My Daughter's Feet

Although it happened gradually, and not often enough for me to notice right away, the infamous dad/daughter coffee hour started to decrease in frequency. I started to stay longer at work taking on more responsibility with the training of paramedics, and on my off days I taught two firefighter classes at the local college. Kayla also started taking on more responsibility where she worked, and since she was working toward her Registered Nurse license, her hours increased almost ten-fold between school and internship. When we did have coffee, Kayla would still take her shoes off, and even though the banter and foot show stopped, she would still affectionately run her foot along my shin as we talked. One morning, around two months after our official last date, Kayla excitedly told me about Daniel, the guy she met at the country club. She did call him, and they had been on a few dates. After she left, I realized she wore socks and shoes, and didn't rub my leg.

Bridgette did as I told her to, and she became my secretary. She took to the job like a fish to water. She was never late, or showed up under the influence, and I steadily became increasingly dependent on her to keep my fire department affairs in order. We did joke about having sex on my desk to keep me stress free, but never once did we fool around while on-duty. Having a steady paying job, she began to eat healthier and regularly and began to look more like my pretty sister, instead of the old hag she was becoming. She ended up moving out of her dump of an apartment to a much nicer place, and started casual dating a guy who lived in the same complex. Neither of them wanted to get into a serious relationship, but somebody to go see a movie or have dinner with was fine. Mom even talked to her when she called now.

Corinne started to slow down as well, not feeling good some days, and the frequency of our sexual encounters decreased. Some days, she looked like death warmed over, but would still force herself to go to work. I always asked her to go get checked out by a doctor, and she would always tell me she did and nothing was wrong. After conducting my own little investigation, I confronted her one morning before she left for work, none of the doctors I knew had ever seen her in their office. She laughed at me and told me she didn't go see any of the doctors I knew because she knew I would check up on her. Some mornings I could clearly see she was in extreme pain or nauseated, and I repeatedly told her I was taking her in. When she caught me watching her, she would smile at me and tell me nothing was wrong.

A week before Christmas, some 8 months after Kayla and I had our official last date, she formally introduced me to Daniel. She wanted to make sure it would be okay for him to spend some of his holiday with us since Daniel would be home on leave. He showed up in full dress uniform and while I gave off the impression I didn't like him, and reluctantly gave Kayla permission to bring him around so he can meet everyone else—I instantly liked him. He was very respectful and courteous, called me sir, and after a while I noticed he always talked speaking full words instead of using shortened, apostrophe words. Such as cannot instead of can't. I liked him because he reminded me of me at his age. He knew Kayla from high school, but was too shy to talk to her because she was popular and he wasn't. They graduated in the same class.

After the holidays, Kayla got into some trouble with the law and ended up getting kicked out of nursing school. After my initial anger at her I stood by her side as she pled not guilty in court and was able to work a deal with the deputy district attorney for a hefty fine.

Our coffee hours whittled down to once a month. The second to last one we would have, Kayla informed me she might be pregnant with Daniel's child. She was too scared to tell him, and too scared to tell me, but she figured she was around two months and finally decided to tell me first. It should not have been, but it was a shock to me. After getting her a home pregnancy kit which came up negative, I took her to the doctor for a second opinion. He also confirmed she wasn't, but added the switch in her birth control pills may have sent her menstrual cycle into a different pattern. I breathed a sigh of relief. I wasn't ready to be a grandpa yet.

A few weeks later, Corinne mentioned Kayla seemed to be lovestruck by Daniel, and I had been replaced as number one in her heart. I admit I was jealous. But at the same time, I was also proud of her for finding a decent man. Daniel was always courteous to Corinne and I. Ken decided to join the Navy after having a long talk with him about military life. Daniel informed him he wished he would have joined the Navy instead of Army. Katrina also liked him, and whenever he was around, she stumbled over her words. It was kind of funny as my normally shy, reserved daughter, who never had a boyfriend, had an obvious crush on Kayla's. He never treated Kayla badly, always respectful. I'm sure she would have told me otherwise.

Daniel came home on leave just before he was going to be reassigned to a different company, and asked me to have a few beers with him. It was my duty day, and I turned him down. The next morning, he was at the house with Kayla for coffee. The last one I would have for many years with my daughter. He was fidgeting in his chair, and I noticed.

"Danny boy..." I leveled a stare at him, "...it better be proper. Nothing less."

"What be proper?" Kayla asked taking a sip of her coffee. "What are you talking about dad?"

He instantly knew what I was talking about, and knew I knew why he was fidgeting. "I want it to be sir." Daniel answered. "I think that is why I am so nervous. I have everything I need for it, except your... opinion sir."

"What are you two talking about?" Kayla asked. I continued to look at him, and he looked at me.

"On you right now?" I asked, and he nodded. "Grow a set..." I smiled at him. "...and do it."

"Hellllloooo. I'm over heeeerrreee." Came Kayla's voice. "Want to tell me what's going on?" I held my finger up at her.

Taking a deep breath, Daniel stood up and Kayla asked him again what he was doing. Without looking at her, and directly at me, he asked: "Mr. Baldwin... May I have Kayla's hand in marriage?" Kayla gasped and cupped her hands to her mouth. As I continued to stare him down, I felt Kayla's suntan nylon foot gently place itself underneath my pant leg and she scrunched her toes once against my shin.

"Daniel..." I responded realizing Kayla used her foot as a signal for me to please say yes. "I'm going to say it like this here. You may, but if she ever...and I mean EVER, calls me crying for something you have done wrong to her, and it is legit... I will find you...and kill you." I smiled at him. "There. I have finally given you the standard father threat every father must give to their daughter's boyfriend. I hope you understand she is always going to be my little girl..." I looked at Kayla and her eyes were welling up. "... and my Turtle Dove." I looked back at Daniel, and he nodded his head at me. "I'm always going to take her side first until proven otherwise."

"I totally understand sir." He replied. "I only have love and respect for Kayla. That is why I wanted this to be proper." He reached into his pocket and took out a small black box. He opened it and showed me the ring he bought her. I felt Kayla's foot shake against my shin as it usually does when she is nervous. He took the ring out of the box, put the box back into his pocket, then went over to Kayla and got down on one knee. I watched him like a hawk the whole way.

"Kayla Ann Baldwin..."Daniel held the ring up to her and reached out to take her hand. "...will you marrying me?"

In a classic Baldwin move which made me proud of her, she replied: "Do you understand my father is always number one in my heart? You can never replace him or even share that spot with him? I will always love him more than I love you?"

Daniel nodded his head at her: "Yes. Of course. I would not want it any other way. I do not mind being number two. I love you, respect you, and want to keep you happy. I promise never to make you cry and I will always protect you for the rest of my life. I love you Kayla."

Kayla nodded her head wildly. "Yes. I'll marry you. I love you too baby." Her tears spilled from her eyes as he placed the ring on her finger. He got up and thanked me. Kayla jumped into my lap and showered me with thank you kisses. They both finished their coffee and left, hand in hand. After they left, is when I broke down and cried. My little girl, all grown up.

Kayla found work as a secretary for a parochial school. They both were saving money for the wedding and honeymoon when plans got put on hold a couple months later. Daniel was called to active duty to Afghanistan in the aftermath of September 11th. Despite Kayla's pleas, and my blessing, Daniel refused to get married by the judge. A few days before he left, him and I went to the firefighter's bar and we had the 'if anything happens' talk. Even though he won't be married to Kayla, he had her listed as the majority beneficiary, and the Army was going to tell me before his parents. He wanted to make sure I was present when they told them and could be there for Kayla if she happened to be with his parents at the time. I was working the day he left, but he did come to the station to say good-bye. We both saluted each other and Kayla broke down when we did. I gave him a hug and whispered to him.

"Stay safe son. My little girl needs you to come home alive and in one piece."

"I will sir." He whispered back to me.

Bridgette handed him a box full of little snacks and things from home. "Your first care package..." She said to him. "...from of all of us here at house 14."

Wedding plans started in motion again when Daniel was half-way through his deployment. When we were informed he would be home, they were solidified for a March wedding. A jittery Kayla drove all of us nuts with her increasing excitement as his arrival day was approaching. Daniel and I had exchanged email on a normal basis, and we both had a surprise for Kayla. She believed she was going with his parents to pick him up from the airport. But instead, she would be at work and I would be taking him to her after his welcome home from his family.

The day after Daniel's actual arrival, which was a full week before Kayla knew it was—myself and a very surprised Corinne, welcomed him home. Unnoticeable to me at the time, he asked Corinne how much weight she lost while he was gone. After she joked with him to stop hitting on her, I did notice she had lost maybe twenty pounds. After letting Corinne in on 'Operation Surprise Kayla' she called in late to work because she just couldn't miss the look on Kayla's face when she saw him. Just before we left, Katrina came through the door with her law books in her hand. The second she seen him, she dropped her books and gave him a big hug. Katrina brought tears to my eyes as she quietly sobbed against him and told him she was happy he was home. If Kayla was going to have Katrina's type of reaction, I knew I was going to lose it. Katrina begged us to take her along, and we did. She sat in the back seat with him and held his hand the whole time while babbling on about law school. Besides more recently toward me as her and I started doing more things together, it was the first time I seen Katrina show affection toward any man other than my father; a fact that will elude me for a couple more years.

As we arrived at the school Kayla worked at, I phoned the principal to make sure Kayla was occupied and not able to see us coming in through the door. Mrs. Rahjes- the principal- gleefully told me Kayla was sorting files and would never know we arrived. When we got there, Mrs. Rahjes led all of us to the room Kayla was in. She was sitting in a chair with her back to us putting the files in order. Daniel lightly put his shaking hand on her shoulder as Mrs. Rahjes gently said her name. Kayla turned to look. Priceless is the only word I can use to describe. The surprised look on her face lasted all of ten seconds. She bolted out of her chair, knocking it out of the way before she bowled him over. Corinne put her arm around me laughing and crying, and so did Katrina.

Under the possibility of Daniel being called up again before the wedding, his parents along with Corinne and I, held our breath in hopes it wouldn't happen. The week of, Corinne would use a week of her vacation and spent most of it sick. She refused to see a doctor however, and promised me again she would go after the wedding. The day of, I could tell something was not right with her, but she still put on a smile and trudged through the day. Kayla's wedding was huge with seven couples standing up, and around 450 invited for dinner. Surprising to me, Ken was best man, and Katrina was maid of honor. Ten minutes before the ceremony was to start, a panicked Corinne pulled me to the back of the church.

"Kayla wants to see you." Corinne told me in a hushed and quick tone.

"Right now?" I said looking at my watch. "What the hell?"

"I know I know. I asked her about it too." Corinne nervously responded. "She said she wasn't coming out until she could have a few minutes alone with you."

"For the love of Pete." I said as I threw my hands up. "What's her problem?" as I checked my watch again.

"I don't know." Corinne said as she pushed me toward the bride dressing room. "She wants to see her daddy. I hope it's not for a cup of coffee." She huffed. I made my way to Kayla's dressing room. I knocked gently on the door and she opened it. Her face lit up in a big smile when she seen me standing there and she pulled me into the room.

"Daddy." Kayla said as she embraced me in a hug. "I love you so much."

"Turtle Dove..." I softly said to her returning her hug. "...you do realize in a few minutes a lot of people expect to see you walk down that aisle right?" Kayla nodded her head against me. "What is so important that you needed to see me right now, this instant, and it just couldn't wait until later?" I gently pushed her away from me so she was at arm's length.

"I just wanted to say..." Kayla softly said. "...thank you for being my dad. I still love you more than anything in this world." I gave her the eyebrow just knowing there was more to the story. "You were right dad. I would find a guy who would make me feel special, more special than you." I gave her the eyebrow again with the keep going motion. I knew there was more. "Sorry. I just wanted to tell you that. I love you dad. Plus I wanted to just be alone for a few minutes with my daddy on the most special day of my life. It's all spotlight from here on out... and I needed to just be your little girl for a few minutes."

I hugged her again. "Don't be sorry Kayla. No need to be sorry. I will always love you, no matter what. You look very beautiful in your wedding dress, but you will always be beautiful to me. I love you Turtle Dove." I held her for another minute in silence. "You ready?" she nodded her head, and we left the room together.

It seemed to take forever in a minute to walk down the aisle with her. Her face was glowing, her hand in the crook of my elbow. As we approached Daniel in his full military dress uniform, her grip on me became lighter with each step until we stopped. She gave my arm one last squeeze before a kiss on the cheek, and a whisper of "I love you dad," her hand slipped from my elbow, into the elbow of her husband to be. After telling the priest I willingly give this woman to be married to this man, I sat down. Throughout the ceremony, her childhood flashed before my eyes. All those 'daddy watch me' moments. The one-on-one games of basketball in the driveway playing fire truck instead of horse. How much she hated me when I let go of her on her bike and she fell scraping her knee; her copying and stealing Corinne's Tigger happy jump when she was little and I came home from work; her first day of school when I had to pry her off my leg; her first time sitting in the driver seat of the fire truck by herself; First communion; graduation from high school; prom night when I secretly stayed awake waiting for her to come home. My little girl was all grown up.

During the dinner, her friends thought it would be better if people told a funny memory of Kayla or Daniel instead of clinking glasses if we wanted them to kiss. When the microphone was put in my hand, I stood up and smiled at my little girl. She smiled back at me before she put her hand to her forehead and her face down just waiting for what I was going to say.

"I can think of many funny memories I have of my daughter. At what age should I start? How many kisses can I make them do?" the crowd broke out in laughter, a whole lot of hoots, hollers and whistles, before I put my hand up in a quiet down gesture. I told the crowd: "I had them all flash in front of my eyes earlier today when she was standing at the altar." I looked at Kayla who now was looking at me with her hand over her mouth, her eyes smiling at me."But for today, they are going to remain mine. Sorry all. I'm not going to share them." I set the microphone down and sat back down. I got a rousing ovation from the crowd, Kayla and Dan still kissed, before she came over to kiss me on the cheek.

"Thank you dad..." Kayla whispered. "...for not embarrassing me. I love you."

By the time the Grand March came around, I was feeling buzzed from the amount of beer I had. Corinne was feeling good too, even though I could tell something still wasn't right with her. She would affectionately rub me under the table with her hand or stocking foot depending where she was sitting at the time. If I was standing at the bar, I was getting an ass rubbed into my groin by either Corinne or Bridgette, who didn't bring a date. Bridgette's hand groped me once, and her suntan nylon foot from under the table once. It surprised me Bridgette was being so affectionate in that way in front of friends and family. During the Grand March, there was a song dedicated to the parents, so Corinne and I took the dance floor with Daniel's parents. I seen Kayla whisper into the DJ's ear, and he played Benny Goodman's In the Mood. Corinne and I started ballroom dancing and within seconds, Daniel's parents were too. After a standing ovation, we tangoed, complete with switching partners—and another standing ovation. Then came the daddy/daughter dance. A nod from Kayla, and Amy Grant's My Father's Eyes filled the room.

"Dance close and slow with me dad." Kayla softly said as she wrapped her arms around my back and put her head onto my chest. As we moved around the dance floor, I held my little girl tight. "I love you so much dad." She whispered. "I wouldn't want anybody else. I love being your daughter."

"I love you too Turtle Dove." I whispered back. In spite of myself, I started to become erect, and I purposely moved my hips back away from her to create some space between us so she wouldn't feel it. Why was this was happening now? She hasn't done anything to provoke it like she had so often many months before. The memory of my first orgasm with Corinne while we were dancing at a wedding flashed through my head. I could not let it happen again here and now, and especially with Kayla.

"Oh no you don't." Kayla whispered as she moved back into me. "You're not getting out of this dance with me dad. It wouldn't look good. Not to mention I would be embarrassed, and very pissed off at you." She ended with a soft giggle. When Kayla moved back into me, my erection was at half-mast. What kind of father gets an erection dancing with his daughter on her wedding day? I realized she could probably feel it rubbing against her thigh as we moved. Again I tried to put a little space between us as I was now at full mast.