At sixty, I took early retirement. It's been ten years since Judy, my wife, passed away. My daughter, my only child, is married, with a daughter of her own. I am expecting a visit from her.
I had leased out my house in the country and bought a condominium in the city. I just did not have the same drive it took to maintain the old place. While there were good memories, there was also that reminder of Judy. Everything in and around the house reminded me of her. I missed her terribly.
The lobby intercom phone rang. I changed the TV to the lobby cam and saw Cheryl. I buzzed her in. A few minutes later there is a rap at the door.
I go to the door and open it. My heart swelled at the sight of her as she stepped inside.
'Hello dad.' She said as she placed a chaste kiss on my lips as she passed by me.
Cheryl is a beautiful woman. A jovial round face, a ready smile on her plump lips. Perhaps she could be said to be slightly chubby. But I did not see that. She was still my little girl, even at forty years of age.
I took her coat and hung it in the closet. 'Can I get you something to drink, a wine perhaps?' I asked.
She walked to the glass balcony doors and looked out at the vista of the city below. 'Can I get something stronger?'
I raised a brow. She never usually drank anything strong unless she had something on her mind. I fix two glasses of scotch for us and take them into the living room and set them on the coffee table.
She looks at me and takes a seat opposite me. She picks up her glass, takes it to her mouth and drains it. Again I raise my brow. This must be serious, I surmise.
'Is everything okay?' I ask.
She looks at me for a moment, closes her eyes for a moment to gather her thoughts.
'Dad, I know you are going to say, "I told you so.".' She paused. 'Andy and I have split up. I kicked him out of the house while we still owned it. He has had another woman on the side for years. He has gambled away our savings and our home. He even tried to cash in Ashley's education trust you setup up for her.'
I listened to her, while anger seethed inside me. I always knew that man was a waste of skin, not worthy sharing the air we breathed. I watched the hurt manifest on my little girl face. The tears began to well up in her eyes. If that man showed up at this very moment, I would put a bullet between his eyes.
'Oh daddy, I was too blind to see. You were right. There were so many indicators and I ignored them.' Then the tears spilled down her cheeks.
I got up and went and sat down beside her. I put my arm over her shoulder and she turned and buried her face in my chest and cried her heart out as she help onto me. Tears of pain and anger filled my own eyes. I could not bear to see her like this. God, I wanted to beat the living crap out of him.
After a few minutes she pulled away and reached for a tissue on the side table to dry her eyes and blow her nose.
'I am sorry dad. You must be disappointed in me.' She said as she glanced as me ashamedly.
I reached up and laid my hand on her cheek and dried away her tears. 'Cheryl you have never been a disappointment to me. I have always been proud of you. From the day you were born, your first tooth, your first day at school, the day you graduated from high school, and then finally graduating from university. Yes, I was even proud of you when I walked you down the aisle to marry that useless waste of flesh. I knew he was not worthy of you.' I assured her.
She looked at me through tear soaked eyes and beamed at me. 'God, I love you dad.' She said as she kissed me once again but with a deeper intensity and the held me tight as she put her face in my neck, the subtle sweet scent of her soft silky hair filling my nose. I caressed her hair.
Then she pulled back. 'I think I need another drink, if you don't mind. There is more to tell.' She said as she picked up her empty glass and gave it to me.
I took her glass, and drained mine. I got up and went back to the kitchen and fixed two more drinks.
'I am also homeless. I have all our possession in storage, and I have been living at a motel for the last two weeks.' She spoke up as she fidgeted with her fingers.
I came back and sat down beside her and set the drinks down on the coffee table. I tuned to her and sat back to listen.
'Dad, I am also penniless. My wages are being garnisheed to pay off the dept. he placed against the house which we lost. I can't afford a lawyer, I need a place to stay, and I am beyond treading water. I am sinking dad.' She then lifted her glass and took a sip.
'Ashley will be okay while she is away at university, thanks to your generous trust.' She paused, and then took a deep breath. 'Dad, can you put me up until I get back on my feet?' She asked.
'Of course I will let you stay. But why have you not said anything earlier before things got so bad?' I asked.
'I am ashamed. You gave me everything to prepare me for life. I am now a grown woman having to beg my father for help.'
My eyes narrowed. 'Cheryl, you never have to beg family for help. I will help you in any way I can. You just have to ask.' I tell her.
She went down to her car to retrieve her belongings. She came back with two large suit cases. The couch was a pull out couch so I set it up for myself. She would have none of that and told me in uncertain terms that she would sleep on the couch.
I took her out to dinner the first night. We had a wonderful time at an upscale restaurant. I ordered a bottle of red wine. Cheryl chatted as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. I could not help but look at her with deep adoration.
We left the restaurant feeling quite replete as we walked arm in arm back to the condo a few blocks away.
'Dad, you have taken a great burden off from me. I can't thank you enough.' She said as she pulled her self-closer to my side and pushed her head against my shoulder.
As we traveled up the elevator to the twenty second floor, she looked at me with so my love. Her eyes sparkled merrily. I smiled.
We watched some TV and around eleven I said my good night, and placed a chaste kiss on her lips.
'Sweet dreams, Cheryl.' I tell her.
'You too, dad.' She said as she prepared the couch in the room I use as as an office.
She then went to the bathroom to change and prepare herself for the night. She came out just as I came back out dress in shorts and a t-shirt, my normal sleep attire. She was dressed in a sheer black negligée and looking very beautiful and sexy. Her breasts are barely concealed behind the material, and the black panties clearly seen through the sheer material.
'Wow that is quite an outfit.' I intoned.
'Yes it is. It makes me feel beautiful...and sexy.'
'You don't need it. You are very beautiful and sexy just as you are.' I tell her.
'Aww, dad. You say the sweetest things.' She says as she stands on her toes to kiss me and then went to bed.
