Tadpoles (bp coyle)

‘Well that may be so Tina, but I’m still not sure about him.’

Tina rolled her eyes at her husband’s stubbornness. ‘Why?’

‘Hard to explain, there’s something… off about him.’

‘You are such a cliché. Nobody’s ever going to be good enough for Daddy’s little girl.’

He shook his head. ‘No way. I am not that type of father.’

‘You have never liked a single boy she has dated.’

‘Not true!’ He banged the table. ‘Some I’ve liked more than others, but that’s always going to be the way.’

‘Name one that you actually approved of?’

‘I don’t know. There was that scrawny kid, what was his name? John or Jack or Jason…’

‘Do you mean Jacob?’

‘Yeah! That’s the one.’

‘Jacob Ryan?’

‘I guess. He was okay.’

‘Hank, they were seven when they were friends They didn’t date, they went out searching for tadpoles.’

‘Wow’ He looked away wistfully. ‘Was it really so long ago? Whatever happened to him?’

‘The family moved away. Alaska I think. His mother got some research post.’

‘That’s a shame.’

‘Okay, whatever.’ She sighed. ‘Hank, you’ll just have to accept whoever she chooses and wish her happiness.’

‘We’ll see,’ he said. ‘We’ll see.’