Out Of There
The young ladies sat so near one another that one could call them 'cloistered' and not be far off. They sat as most girls who are still trying nobly to conceal their new developments while also, with modesty, of course, display them to all who would look. If they were trying to appear older their valiant efforts were for naught when they broke into peels of laughter and courtesan-like giggles. One couldn't be certain of the topic of their conversation but the social media glow of their phones gave at least a passing assumption.
To their left sat a man, forty three, sipping a black coffee, wondering where his youth had gone. Not that forty-three was the end of the road but it certainly wasn't the starting line either. He sipped his coffee and said, almost to himself but loud enough for his twins to hear," You know, your mom used to giggle like that about me and my friends."
The girls stopped laughing and exchanged a look that had become a language all its own since the separation. They were still unsure how to respond even after three months. A tight lipped smile seemed to be enough. Usually. Something in his vice gave the girls the impression this time was going to be like the first few times.
At thirteen they knew they were too young to understand everything in its entirety and then honestly didn't want to know so it was all for the best. The fact that their mom ran off was enough. Sometimes details really aren't important. Dad stuck around. That was enough. Completely oblivious to his daughter's thoughts, the man went on.
" Yeah. Not sure what made her choose me, for a while at least. Good thing she did though. You girls are my favorite consolation prize."
The girls pretended it was the first time he'd made the joke. They also pretended it was funny. There would be plenty of time to tell him the truth later.
He knew it. But he wasn't sure how to face this without gallows humor. Even his therapist wasn't clear on what path to take. If the twins felt unsure of things he was in a much worse place. Dark, deep, new, yet very much trodden by others like him in the past. Of course that was of no comfort right now. Not with a head full of questions only outnumbered by those he knew were overflowing from his daughter's minds, even as they remained stoic for his benefit.
He realized he hadn't said anything for a solid two minutes and cleared his throat. The girls looked up. He said nothing, electing instead to sip his coffee and let them go back to scrolling TiKTok.
The next sip he took was cold and it jolted him from a trance he hadn't realized he was in.
His watch claimed he had zoned out for at least fifteen minutes. The twins didn't seem to have noticed.
" Girls." he said. They responded with similar, but not identical, raised eyebrows. "Wanna get out of here?" They nodded. All three rose. All three got out of there.