You made your bed...now lie in it.
My father was lying slumped on the bed as I was holding a gun aimed at my wife and baby.
Forty five minutes earlier I had come home from work at midday instead of my usual 6pm. I made my way into the lounge expecting to see Val doing some work on her laptop. The house was empty, I made a nice latte in the kitchen then walked back to my favourite chair and sunk into it.
The baby monitor sprang to life with a crackle, I was sure I heard Val's voice. She must be in the bedroom putting the baby down for the afternoon. I half arose from my chair to go up when I heard my father say.
"Yes, just like that, ooooohhh yes."
I stopped in my tracks, time stood still. I didn't dare even breath. It felt like hours before I heard him again moaning. It couldn't be, I must be mistaken.
"You like that?" I heard Val say.
"Yes, suck it just like that, mmmmmm"
I sat back again holding my head in my hands.
"No not them, please god no."
"SHHH Tom, did you hear that? On the monitor, I think Jim is downstairs."
"He can't be," He said, "he is at work till 6pm like clockwork."
"Go look, please."
I heard him get off the bed and some clothes rustling. I panicked! My own house and I am the one panicking! I managed to get myself hidden behind the tall unit in the dining room before anyone came down.
"Shit, my coffee!"
Too late. My father was walking tip toe down my staircase, I heard the creaky 5th step. He looked into the lounge then into the room I was hidden in. I heard him walk to the kitchen then back up the stairs to the creaky step. He stopped on it for a second or two.
"Anything?"
I heard my wife say.
"No. nothing to worry about."
He walked back up and into our bedroom to MY bed.
I stood behind the unit and cried. My world had imploded.
"My dad, anyone but my fucking dad!"
My mum had died suddenly at the age of 57 last year and we took my dad into our home for three months. He was a wreck, he went to pieces. Hardly surprising but even so, you don't want to see your own dad crying every day.
Val was wonderful in those months, she was heavily pregnant and expecting any day but it didn't stop her caring for my father like he was her own. I had a week off with him and I had to get back to work but I knew he was in safe hands with her. He pottered around helping with housework wherever he could trying to keep his mind busy. It was a help having him here but I wish it had been under better circumstances.
He rang me at work one day to tell me he was taking Val in, her waters had broken. I met them there and Val asked me if he could come in for the delivery. I was so overjoyed I burst into tears. She was perfect, I couldn't ask for a more caring wife. The baby was a girl. My dad broke down as we said to him,
"Say hello to Susan."
My late mum was Susan. Dad stayed with us for one more week then left us to have our own time. I checked on him every day just to make sure he was ok and he came to see Val and the baby while I was working.......
I crept from my hiding place and wondered what do I do? Creep out, pretend I didn't know, go back to work? Or go up and confront them?
I slowly walked back to the lounge to get rid of my cup, I was going to get out of the house when I heard,
"Fuck me Tom."
