"Even if I said yes, your mother will say no. So, forget it."
She stared at me with those puppy-dog eyes, and I could feel myself weakening, but looked away before she got the tears working.
I hated when she came over unannounced, just rang the bell, or worse, let herself in with her key. This time she almost caught me lathering up my seven inches of fun to a porn movie, The Old Man and the Girl Scout, a classic.
I had managed to stop the DVD and get some clothes on, before she walked in, now sitting in shorts and a tee shirt, trying not to make eye-contact with my 18 year old daughter, who, by the way, didn't have much clothing on herself, seeing that it was June and ninety degrees. Long smooth legs, tanned, athletic, sat atop well-defined hips, not skinny like so many nowadays, but not fat either. Her thin white top was practically see-thru, and she wore no bra, showing off those young mounds with projecting nipples. Topped by a full head of unruly blond hair.
"Daddy! If it's the money, I have some saved!"
"I'd give you the money, but your mom ain't gonna let it happen! No way are you traveling cross-country with that band for the summer!"
"You know, I'm 18! I can do whatever I want!"
"Of course you can, Lisa, but where are you gonna live when you come back? And she controls your college money. What about school in September?"
"I could always move in here, with you..."
That made me look at her, and she smiled. "Don't worry, Daddy, I'd hate to cramp your style, with all the Chippies you have around here. And just by threatening that, Mom would take me back. She hates the thought of you winning."
"If you have it all figured out, why are you here?"
She drew silent, which wasn't like Lisa. My baby girl, so pretty, so smart, so loving... Stop thinking like that, I told myself.
Finally. she spoke. "Do you remember when you told me you were moving out? I was like 13 then."
"Twelve," I corrected.
"We sat on my bed, and I told you I loved you, and you said you'd always love me?"
Here she goes, getting to my soft spot. I sat next to her on the couch. "I will always love you, honey, no matter what happens. You know that."
"Well, I made myself a promise then, and I've kept it, waiting for the right time. I thought maybe when I turned 18, or then after I graduated, but nothing ever happened."
"Lisa, I don't follow you."