Lindsey jogged up the stairs and came upon Callie's closed bedroom door. No sounds came from behind it. No music, no television show or YouTube video. He didn't even see any light. 'Was she even in there?' he wondered as he got up the courage to knock. With each step leading to this spot, he was sure she would be angry at him. He always had a close relationship with his kids and he was afraid of pushing her away. The teenage years were ones a kid needed their parents. It wasn't like being a little kid where one would need them for everything. It was different. He didn't want his kids to end up like him, sneaking off to friends' houses, smoking weed in the alley behind the high school and paying people to buy him beer at the tender age of fifteen or sixteen. Hell, he had his first cigarette at thirteen but the habit never stuck. He wasn't a troubled kid, but he had things he wouldn't dare tell his parents. It was too hard to go to them for advice and he vowed to protect and listen to his kids no matter how hard it was. He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he stared at the floor. He kicked at the high pile of the shaggy pink rug in front of her bedroom door.

"You're stalling, Lindsey" he said aloud, laughing at himself for being such a coward. With another deep breath, he knocked three times.

"Who is it?" Callie called out.

"It's dad."

"I'm busy," she replied quickly and he knocked again.

"Callie, please. Let's talk." He heard footsteps, and they grew closer to the door. He straightened out his shirt and jeans as if he were going on a date, trying hard to make a good first impression. The door swung open. His daughter stood before him, thankful the sickeningly sweet perfume was dissipating and he smiled softly. "Hey."

"Hey." She walked away from the door and he stood there, waiting to be invited. "You can sit, dad." She leaned over the bed and gathered up her tissues and school books.

"So um, about earlier..." Lindsey began, taking a seat on her bed. Purple pajama clad Callie sat in her desk chair. She looked neutral. She wasn't her usual bubbly self, and though she didn't seem angry he could tell she was still upset. She crossed and uncrossed her legs; she bobbed her knee up and down waiting for him to speak. She slipped her fuzzy pink slippers on and off one foot, tapping her finger nails on the arm of the chair.

"What about it?" she asked finally.

"Callie, I...your mother and I..."

"Daddy, I know you're worried about me but it's just a party. I won't go if you don't want me to but it's not fair that you would let my brother do something and not me just because I'm a girl."

She hit the nail on the head. He chuffed out a laugh. It was short, barely audible and he looked down, scratching at his jeans. "Well, looks like you have me all figured out."

"It's not that hard. I'm your little girl, you want to protect me, but I'm growing up. I won't be moving away, or going to college yet but I need a little freedom. Studies have shown that if you give children controlled or monitored free time, it creates more balanced adults."

"Studies show that, huh?" Lindsey asked. He looked up at his intelligent daughter and he smiled. "How can I argue with that?"

Callie shrugged, a smile growing on her lips. "I'll even let you approve my outfit before I go. Please, daddy. I know it's not a once in a lifetime thing but it's my first time getting to do something like this. I really want to go; I want to be with the other girls."

"I still have to talk to your mother but...but I guess, maybe—"

"Oh daddy!" Callie squealed, getting up from her chair and nearly tackling her father to the bed. She hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek. "You're the best daddy ever!"

Lindsey laughed. "You might want to save the celebration. I'm bound to screw up some time."

"But if you do, just remind me of this moment!"

"You're a good girl, Callie." He stroked his daughter's long hair, kissing the top of her head. "I love you."

"I love you too." She gave her father a final squeeze, sitting on the bed next to him. "I'm glad I smoothed things over with you and mom. I don't like when you guys are mad at me."

"Honey, we weren't mad, we were concerned." Lindsey told him. He stroked her face, trying hard to remember the five year old who begged to stay home with her parents forever. He could remember a tearful little girl sitting on the front steps, refusing to let either of them leave when they tried to drop her off at school. Where was that little girl now? "I don't want you to grow up too fast."

"I know, daddy."

"I'm scared for your brother too, but you're my baby girl."

"I'd be more scared for Dylan. He hurt himself a couple years ago skateboarding. Imagine the trouble he could get into with a band. Crowd surfing, mosh pits..."

"They still have mosh pits?" Lindsey asked. "Wow...I haven't been in a mosh pit in—"

Callie snapped her fingers. "This isn't time to relive your glory days. Mom told me all about being in a band with you and singing Siouxsie and the Banshees, Patti Smith and Talking Heads songs."

"We covered Radiohead not the Talking Heads."

"Psycho Killer," Callie reminded him, thinking of a story her mother had told her about trying to understand what David Byrne was saying by playing the tape over and over only to realize it was French, not English the entire time.

"Oh yeah. That was fun. We covered the Smiths and The Cure too."

"You guys were so cool."

"Were? We're still cool."

"Okay, dad." Callie said we a soft giggle. "If you say so."

"Man, I can't believe I'm not the coolest guy in the world to you anymore. You really are growing up." It was almost sad to him but he knew it would happen eventually.

Callie whacked him with a soft pink throw pillow from her bed and he laughed. "We all grow up eventually."

"I guess we do."

"Except guys take much longer."

"Is that what studies say too?" he asked, standing up and shoving his hands in his pockets.

"I think a few, yeah," she said with a smirk.

"There's still hope for me then." he says, walking toward the door. "Your mother says I might never grow up."

"She's not wrong." Callie said, smiling at her dad. "But that's okay with me."

"Thanks." Lindsey looked down briefly, so in love with his daughter. She was so sweet and kind. He hoped that would never change. "Good night, sweet girl."

"Night." She waved, flashing him another quick smile before he shut the door behind him.

Making his way down the stairs, he saw his wife passed out on the couch, a plate with a half-eaten slice of pizza sat atop her growing belly. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and snapped a picture, forgetting his sounds were on. The click startled Stevie and she woke up, rubbing her eyes.

"Did you just...?" Stevie asked, pressing her hands into the couch cushion to sit up.

"Did I what?" Lindsey replied and she shook her head.

"Never mind." She placed her plate on the coffee table and yawned. "Gosh, I'm so sorry. I didn't even realize I was that tired."

"It's alright." He lifted her feet and maneuvered around them to sit, letting them rest in his lap.

"So, you're letting her go?" Stevie asked, a knowing smile on her face.

He chuckled. "And how did you know that?"

"Because I know you. You don't want her to be mad at you."

"Are you saying I'm soft?" he asked and she shook her head.

"I'm not saying that, I think it's nice of you to let her have this chance. It shows you trust her."

"I do trust her, it's everyone else around her I don't trust."

Stevie giggled. "Typical dad answer." She pulled her feet from his lap and put them on the floor. She hoisted herself up from her seat, failing the first time.

"Need some help?" Lindsey asked his pregnant wife. She looked at him briefly, seeing the glittering amusement in his eyes.

"No, I can do it myself," she said haughtily and he pat her hand as she went for a second try.

"Suit yourself. I'm going to make myself a sundae."

She huffed, watching him walk into the kitchen without her. She finally got herself upright, breathing heavily. "Don't you dare start scooping without me, Buckingham!" She called after him, making him roar with laughter.

AN: the words of this song really inspired this chapter so even though the song title isn't exactly perfect, I wanted to include it. Also, I haven't updated this story in a long while and I thought it was time. I hope you all enjoy it. 🧡