Some hopeless romantics say that the love of a woman is the greatest gift a man can receive. Maybe I believed it a little when I met my wife Veronica in college. She was beautiful, professional, and at the time, honest. But after we got married, her being 22 and I being 24, things changed. She goes out and flirts with her business girlfriends and I find myself working overtime on the weekends as an excuse not to come home. I've gotten used to eating meals by myself late at night and coming home to a dark house. Veronica hardly ever comes home and our daughter Alexis spends more time at her friends' houses than here. But that's the way it is with certain couples I suppose.
I've been thinking a lot about us and think that maybe its best if we split once Alex goes away to college. Last night I spoke to Veronica about it and we both agreed that it's official and then we turned onto our sides and fell to silence. I'm sure our daughter is used to the way are by now, to me, she is what has kept me around so long. Every now and then Alex and I will eat a quiet dinner together, just to keep each other company I suppose.
Alex was born a year after we married. Veronica could have been a little happier about our daughter. Myself, I was ecstatic that I had a child, someone to take care of and take to her first day of school. I tried to find some time to do those things, but as the years have gone by, I've found that our relationship had gotten more strained. I love her more than anything, but she's a teenager, almost an adult for God's sake. She's all her own. She doesn't have her mother's dirty blond hair and brown eyes. Nor does she have my dark brown hair or green eyes. She's got a long mane of brown hair and big hazel eyes. Sometimes I wonder if she's even mine. She's so much different than her mother and I; full of energy, always smiling, and surprisingly mature.
A year later when I came home from work Saturday night, I dropped my briefcase in my den and headed for the kitchen for something to heat up. I found a note from Veronica on the counter:
Kevin,
Went out to eat with the girls
Alex is at a party
Will be home late
Don't wait up
-V-
Not really surprised, I knew Veronica wouldn't be coming home tonight. So I went upstairs, started a hot shower in the master bedroom and stripped off my suit. After taking my shower, I slipped into a pair of sweats and my old Notre Dame tee shirt and headed back downstairs. It was actually nice to have the house quiet tonight. I was feeling pretty lazy tonight. By 11:30 I was half-asleep. The weekend news was on so I just sat and stared sleepily at the cute little redhead talking. Surprised was I when I heard the front door open and slam a few minutes later. Figuring it was my wife, I ignored the loud slam and proceeded to act interested in the TV.
" Hi Dad." Alexis groaned walking into the living room and plopping down on the chair adjacent to me. I turned my head wondering why she didn't look drunk or tired at this time of night. Her hair was down and I noticed she had some makeup on, mascara perhaps. She looked pretty cute in her little outfit.
"Hey baby." Yawning I added, "what are you doing home?" ,then gave her a small grin and eyed her over once jokingly.
"Ugh! That party I went to tonight was a complete disaster! Trust me it wasn't worth staying." She said standing up to go to the kitchen without further detail. I didn't follow, but rather stayed sitting sleepily. I heard Alex open the fridge then shut it before she went upstairs.
"You going to bed?" I asked nonchalantly.
"Naw, I'm not really tired. I'm just going to call Jamie and take a shower." And with that she was up the stairs.
I sat there momentarily thinking about going to bed myself and decided that maybe it would be a good idea since I didn't want to fall asleep on the couch and wake up stiff as a board. Getting up I grabbed a quick drink then climbed up the steps to the bedroom. I decided to say goodnight to my girl so I stopped at her room and knocked.
"Yeah?" she opened the door. My eyes dropped instinctively when I saw her in her little white undies and a tank top.
Smiling I said, "G'nite baby. I'm tired." I couldn't help myself. My eyes drifted to her little breasts. Shit I shouldn't be doing that. Any other 18 year old maybe, but not her.
"All right. See you tomorrow." She smiled.
And with that she shut her door and I went to bed.
The next day I awoke early, my wife already gone. I wondered if she had even come home at all. Putting on a clean tee shirt and brushing my teeth, I started coffee in the kitchen and grabbed the newspaper off the front steps. Alex must've still been asleep, her door was closed and the house was quiet. Sitting at the counter, coffee in hand and reading the newspaper, I was surprised to hear my daughter shuffle into kitchen sleepily and grab the orange juice out of the fridge. She was wearing the same little tank top and undies from the previous night and I found myself getting a little hard as I watched her pour a glass of orange juice out of the corner of my eye. I'd never really noticed her before. Maybe I was just overtly horny this morning and last night. I know Alexis is cute, but I shouldn't be checking her out. And the morning started. Alex and I sat opposite eachother with me reading the newspaper and her reading the comics.
