Sara didn't know what to do. She sat alone on her old front porch, clutching a cashmere cardigan and a tiny, sparkly purse. A big tear splattered on her collarbone. She was aware somewhere in her muddled brain that her mascara was probably running. She didn't care, though. All she knew was that she'd never see Tony again.
Finally, Sara heard the click of the front door opening. Her father's huge shadow fell over her.
"Who's there? Sara... is that you, baby?" he asked, concern softening his gruff voice. The screen door creaked open. Sara didn't even look up. All she could do was sniffle.
"Baby? What's wrong? Do you want me to get Ally?" Ally, or Allyson, was Sara's older sister. Since their mother had run away with their accountant, Ally had provided most of the motherly advice required for raising her younger sister. Even as an independent woman, Sara still sought Ally's advice. Ally and her husband Matt were visiting their father to celebrate their daughter's first birthday, so Sara had come for her help once more.
Sara's father, Sean, placed an arm around his youngest daughter's shoulders. He felt big and warm, like home. Sara gave out another sob and nestled her head against his meaty shoulder. "Daddy!"
"Baby, please... what's wrong? Is it Tony? Where is he?" Sean asked, his concerned voice edged with anger.
Sara's sobs grew louder. The screen door opened again. Ally flew to Sara's other side. "Sara, baby... what's wrong?" She asked, her voice instantly on edge.
Sara sat up straight, fat tears streaming down her rosy cheeks. "He... I...we..." Sob. "I was at a bachelorette party this," Hiccup. "Evening and whe... when I..." Sob. "Come home... it was early 'cause," Hiccup. "Because I was feeling a little sick. And I.." Sniffle. "I wanted to see Tony before he left for his..." Sob. "For his business trip. And I... and he..." Sob. "He was in our bed with our next door neighbor when I got home!" The last part came out as a wail.
Ally put her arm around Sara and waved their father away. Sean knew when he wasn't wanted, but I still hurt to leave his daughter so unhappy. As Sara continued to sob into Ally's shoulder, the phone rang inside.
"Hello," Sean answered, wondering who would be calling at this late hour.
"Is Sara there?" It was Tony.
"Yes, no thanks to you, you asshole. Don't call her again, or I'll castrate you and make you eat your own tiny cock!" Sean slammed the receiver down, almost surprised at his own outburst. When he looked up, Allyson and Sara were standing in the doorway. In the lamplight, the runny mascara stood out against Sara's blotchy face and puffy eyes. Before he could apologize for his language, Sara burst out into giggles.
She ran to her father and threw herself into his arms, almost knocking the breath out him. "Thank you, Daddy! I'm so glad I came to you!"
Sean stroked his daughter's long blonde waves. He closed his eyes and let the memories of how close they were when she still lived with him after Ally had gotten married wash over him. How she used to curl up against him on the sofa when they watched *I Love Lucy* reruns. How she used to fall asleep with her head in his lap. How he used to carry her up to her bed. How she used to kiss him in her sleep and wrap her arms around his neck.
Another voice from the doorway woke him out of his reverie. "Ally? Where'd you go? Oh! Sara, are you okay? What's wrong?" Steve, Ally's husband, came into the room, carrying a baby bottle and looking bewildered.
Sara stepped from my embrace and threw her arms around Steve. "I'm okay, Bro, Tony's just an asshole."
From Sean's vantage point, he watched the graceful curve of his daughter's back, so like her mothers. He noticed how when she raised her arms, her tits jumped under her short top, and how they pulled her shirt to reveal a sliver of her flat tummy. He remembered scolding her as a teenager that he wouldn't allow her to mar her navel with a ring. He was glad he'd been firm. Sara was perfect.
"I could've told you that, Bean," Steve replied, having figured out what was going on. Since Ally had been five years older, and been dating Steve since her freshman year of college, Steve had been around for most of Sara's teen years. He'd even nicknamed her Bean after that little Muppet bunny, he favorite stuffed toy. He'd been like a brother to her, and knew her unhappy history with men.
Steve took Sara into the kitchen and Sean set about making up the pull-out couch bed in the den so that Sara could have his bed.
* * *
Later that night, Sean heard a floorboard creak in the kitchen. He'd gotten so used to an empty house that he immediately sat upon the sofa bed. He was startled at first to find himself in the den, but quickly shook it off and slipped out of the bed.
He walked quietly toward the kitchen and was relieved to see Sara's silhouette outlined in the light from the fridge. She was wearing an old tee shirt she dug out of an upstairs drawer. It came to mid-thigh, but she when she bent forward to reach for something in the back of the fridge Sean could see her exposed ass and the thin strip of cotton covering her slit.
Sean's cock jumped to life in his flannel pajama pants. He'd had his share of lovers since his wife had left him for their accountant, but no one aroused him as much as thoughts of Ally and Sara. Since Sara had spent so much more time with him, she occupied many of his fantasies. He'd never acted on any of them, and indeed, they shamed him. He hid his erection behind the island counter before he cleared his throat to get Sara's attention.
She jumped in front of the fridge and turned around. She held a plate of chocolate cake in her hands, which made Sean laugh. She'd always been a sucker for chocolate.
"Oh, Daddy! I'm sorry... I didn't mean to wake you!" Sara carried the cake over the island and shut the refrigerator door with her foot. It extinguished the light, except for the moonlight coming in through a large window over the sink.
Sean went to the counter and pulled two forks from a drawer, glad that his erection had eased. He rejoined Sara at the counter and they ate in silence for a few minutes.
"So, what are you going to do now, honey?"
"I don't know, Daddy. The lease on our apartment is up in two months, and since I was hoping to persuade Tony to change our lease to a six month so we could look for houses, we hadn't yet renewed. So, I can move. I really don't want to live there... too many memories." Sara answered. "And besides, I want to move into the city so I can commute to jobs by cabs and busses. Driving between Riverside, clients, stores, and contractors is killing my gas budget." Sara was an apprentice interior designer, and rapidly moving towards working on her own. Her boss was preparing to retire, and was grooming Sara to take over the business.
"I know what you mean about the gas... and the memories." Sean said, glancing around the kitchen. Soon after his wife had moved out, the country cabinets and roosters had be torn out and replaced with smooth granite and sleek appliances. Of course, Sara had helped decorate even though she'd only been eleven.
"I'm not really ready to sleep, yet, especially after all that sugar. How about you?" Sean asked after Sara put the cake dish in the sink.
"No, me either. TV Land?" Sara suggested.
