You'll Accompany Me
A daughter helps her father secure a business deal.
Jessica, "Jess" Chambers, parked her car and walked towards the house. At twenty-three, Jess still lived at home with her parents. Her Dad Glenn and her Mum Andrea, liked having Jess at home. She had the freedom to come and go as she pleased, providing Jess wasn't drinking and driving or taking drugs, they let her live her life.
Jess was looking forward to the weekend, a chance to unwind after a busy week. The house was strangely quiet, normally her mother would be cooking dinner and talking to her father. Jess looked and saw her Dad sitting at the table, he was staring at a piece of paper in his hand.
"What's up Dad? Where's Mum?" Glenn looked up, a sad, hurt look on his face. "What's wrong? Is Mum hurt? Is she ill?" Jess was starting to panic.
"No, she's not hurt or ill." Glenn muttered. "She's left me."
"She's what! What do you mean, she's left you?"
"This note says she has fallen in love with someone else, she has moved out and wants a divorce."
"May I?" Jess asked, holding her hand out for the note. Glenn passed her the note, he stared at the table as Jess read it. "What the hell is this? I'm guessing you had no idea, after all she acted normal last night at dinner."
Glenn looked up and sighed. "I had no idea, until i read her note. The divorce papers are in this envelope." Glenn tapped the table. "She's not asking for anything, she has taken what she wants and moved out during the day."
Jess grabbed her mobile phone. "Please Jess, leave it. You know she won't change her mind."
"No she won't. But that doesn't mean she's not getting a piece of mine." Jess punched in her Mum's number, she tapped her foot as she waited for Andrea to answer. Glenn sat and waited for hell to break loose.
"Don't you hello dear me. What the hell is with the note you left Dad?" Jess yelled into the phone.
Glenn could just about hear his estranged wife, he was unable to make out what she was saying.
"So you meet someone else and just piss off without a word. What did Dad do to deserve this?
The look on Jess's face worried Glenn.
"You've traded up for money and an easy life, you had that here. I can't remember the last time you worked, unless you count your one day in the charity office as work. So who is this person?
"What do you mean it doesn't matter, it matters to me. So who the hell is he?"
Jess stood shaking her head, clearly she was pissed off with her mother. "Okay fine, have it your way. Don't tell me who it is, I couldn't give a shit anyway."
"Watch my language. I'll tell you what mother, these are my final words to you. Fuck you and the horse you rode in on. Don't bother calling me ever again, you bitch!" Jess cut the call.
"Feel better now?" Glenn asked.
"No, not really. It's a good job she's not here, i would have slapped her so hard."
"She's still your mother, Jess."
"Not anymore. She left you, she left me as well. She wants to piss off with some rich git, she can go. I will never speak to her again. I was going to have a glass of wine after dinner. Right now dinner can wait, i need a drink." Jess poured two glasses of wine, she pushed one towards her Dad.
"I'm sorry Dad, really I am. You don't deserve this shit." Jess took hold of her Dad's hand.
Glenn nodded. "I'll sign the papers and send them back. Hopefully we can sort this mess out quickly."
"I'll make a start on cooking dinner, I'm just going to get out of these work clothes." Jess dashed upstairs, inside she was fuming with her mother, she didn't want her Dad to see how pissed off she was.
Jess cooked them both a light meal, her Dad wasn't in the mood to eat. Jess made sure he ate something. Glenn looked over the divorce papers for a second time as Jess washed the dishes, he signed them and put them back in the return envelope.
"I have some work to do. I'm going to finish it and have an early night." Glenn headed upstairs to his home office. Jess watched him walk away. She shook her head, she had never seen her Dad looking so down. Quietly she cursed her mother for walking out. Jess watched some TV and finished the bottle of wine, feeling tired she headed off to bed. She noticed the light on in her Dad's office, she peered around the door. Glenn was asleep in his chair.
"Dad, wake up." Jess gently shook her Dad.
"Hmm, what? Oh sorry I must have nodded off." Glenn mumbled.
"Come on Dad, go to bed. Sleeping in the chair is not good for you. Get a good night's sleep, I'll see you in the morning." Jess watched Glenn go to his bedroom, she went to her room. Laying in bed Jess shed a few tears, they were for her Dad. She was still angry with her mother, too angry to cry for her leaving.
Glenn was asleep when Jess woke up, she let him sleep in. After showering Jess left a note saying she had gone shopping. Jess knew she would have to pick up some of the things her mother used to do, shopping, laundry and cooking. As she strolled around the supermarket everything she picked off the shelves reminded her of her mother, her plight wasn't helped when a friend recognised her.
"Hello Jess. It's unusual to see you here, is your Mum ill?" The woman asked.
"No she's not ill, she left my Dad for someone with more money."
"Oh I am sorry. If you see her, tell her I asked after her."
"If I see her I am likely to tear her head off!" Jess replied as she continued shopping.
Glenn heard Jess pull up outside the house, he went out to help carry the bags indoors. When the shopping was put away Glenn made them a coffee. "You didn't have to do the shopping, I could have done it myself."
"I don't mind, Dad. I know I am going to have to pick up some stuff she used to do." Glenn noticed the bitterness in his daughter's voice.
"I am capable, you know?"
"I know. But we have to work together now that she's not here. I'll do the shopping, cooking and laundry. You can do the dishes after dinner and help with the housework." Jess replied.
"Yes sir." Glenn stood up and mocked a salute. Smiling, he walked over and hugged Jess. "Thank you, I do appreciate you helping out."
Father and daughter got into a routine very easily. After a month Glenn seemed a lot happier, Jess was pleased to see him smile occasionally. Jess visited her grandmother to see how she was coping, Elsie was angry that her daughter, Andrea had abandoned her family for money.
"I don't know if your Dad wants these, your mother left them here last time she called in to see me." Elsie handed Jess Andrea's engagement and wedding rings.
"I'll keep them for now, I don't think Dad is ready to see them just yet."
Three months later the divorce was final. Andrea obviously took heed of her daughter's last words, neither Jess nor Glenn had heard from her. One evening Jess was thinking of happier times, she realised that her Dad never mentioned Andrea. When Jess spoke of her mother it was usually she or her.
Glenn was concerned that Jess had put her life on hold for him, he raised the topic one evening as they watched TV. "You can go out, you know."
"Hmm, what?" Jess replied.
"I said you can go out, if you want to. You don't have to sit here with me."
"I can't be bothered, besides I don't have anyone to take me out." Jess replied, turning back to the TV.
"You never will if you sit around here. Go out, meet someone. I'm fine, Jess, I'm not going to do anything stupid, if that's what's worrying you."
"Honestly Dad, I'm fine staying in. The last two guys who asked me for a date had no chance. One I don't like, and the other only wants to date so he can tell everyone at work he slept with me." Jess looked at her Dad. "Anyway, how come you never go out on a date?"
"I can't be bothered." Glenn grumbled. Jess let the subject drop. Glenn didn't want to admit to his daughter that he missed the sex, his only partner recently had been his right hand.
Jess got herself a glass of wine, she poured her Dad a small scotch. The show she was watching had finished, the Avengers film had started. Jess couldn't be bothered to search through the channels, she sat back and relaxed. Glenn was reading a book, he kept glancing up at the TV.
"My God, that woman looks like you."
"Oh please Dad, I don't look anything like her." The 'her' Jess referred to was Scarlet Johansson.
"Granted her hair is a different colour, but apart from that you really do look like her." Glenn assured his daughter.
"I wish." Jess muttered.
Glenn picked up his tablet and tapped the screen a few times. "There you are, that's you with the same hair colour." Glenn had altered a picture of Jess, it was one he took just over a year ago.
Jess looked at the screen. "Maybe?" She handed the tablet back. What Jess didn't want to admit was Glenn wasn't the first person to say that. Several of her male colleagues had said the same, at least Jess had the advantage of having the same build, something she was quietly proud of.
Two Years Later
The first Christmas was difficult. Glenn put on a brave face, Jess knew he was hurting. This Christmas was going to be different. Jess planned to cook them dinner, after that they were going to spend the rest of the day relaxing or playing board games. Jess wasn't big on board games, it was something her parents did every year. Neither of them were bothered by the same old rubbish on the TV.
Jess suggested a board game, Glenn asked if she was sure about it.
"Yeah, it could be fun. You get the backgammon ready, I'll get the drinks. Jess got herself a bottle of red wine and a glass, she got Glenn a bottle of scotch along with a small jug of water. The evening wore on, Jess hadn't seen her Dad laugh so much in ages. When they finally went to bed both were a little drunk.
A neighbour threw a fancy dress party on New Years Eve, Glenn and Jess attended. As all the other guests were married neither of them got hit on. Glenn hired a Captain Jack Sparrow costume, for a laugh Jess rented a Black Widow costume. She wondered what her Dad would say when he saw it.
Glenn did a double take when Jess walked downstairs. "Perfect costume for you." He smiled.
Jess had to explain to most of the female guests who she was dressed as, most of the men needed no explanation. Several asked for their picture to be taken with Jess, in the dim light she could pass as Scarlet Johansson. Jess wondered if any of the men would be gloating over the pictures when they returned to work.
