about Trent Basso?”  My dad asks while driving.

“What’s to talk about?  We don’t really have any relationship lately.”  I respond coldly.  I don’t really want to have some father daughter bonding time especially talking about the youngest Basso.

“I know you went to separate colleges but you guys were friends first.  I thought your friendship would prevail.”

“You thought wrong.  Trent dumped me before college and I have barely spoken five minutes to him since August.”  My voice quivers out of frustration.  Now that I say it aloud it pisses me off.

“That’s a shame.  I always assumed you two would marry.  Childhood sweethearts.”  My dad continues.

“Guess not.”  I say curtly and short.

“Any boys at college?”  He asks.

“Not really.”  I can’t decide if I should tell Dad or not.

“That means there is someone.”  He smiles over to me.  My dad is easy to talk to and I know my happiness is his only concern.

“Well, there’s a guy I was hanging out with a lot but it has stopped too.”  I divulge the information having to talk to someone about it and I know Mackenna doesn’t understand and with Trent being my former best friend there is no one else.

“What happened?”  He questions.

“I don’t really know.  It’s complicated.”  I shrug.

“Did you like him?”

“I think so.  I wasn’t sure until after we stopped talking and I noticed how much I missed spending time with him.”

“Why don’t you say something to him?”

“We can’t be together even if he felt the same way.”

“Of course you can Maddy.”

“Dad, its Gabe Basso.”  I admit biting my bottom lip.

“So” he shrugs his shoulders looking over at me.  Only my dad would not think it is a good idea.

I tell him about Gabe getting me out of my dorm room and how we spent a lot of time together.  How I stayed at the Bassos for Thanksgiving, which didn’t make him happy but he skirted that topic for the time being.  I even told him the conversation I overheard between Gabe and Mrs. Basso.

“I’m not going to say it doesn’t complicate things Maddy but if you and Gabe want to see what it is between you two you should be able to.  Trent has obviously let go of you.”

“That’s the thing, I don’t know what it is.  Could be just friendship between us.”

“I know you don’t want any advice from your ancient dad but can I give you a little.”

“Sure god knows you are the only parent who cares.”

“Maddy, don’t talk about your mom like that.”

I ignore his comment so he continues with his fatherly advice.

“You have one life and if you are lucky it will be a long one.  Love is going to come in and out a couple times.   For some people they are lucky they meet their love first and never look back but for others it takes a couple more loves before the right one comes along.  Unfortunately, some never find theirs or they weren’t selfish enough to take their love when they should have.”

“Ok” I’m a little confused.

“What I am trying to say is Maddy, sometimes you have to be selfish.  If Trent or his mom aren’t happy with you and Gabe then sometimes you have to just say go to hell.”

I start laughing.

“In a nice way of course.”  He chuckles back.

“I don’t even know how Gabe feels about me.  Maybe I am like a little sister to him.”

“Honey, you are so beautiful he would be crazy not to love you.  Not to mention from what you are saying he feels the same but is listening to too many people stopping him.”

I thought about what my dad was saying and I couldn’t deny the feeling I had with Gabe.  It was different than Trent.  I was surprised how electrifying and new it was to be around Gabe.  Trent was secure and home to me where Gabe was protective and caring.  It was a line I couldn’t decide if I wanted to cross.  My dad made it sound so simple but the scenario was anything but that.

“Don’t think so hard Maddy, go with your instincts.”  He pats my knee.

I smile over to him. After my parents’ divorce we have become closer.  I would rarely see him due to business and distance but he tries to e-mail or call as often as he can.  He has even come to visit me at school in October.  He is taking the initiative to be with me taking two weeks vacation while I am here on break.

“Thanks dad.”  I say.

“Anytime daughter.”  He grins.

My break flew by with all the excursions my dad had planned.  I craved my old schedule at school but I didn’t want to leave my dad either.  This was the best visit we had together and I hated leaving him by himself.  I could tell his house was a typical bachelor pad and he rarely ate good food.  As much I hated to admit it he needed a woman.

Mackenna gives me a huge hug when I get back to school.

“I missed you so much.  You can’t leave me like that again.”  She slaps my shoulder.

“You and Bryan needed some time together.  I have been hanging around you guys way too much lately.”

“Shut up Maddy, you are our best friend.”  She is unpacking her freshly laundered clothes.

“I know but I also know you need time being a couple.”  I say.

“We do those things at night.”  She joke.              “So, what did you get for Christmas?”  I ask.  Mackenna always gets extravagant gifts from her parents.

“A trip to Cancun for spring break.”  Her grin wide.

“That’s awesome Kenna.”  I am truly happy for her.

“For two.”  She adds.

“Don’t you and Bryan go and get married in Mexico ok.  I want to be at your wedding.”

“I’m not taking Bryan, I am taking you.”  She comes down sitting on my bed.

“Are you serious Kenna?”

She shakes her head up and down.

“Oh my god.  Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.”  I hug her practically pushing her down with my force.

“You’re welcome.  We are going to have so much fun Maddy.”  She is clapping her hands vigorously.

“Are you sure Bryan is ok with this?”

“Yeah, he is going to some guy’s trip to Miami.”  She waves her hand in the air.  “And before you ask Trent isn’t going.”

“I wasn’t going to ask.”

“Yes you were Maddy.  You don’t have to hide all this stuff from me you know?”  She comes back over sitting on my bed facing me Indian style.

“What are you talking about?”  I ask looking anywhere but at her.

“I know it killed you when Trent decided to go to Thrayer University.  He’s an ass for never calling or coming to visit.”

“He has soccer, I know it’s a priority.”  I make excuses for him.

“Mad, how many girls on our floor had relationships with their high school boyfriend and are now single?  Long distance is hard but Trent is acting like you never existed.  Hell, he hardly talks to Bryan either.”  She puts her hand on my leg.

“I just don’t get it Kenna.  He was my everything and I thought I was his.  I didn’t really understand why he didn’t want to try the long distance thing but I just thought we would still talk every day.”