Three weeks later

"YOU'RE NEVER GOING OUT WITH THAT BOY AGAIN!"

Mike and Stacey have just returned home from the police station.

"YOU CAN'T STOP ME FROM SEEING HIM!"

Stacey's boyfriend Sean was arrested after a routine traffic stop for an expired license plate sticker.

"WATCH ME. YOU'RE GROUNDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE."

Stacey was brought down to the station since she was in the car when the police pulled Sean over.

"YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO. I'M ALMOST LEGALLY AN ADULT FOR CHRISSAKE, MIKE."

At seventeen years of age the police did not consider Stacey a minor. She willingly went down to the station for questioning and was subsequently released when they declined to press charges against her.

"DON'T TAKE THAT TONE WITH ME!" Mike smacks Stacey's bottom hard enough to make his hand numb.

You will always be my little girl.

"OW! What did you do that for?"

You're going to have to let me grow up sometime.

"You will not speak to me that way."

You will never be too old to be taken over my knee.

"Alright, I get it."

Mike's stern look still scares the shit out of me.

"Now I understand where the idea to steal your cousin's medication and sell it for a profit came from."

I can tell this guy has already been a bad influence on Stacey.

"You can't blame Sean for that, it was my decision."

It really was Sean's idea but I can't allow Mike to find out or I'll never be allowed anywhere near him.

"No daughter of mine is going to associate with a fuc..." Mike stops himself from cursing in front of Stacey, "... a filthy drug dealer."

Sean was found to be in possession of marijuana in an amount that could constitute intent to sell, which is why he was arrested.

"Well, I guess that's good for me then, 'cause I'm not your daughter and YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER!"

I regretted saying those words as soon as they left my mouth but I had no idea how much until I saw the look on Mike's face upon hearing them. Truly heart-wrenching. I'll never forget the look of betrayal that Mike held. I was just so angry. I wanted to hurt him for trying to tell me what to do and I succeeded a thousand fold. Who the Hell did he think he was, telling me who I could or couldn't date?

"You're right, Stacey. I'm not your biological father but I have loved you like a daughter since the moment I laid eyes on you and I will continue to do so until the day I die."

There it was. The four words I prayed would never cross one of my girls' lips- you're not my father. I feel like someone just punched me in the gut, hard enough to take my breath away.

"He's not a drug dealer, Mike. He was just holding it for a friend."

My heart is breaking but I'm too upset to admit that to Mike. I can't believe I said that he's not my father. The truth is, I barely remember my biological father. Mike and Shane are the only fathers I've known growing up.

"Come on, Stacey, you can't possibly be that naive. That's like page one of the drug dealer's guide to excuses."

I still look at Stacey and see the little six-year-old girl that I first met. The girl I would lay down my life to protect from ever getting hurt.

"He just made a mistake, Mike. He's not a bad guy. Haven't you ever regretted a decision you've made?"

I know in my heart Sean is a good person. I can't understand why nobody else sees what I see in him.

"I've made many mistakes in my life, Stacey, and I hope I've learned something from each of them."

I will protect my baby girl at all costs.

"You don't even know him, Mike. None of you do. Why can't any of you just give him a chance before you all decide he's a horrible person? Please!"

I hate that at seventeen years of age, I still crave Mike's approval.

"You dating this boy is the reason you and Julie were arguing so much that one week, isn't it? And the reason Lisa got suspended for fighting?"

I'm starting to realize that this boy Sean is more than just a crush to Stacey.

"Yes, and I didn't know about Lisa."

I hope Mike understands how serious I am about Sean.

"You're in love with him?"

I want to cry. How can my baby girl possibly be old enough to be in love? She's just a little girl whose hand I held on the first day of kindergarten. I force myself to really look at the beautiful young woman standing before me. My god when did this happen?

"I don't know. Maybe. I know I really like him though."

Thank you for taking my feelings seriously.

"I can't overlook the drugs, Stacey."

I don't want Stacey to get the wrong impression. No guy, including Sean, will ever be good enough for my daughter.

"He smokes pot once in awhile but that's it, Mike. I swear he doesn't deal and he doesn't do any other drugs. The weed in the car really wasn't his."

I'm trying to hide my excitement over the fact that Mike's willing to give Sean a chance.

"Have you smoked marijuana with him, Stacey? Don't you dare lie to me."

I don't like the idea of Stacey dating this boy one bit but I know she's growing up and soon she'll be off on her own away at college so I'm going to have to trust her to make good decisions.

"Uh, just once."

I want Mike to start treating me more like an adult so I know I should be honest with him.

"You know drugs, including marijuana, can be dangerous. You have no idea what you're actually ingesting when it comes to illicitly obtained controlled substances and marijuana is still illegal here."

I know it's unrealistic to think the girls will never be exposed to the temptations of illegal drugs and underage drinking. I just want them to understand the risks involved.

"I didn't actually ingest it, I just inhaled it."

I'm not interested in hearing Mcgruff's say no to drugs speech.

"Don't ever do something so reckless and stupid like that again."

Mike removes his belt, grabs Stacey's right arm and pins her against his hip. He proceeds to deliver ten very harsh strokes to her bottom and thighs, bringing tears to her eyes. "Am I clear?"

I will always be here to correct you and lead you back on the right path.

"Yes sir."

I know I screwed up and I'm sorry.

"We'll sit down with Shane and establish some ground rules regarding Sean."

I appreciate your honesty and willingness to accept responsibility for your actions by taking your punishment without argument.

"So I'm not grounded?"

Snowball's chance in Hell but a girl can dream.

"You're still grounded, Stacey. You didn't have permission to be out with Sean and I had to pick you up at the police station, for chrissake."

It's nice to know she hasn't lost her sense of humor.

"Ugghh, you're such an unreasonable father sometimes."

Thanks, Mike. I'm sorry I said you're not my father. I love you.

"Don't test me, little girl."

I love you too.