Friday morning was the same old routine. After a slightly bigger breakfast, Dad and I left the house, leaving the boys on their own. Noah waved as Dad drove away from the house. I watched him until we turned the corner and he was out of sight.
"Are you sad that you can't go to the small get-together at Alisha's?" Dad asked, keeping his eyes on the road.
"No." I shook my head. I'm actually happy not going. I don't want to take my shirt off. I can't swim. And…there might be some drama today. "I was just thinking that Noah might get beaten up today."
Dad glanced at me. "What?!"
"Kaylee invited Marie. Noah didn't tell Kyle." I quickly explained, not intending to distract him from driving.
He chuckled. "Teenagers and young love. It's a hit or miss, but most don't work out."
"Do you think it'll work out between Kyle and Marie?" I asked, wanting to know an adults opinion on the matter.
"I'm not sure." He replied honestly. "They're both at a crossroad in their lives. They're both excellent athletes and have bright futures. Teens are messy though. They might think they want something one second, and then change their mind. Just look at Zeke. He was set on going pro, but changed his mind. It's even more complicated when girls and live are involved."
"Alisha likes Noah." I told him.
"Oh? How does Noah feel about that?" He asked, not sounding surprised.
I shrugged. "I don't think he knows."
"You didn't tell him?" Dad was surprised about that.
I shrugged again. "In the beginning I didn't know. Zeke said don't bother saying anything about it, but Alisha is trying a little harder." Last weekend we went to the arcade and cages, and now this weekend she invited him over for a pool party. "Do you think I should tell him?"
"Nah." He waved his hand carelessly. "Noah will either get the hint, or Alisha will be more straightforward. Let it happen naturally. Didn't you guys help Marie get with Kyle? That didn't turn out so well, now did it?"
I shook my head. "Relationships are so complicated."
He laughed. "That doesn't change the older you get." He glanced at me. "Do you have anyone you like?"
I shook my head.
"That's perfectly fine too."
"Is it..?"
He let out a small laugh. "Yea. Look at Zeke and Dave. No girls around them either. And, if you really want to know…I didn't have a girlfriend in high school either."
I stayed silent for a minute. "…because of your dad and being homeless?"
He nodded. "That played a big part in it, but I also wasn't emotionally ready either. It's a mature decision to make." He spent the whole drive talking about emotional maturity until we pulled up to the medical offices. After parking, he said, "If you ever have any questions about girls, or anything about them, come to me first. Not that I don't trust the other boys, I just don't want them confusing you in the future."
"Okay." I answered.
"Okay." He repeated. "Alright, we're here. Let's go inside. We're a little bit early, but we still have to fill out some paperwork." He turned off the car and got out.
I followed.
The medical office building had a list of names right at the entryway, and listed the correct floor and room number. Dad found the name, the floor, and the room number. I trailed after him, getting on the elevator and going up to the fourth floor. He went to the door and slowly opened it to reveal a small waiting room.
"Hello! Welcome!" The receptionist greeted us in a friendly manner. "How can I help you today?"
"Hi, we have a 9:30am appointment with Dr. Griffiths." Dad went up to the counter to check me in.
She replied. "For Jake, correct?" He nodded. "Great. Just sign here. Fill out this and hand it over to me when you're done." She handed him a clipboard and a pen.
Dad accepted the items and sat down. I sat with him. He smoothly filled out all my information from birthdate, reason for coming in, insurance information, and my medical history. I would claim that he knows more about me than I know about me. I stared in amazement.
Dad caught me looking when he finished. He gave me a smile before taking the paperwork back to the receptionist.
"Great, thanks." She accepted the clipboard. "Now for the first consultation, there is a $150 fee that doesn't go through the insurance. Are you prepared to pay for that today or would you like to set up a payment plan?"
$150! I gulped, suddenly feeling like I had swallowed a rock.
"I'm ready." Dad pulled out his wallet and then handed her a debit card. He didn't even hesitate or stress about the amount.
She ran the card, he signed the receipt, and she gave him a copy of the receipt.
"Thanks." She repeated. "Go ahead and take a seat. The nurse will come to get you two in a few minutes."
"Thanks." Dad told her before coming back to his seat next to me. He sat down and glanced at me. "What's wrong?"
"I didn't know…that this would cost so much…" I mumbled, feeling guilty.
"Hey, don't be like that." Dad reached over to rub the top of my head. "We're family. I would never not spend money on my boys. Especially on something so small like a doctor's appointment." He smiled.
I didn't feel any better. "$150 is a lot though…" It's like a brand new bat. A couple of set of clothing. A lot of food.
His smile didn't falter. "No way, it's peanuts compared to the plane tickets we've been buying for the twins. Never mind the camps that they attend. You think it's a lot because of your perception when it's not even 10% of what we've spent on the twins. All of you kids have different needs. A doctors appointment for you. Camps and flights for the twins. Zeke needed help paying for some textbooks."
"What about Noah?" I asked. I don't want Noah to be left out. Am I spending his allotted money?
"It's not like everyone has to spend the same amount." Dad explained. "Right now, Noah doesn't need anything. But maybe in a few months he'll need, I don't know…some money for the arcade. We try to be fair all around. Necessities like textbooks and doctor appointments don't have a limit. Maybe Noah will need braces, that'll cost a lot too, but it's not something to feel bad about."
"Oh…" I guess that makes sense.
He gave me another pat on the head. "You don't have to worry about our finances. Just be a kid."
"What about the camp that Kyle wants to go to?" I asked. They worried about paying for that.
He sighed. "That was different. We weren't talking about hundreds of dollars. We were talking about thousands. That's when we have to decide if it's a necessity, if not then we have to check the numbers to see if we can afford it. You, Noah, and Zeke staying home for the summer definitely made it a little better."
I nodded, starting to understand.
"Jake Hollander?" A young woman opened a door and called for me.
I stood up. As did Dad.
She smiled at the two of us. "Ready to go back?"
Dad nodded. He took the lead and I followed.
