This is another frame narrative-- a fantasy I had, but from the perspective of a concerned father. The sex comes a little later.
It was the week of Thanksgiving, and our daughter was coming home for the first time since we'd moved her into the dorm almost three months earlier. My wife and I were ecstatic to see her again--the three of us were extremely close, and it turned out that an empty nest was a lonely one. Corinne and I have a wonderful relationship, don't get me wrong. But it just always felt like a part of us was somehow...missing. It wasn't like she was far--just an hour, forty-five minutes in light traffic. But we were trying to respect her boundaries, and let her grow some independence. She was studying exercise science with the hopes of becoming an athletic trainer. One of her classes had her doing a practicum training for the girl's basketball team. Between schoolwork and her responsibilities for the team, Melissa was spread pretty thin. That meant we had to settle for a twenty-minute phone call each Sunday night.
It was during one of these Sunday night calls that Melissa first mentioned the idea of her friend Bri coming to join us over Thanksgiving.
"We have classes until Wednesday, then there's basketball practice on Saturday. Bri's family lives on the West Coast. It doesn't make sense for her to go all that way. Can she stay at our house for Thanksgiving?" she pleaded.
"I don't know honey...we were looking forward to spending some time together..." I started.
"Of course Bri can come. We're looking forward to meeting her," Corinne cut me off.
Corinne was right to interrupt. I was being crazy. I had really missed Melissa, and I wasn't keen to share her with someone besides Corinne and myself.
It was settled that Corinne would pick them up from school on Wednesday and I would take them back in time for practice on Saturday. On Wednesday I went to work as usual. Corinne texted around one to say they'd made it to the house, along with a cryptic message: "Bri is...interesting."
This was just perfect. I knew exactly what Corinne implying. Our daughter's new friend was some weirdo and now Corinne was having second thoughts. Hadn't I told her? Now we had to entertain this interloper for three nights when we could be spending time with our daughter, alone, like old times.
When I arrived home a few hours later, the scene was, as promised, unusual. A tall woman was sitting in the middle of the couch, facing away from me, so that I could only her blonde ponytail. Melissa was standing behind the couch, her back also to me, as she massaged the blonde's broad shoulders. When the door to the garage shut, they both turned.
"Oh, hi Daddy! I was just doing my homework. Bri's shoulder was hurt last season and we have to make sure it's in good shape for the season."
She ran to me and I threw my arms around her. It was so good to see her. After a long hug, I held her back at a distance to take a look at her. Her long, curly brown hair was tied up in a ponytail and she wore a college hoodie. She had always been pear-shaped (taking after Corinne), and the stress of college had apparently caused her to put on some weight, giving her thunder thighs and big butt more jelly than she'd left with back in September. But she looked healthy and happy, grinning madly.
"It's so good to be home. Come over here and meet my dad, Bri."
Bri rose from the couch. She was enormous. At least six foot five and broad. But slender in an athletic way. She was a pretty girl--no make up. Something slightly masculine about her face. Bri reached for my hand and shook it with a firm grip.
"Pleased to meet you, sir. Mel has told me so much about you. I really want to thank Corinne and you for letting me stay here."
"Bri, the pleasure is mine. Of course, we're glad to have you."
Melissa beamed.
"Two of my favorite people in once place," she squealed. "I can't believe it."
Over the course of the evening, Melissa continued to massage various areas of Bri: her feet, her calves, her temples, all of this under the guise of homework. Corinne and I were, to be honest, a little weirded out. But Melissa and Bri acted like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"So, Bri... what's it like to be a D1 athlete? It seems like a fundamentally different college experience than the one I had," I said, making conversation as Melissa kneeled on the floor, massaging Bri's left foot.
"I have nothing to compare it to, of course, but it seems more regimented than most college students' lives. Not just me, but everyone associated with the team," she said, nodding to Melissa on the floor. Melissa beamed. "Melissa has been a lifesaver. For me, and the team."
"She's always been so interested in sports. I'm so glad to hear she's still able to participate in her own way."
"She really does," Bri said, lifting her legs so that Melissa could reposition for a better angle on Bri's other foot.
That night I stood at my bathroom sink, flossing, when Corinne came in.
"Did you get the guest room made up?" I asked.
"No need. Melissa said they were fine sharing her room."
I frowned.
"Did you think...?"
"It is very unusual."
"I don't know that I like the idea of our daughter being...with some upper classman--male or female. I'm not bigoted or anything. Just...under our roof?"
"She says they're just friends. I don't know. Maybe that's true."
"You know me. I'm pretty open-minded. But there's something about this I just don't like."
Almost as soon as I finished saying it, I started to hear faint voices coming through the bathroom vent. I closed the door, shutting myself in the bathroom and climbed onto the toilet to put my ear against the vent.
"You think the fact we're at your parents' house matters? What do we always say? No days off."
There was muffled slurping coming from the vent, too, then it stopped and another voice meekly said "Yes, Daddy."
I felt a bolt of shock. Panic, really. I immediately got down to the floor, shut off the light and left the bathroom.
"What's the matter, John? You don't look so good."
"I heard voices coming from the other room."
"John! Melissa is an adult. She may be our little girl, but we owe her some semblance privacy. No more snooping. Promise me."
I climbed into bed and she turned out the light.
"So what were they saying?"
"You don't want to know."
The next morning, Thanksgiving, I woke to find the house empty. Corinne left a note: she had driven Melissa and Bri to the rec center to use the gym while she was at the store, buying a few last minute groceries for Thanksgiving dinner. I set the note down on the kitchen table and stared into space. All I wanted was to know my daughter was happy. I didn't have to like all the details if I could just be reassured of that. It was then that I remembered Melissa's diary. She had been an avid journaler since she was a girl. I had promised Corinne I'd stop snooping, but this was too important to ignore.
There were two duffle bags on the floor of Melissa's room, both of them university athletics department bags. I rifled through the one with Melissa's name on it until I found the small, leather bound book. From the dates I could tell she had started a new journal upon arriving at college. I began reading.
****
Sept. 5
My homesickness has subsided, leaving only nervy, buzzy excitement. Everything feels so possible here. My practicum paired me with the girls' basketball team. They're really, really good. I'm meeting with the head of their athletic training tomorrow to determine what capacity I'll be serving. I have to wear khaki pants and a team polo, like completely official. I'm nervous, but in the best way. Otherwise my classes are not much to report. College is, so far, easier than high school, but we're still a little in the "syllabus week" phase so we'll see what happens when it all gets cooking. Until tomorrow.
Sept. 8
This morning when I got to the PT room, Ella told me I'd be working with Bri from now on, and that Grace would be working with her. I asked her if I'd done something wrong and she said no. She said Bri had traded for me and that I was "more her speed." A little bit later, Bri came in and sat down. "You're with me now, Mel," she told me. I tried to object, talking about being assigned specifically to Ella by the practicum and she assured me it was all taken care of. Her shoulder was injured last season, so she had me get behind her and stretch it, only I guess I wasn't doing it right because she said, "Let me show you." I sat down and she moved behind me, placing one hand on my clavicle and the other on my wrist, demonstrating the tension. "Like that," she muttered. A few times, her hand grazed my breast through my black cotton polo shirt, or came dangerously close to it. Our entire session she would give little corrections, touching my body to show me how to do a maneuver. It was...thrilling. The team is probably 60% straight, 40% lesbian. I've never known gay girls before but I have to admit I'm very curious. I've always been, in a way.
