It had been another boring April day at the office. Despite the fact that it was my forty-third birthday, not one person had mentioned it, even though I had worked with some of them for years. Just another day shuffling documents around, completing financial reviews, and in general doing nothing. And when I got home, things probably wouldn't be any better. My wife, daughter, and I would go out to dinner -- some place I wouldn't want to go, most likely -- where I'd be embarrassed by waiters singing "Happy Birthday" and giving me a crappy ice cream sundae, even though I don't like them anyway. Hell, I probably wouldn't even get birthday sex. Since Audrey, my wife, turned forty earlier in the year, it seems like her sex drive had vanished. Her midlife crisis, if that's what it was, was starting to get to me.
When I got to the house, no one else was home. Audrey probably hadn't even started her own commute home, and I rarely know where Jamie was. Since she turned eighteen back in December, it was harder and harder to get her to sit down. She had five days to pick a college, and for all I know, she hadn't even looked at the letters telling her if she'd been accepted or not. So it was a nice surprise to see a note on the kitchen counter in Jamie's clear, if girly handwriting.
"Happy birthday, Daddy! I just wanted to make sure it was the first thing you saw when you got home. I promise I'll give you a better card when you get home. And your present is a surprise! A complete surprise, I promise. --- Jamie"
I smiled. At least someone, someone important to me, had remembered my birthday. No one was going to be home for at least a little while, it seemed, so I decided to make the most of my time. Now Audrey doesn't exactly approve of my favorite use of the Internet, but if she doesn't let me at her, then I have to get my relief somewhere.
I logged in to my computer, and chose my favorite bookmarks. Ever since I first saw a quick video on the internet a few years back of some teenaged girl with nice round tits, probably no older than my daughter, sandwiched between two cocks, I couldn't get enough. Nothing got me off faster than some girl sucking off one dick with another buried in her ass. That was what I loved. And luckily for me, the internet had more than enough sites for me. Just as what would have been my first video of the evening ended, each guy coming across the little blonde's face, I heard Jamie's old Honda pull into the driveway. The brakes squealed every time she put them on, so it was a little hard to miss. Shit, I thought, better not let her catch me looking at girls her age. I doubt she'd approve of that. Quickly, I closed the porn and brought up my e-mail, tucking my cock back into my slacks.
"Daddy?" I heard her call. "Daddy, are you home?"
"In here, honey, just checking my e-mail," I said, my slightly strained voice carrying easily through the house. "Come on in."
Jamie bounded in, giving me a wide smile. "Close that and come back in here. I want to give you your card now. Before Mom gets home." She made a face; Audrey and her had been fighting lately, over everything. And every argument ended the same way: "I'm eighteen and I can do what I want," followed by "Well, if you're eighteen, you can just go live somewhere else." So far, I hadn't let things get entirely out of hand, but I had my fair share of moments of doubt in my ability to keep the peace.
"Alright. But I'm warning you, if it makes fun of how old I'm getting, I think I'll need to find myself a different daughter. One with more respect for her elders." I chuckled and smiled at her. No one could ever replace my Jamie, and though she knew it, she never took advantage of being an only child of a father who doted on her with all his heart. The occasional pair of new jeans doesn't really count, does it?
"You're not getting old. Just aging, kind of like a fine wine. You just keep getting better every year," she said with a smile.
"I think you're sucking up. I bet there's some new CD you want or something."
"I'm not sucking up at all, I promise."
"Well, I'll come in right after I check my e-mail."
"Can't you come in now? I looked all over town for this card," she said, using that insistent tone of voice that fathers know all too well leads to them doing exactly what their daughters want.
"Alright, alright." I walked back into the kitchen, leaving my e-mail open, wanting to see what card she got me.
"There it is Daddy. I hope you like it. Open it now, and tell me how you like it when I get back. I have to pee," she said with a giggle.
I opened the card, waiting for the inevitable joke about being over the hill. However, much to my surprise, it was just a picture of the stars on the front, but inside she had written a sincere, heartfelt message, telling me how much she loved me and how lucky she was to be my daughter. It ended with the words "I love you always, Daddy." with her name written in big, bold letters. I looked around for her, but she hadn't come back yet. "It'll certainly be better than Audrey's card," I said to myself.
"What was that, Daddy?"
"Oh, nothing. I didn't hear the flush or you come back in. Sorry. I absolutely love your card. I think I'll take it to work, so I'll always know what you think of me," I said, smiling. "This card is enough for anyone. I don't need any other present from you this year."
She beamed wide, before giving me a long squeeze. "And I meant every word, Daddy. And I didn't get you much of a present anyway. No money," she said with a sigh.
"You know the rules. No borrowing from the Bank of Dad on his birthday. It's closed. Like a holiday."
She laughed. "I wasn't asking, silly."
I smiled at my lovely daughter. "Well, I need to finish checking my e-mail. Your aunt Rose has probably sent me another obnoxious e-card like she did last year." I gave her another hug, then walked back into the computer room. Sure enough, I had gotten just that, along with a few chain letters and more spam than I needed. "Want to make her yours ALL NIGHT LONG?" one asked. I sure did. It wasn't a matter of ability though, only willingness. I shook my head, then closed the window. Something about my desktop looked a little different, but it was only after a moment that I saw that someone -- not me -- had added a folder to it.
It was obvious after a quick look who had done it. It required no detective work, for it was labelled "DADDY'S PRESENT (so i lied a little bit)." I laughed, then opened the document. I figured I'd play it cool that I had seen it, then surprise Jamie with my knowledge at dinner. The only thing in it was a video file, labeled "A Tribute to my Daddy." I looked at the length. Fifteen minutes. This must be some tribute.