âWhat do you mean, we should get her a car?!â Violet demanded.
Honey!â Jim pleaded in frustration, âShe is always late for curfew and we have to drive her everywhere.â
âNo, she doesnât deserve it.â
Jim sighed. He would give up the fight for now but he couldnât let word of this get out. According to his prenuptial agreement if he was caught in adultery, he would lose everything. If he had his own wealth and didnât need his wifeâs he would have left so long ago.
Jim grabbed the bottle of whiskey from the coffee table and started for the stairwell.
âI am going to lay downâ he muttered, âmy head hurts.â
He lay upon the bed and thought about his situation. How did he let this happen? He was a man; he needed sex and hadnât been getting it from his wife. He thought about his daughter and how she must have hated him to do something like this. He also thought about the way she had smelled, so innocent and sweet, and how good it had been to be between her thighs. He shook his head in regret, but images of her tight body and her head thrown back in cries of passion poisoned his mind.
Jimâs eyes fluttered open a few hours later. He must have fallen asleep. He heard mumbles of a conversation down the hall. It sounded like his daughterâs voice. It struck fear in his chest. Was she telling her mother? He tiptoed silently to her door, which was only open a small crack. He saw his daughter standing in the room, practically shouting in a whisper to an unseen face.
âI did!â she yelled, âI fucked him like you wanted!â
Jim was startled but waited for a reply.
âI know dear, but he canât find out that I have been with another man either. If my family found out I would lose everything! You would lose everything.â
The words hit him like a blow to his chest. No wonder she was never interested in him. But why she was she so scared? Nothing would happen to her, why didnât she just divorce him? There must be something else to it.
âYou promised me a carâ Anna said angrily, ânot to mention to set me up financially.â
âWe have to let you bring his affair into light and the only way is to refuse the car for now otherwise he might suspect something.â her mother explained.
Jim fought the urge to burst through the door and confront his cheating wife and her co-conspirator but he held back. He felt an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach and decided to venture back to his room before he was noticed.
Jim waited in his room for about another half an hour contemplating all his choices. He didnât know what he would do but he would definitely get his revenge.
He headed down stairs and saw Anna sitting in the living room, with a piece of paper in her hand, her mother sitting across from her. Jim tried his best to hide his anger.
âHi Daddyâ she said cheerfully. âCan you sign this?â She handed him the paper.
âWhat is it?â he questioned.
âItâs a permission slip for my senior tripâ, she explained. âI already had mom sign it.â
He looked it over. They would be gone for two weeks on a cruise to the Virgin Islands. How appropriate he thought.
âSure, fineâ he said and scribbled his name along side his wifeâs. âHave a good time.â
Jim looked at his wife. âI need to go to the office for a little while honey, I should be home in about an hour.
He left in silence and drove to Deuces.
He entered the crowded, smoke filled bar at glanced around for Sheila. She was sitting at the bar in her usual spot wearing a short red dress and black stockings. He walked up to her side and sat down.
âOh, god. I am so sorry!â a tear formed at the corner of her eye. âI had no idea, honest. This is all my fault!â
He slammed his hand down on the bar. âShe knew Sheila! That fucking bitch knew the whole time.â
âWhat?â she gasped.
âMy wife paid that little bitch to set me up so she could divorce me and take everything.â
She wrapped an arm around him in a supportive hug. âIâm so sorry!â she whispered. âWhat are you going to do?â
âI am not sure but can you help me with something?â he asked.
âWhat do I have to do?â
Two days laterâŠ
Anna finished packing her things and set her bags by the back door. She looked at he father who was pouring himself a cup of coffee.
âI better have that car by the time I get back or she gets told everythingâ she threatened.
âYouâll get the damn car!â he said hostilely. âHow about a cup of coffee before you leave he offered.
âSure, whateverâ she shrugged
âDonât forget your permission slipâ he reminded.
âShit, I left it upstairs!â She turned and trotted up to her room to get the slip.
Jim took out a bag from his pocket filled with a powdery substance. He had taken some heavy pain killers from his medicine cabinet and crushed them up very finely. He poured its contents into a cup and stirred in hot coffee until it was dissolved. Then he shoved the baggy back in his pocket.
Anna came bounding through the door with the slip. She was wearing cutoff jeans shorts and a tight fitting yellow tank top. He handed her the cup and she sipped its contents slowly. She sat on the bar stool and yawned. Jim continued to sip at his cup while he made small talk with his daughter. Her eyes started to droop and she yawned again. He only needed to stall her a few more minutes. She laid her head on the top of the bar and closed her eyes. In about ten minutes she was deep in slumber. Jim walked to the phone hanging by the refrigerator and dialed the school.
âHello, Mrs. Peterson? This is Jim Palmer, Annaâs father. I am afraid she wonât be able to make the Senior Class trip. She isnât feeling well.â He paused while the woman expressed her concern.
âI know she was really looking forward to it but if it is something more serious she will be too far away from medical attention. Ok, you too. Byeâ
He hung up and carried his daughterâs bags and placed them in the trunk of his car. Then he scooped up his drugged daughter and laid her in the back seat and drove to Sheilaâs house.