I guess it tends to sneak up on a guy - his daughter growing up. One day they're all knees and elbows and dolls and tea parties, and the next thing you know, they've got boobs and they're shaving their legs and putting on makeup and you think, "Wow, where did the last 18 years go?"
The fact that Mandy was legally an adult didn't really hit me until the day of her 18th birthday, which also happened to be the day of her high school graduation. I think reality began to set in for both of us that day.
I'd gone to her mother's house (we've been divorced for several years) for the big combination graduation and birthday celebration. All her friends arrived late, all her family arrived early. I guess that's pretty typical.
Eventually all the guests had arrived but there'd been no sign of Mandy. My ex said she'd gone upstairs to get ready, which she said meant getting into a more casual mode of dress than what she'd worn with her cap and gown earlier. So, in the meantime we all conversed and snacked. The recent grads talked about their upcoming summer; the adults talked about how fast they grow up.
It was all pretty predictable until I looked up and saw Mandy coming down the stairs toward the open family room/kitchen where all were gathered. The moment I saw her, I think I gasped a bit, for my daughter was an absolute vision of beauty and exuded a sexual energy I'd never noticed before that moment.
She was wearing a pleated black mini skirt, a white button-down blouse and strappy high heels that showed off her perfect little feet. Her legs were smooth and perfect, and it looked like she'd decided to skip the bra, because the nipples of her little A-cup titties were clearly announcing their presence. She'd also foregone her usual pigtails/ponytail look, choosing instead to brush straight her silky dark, shoulder-length hair. Her head was adorned with a white headband that kept her hair tucked behind her pierced ears.
This was certainly no child anymore! But in spite of the air of sophistication she was trying to present, there was still a youthful innocence about her, and I suddenly wondered if she was a virgin, and surprised myself at the feeling of jealousy that followed. Even more surprising was the stimulation I was sensing in my loins at the sight of this beautiful girl.
"Stop it!" I chided myself, "That's your daughter!"
The party was a success with gifts galore for the birthday girl/graduate, and when the last of the guests had finally left, she kissed me on the cheek and said she'd go up and finish packing and be right back down.
The plan was for her to spend the summer with me while she worked the part-time job I'd gotten for her at my office, while she saved up some pocket money prior to going off to college in the fall.
While she was upstairs finishing her packing, her mother and I chatted.
"I'm a little worried about her, you know." said Deborah, my ex.
"You are? Why? She seems to have her act pretty well together for someone her age. Her grades were top-notch, she's got an academic scholarship..."
"That's not what I mean," she said, "It's like... how do I say this? She, uh, masturbates. A lot."
I burst out with something that was a combination of a laugh and a choke, "She what?"
"Don't laugh, you haven't been here so you don't know. I mean a lot! I hear it from time to time and it's usually more than once a day. I don't know if she's still a virgin, but I assume she is, which believe it or not actually worries me a bit as well."
"Ok, now I'm confused. You're worried because you think she IS a virgin?" I asked.
"Hear me out. For one thing," she said, "She's never had a boyfriend or even showed any interest in anyone her age. Whenever I bring it up, she just says, 'Ha! Boys. Not interested.' Now wait, before you ask, I thought the same thing; maybe she likes girls. So I asked her once if that was the case and do you know what she said?"
I merely tilted my head to let her continue.
"She said, 'Maybe a little, but mostly I like men.' Men! She didn't say boys, Jerry. She said 'men.'"
