Earlier ...
"You went into my room?" Zoe nearly yelled.
"Honey, you know I occasionally go in there to pick up your dirty laundry. It's always strewn across the floor and ..." her dad explained.
"Stop trying to make excuses, Dad," Zoe said, angry. "You went into my fucking room to snoop around!"
"Zoe, I've told you to not use that language around ..."
"Oh, shut the fuck up, Dad. I hate you!" Zoe yelled, then turned and stomped out of the house.
Her dad just stood there, speechless and crying. What had happened to his daughter to become this way? She used to be such a nice girl, even interested in football, like a lot of girls. It must have been when she fell into the wrong crowd, becoming friends with those Goths Athena, Sabrina, and Zelda. Now she was nothing like the girl she was just a few years ago.
Walking upstairs and into Jon's room, he just couldn't stop himself from crying. It really broke his heart to see his daughter this way. The moment Jon saw him, he got off his bed, came over, and hugged him.
"Are you okay, Dad?" Jon asked, seeing that his father's make-up was smeared and his eyes were red.
His father sniffed, but nodded. "Oh, it's Zoe," he said, sniffling and dabbing his eyes with a tissue. I had found a packet of cigarettes in her bedroom the other day and I wanted to confront her about it."
Jon nodded in understanding.
"She used to be such a nice young girl. I don't know what happened to her."
Jon pulled away from the hug. "Would you like me to see if I can talk to her?" Jon asked. "You know, as her big brother?"
His dad nodded. "Oh, that's sweet of you, Jon. I know that you and Zoe get along well with each other." He gave Jon a quick peck on the cheek, then said "Dinner will be ready in an hour. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to repair my make-up."
Jon's dad started towards the door, but Jon stopped him.
"Dad, wait!" he said. "Perhaps I can help out with dinner."
"Oh, don't worry, honey. You have company. I can manage dinner."
Jon looked towards Karyn. "I'm sure that Karyn won't mind. Will you?" he asked her.
Karyn sat up. "Oh, not at all, Mr. Gibson."
Jon's dad smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Karyn. You're a nice girl." He paused, then said "I hope you don't mind, but I noticed how you two were sitting as I came in. Does this mean that you are now Jon's girlfriend?"
Karyn blushed. "Um, yes," she replied.
Jon's dad smiled again. "Oh, I'm so happy for you two. I always knew that you two would make a cute couple."
Karyn blushed again. "Um, thanks, Mr. Gibson."
Jon's dad left the room, then went into the master bedroom, where he fixed his make-up. He wanted to be presentable when his wife returned home.
Once that was done, he headed back downstairs to prepare for dinner.
It was when he was getting out the ingredients, though, that the doorbell rang. "Hm, I wonder who that could be," he muttered to himself, as he swished his way over the front door and opening it. Outside was ...
