Introduction
Sandie had just turned eighteen a month ago but she was so tiny β barely 5' 1" β and with such a pixy face, that she could have passed for 12 or thirteen. Adding to the image of youth was her long sleek black hair, which hung straight to her waist. Whenever I saw her lounging by their pool in her one-piece bathing suit over our neighbouring fence, I swore she had no breasts to speak of.
She was a very shy girl and even when I initiated a casual wave or hello while I was working in my garden or cutting the grass, the best I would receive in return would be a wan smile or slight wave. She never had friends over that I could see.
Chapter One
One morning (as a semi-retired man in my early fifties having made a small fortune before the dotcoms' took their dive, I had lots of home time), there was a knock on my front door. I put down my paper and coffee cup and walked from the kitchen to answer the door. Standing on the stoop was Samantha, Sandie's mother. I had met Sam at a couple of Neighbourhood Watch meetings and a few times in the mall or grocery store and we had even stopped to have a coffee together after one such meeting. At that time, she told me about Sandie and her loneliness since her father had left the scene some three years before.
"Good morning, Charles. Have you a moment to spare?"
"Of course, Sam. Would you like a coffee β it's fresh in the pot?" I offered.
I pointed her to the kitchen and followed her nicely turned out form down the hallway. Samantha is a well-proportioned woman in her mid forties with short blond hair (slightly streaked with grey) and sadness in her eyes. The hurt from her husband's betrayal with his much younger secretary (a tale so trite but so often true) was still obviously hurting. I had never become more than a friend to her since I wasn't ready for a relationship of any kind nor was she. Besides, I was quite content with my lifestyle; I was well off financially and I occasionally accepted short-term consultancy contracts that often involved travel to exotic locales.
After we were settled at the butcher-block kitchen table with the warm sun streaming through the open patio doors, I asked what was on her mind.
"I hope you don't mind me unloading on you Charles but I am worried about Sandie"
"Please tell me about it and I will see if I can help. You know that I think the world of that little girl. She has a great future before her"
"That's partly the problem" I refilled her coffee mug as she continued. "Sandie is still so naΓ―ve and shy and afraid of her own shadow that I am truly afraid for her when she goes off to college in the fall. She has been in a blue funk since her father left β she worshipped the bastard β and since then she has retreated so far into herself that we hardly talk any more. I fear that she will be taken advantage of in so many ways"
"I must admit Sam that I don't see how I can help you out"
"I am embarrassed to ask this favour of you, especially since we are not that close but I am truly desperate. My baby needs a father figure - a man she can talk to and learn from. I was hoping that since you at least know her β we have been neighbours for 8 years β and she knows you that you might be willing to try to connect with her. If there were any other relatives I could turn to, I would"
Sam looked so distraught that I thought tears were on the way so I handed her some Kleenex and let her work it out.
Once she had recovered, I asked what she had in mind. Since there was three months left before Sandie left for college back east, Sam was thinking that I might start with visits to their place and engage her daughter in some grownup conversation and then progress to the point of going out for coffee or dinner until she finally opened up. This was not a bad plan in as far as it went but I had my doubts as to its success in such a short time - to undo three years of harm in three months?
We agreed that I would come to their place for dinner the following night at 6:00 and stay for a few hours into the evening to try and see what happened. I was willing to invest the next three months in such a challenge since I truly felt sorry for the deal mother and daughter had been dealt. So the deal was struck β I was soon to be a father figure, something completely foreign to me since I had never married and had children of my own. I guess I was just too tied up in business and making money to have the time or inclination. Dating (with the occasional overnighter) had suited my purposes to now.
Chapter Two
The next evening, I arrived at their door at 6:00 as agreed. I was wearing tan slacks and a black turtle neck sweater with black loafers. Sandie opened the door and I was once again overcome by her natural radiance. She was wearing a light green sundress with her hair shining in cascades down her back. She was barefoot and shyly smiled a greeting to me "Good evening Mr Roberts"
"Please, Sandie. Mr Roberts makes me feel so old; please call me Charles?"
I thought for a moment she almost smiled and I could see the words forming on her lips 'But you are old' but instead she bespoke in the sweetest soft voice "of course. Charles"
She closed the door and we went together into the kitchen where the smells of home cooking invaded my senses and started my mouth watering. I'm a pretty good cook but it seemed that Sam had gone the extra mile to make me feel at home. We spent a very pleasant evening discussing a whole bunch of relatively innocuous subjects until around eight-thirty. I left but was invited back several more times in the next couple of weeks. Each time, Sandie became more and more animated and open and once even sat on the front porch with me after dinner (while her mother cleaned up) and told me a little about her father and how she felt lost about his leaving. She cried openly that night for the first time (as I learned later from Sam) and I held her and comforted her until she stopped sobbing. She kissed me on the cheek and ran into the house with a whispered good night.
Finally, about a month and a half of these dinners β I had even ventured to cook for them at my house a couple of times but we agreed that Sam was the better cook β I was over at their house again. At that time, since Sandie had become so much more relaxed, I took the lead from Sam's look and asked Sandie if she would favour an old fellow by she and her mother joining me for dinner the following night. We would go out to my favourite restaurant for dinner and perhaps a little dancing. She was hesitant at first but seeing her mother's enthusiasm she soon agreed.
The next evening, dressed in my best pin striped suit, I picked my dates up for the evening. Sam was wearing a simple black dinner dress while she and Sandie had been shopping that day for her special dress. It was bias cut leaving one shoulder bare and in muted vertical multi-coloured stripes that gave her the appearance of added height. The colours were like a rainbow and the hem ended about two inches above her knees. With 3" heels finishing off the ensemble, she looked very much the young woman she was. She blushed prettily as I complemented her and helped the two ladies into my Cadillac Seville.
Chapter Three:
Dinner was wonderful! Sandie and her Mum were pampered and fussed over by the owner and staff of Prado, my favourite Italian restaurant. We went with the chef's recommendations for the full meal and were chatting incessantly throughout. Sandie was really opening up and feeling surer of herself already. It probably helped in loosening tongues and inhibitions that we managed to finish a couple of bottles of wine with dinner.
As our plates were cleared, the lights were dimmed even further and the small orchestra began to play. I started by asking Sam to dance and as we traversed the floor, she thanked me for doing this for Sandie. I assured her that I was enjoying myself as much as the both of them and that it had been a long time since I had been out with one, let alone tow, such beautiful women. It was Sam's turn to blush and she hugged me and kissed me lightly on the cheek.
I walked her back to the table and held out my hand to Sandie; she hesitated, looked at her mother for approval and then rose gracefully and into my arms. I held her gently and as we glided around the room, she laid her head on my chest and sighed deeply.
"Thank you Charles for such a beautiful evening" she whispered.
I kissed the top of her head β what a wonderful sweet fragrance she was wearing β and drew her snuggly into my arms as we glided around the dance floor to the slow melodic tunes. I could almost feel her heart beat against my chest and as she pressed herself closer, I could feel myself becoming aroused. I tried to think about anything to take my mind of this nubile beauty who was so young and fragile but she seemed to press even harder against me. I was sure it was the wine that had lowered her defences and made her this aggressive but I couldn't help responding.
We danced together β with Sam's tacit approval judging from her nods and smiles from the table β until the band shut down for the night. I held her hand and led Sandie back to the table to collect her mother and we headed for home. I walked them both to the door and received a soft kiss of gratitude from Sam who entered the house first. That left just her beautiful young daughter outside in the balmy summer night with me and suddenly, Sandie raised up on her toes, threw her arms around my neck and kissed me hard on the lips.
I was taken aback by her display of affection by didn't hesitate to hold her tightly and return the fervour of the kiss. Who knows how often I would have such an opportunity in my lifetime?
With a final kiss and words of thanks whispered in my ear, she turned, smiled and ran into the house, I stood, somewhat stunned, on the porch before returning to my car and driving next door and home.