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.
