Trained By Her Daddy by Shelly Douglas
Chapter 18
“Since it’s Halloween, maybe I should put my big girl panties on and listen to a ghost story. What do you think, Daddy? Please? Just this one time?” I begged, pulling on his stiff shirttail.
“I don’t know, princess. We both know you’re prone to nightmares,” he managed through an exasperated sigh as he sat next to me on the bed. “But maybe I could cook up some realistic crime fiction without it being too frightening for you.”
Snuggling up against his brawny body, I purred like a kitten. “Cool. I love when you tell me a story, Daddy. You’re so good at conjuring up a fun fairytale.”
“Well, thanks for the compliment, Lori. But keep in mind that I’m a therapist, so my mindset is usually based on reality instead of fiction. Hey, you’re the author—so maybe you should be telling me a story.” He raised one sardonic brow high above the other while smoothing out the covers to make certain I was comfortable.
“Yes, but that would be too much like work, and this exercise is supposed to be relaxing.”
His chest rumbled with laughter. “Sorry, kiddo. I was just stalling for time. Maybe we should switch things up a bit tonight, and I’ll read you a story from a paperback?”
“Aww, Daddy. When I moved in, you promised me an original bedtime tale every night. And aren’t you the man who never backs out on his promises?”
Lovingly, he patted my hand. “You’re absolutely right, darlin’. Okay, let me take a stab at something spooky for my Crime Queen on Halloween.”
“Good rhyme,” I complimented, slipping a bit deeper under the comforter.
“Ahem. Once upon a time, there was a beautiful and talented princess named Lori Hope Gold. But unfortunately, she was also a very naughty girl.”
My nose crinkled. “Whoever heard of a princess in a Halloween story?”
“Now, now, behave. I’m just getting started.”
I adored how his eyes glittered when he scolded me, so it seemed like a good moment to tease him.
“Was she really naughty, or did she just have a good sense of humor? Sometimes, it’s difficult for daddies to tell the difference. Especially strict daddies.”
“Trust me. She was naughty. Now may I continue?”
“Please do,” I said through an uneven smile.
“One fateful night, she closed her bedroom door and watched an episode of Dateline, even though it was way past her bedtime.”
My finger darted in the air. “Wait a minute, Pops. This one is a far cry from fiction.”
“I’m not happy with your sassy tone, young lady. Do you want a bedtime story, or a spankin’?”
“Please continue with the story,” I mumbled contritely, repositioning my hand under the comforter.
“Well, it seems our crafty princess didn’t learn her lesson, because I hear she was recently seen sneaking candy under her bed, and my guess is she intended to watch television while munching on Halloween treats.”
My lips pursed. There was no point in asking because I knew the answer.
“Her Daddy sees everything because he has eyes in the back of his head,” he continued playfully, tossing her a quick wink.
“Does he have good peripheral vision, or did he have another set surgically inserted for Halloween?”
“For someone who was caught hiding Kit Kats under her bed, this naughty girl is awfully brave to continue testing her Daddy. Don’t you agree?” John’s hazel eyes narrowed as he reached under the bed to retrieve the evidence—a small bowl filled with several bars of the chocolate covered treats.
“But I wasn’t going to eat them until tomorrow. I swear.”
“And you can be certain your television isn’t going to be switched on tonight, either.”
My sigh was heavy as I rolled my eyes. “But, Daddy, Dateline has a Halloween story about…”
“Yes, yes. I saw the episode teaser yesterday. And I’m sure you’d want to use some of the taped realistic events for your next novel. But my intelligent girl will need to make an important decision in the next few minutes based on some information I’m about to give her. So, would you like to hear what will happen to the naughty princess on Halloween if she watches tonight’s Dateline special about serial murderers?”
“No, sir. I already know how that riveting tale will end.”
He took both sides of my face in his palms. “Yes, but since I’d never want to be accused of leaving my best fan with a cliffhanger, here’s the ending. The princess’ Daddy will lift her over his lap, peel her pajama bottoms down to her ankles and spank her adorable bare bottom until it’s good and sore—and then she’ll need to sleep on her tummy.”
My cheeks blazed at the thought. “Is it necessary to be so specific when you tell a story?”
“Yep. My little love always needs to hear the truth from her Daddy. Surprises are good sometimes, but not when they include her bottom boasting a bright shade of red.”
I bit the inside of my cheek and yawned, contemplating his words. “Can I go to sleep now, Daddy? I’m feeling kind of tired.”
“Indeed,” he said tapping the tip of my nose. “Sweet dreams, love.”
My heart was racing, my body was covered in sweat and I could hear someone screaming.
Fuck. The screams were mine.
“Lori, wake up. You’re dreaming!” John shouted, shaking my shoulders. “You need to wake up now!” Sweeping me in his arms, he cradled me close to his warm body. Slowly, I opened my eyes and finally focused on his concerned expression.
“You had another nightmare, sweet girl.”
“I know.” Only two words spilled from my mouth, and I hoped he didn’t want more of an explanation. But, of course he did.
John brushed my damp bangs aside and tenderly kissed me on the forehead. “What were you dreaming about?”
“I’d rather not think about it right now. Maybe I should close my eyes and go back to sleep?”
“Hmm. I’ve been thinking it might be helpful to either talk about your dream as soon as you wake up, or maybe start a journal. Sometimes the sleeping brain makes a better connection with what we’re feeling than the waking mind does.” His voice was so quiet and comforting, it almost put me in a trance. “Can you remember any part of the dream?”
“I’ve had the same nightmare many times, and it generally starts with lights sweeping across the ceiling. When I lived in my parents’ house, the bright sudden car headlights shining on the walls always frightened me, so I’d close my eyes and imagine I lived somewhere else. I usually fantasized about having a different daddy, and bedtime seemed to be the best time for my imagination to run wild.”
“Can you tell me another part of your dream? Maybe I can help you make sense of it.”
My labored breathing had finally subsided, but I just didn’t know if it was the right time to share that particular nightmare with him. In all honesty, I hadn’t ever shared that dream with anyone for fear of being judged. But he was waiting so patiently for me to spill my guts, and I knew he only wanted to help me sort out my problems. “Someone is coming after me.”
“I’m listening, sweetie. Tell me more.”
“Well, in my dream—I’m trying to fall asleep. But then I hear someone open the front door.”
“Did your parents lock the door at night when you were a child?”
“Sometimes they remembered, but there were plenty of times I’d walk down the stairs in the middle of the night to find it unlocked. I usually checked the front door before I’d go to sleep, because my parents weren’t too responsible.”
“I see…”
“In the dream, I’d scramble out of bed and race downstairs intending to put the chain on the door before anyone could open it. But as I crossed the living room, it was obvious that someone had already opened the door and they were inside the house.”
“Go on…”
“At first, I froze in my tracks. But then I turned and ran upstairs, heading to my bedroom for safety.”
“Ahh. It’s interesting you felt safe in your bedroom.” He leaned forward and gazed at me with intense eyes. “Did you finally make it back into your room?”
“Yes, and you’d think the dream would end there. But it doesn’t.”
“I had a feeling,” he said, smoothing a stray blonde hair behind my ear.
“When I got to my bedroom, I shut the door and locked it. There was no way for anyone to get in from the outside.”
“Well done.”
“But when I looked at my reflection in the full-length mirror, someone was standing behind me. There’s a knife in his hand, and he’s smiling. You see, he was always in my room waiting for me. He’d been there the whole time.”
“Who was waiting for you? Was it someone you knew?”
As I try to form the words, my face falls. “It’s my dad’s father.”
“Listen to me carefully, sweetheart,” he said, tilting my chin upward so our eyes could meet. “Faulty relationships are not easily cast aside. And many adults have recurring nightmares that include family members from their unhappy childhood.”
“I’m probably dreaming about my grandfather because his demons from the Holocaust became the root of all my dad’s problems. But why do you think he wants to kill me? I know my parents were narcissistic, superficial people who didn’t think I was smart, or an asset to the human race, but I never held anything against my grandfather. For God’s sake, he was a victim of Adolph Hitler!”
“The trick as an adult is not to cast blame on those in your past, but to ask for help and then take action to move on,” he said in a smooth, even tone.
“I know it wasn’t my father’s fault he was a bully, but I just can’t seem to get past my anger of how he treated me. And even if I do stop blaming my parents for their lack of love, what kind of mother will I be? When a woman is brought up to think she’s dumb and worthless—she’ll eventually believe it. Admit it, John, I was raised by wolves.”
“Why would you be worried now, Lori? You’re not a mother yet, and I promise to help you work through some of your family issues well before that time arrives. Your worth shouldn’t be based on what your parents thought of you, or how they treated you. It’s how you value yourself—because self-worth comes from within. Don’t you think I’m the perfect person to help you see how valuable you are? You’re going to be a wonderful mother someday.”
My throat was dry, and my palms were starting to sweat. John was the Daddy I’d dreamed of having my whole life, and I promised not to lie to him. “I-I need to tell you something.”
“You can tell me anything, sweet girl.”
“I’ve been using an IUD for the past five years with no issues.”
As John’s eyebrows knitted together, there was genuine concern in his voice. “But now you’re having a problem?”
I swallowed twice, trying to muster up the courage to tell him the truth. “I missed my period a few weeks ago, but I didn’t think much of it. My IUD had been so dependable, and I figured as a method of birth control—it was foolproof.”
“I don’t think any method of birth control is foolproof, my dear. I’m sure it’s a low percentage, but an IUD can slip out of your uterus without completely falling out. Didn’t your doctor warn you about that risk?”
“He did, but I’d thought if it had slipped out—I would’ve known. Anyway, I took an over the counter pregnancy test a few days ago and then called a gynecologist. He told me to make an appointment to see him, because if it’s still in my body—he’ll need to remove it.”
“Did you make an appointment to see him?”
My nod was slow but steady. “I made arrangements for my old gynecological records to be sent from Philly, and I’m supposed to see the doctor tomorrow morning for a full examination.”
“I’m going with you.”
“You don’t have to, John. I’m a big girl—I can do this myself.”
“I’ll not only drive you there, but I intend to be in the room for the exam.”
My face felt like it could explode from the heat.
“So, are you going to tell me the result of the pregnancy test? Was it positive?”
There was no way to stop my lip from trembling as I nodded. “I-If you don’t want to be a part of this—I’ll understand.”
He took me in his arms and held me tight. “Of course, I do, Lori. I love you.”
“I love you too, John. B-But…”
“If we’re going to have a baby, then don’t you think a wedding should be in our future?”
“We aren’t living in the dark ages. We don’t have to be married to have a child.”
He slid out of bed and walked over to his dresser. “Stay right where you are. I have something in my sock drawer you might want to try on.”
“You have something in your sock drawer,” I parroted softly and rolled my eyes. “You’re taking this news rather calmly considering your son is not only my age, he’s also my boss.” But as John slid back into bed, I noticed that a beam of light was coming off his hand, and then he wiggled his pinky finger.
“I was going to wait until Christmas to ask you to marry me, but this seems like an appropriate time.”
“You bought me an engagement ring?”
“Do people still engage in that age-old practice when they want to get married?”
I studied the speckles of green and gold in his smiling hazel eyes. “Yes. I’m fairly sure the method is still popular.”
“Do you think you’d want to live with a man like me for the rest of your life? A man who will not only spank your little bottom, but one who will also cause you to writhe with pleasure? Sometimes all in the same hour?”
“I definitely do.”
“Then give me your hand, angel, and let’s see if this ring fits.”
After I happily obeyed his request, he slipped the beautiful white gold eternity diamond band onto my finger. “Since I intend on our love lasting an eternity, I imagined this ring would be a good choice.”
I don’t know whether my hormones were banging off the walls in my body or if I’d been filled to the brim with plain old emotion, but tears instantly trickled down my face. “It’s beautiful,” I mewled while moving my finger so the diamonds could reflect the morning light. “And it’s a perfect fit, too.”
He thumbed the tears from my cheeks and gently wiped my nose. “Not only is this a new start for both of us, but it’s the chance for you to become the mother you’d always wanted.”
“But can you still be my Daddy if we have a baby?”
“You bet, darlin’,” he said with a profound wink.