"But I don't want Paul to take me, it should be dad."
Rebecca mumbled, sat on the sofa of her 80s style living room. Her mother hadn't bothered to redecorate since being given the home by her own parents after the divorce.
"You know your father is busy, and I'm working. Besides, Paul is your new father and I expect you to treat him as such."
Her mother retorted, hands on her hips as she stood over the sofa, clearly tired of having this conversation over and over. She wasn't what the kids would call a milf, but Rebecca's mother was, more often than not, a pleasant woman. She'd had Rebecca just over eighteen years prior when she was still married to her ex-husband, Rebecca's father. In those years she'd started to let herself go. After the divorce a couple of years ago she started to try and get back in shape, until she met Paul and settled once again.
Paul, like his new partner, was far from a picture of health. He was portly and mighty hairy with the beard to match. He'd done his best to get Rebecca on his side, but no matter how much her mother tried to keep her away from him, she always wanted her biological father more. The connection between the two of them was something Paul wanted to create for himself. Rebecca hadn't even once called him dad.
The step-dad was sat across from the women on the armchair, keeping his mouth shut in case of making it worse. All of Rebecca's belongings in boxes in the centre of the room as the stand-off continued.
"But he always said he'd be there on my first day of uni."
Rebecca whined, her eyes almost pleading with her mother. Unfortunately for her mother, Rebecca had large, soft eyes that could put the saddest looking puppy dog to shame. Along with her naturally cute features she could have whatever she wanted if she put her mind to it. Rebecca didn't take many of her looks from her mother, she was petite with long brunette hair that she let flow down her shoulders. Her skin was pale, with freckles spread around her button nose.
"Well I'm afraid it's too late to argue now, it's a very long journey. Now help your father get your boxes into the car."
"He's not my dad!"
Rebecca grumbled, standing up and grabbing the box containing her clothes. She was dressed in tight black leggings and a band t-shirt she'd picked up at a local gig a few years back.
The mother looked to Paul, giving him a gentle shrug and sigh. The step-father stood up, grabbing a box himself to take out to the car.
The two of them met at the trunk but no words were exchanged, yet the glare given by Rebecca told Paul more than enough of what she was thinking. With a huff she returned a few moments later with another box, giving it to Paul to load into the minivan.
After ten minutes, that felt closer to an hour, the boxes were packed and the car started.
"Call me tonight, okay?"
The mother told Rebecca as she slipped on her sneakers. She nodded, not exactly pleased by the proposition but maybe she'll cool off after the three hour drive. Rebecca walked back past her mother and out of the front door, climbing into the passenger seat with a pout and crossed arms. With a wave from her mother, the car trundled out of the driveway and she was off to begin her uni adventure.
The first hour of the journey was spent in silence, other than the murmur of the engine and constant drone of the radio. Traffic was kind to them, for the most part, and they made pretty good time.
Looking down at the time, Paul finally spoke up. "Do you want to grab a bite to eat?" he asked, warmly. It took a few moments for Rebecca to respond, but she conceded with a nod.
A few miles down the road they pulled into a service station, it was just after lunch so it wasn't too busy. "You go grab us a seat and I'll grab the food." Paul smiled, looking down to her. She nodded once more and shuffled off to the tables. It was a quiet corner that she eventually found, sitting on the cushioned booth side of the table, leaving Paul with the wooden chair.
She sat alone for a few minutes, drumming her fingers on the table until a man a few years older than Paul, and around the same size, spotted her and walked over, sitting himself beside her, blocking her into the booth. "What's a thing like you doing here alone?" he asked, his voice and eyes both showing his perverted intentions.
"Just... waiting for a friend." Rebecca replied shyly, looking away. As she did she felt his thick fingered hand rest on her thigh below the table.
"Maybe you'd like a little companionship till then?" his hand squeezing her thigh as he said this, breath on her neck as she felt his head getting closer to hers. "Or maybe you'd rather join me instead?" his spare hand moving her hair away from her face as she tried to stay calm, but his lips were inches from her cheek.
Just as he was about to press his rough lips to her, a tray crashed down onto the table. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" a commanding voice spoke up, before suddenly the man was pulled up by his collar and pushed away. "Get out of here, before I call security." the man added as the pervert scampered off.
"Honey, are you okay?" Paul said softly, sitting down by Rebecca's side. She nodded softly but he didn't dare touch her. "I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner. That chicken just took so long to cook." he added, hoping to lighten the mood ever so slightly as he moved to the seat opposite her. She smiled a little before beginning to eat, the meal being taken in silence just as the car ride was.
Twenty minutes later the two of them were back in the car, radio back on as they returned to the motorway. "Thanks... for earlier..." Rebecca finally spoke up a few minutes onto the road.
"Listen, if I ever want you to think of me as somewhat of a father, I can't stand idly by at that."
Rebecca smiled softly at that as she gave him a small side look, as he turned to her her eyes quickly darted back to the road. "I hope you don't find it rude to ask. But why were you so certain on your father coming today?"
"I guess... I guess I was just always closer to him that mum. He'd take me to all the extra classes, come to my recitals. He always told me how much he wanted to be there on the day it finally all came together."
Paul nodded, listening intently.
