8.49 How I Met Your Mother

“There’s my little princess! I could just hug you and squeeze you all day.

“Guess what I heard,” Brady said.

“What?”

“A little birdie told me that someone in this house has a birthday tomorrow!”

“It’s me, daddy! It’s me!”

“It is? Oh wow! We have to make it extra special then! Did you finish your homework?”

“Yes, daddy.”

“Good. Why don’t you go on upstairs and dream about what you’re going to wish for tomorrow night.”

“I already know!”

“Ok! Don’t tell me. It may not come true. I love you, princess.”

“I love you too, daddy!”

Callie ran upstairs and hopped into bed while Brady found Julian playing chess on the balcony.

“So…I hear you have a girlfriend…”

“She’s not my real girlfriend.”

“Oh? I didn’t know there were different levels of girlfriends. Is that what you young kids are doing these days?”

“No, dad. It’s really silly. We were playing chess at the park, and Uncle Roland thought she was my girlfriend. I was joking around and I said that she could be my girl if she wanted to, because…you know, I’m irresistible. But she was acting like being my girlfriend was a bad thing, so she bet that if she won, she wouldn’t have to be my girl. She lost of course because I’m irresistable and clever!”

Brady thought the situation was hilarious and let out a hearty laugh.

“Wait…wait…you got your first girlfriend as a prize from winning chess? Oh that is too funny! Is she at least cute?”

“Yeah, she’s cute.”

“Do you like her at all?”

“A little bit.”

“Would your mom like her?”

“I guess.”

“Well…have fun. You’re only young once. But, don’t be a heartbreaker, Julian. Don’t string this girl along if you’re not interested.”

“Did you have a lot of girlfriends, dad?”

“I had a lot of ‘not girlfriend’ girlfriends. One girl strung me along for half of my life. That’s where all the ‘not girlfriends’ came from when I cut her loose.”

“How did you cut her loose if she was stringing you along?”

“I finally realized what she was doing and had enough. I tried to get over her by finding someone else, but I went through a lot women trying to find someone else. That’s how I met your mother. She was different from all the rest.”

“How did you know?”

“She kept coming back. I had my fun with the other ones, and we never saw each other again. But your mom kept coming around. She actually got to know me.”

“Wow.”

“Yep. Girls are a dime a dozen, but when you find a special one, you have to hold on to her….Oh, and, son…”

“Yeah?”

“Checkmate! No one has ever beaten me in chess.”

“What?? How did you…what??”

“The force has always been strong with this one!”