This story depicts mature step familial sex, if this is not to your liking, please visit some of my other submissions, otherwise, I hope you enjoy it.
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The grief counsellor encountered so many variations of how people handled loss in the family; she couldn't write a book about it because of the wide variation. Thankfully today's visit would turn out well in the end, she had a sixth sense for this sort of thing. Yes, the deceased's daughter was at a critical point in her life and she would take years, decades even, to overcome the loss of what was obviously her best friend and chief confidant and advisor. Her situation was precarious as the man currently sat next to her holding her, comforting her, was her stepfather rather than her genetic father but Jake had been in Lana's life since she was a small five-year-old girl.
Without drawing breath he stated to Lana, "You know how much you meant to your mother and I tell you now that I promised her that to my last breath that I would do everything in my power to make sure you are well cared for. Your Mum made me promise as she was dying but I hope you know I would have done so without having had that commitment. You are as dear to me as you were to your Mum; if I had had a daughter, I would have wanted her to be as good a person as you are. It's just the two of us now but that's all the other needs; it's you and I against the world and I know you'll do as much as you can to make your Mum proud."
Lana leant her head against Jake's without raising her gaze from the floor, whispering "I know that and I know both of you sacrificed so much for me, you especially for someone who isn't even your blood. You take the two of us on when others wouldn't and although there wasn't much to match, you are a true father, not that sperm donor. I know I can rely on you every minute of every day and I promise to do the same for you." The counsellor had been versed in the home dynamics and guessed Lana was referring to her genetic father. The session had concluded well and the counsellor walked away from the house with a good feeling in her heart.
Both Lana's and Jake's employers had given them extended bereavement leave and Jake did a good job of keeping both organisations informed on the funeral arrangements and subsequent progress reports. Lana took herself away to her bedroom for days after her mother succumbed to the big C and Jake had allowed her space while he did his own grieving but it soon dawned on her that she should have been providing him the same support he was trying to offer her and so the next few days saw them existing in a combined bubble. Even doing daily, mundane, tasks was done as a couple; they talked, a lot, and that was valuable to both, especially Jake as he was really worried about Lana's mental health. She had been let down spectacularly by her genetic father but the loss of her mother, her rock, could have seen her fall off the rails and Jake was watching her every move.
He had seen Lana through her biggest transitions, from escorting her with her mother to neighbours on Halloween to collect goodies, beaming proudly the first time she was a bridesmaid for a family friend, graduating school and landing her first job. It startled Jake just how much she looked like her Mum, even in her early years when he looked back at old photos of Jody he was looking at Lana in a different-era dress. Lana's mannerisms and sayings were straight out of her Mum's playbook and Jake took a great degree of comfort knowing that the wife he missed so painfully would never be truly deceased while her daughter was alive.
Both found the first-year anniversary of Jody's death particularly painful and had retreated into the house, the sole comfort for both was having the other just feet away. Events such as Jody's birthday, Mother's Day and Christmas were all hard but the anniversary was poignant as it coincided with the trees changing colour for Autumn and Jake felt there was a long run-up to the day, almost as if the trees were demonstrating their compassion for him. He had taken to taking Lana with him when he went food shopping as without, he would find single women giving him the eye when their shopping trolleys passed. It was just too hard for him to even consider moving on, it felt like he was betraying the one woman that got him, his taste in music, his quirks and his mannerisms; well one of two as Lana was thankfully there. That's not to say that he worried about her being held back by him; she wasn't a frequent dater while her Mum was alive but since her death, he couldn't recall her dating at all.
Two days after the anniversary he asked Lana "You aren't hanging around just for me, are you? Aren't your friends worried that you aren't spending time with them?"
Lana shrugged as she composed her answer "In fairness, Mum's passing has made me grow up. When I hear my friend's petty gripes, I consider them just that -- petty and insignificant. As for boys, no thanks, those my age are too immature; I wasn't over-impressed before but since that day, well, I see the world differently now. I'm not spending time with you out of any kind of obligation, I like spending time with you because you get me, you get my mood, you've always been good for my wellbeing and you get where my head is at. Sometimes when I find the one boy, no man, that does for me what you do I not only think it will be a rare day but certainly a special day." That earned her a special hug which both cherished even as it went on, neither felt uncomfortable in close proximity with the other. If anything, Jake cuddled her better than her mother did; as a child, whenever she fell over Jake was the first to comfort her and he would often joke with Jody that Lana ran to him as a comforter before her mother but then Jody had evolved in Lana's life confidant in later years.
This mutual support formed the backdrop of their proceeding days and months. They had been close before but now; well, their relationship had evolved into something that both cherished. One evening was to change all that though; it was just after the second anniversary that Jake found himself unable to sleep. It had been some time since he had been unable to sleep through the entire night but this night his dreams had troubled him enough to get up and go downstairs for a drink and to sit watching some mind-numbing late-night TV. As he reached the top of the stairs he was about to turn for his bedroom when he heard Lana whimpering in her bedroom, he considered it quite cute initially but then the sound changed to what seemed more painful and his brow furrowed immediately.
He rarely went into her bedroom but the sound concerned him enough to lightly knock on the door. As his knuckles made contact with the wood, the momentum pushed the door open into the room, she had obviously not closed it properly. He realised as her bed came into view that he was right to be concerned. His stepdaughter was obviously dreaming but her leg thrashing had pushed the covers down to her feet and she wriggled from one side to another as her head thrashed about. He stepped over to the bed and gently shook her shoulder trying to wake her and her eyes shot open in shock until she realised where she was. There was a momentary look of relief before she started to cry, holding her head in her hands.
