Sammys Birthday 1

Rain drops hit the windscreen as I rolled into the driveway. The car grinded to a halt and a clunk. "Shit" I exclaimed, staring up at the black clouds, they didn't seem nearly as harmless as the weather chick said they'd be. I dashed out with a newspaper over my head and slammed the clunky car door behind me, rushing up the steps and fumbling the keys in my hands. The door swung wide open as I kicked off my boots and closed the door behind me.

"Daddy!"

My daughter launched herself at me, wrapping her slender arms around my midriff as she pushed me back a pace.

"Happy Birthday, Sammy" I said softly with a smile. She was wearing her short black dress, wavy brown hair bouncing all over the place.

"Awwh, you remembered!"

"Of course I remembered, how could I forget? The big 18 huh?"

"Scary, isn't?" she gleamed, blue eyes staring up at me "I'm not your 'little' girl anymore."

"Sweetie, you'll always be my little girl"

I broke the hug and kissed her forehead before she skipped off down the hall.

"Hey honey, how was your day?" My wife Mandy walked through the passage to greet me. She was all dressed up and damn did she look good. At 37; petite, brunette, blue-eyed and still rocking a perky C rack in her red 'look at my great ass' dress.

"Yeah alright, busy though. James got the axe today."

"Your poker buddy, James?"

"Yeah." I said apathetically

"Crap... how'd he cope with it."

"He'd been expecting it. He got that job with BUA lined up just in case."

"Oh, good. Dinner's almost up, so put something nice on. Sam's orders." she chuckled.

I wandered into our room and stripped off my slightly damp work clothes. I walked over to the wardrobe, picking out my best suit and shirt, throwing them on hurriedly as to not keep my girls waiting. A comb through the hair and a little cologne, classy. My gaze in the mirror interrupted by Mandy's nightly "Dinner's up!" call. I walked down to the kitchen and sat at the table, Mandy prepping the plates behind me.

"Damn Daddy, you look so handsome." she said cheekily.

"Thanks," I laughed. " you look quite beautiful yourself, birthday girl." She sat there blushing like crazy, looking anywhere but at me. She always did seem to get all giggly when I called her beautiful.

"You look pretty fucking hot too mum" she piped up again.

"Samantha! Language at the table!" She scolded

"She's got a point, Mandy." I rarely ever helped Mandy with the parenting in these situations, as it was far more entertaining to make it a little worse.

"Well... Thank you Sam." She let out a smile. "Less colourful language next time please."

"Yes Mum" She giggled.

Sammy sat at the head of the dining table with the biggest sweetest grin on her face just as Mandy placed her plate down in front of her. Fish Fingers and mashed potatoes. Simple but tasty. It was her favourite, and anything goes on Sammy's birthday.

We all scoffed down our meal and cleaned it off with a few drinks. Of course Sam had drunk alcohol before but tonight was her first legal one. She had good taste in booze, she preferred a cold Jack Daniel's like me. Before we knew it a couple hours had passed as we chatted about various little topics of conversation, embarrassing her more than a few times along the way. After Sam polished off her glass, her eyes opened wide as if she'd just remembered something dreadfully important.

"Oh my god the presents! What'd you get me!?"

Mandy and I both let out a laugh at her sudden excitement.

"They're in the Lounge Room by the fire." I said as she scurried off happily to the other room.

She was sitting on the couch quietly with a grin from ear to ear, her presents on either side of her. Mandy and I sat next to her, moving the 3 gifts just enough to sit comfortably.

"Open your mother's gift first baby." I said with a smile.

She took the flat bowed box and ripped into it with vigour. Her eyes grew wide as she looked shockingly at Mandy.

"Mum! Oh my god!" She held up a pair of silky black lace panties with the matching bra to suit, her jaw dropped. I'm not sure if it was because she was glad or because her mother just gave her damn sexy lingerie.

"I know how much you like black and I also know how bad you've wanted some nice lingerie to wear." Mandy said, with a sly little smile.

"Thank you so much mum... Oh my god." She let out an embarrassed giggle which got her face as red as a tomato.

"Now this one is from both me and your father." Mandy passed over a small card with the generic 'Happy 18th' on the front. Sammy opened it as two $100 notes fell out onto her lap. She squealed in delight and thanked the both of us before reading the card.

"Don't spend that all at once kiddo. This last one's from me, hope you like it."

I passed over a long thin box wrapped in a silk bow. She looked at me cautiously, not knowing what to expect. As she opened it, her hand came up to cover her mouth. A silver-plated diamond necklace that I spent half a weeks wage on sat daintily in the box with a small note in the middle. She picked up the small piece of paper with shocked silence. It read:

Happy Birthday Sammy, my little girl

Ever since the day you were born,

I knew you were special.

That day, you became the most cherished thing I could ever have.

I could not ask for anything more than to come home to your glowing smile

And your great big hugs whenever I feel down

I am so proud of you.

You are the best part of every day I live

And I will love you forever, unconditionally, till the day I die.

Forever and always

Your Daddy

She sat there for a minute, not saying a word. Tears began to form in her eyes.

"Sammy... Do you like the necklace sweetie?" I said with growing worry.

The tears broke and she began to cry uncontrollably. She dropped the necklace holding the note in her hand as she ran to her room and shut the door. Mandy and I looked at each other in total shock and awe, not sure how to even begin to react.

"I got this one, Mandy. I'll see if I can sort this out..." I said with calm resolve. Last thing I needed was for Mandy to get upset too. What did I get wrong? I thought it was a nice necklace, it looked pretty enough in the shop window. Was it too cheap? Too out of date? Was it a shitty colour? I slowly walked down the hall to Sammy's room and knocked quietly on the door.

"Sammy? Baby? Are you okay? If the necklace was shit, I can just return it and get you a new one. Please don't cry Sammy. Look we can go first thing tomorrow morning and pick out a-"

The door flew open. Sammy grabbed my shoulders and kissed my lips. She pressed her tight black dress up against my body kissing me harder and pulling me towards her room. My hands found her waist and I almost began to kiss back as I realized what I was doing. I was standing there, dressed black tie head to toe, as my 18 year old bombshell of a daughter was pressing her sweet strawberry lips into mine, her hands all over my body, begging to be kissed back. My common sense prevailed as I pulled away, looking her deep in eye, in complete silence, my eyes wide and confused.

She looked up at me and with the look a daughter should never give her father and said softly "I love you Daddy..."

I looked back at her and replied "I love you too, baby girl." I'm surprised I managed to even move anything after I slipped into a state of shock. She quietly closed the door, leaving me standing there motionless in white. "Happy Birthday Sammy..." I whispered to myself as I walked lifeless up to my bedroom. I collapsed onto my side of the bed. Mandy rolled over and asked if Sam was okay. All I could muster to say was "She'll be alright." The real question was would I be.