Daughter and daddy's unfathomable journey begins.
(The story set in India. No character is underage. There is no resemblance to any living person.)
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I had spent my childhood in Delhi, completing my schooling in a reputed institute, and under the guidance and care of my mother. Honestly, absence of one's father, in those formative years, was a detraction that I could hardly reconcile myself with. Divorced parents, as always, seriously effects any child and I was no exception.
Thankfully, neither of my parents married again, had decided to stay separately but, at the same, ensured that their children grew up properly and in comfort. My father stayed in Mumbai during this period while we stayed in Delhi. But he would make trips to our place to see his children and see our progress as we grew up, although such visits were not as frequent as I would have wanted.
It was only after I had appeared in the Class XII of the CBSE, when I was almost eighteen, that my parents mutually decided that I was big enough to decide with whom to stay. I decided to go and stay with Daddy in Mumbai. Particularly, there was a possibility that I would be able to get admitted in one of the best colleges in Mumbai and it would result in my being required to stay in that city in any case. I was almost eighteen and would soon decide for myself on matters concerning my life.
I had flown in to Mumbai just a day before my eighteenth birthday, overjoyed at the freedom and the chance to stay with Daddy at his spacious apartment. He always had a soft corner for me and I knew I would have the best time of my life.
When he received me at the airport he couldn't hide his surprise at seeing how I had grown into a 'lovely lady,' for that was what he had said, after the last time he had seen me in Delhi. I too felt happy to see him standing in front of me, the man who I admired the most. He was certainly charming, suave and had that aura in the way he carried himself.
Frankly, I had looked forward to my eighteenth birthday, supposedly the day I would be a lady, or so I was told. I had just passed out of school and was on the verge of being admitted into college in a few months. Daddy had said that he was planning to hold a party, befitting the occasion, and about twenty to thirty guests from the rich and affluent, were in his list. I wondered what present for me he had in mind, for he was always indulgent and extravagant whenever I was involved. Equally, there were moments when he scared me as well, and that was when he was a strict disciplinarian and wouldn't hesitate to punish me for my own good, of course, as he always said.
My birthday morning began with a warm wish from Daddy and a big hug before he looked at me and said, "Get ready sweetie, I have a gift for you all packed and ready. But, we will have to go out for that."
Even with my expectations, I was taken by surprise at the extraordinary gift that he showered. But I had to wait a while before I got to see what was that gift!
I dressed in a cream-colored pleated skirt that came up to my knees and a sleeveless floral silk blouse that I tucked into my skirt. I wore a fancy white belt over the skirt. I preferred wearing a chemise just below this dress and underneath, well you know, a girl's undergarments - white knickers that protected my girlhood and a plain cotton bra that covered my perky 32B breasts.
Funny thing was that many of my friends had already started wearing appealing panties and yet, I could never do so but stick to the traditional knickers. Besides, I always felt shy to wear a bra, as if the outlines were visible to everyone, but still I had taken over to wearing this, once the swelling on my chest had begun and the pair was becoming increasingly obvious. I wore a pair of strapped sandals to go with my casual dress.
I knew that I would soon have to gradually change into jeans from skirts. Sarees also were a good choice for the formal dress and I loved it when someone wore it nicely. Even lehenga caught my fancy. I was grown up now and wondered what would be appropriate to wear for the evening party. I didn't even know if I would have to wear a saree that evening in my birthday party. I was really in a phase of transition - from girlhood to being transformed into a woman.
Sitting beside Daddy as he drove, I simply couldn't hide my curiosity. I went on pestering him, asking repeatedly what gift he had in mind. And he only had a twitching smile at the corner of his mouth. He looks so handsome when he smiles that I melt and forget everything! Finally, he just patted my thighs in affection and said, "Baby, you know your Daddy. He'll have something splendid for his little girl...something that should bring a smile on her face."
Almost an hour after we had left our house, the car drove up a boulevard, lined with big and elegant trees and cottages or houses on both sides. It was a very quiet neighborhood. At the end of the road, we came and stood at an unbelievably cute and beautiful house. Daddy casually kept whistling a tune as he came out of the car and placing the car keys in his jacket, took out a key ring that had a few keys bunched together. He handed over the set just as we stood at the door of this enviable house and, with a soft kiss on my cheeks, smiled at me. I looked at the key ring holding the keys and couldn't hide my glee when I saw a heart made of silver with my name engraved on it.
"Your gift, my sweet girl!" he said.
I looked at the writings on the heavy wooden door of that heavenly house. Engraved on it were the words, "BEEHIVE" which, I thought, was a lovely name for a sweet house if you realize that it only gives honey in the end.
"Daddy," I exclaimed in a voice that didn't hide the sheer excitement and joy that had engulfed me, "Oh! My god! It's such a lovely house. And the name is so sweet!"
"Yes baby. Our house...or, better still, your house. It's a daddy's birthday gift to a daughter on her becoming of age," as he pecked me on the cheek again.
Daddy helped me open the door, and I ran in like a little girl although I was now eighteen and a grownup girl who should be curbing her impetuousness. It was so beautiful and, to top it, fully furnished with the latest designs and equipped with brand new upholstery too. The sprawling living room - big enough to hold a party, was decked for the evening already. There were a few rooms on the ground floor, guest rooms, I thought to myself. The kitchen was as big as you can imagine. The three toilets had the latest designs. I ran up the spiral staircase, as Daddy just went on smiling at my childish behavior. Upstairs, there were three bedrooms visible, all big enough to hold a herd. Each had attached toilets and bath. By now, daddy had come up and stood beside me.
