157. A Father's Love

Warning: language

Bridgeport, present day...

Krimsyn had never been happier to see J.D. when he walked through the front door the next morning.

She’d spent the whole night crying and stressing about him. Even after Krisis called to let her know J.D. was fine and he’d sleep at  his house on the cliff, she couldn’t relax, let alone go to sleep.

“Thank God, you’re back,” she cried as she threw herself in his arms.

“I just needed to be alone,” J.D. explained as he kissed her. She was stunned to feel his tears as they ran down both their cheeks.

“Hey, what’s wrong,” she asked him when they pulled away. She led him to the couch and started the fire.

J.D. didn’t say anything for a while, but once he started talking he couldn’t stop and Krimsyn listened and cried with him.

She understood what he was going through, she felt exactly the same way.

Their separation from Michaela was unavoidable, they'd known it for some time now, but it didn’t make the pain any less. Michaela was the only constant source of joy in their lives for the past eighteen years, the only pure and good thing they had behind closed doors, away from the fame and limelight, and now that she was an adult it felt like an end of a dream. Krimsyn felt empty and lost, not to mention unneeded.

They also talked about Cameron. He wasn’t their ideal choice for Michaela with his worldly experience and womanizing ways, but it wasn’t up to them. The best thing they could do for their daughter was to trust her to make her own decisions.

 After a quick shower and a change of clothes, J.D. went to find his daughter.

“Are you decent?” He knocked hesitantly on her door. A second later it flew open and Michaela invited him inside.

The room looked smaller than he remembered. And he realized then how long it was since he was in here.

“Sweetheart, I have no excuse for acting like an ass.  I should have handled your announcement better. And I’m sorry for ruining your birthday party,” he apologized.

Michaela gave him a hug, she wasn’t mad at him.

“Do you want to seat?” she offered, waving at her bed. J.D. gingerly sat down and patted the spot beside him.

“I just wanted you to know that it will take a while for me to wrap my head around you and Cam. But if you’re sure about this, if it’s him you want, I’ll support you all the way. Your happiness is more important to me than anything the world.” He told her.

Michaela took his hand and squeezed it, “Thank you. I love him. He loves me too. I know he has a past, everyone does, and I can’t judge him for it or hold any of it against him. But I really want a future with him. And he wants that too.”

“Good. I’m glad,” J.D. ruffled her hair. They talked for a long time, about her graduation and plans for college. She wanted to get a part time job until fall when school started. She was also thinking about touring with the band if she wasn't successful in her job hunting.

“You can always speak to HR at O+ Records,” J.D. offered.

“Thanks dad. But I just want to do things on my own for a while, learn to be responsible without relying on you and mom to bail me out. So I’ll be staying here for a little while longer while I save up for rent and stuff,” She explained.

J.D. was pleased with her decision to stay at home; the thought of her being on her own had torn him up.

They decided to go for a walk around the block, and they invited Krimsyn along, but she declined, saying they needed to spend some father/daughter time.

Their walk took them to Marina Field and they spent some time there, playing with Lucky, her new puppy.

J.D. wasn’t a dog person; in fact he didn’t care much for pets. But seeing how enamored Michaela was with Lucky, he couldn’t help but warm up to him. And he didn’t even mind when the puppy peed on his shoes.

As he watched Michaela wolf down a burrito and then top it off with ice-cream, J.D. couldn’t help but smile, she looked like his little girl again, happy and carefree. And he wished she could stay that way forever…

Later, when J.D. left the house for his evening jog, he didn’t know he was going to confront Cameron until he found himself at his apartment.

 He was surprised to find him home. Usually Cameron would be out and about, making the most of the last bit of the weekend. For him to be home on a Sunday night was strange. 


Maybe he really is changing, J.D. thought as he followed him inside.

“Want a drink?” Cameron offered. Without waiting for his reply he went ahead and mixed him a gin and tonic.

J.D. grudgingly accepted the glass, “Look man, this is not a social call.”

Cameron nodded. He’d figured it was coming. He sat down and waved for J.D. to do the same, but he declined, choosing to hover around the bar instead.

Lilo, Cameron’s Husky bounded in, her excited barks were ignored. With no prospect of a treat from either man, she settled for an old drama on TV.

“She’s my little girl,” J.D. began after some time.

“I know. And I’m sorry. Not for falling in love with her. I don’t regret it. But I do regret you found out the way you did,” Cameron explained.

“Are you sure about this? About Mickey? It’s so close to home. Have you thought about what you’re giving up? No more groupies for you, no more getting head backstage, no more late nights and fucking anything that moves because Krimsyn and I will be watching you!” J.D. finally approached him.

“You think I care about all those things?” Cameron jumped from his seat, angry suddenly.

“Don’t you?” J.D. shot back.

“I guess you don’t know me as well as I thought you did. That shit means nothing to me!”

“That’s what you say now. What's gonna happen when we start touring and all your fan girls throw themselves at you?” J.D. asked.

“Look Jaden-” J.D. could tell Cameron was really agitated with him now; he never used his full name, not unless he was pissed at him for something. 


“I didn’t ask for these feelings. You think I didn’t try fighting them? Pushing her away? I fucking did! You can hate and judge me all you want, but I’m not going anywhere. I love her,” Cameron barked at him, with an angry huff he sauntered off to the balcony, leaving J.D. stumped.  Cameron rarely ever lost his temper, he was a happy go lucky kid, and that’s what the band loved the most about him.

“That’s what you said about Sylvia and Liza.” J.D. reminded him. He knew he should drop it, let it go, they’d never agree on his relationship with Mickey. But this was his daughter, his only child, he couldn’t give in without at least letting Cameron know how he felt.

“And I did love them. But Mickey is-” Cameron stopped suddenly; he was at a loss for words.

 J.D. waited patiently for him to continue.

“She makes me want to change. Because of her I want to be a better person.” He finished off; his voice was low, anguish dripped from every word.

J.D. didn’t know what to say. He just stood there watching Cameron watching the black sky. It had stopped snowing. But it was still freezing.

“Take care of her,” J.D. clapped Cameron on the back as he turned to leave. There really wasn’t anything left to say. The emotion in Cameron’s voice, the look in his eyes every time he mentioned Mickey, there was no arguing with it, he did love her. And for now it was enough. Even for him...