We Aren't So Different, You and Me

Taylor and Adam have been going out for a few weeks now. I know it's not my place to parent her but at the same time, it is. She's been coming in way past late and she's rarely ever here. Lindsey's getting worried too. Apparently there was a hickey on Taylor's neck and they tried talking about it but shit went down and Taylor stormed out. It's been over 3 days and she hasn't returned our calls or texts. According to Paul and Edna, she shows up for her shifts but that doesn't comfort me much.

"Babe?" I called down the hall towards Lindsey.
"Yeah?" She looked up from her canvas and pushed a strand of hair out of her face.
"Should we... Should we call the police or something?"
"For what?"
"Taylor."
"She's a teenage girl, Gerard," she sighed, focusing on her work again. "She'll be home soon."
"That's not what worries me, though. When we met him for the first time, he gave me the creeps. Shit, even Bandit hated him. And she loves everyone."
"Yeah, I know, but we can't really tell her 'No' either. We're not her parents."
I got out of my chair and walked over to her, sighing as I leaned my head on her shoulder. "I'm her father, Lindsey. Don't I get a say in her life?"
"I know it's rough, Gerard, but you gotta give her some space. Maybe this is how she's grieving."
"Maybe you're right," I groaned, rubbing my eyes. "It's almost 1 a.m. We should get to bed."

****

It was around 4 a.m. when I heard a crash in the bathroom. I hopped out of bed, thinking it was B and walked towards the bathroom door.

"B? Are you still awake?"

Upon opening the door, I found my oldest little girl with a bloody washcloth to her eye and the First Aid kit crashed open on the counter in front of her. Her nose looked broken and her lips were busted up pretty bad too. It almost made me sick to see such a pretty face beat to a pulp. I leaned against the door and slid down a little.

"Oh my God. What happened?"

Notes