Chapter Two: Good Kitty
When I awoke, I tried pretending it was a dream. My head was screaming, my mouth tasting like unwashed teeth and scotch. I laid still as long as I could; minutes, hours, I couldn't tell. When I heard Julia busy down in the kitchen I had a crazy thought to stay in my room for the rest of my life. But of course I couldn't do that, and I knew I couldn't just ignore my daughter either.
I went downstairs slowly, my heart racing again, causing a pounding in my ears, and my head and body protesting the entire way. I was hungover, ashamed. My feet carried me to the kitchen, dressed in a tshirt and shorts, and when I crossed the threshold, I couldn't quite look Julia in the eyes.
"Morning daddy!" she said in that wonderful sing-song voice. She was making breakfast: coffee, eggs, toast, and bacon. Dressed in long cotton jammies and an old shirt of mine from 20 years ago, she didn't appear to be angry, awkward, or hungover. I resented her for that last part.
"Listen, Julia..." I started the sentence, my voice cracked, not like a teen hitting puberty, but like a tired old man.
"Coffee," she cut across me and placed a big cup of black, bold coffee before me on the little dining table, barely big enough for two.
"Thank you, sweetheart," I blew on it and took a sip. It felt good to have that hot feeling spread through my chest to the rest of my body. I snapped more awake, determined to talk to Julia.
"About last night," I knew it sounded cliche, like the name of a stupid romantic comedy, but Julia cut across me again, a big bright smile on her face as she slid a plate of delicious food before me.
"You're determined not to talk to me about it, are you?" I asked, feeling exasperated, trying to find some sort of redemption. What would make it alright, though, really? I was drunk? I was hard as chinese algebra? I didn't know what I would say, but I had to say something. I had to try to make it right.
"What is there to talk about?" she said in a suddenly stern, matter-of-fact tone. She sounded like her mom, and just like her mom, before I could respond she was talking again.
"I was wetter than I have ever been. Sopping wet. Sucking your dick got me hot, but pulling my cum soaked panties on had me like a dog in heat. I went back to my room, licked your cum off my underwear and fingered myself until I had the most intense orgasm I've ever had. In. My. Life. That's all there is to it, dad," she said the whole thing with that same sassy, bossy tone, not looking at me directly, but out the kitchen window. It was probably for the best, because my mouth must have been near my feet.
The twitch, as I'd start calling it after that moment, was when Julia brought my penis from flaccid to God-Bless-America hard in the space of a few moments. And she definitely gave the the twitch here.
There was silence as we both ate; me struggling between being profoundly hungover, amazingly turned on, and incredibly ashamed of myself. Julia looked thoughtful.
"I need to go back to Ames to finalize my schedule. Can I borrow your car dad?" her soft voice brought me from my stupor, and I looked at this young woman, whom I loved like I never had another woman for reasons very different than I had ever loved another woman.
"Of course. I really should get some work done anyway," I answered. She smiled, kissed my forehead as I sat in my chair of pain and shame, and headed back to her room. I cleaned the kitchen, taking longer than I normally would have, because my brain was ailing. Julia returned downstairs about half an hour later as I sat at the table working on my second cup of coffee.
She was so lovely, even without trying. She wore very light eyeliner, just enough to bring out those striking blue eyes. Her hair was down, the curls going whatever way they wanted. She was wearing a light red sundress and sneakers. Maybe in that moment I fell in love, but it's hard to say.
"I'll try to be back for dinner," she said lightly, grabbing my keys from the key hanger I had put up by the door.
"Are we okay?" I asked, gently grabbing her hand as she was halfway out the door into the dry, cool Iowa summer day.
"Right as rain," she was sing-song again and pulling out in the car before I could find a response.
I moved as a ghost about the house, changing, brewing yet more coffee, and gathering my files. Just as I had sat myself down at my computer, I had flashbacks of my baby girl, my beloved daughter sucking my dick like a champ. My cell went off.
"Oh, God," I wondered briefly how many times I would say those words this week. It was Julia's mother, though the caller ID said, 'Cunt.'
"Hello Lily," I answered, trying to sound as flat as possible. I knew Julia hadn't said anything, because Lily wasn't screaming the moment I put the phone to my ear.
"Brent. How's Julie doing?" she was as blunt as she had ever been in the last 20 cold years.
"She's at ISU now, finalizing her classes. Amazing how bright she's turned out. They're gonna pay for quite a lot," I couldn't help but feel pride and warmth, though none of it had anything to do with Lily.
"I want her home for any breaks she has, Brent. You already get her for most of the school year," straight to the point, this woman.
"Well I think she can decide that for herself, don't you Lil? I won't stop her, but I'm not forcing anything. How's Dick?" the conversation was dull and forced, but I at least tried to keep things cordial.
"His name is Richard, and you know that Brent. I've been telling you that for the last ten years. Have her call me," Lily said. I would have told her to call herself, but she had hung up before I could say anything.
"What a bitch," I yawned took another sip of coffee. After having so much, I needed the restroom. There was only one in the house, my biggest lament of the purchase. It was across the hall from my room. At least it was a full bath, I thought as I opened the door. I did my business, playing some stupid game on my phone. After washing I turned to finally get to work and found a note taped to the inside of the door.
"Dear Daddy,
I'm sure you'll be bored while I'm at school, so I've made you this scavenger hunt!"
Just like that I was transported 15 years in the past; little Julia at school leaving me scavenger hunts for silly things like different colored crayons, or cards from her favorite trading card game. Back then Lily and I had been trying to make it work, but it was doomed to fail and these cute, innocent notes from my daughter had helped make my day.
But this note was different, and far from the innocent little hunts from her younger days.
Cat Ears
