The Sins of the Fathers Ch. 22

"Jack? You told me she was a blue-eyed blond? This isn't a blond, Jack." No indeed. Red-headed what ... warrior elf? What the fuck?

"Daddy can be a little slow, when it comes to girl things. Must be the separation from my mom. He hasn't been able to date a lot. He hasn't even taken off the ring yet. He's not very good at picking up nice women." Zing!

Jack winced.

"It's okay, I kinda think a wedding ring makes a man look even more sexy." Jessica purposely slipped her arm through Jack's. Who said I'm nice?

Jack clapped his hands together. "Well, we better go." Truce, ladies, truce!

Everyone made their way to the Jeep. As Jack held open the door, Nicole slipped into the front seat.

"Nicole?!" he scolded.

Jessica laughed, tossing it off. "I'm good, Jack." And lifting a leg, she stepped up onto the rear wheel and jumped into the back seat. "God, Jack, I love this Jeep. I've never ridden in the back seat. I thought it was just for packages."

Nicole turned her head and smiled wickedly, It is just for packages. Then, she spotted the boutique bags from the day's shopping. 'Cheekie's', 'Wellheeled', 'Second Skin', and 'The Apple Store on Pioneer Square'.

She glared at her dad in disbelief. You took her shopping in Portland?

Her eye caught the new iPhone on Jack's belt. An iPhone 6? You hate Siri and everything Apple. You're kind of a flip-phone dad. What the fuck? She's like an alien who replaced my dad with a pod person. I better check the back of his neck.

There was small talk about what kind of pizzas everyone liked. And, questions about had Jessica ever been to Gallucci's. Finally, all agreed a combination with everything would suffice.

Jack had to smile as Nikki whipped out her iPhone. "Siri, let's get pizza!" It rang. "Yeah, it's Nikki, my dad and I will have a combo with everything. Fifteen minutes is cool. We're on the way. Thanks, Teddy!"

He didn't remember Nikki knowing anyone, who worked at Gallucci's. The last time they'd been there, two weeks before, she certainly hadn't known any of the employees.

After letting the counter-staff know they were there, they found a booth. Jack sat and Nicole promptly slid in next to him, linking her arm with his. Jessica had to slide in on the other side of the booth. She was less than amused, Gee, this is kinda like a job interview.

Jack sent Nikki to order a pitcher of beer and a Pepsi. While Nicole was gone, Jack slid over next to Jessica. She smiled, patted him on the arm, and repeated her favorite mantra, "All will be well!"

A couple of minutes later, a red-faced Nicole returned. Apparently, Gallucci's Pizza wouldn't serve her beer, because she was only eighteen-years-old. Her fake ID was still at Uncle Spencer's. She quickly made a mental note to correct that oversight. Uncle Spencer, I need my driver's license to have a life!

Jessica squeezed Jack's hand. "I'll get it, Jack."

Nicole slid back into the booth next to her Dad and took his hand in hers. "She's nice!" I hate that woman already!

Jess brought the beer back. She sat the Pepsi in front of Nicole and poured Jack and herself a glass of beer. When the pizza was ready, it was Jack's turn to go get it.

Nicole spoke, "Can I have a sip of beer?"

When Jessica looked up, glassy green eyes--almost the color of envy--looked at her across the table. Jess shook her head, No. "I don't think you're twenty-one; so, no beer for you. Ask your Dad!"

Nikki just reached across the table and picked up her Dad's glass, taking a few gulps. It left a beer mustache. If looks could kill.

Any other time, that would have been cute. Right this instant, it looks like you're foaming at the mouth!

Jack Grant sat back down, placing the pizza in front of them. He caught the beer mustache. He glanced at Jessica who shook her head. Nope, not me! I didn't give her beer.

He eyed the glass, now a third empty. He sighed. "Nicole?"

"Oh, chill, Daddy, it's okay. I was thirsty. You always let me drink at home. Remember last time it was rum?" You know, Daddy, on the boat!

Jessica saw Jack's face flush slightly, then return to normal. The small vein at the side of his head still stood out when he spoke. His voice was low and gently modulated. The intent of his message was clear. "Nicole, this isn't home. And, it's not the boat! It's a restaurant. You need my permission to drink at a dining establishment. You don't have it. Finally, if you're thirsty, order another Pepsi."

"Jack, it's okay. I used to sneak a sip of my dad's beer, too."

"Hey, I don't need you to interfere." Nikki almost hissed, "Did they card you when you went to get the beer. Ha, I bet they didn't. How old are you anyway? About thirty-four, maybe. Way more than old enough to get beer, I guess!"

Jack reentered the fray. "Nicole, that's just about enough. I didn't raise you to be rude."

Jessica put her hand on his again; then, she leaned across the table to Nicole. "I'm twenty-six; I have a full-time job to support myself. I'm a college student; but, I've already finished my BA and, now, I'm working on a Masters Degree in Film Criticism. I'm almost done with that. I ... graduated from high school ... eight ... years ... ago. I live with my parents, because I'm too broke to afford an apartment in the summer between terms. So yes, Nicole, I'm 'way more' than old enough to get the beer!"

Jack said quietly, "Nicole, I brought you to dinner to meet someone new in my life. If you can't be civil and polite, then call MacKenzie and have her come get you. Is that clear enough?"

Locked in a face-off with her dad, Nikki reached for her iPhone. MacKenzie will come get me. You know she will, Daddy! But, what do you think is gonna happen, if I call her?

Jack frowned. Shit, if she calls MacKenzie, then she's gone again. Mac will have her back. And, Spencer. Shit, shit, shit!

It was Jessica who reached across the table, grabbing her hand. "Nicole, please, don't go. I really would like to know you better."

Nicole held onto the phone. I'll do it, Daddy!

"Please!"

An hour later, Jack walked Jess to the front door of her parents' house. They stopped outside the gate.

"I think that went well, don't you?"

"Well, Jack, to put it in movie terms, it was somewhere between Inigo Montoya's 'You fucked my father, prepare to die!' And, Beatrice Kiddo's 'You don't have a future, bitch!' I think Nikki was a lot nicer as a teenage boy than she is as a teenage girl!" Jesus, teenage-girl hormones!

Jessica wrapped her arms around Jack, kissing him so hard he thought she might suck the air from his lungs. "But, I still have certain grownup advantages. There are some things a daughter can't do for a dad. Try to remember that, when you're talking with her." Thank God, otherwise I'd have no advantage at all.

She reached down and patted his shaft, just to make sure he understood. His lips were wet and his trousers tented when he returned to the Jeep.

Jack slid back into the Jeep's front seat and adjusted the seat for his problem; then, he waved 'Goodnight' to her. Nicole missed neither the adjustment nor the wave. She reached across the seat and felt his hard-on. "God, I hate that woman!"

"Nicole, Jess is an absolutely wonderful young lady. I enjoy her company. She's done nothing to offend you tonight. What's the problem, Nicole? You better learn to cope, young lady, because I'm going to keep seeing her."

"What did she say about me? Something like, 'She's such a spoiled little bitch, Jack!'" I kinda was, I guess.

"She said, she could see you were having some difficulty accepting her. And that, maybe, you hadn't given up on your mom returning. She said she understood and hoped you two might be able to work it out."

Nikki laughed out loud at her dad. "God, Daddy, you can't lie for shit! That's just lame. What did she really say?"

"Okay, young lady, you want to be all bitchy, what she really said was that she liked you better as a young man. But, if it's any consolation, you're just as big a dick as a girl!" God, I hope I didn't just say that out loud.

Nikki's face paled; tears gathered in the corners of both eyes. Oh My God, how? How can she know about that night? "What did you say, Daddy?"

"You heard me." Shit! Shit! Shit! This is not what I intended.

Pissed as hell, Nikki came out fighting. "No one can know that unless you told her about me and MacKenzie. How could you? Are we just some joke to share with adult girlfriends? Daddy, I can't believe you were that mean." To me!

"Nikki, she works in the movie complex; she met you that night, when you were 'Nick'. I met her that same night after you guys left the theater."

"The night Uncle Spencer brought me home? And, then he took me back to his house, so we could all talk?"

"Yes, when he came to our house, I was... she and I had been ... we were in bed, when he found us."

"Fucking in bed?" With a girl from the movies? That you just met? She fucked you on the first date. Did you even have a date? Christ, this is a nightmare. She's even worse than Hooters Girl.

"No, sleeping ... after fucking in bed." And on the couch, and on the floor, and in the bathroom.

"Our bed?" On the bed, where you were going to make me a woman. The bed where you almost took my virginity?

"It is not 'our' bed! But, yeah! I only have one bed, Nicole. Remember, 'Nick', you were out on a date? We both got lucky, I guess." Shit, shit, shit ... how many dads have to have this little conversation? Not many, I bet.

"Lucky? You mean, like me and Mac? 'Cause I don't call that lucky! What really happened was that Uncle Spencer stopped fucking Hooters Girl, just long enough to come busting into Mac's bedroom and stop us from doing anything. ANYTHING!"

Jack countered, "And later, Spencer said ... no, scratch that! And later, Spencer and I both said we would accept whatever you and MacKenzie wanted. You and MacKenzie!"

"But, you don't want me to be with MacKenzie; he doesn't either. You both put us in a Catholic girls'

school so we couldn't date boys, because there weren't any. Just yesterday, when he did that to me with you watching; you got up and left to go home. You said I had a choice; but, you didn't make any choices. You made me make the choice. You show me how to protect myself, so no boy can have sex with me. But, you won't have sex with me either."

"Maybe we should talk about this tomorrow, when you're not so angry and hurt."

"No! Now is a good time to talk about this. I am angry and I am hurt. But, I think I understand. You don't want me to have sex with anyone. Not MacKenzie, not Spencer, not you. Not anyone!

"Nikki, that's not ..."

She ripped into him, "Don't you dare try and tell me that's not true! Yesterday, you and Spencer got into a fist fight when you found out he fucked me! No, Daddy, you don't want me to fuck anyone. Not anyone! But, it's okay for you to have sex with anyone, even a stranger."

Jesus, I did bring home a stranger! She's right about that. Not the rest, but that.

"'You want me to be a virgin forever. Is that why you like me in white-cotton socks, white panties, white-cotton bra .... one of your 'white' dress shirts? White is for virgins. White is innocent. White is pure. White is for good little girls."

"Nikki, it is not like that. You're misinterpreting things. You don't understand. Being an adult is more complicated."

"No, I'm not misinterpreting! And I do understand. When you have a need, it's okay to have sex; but, I'm not supposed to have needs. And, if I do, I'm still not supposed to have sex. I have to remain pure. Pure for who, Daddy?"

Damn! That's actually a pretty good question.

"For you, Daddy? Are you staying 'pure'? Are you saving yourself for me?" She laughed, contemptuously. "I don't think so!" Then she spat out, "Is Jessica innocent? Is she, Daddy?"

Jack couldn't look at his daughter. Innocent? Not the word I would chose if I had to describe Jessica! No!

When he wouldn't meet her eyes, Nikki went in for the kill. "Oh! I suppose I should just be glad you didn't take her to my bed to do it." Shit! I really, really, really hate her. Why her and not me? It's our bed ... why another woman?

"Nicole?" He reached across to take her hand. She pulled her hand away, moving as far from him on the seat of the Jeep as she could get.

"Don't touch me. I hate her!"

"Nikki?"

"And I hate you, too." She turned her head away, so he couldn't see the tears. Everything was so beautiful, yesterday. You were mine. I was yours. Now it is all fucked again. Fucking men. Fucking lawyers. Fucking fathers!

As the Jeep rolled to a halt in front of their house, Nicole was out of the seat and through the door before he could get the parking-brake set. She even slammed the door shut, so he had to re-enter the code to get in.

Jack just sighed, entering the code. As he stepped through the front door, he could clearly hear her bedroom door slam shut. Well, Jessica may be right. It may not have gone all that well!

Upstairs, Nicole threw herself across her small bed. She grabbed the nearest stuffed animal. It was Sir Barrister.

Hugging it close, a very confused young woman began to cry softly like a teenager. "Oh, it was awful, Sir Barrister!"

There was this witch and she cast a spell on my dad. I think that, somehow, she made the real me invisible. When he looks at me all he sees is a daughter. He can't see me as a woman. The curse, 'That I be forever a child in my father's presence'!

She lowered her face the bear's neck. Tears stained the black bow tie. Broken hearts are often wet salty things; and, Teddy Bears, of course, know this. It's part of their secret knowledge. She hugged him tighter, fighting to stay awake.

She lost.

But before sleep took her, she gave him a direct and simple order. "No one gets in my room tonight, do you understand?"

"NO ONE!"

***** Writer's Note: Hope you enjoyed this new chapter. Please take a moment and choose one of the Star ratings below. Rating helps me judge your level of satisfaction. If you wish to make a comment, please do so. I read them all. But, above all SCORE PLEASE.