FicWad

"Why are you being so unreasonable?" Miranda shouted at me.

"What do you mean why am I being so unreasonable? I'm your Father, I worry about you!" I shouted back "You're not going to that concert on Saturday." I stopped then dared say "Besides, your Mom said she was taking you away to Disney Land for the weekend, remember?"

"Oh my god Dad do you ever listen?" Miranda groaned "Mom's taking me to Disney Land this Saturday and I'm going to the concert with Rose next Saturday."

"You're not going to that concert and if you keep on yelling at me then you won't be going to Disney Land either."

"Dad! You can't deny me time with my Mom! You're so fucking selfish!" Miranda snapped, heading for the stairs.

"What did you just say to me young lady?"

"I said you're. Fucking. Selfish." Miranda hissed, walking up the stairs and not even looking back.

I sighed but didn't say anything else or attempt to tell her off. Instead, I just went into the living room and flopped down onto the sofa. I had planned to spend the day with Penina but Jasmine had invited her to hang out with all the other wives. Not that that was a bad thing. I was glad that everyone was making Penina feel welcome... Well, everyone except Miranda.

It was really hard knowing what to do with Miranda. On one hand I didn't want to upset her but on the other she was getting out of control. The guys had suggested I tried talking to her about it several times and sometimes I'd tell myself I had to do it but then I'd chicken out. She was my little girl, I didn't wanna upset her anymore than I had to.

There was a knock at the front door and I got up to answer it "Oh hey Penina." I smiled, kissing her before letting her in "I don't know if now is the best time actually. Miranda's in a really bad mood."

"Well actually I wanted to talk to you about Miranda." Penina replied, biting her lip "And some other stuff. Like, for example, did you hear that Tris and Mikey are engaged now?"

"Really?"

"Yeah and she wants Miranda to be a bridesmaid." Penina told me as we walked into the living room together.

"Oh." I sat down next to her on the sofa "I don't think she'll like that."

"Yeah, that's what Tris said." Penina sighed then said "But I thought that maybe if you talked to her about it, maybe she'd want to do it."

"I don't know."

"... And maybe you could talk to her about some other things?" Penina suggested lightly "It's just that I've noticed Miranda well... She isn't exactly the best behaved girl in the world and maybe that's because she feels like her parents aren't there for her?"

I was silent for a moment before asking "Are you suggesting that I'm not there for Miranda?"

"Of course not!" Penina cried, flushing bright red "But perhaps she just feels that way. Look, don't get mad, but I've been told about how Bryn doesn't always show up to take Miranda out like she'd want her to but you won't talk to her about it. You act like it's better to just not mention it and honestly, I think it'd really help Miranda if you just at least tried to get her to open up about it."

"I don't wanna upset her. Why can't anybody see that?"

"I know that's why you don't wanna talk to her. But you're hurting her more by not opening up."

"How the hell would you know?" I snapped "I've been living with her for the past fifteen years and you meet her once and you think you know my own daughter better than I do?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying at all-"

"Look, just drop it Penina. You don't know what it's like for Miranda." Everything that Penina was saying made perfect sense but she was making me feel like a bad parent. What was she, a social worker?

"Okay, I'm sorry." Penina whispered, reaching for her bag "I'd better be going home then."

"Hey, look, I'm sorry okay?" I said, getting up and hugging her close "You know that I love you, right?"

Penina smiled "I love you too Frankie." She kissed my cheek and then left.

Miranda came downstairs and into the living room "I heard you arguing with Penina."

"It's none of your business."

"I think you can do heaps better Dad." She replied "I mean, you're a rockstar and she works in an animal shelter, specifically with dogs. Which I suppose suits her since she looks like a dog-"

"No she doesn't and you're rude to say so!"

"- But Mom's an actress. Surely that's more your style?"

"Your Mom is a struggling actress by night. She works in a day care by day." I reminded her "And it doesn't matter what Penina does for a living, what matters is her personality."

"Her personality reminds me a bit of a dog as well." Miranda said, shruggig her shoulders. I glared at her and Miranda stuck her tongue out at me "Very mature." She smirked, going back upstairs.