** I request and appreciate your feedback. I found an awesome editor who could only do so much to edit my poor writing skills ""
Tabby love
___________
Fighting a losing battle with cancer, Tabatha's mom's words to her were, "Your father is a good man. He has sacrificed his life loving and caring for me, and being a dad. Promise me you will keep him happy and joyous."
Tabby, as her dad called her, was 20 years old then. After her mom passed, her dad mourned her loss for almost a year. Robert "Bobby" Winslow was a man full of life, humor, and protective of his family. Being the only child, Tabby took her promise seriously. She was determined to do everything possible to keep her word to her mom.
Two years later, she took time off from work to visit her father. Bobby came to the airport with his best friend, Chris Peterson, and his daughter, Amy, to pick her up. Amy was a year younger than Tabby and was one of her closest best friends. Chris was recently divorced and single.
As they loaded her bags into the car, Bobby, Amy, and Chris took turns giving her warm, welcoming hugs and took their seats. Chris's hug, as he caressed her back, felt extended compared to her dad's and Amy's, but Tabby didn't pay much attention to it.
Driving home, Bobby asked Tabby, "Are you hungry, sweetie!" Before she could answer, Amy teased her, "Yes, sweetie! are you hungry? Look at Bobby going all lovey-dovey on his girl." Tabby wondered what ever happened to Amy calling him "Bobby" now. Her dad and Chris didn't seem to mind.
"Yeah! Let's get something to eat. I'm famished." Bobby parked the car in the garage leading to an all-American restaurant. Chris and he walked ahead. They were of similar height, six feet, and body frames. Chris was blond-headed, and Bobby's hair was silver-grey.
Amy, walking beside her, asked, "Aren't they handsome men?"
"Who?"
"Bobby and my dad!"
There she went again, calling him Bobby.
Amy was inches taller than Tabby. Her breasts were larger than Tabby's, too. Her white blouse was transparent enough to show that she wore a black bra size smaller than what was needed to hold her voluptuous breasts up. Tabby observed that Amy had bloomed and matured since her mom's funeral.
Bobby drew the chair out to seat Tabby, "My beautiful, precious girl. So good to see you." Tabby, a bit embarrassed, smiled as she sat down. Amy sat opposite Bobby; and Chris sat staring at Tabby while peering down her chest.
Throughout dinner, Bobby was himself. He reminisced about his late wife, and at one point, shared that his wife had been a loud sleeper and woken herself with her snoring. Just when the laughter died down, he added that she used to fart when they made love. Chris and Amy were almost rolling on the floor laughing. Tabby was red-faced and self-conscious that her dad was sharing those intimate details. However, she was delighted to see her dad smile again and see some of his past humor returning.
"Oh! I miss her so much."
Both Tabby and Amy extended their hand on his to comfort him.
Tabby resented Amy's bond with her father. She felt Chris's hand on her back, "There! There! We all miss your mom," Chris said while looking for opportunities to touch Tabby as often as possible.His fingers moved to trace the bra line on her back. She turned to see him avoiding her eyes.
The drive home, after dinner, was a silent. Things were not the same anymore. Her dad and Amy had bonded in more than one way, and Chris to appeared to be her dad's confidant.
Tired, Tabby wanted to rest and get some time alone with her dad. To her surprise, he invited Chris and Amy to spend the weekend with them. Controlling her emotions, she hid her disappointment well from her dad and responded, "Yeah! That's a good idea. A winter storm is predicted, and we may be snowed in."
Having four bedrooms in the house helped. Bobby showed Chris and Amy their rooms, Tabby joined her dad in the kitchen for a nightcap.
"I can't believe so much time has passed. How are you coping?" Tabby asked.
He smiled, sipping his 21-year-old scotch, "It was tough initially. Chris and Amy have helped a lot." She wondered how they helped. "How about you?"
"I think of you and Mom often. I've been immersed in my work with little time for anything else."
"Seeing anyone?"
She didn't expect that question, "No one at the moment. I have little time to socialize."
"We all need company. Mom wouldn't like it."
Father and daughter continued talking for a while. After finishing his drink, Bobby kissed her forehead, "Get some rest. We can spend some quality time together tomorrow."
She was already happy to be home. They walked up the stairs, each retiring to their rooms. Tabby's body smelled like a lavender flower, after showering before bed.In her purple transparent negligee, she pulled the white duvet over her and fell asleep.