The whole room smelt of sugar. Every surface was sticky, the floor covered in a thick coating of granulated crystals. Bella was trying to keep clean, her Lolita Bunny Rabbit Maid Dress had cost a small fortune and no way was she going to ruin it the first day of wearing. Bad enough that the soles of her Harajuku high ankle strap shoes were getting covered in the sweet goo just by walking and her white apron was splattered from chest to knees.
The parcel had caused quite a stir when it arrived from the Minky Shop that morning. Her parents were really out of touch, had no idea about fashion, J-pop and definitely not about Tokyo's ever expanding array of maid cafes.
"You are not going to wear that. No daughter of mine is looking like a waitress in a brothel."
Her father was a bastard, a one hundred percent pure West Coast ass who took any opportunity to make Bella and her friends feel stupid or slutty.
"I pay for a good education, give you a good allowance and yet you insist on acting and dressing like a little 'nip' whore. Had enough of them in the air force, little bitches thinking they were too good for me. Not giving me the time of day after all their teasing. Well I showed a few in my time."
Bella looked at her mother and noted that she was shriveling into a dried grape.
"This is all you fault. No discipline. You shouldn't stop me beating her ass like she deserves."
The conversation was much like every other breakfast time, her father was pissed because he had to work, her mother was just hoping he would leave before he became violent and Bella just wanted them both to choke on their cereal and die.
"You can't just beat children anymore dearest, child services would be down on us like a pack of wolves and we don't need that sort of trouble."
"No fucking right. No one can tell me what to do in my own home, Fucking country is going to the dogs. Full of liberals and queers. I work every day to make a difference and every cent I make is given away to damned illegals and lazy good for nothing trash."
This was definitely not going well. Bella eyed the dress and shoes sadly almost certain they would be taken and locked away like so many of her other special things. Then luckily the phone rang.
"Damn it."
Her father reached for the handset. The call could only be for him, no one else was allowed phone privileges while he was at home.
"Yes this is Sheriff Jeffries what's happening?"
Bella took the distraction as a good time to repackage the dress and shoes and slide the box behind the breakfast counter.
"I will be there in twenty minutes. Call the vice squad for me please and get their cooperation with the bust."
Her father slammed the phone back in its cradle and retrieving his service revolver from a kitchen drawer slid it into the black patent leather holster vanity decreed he wear and Bella was obliged to keep spotless.
"They have some damned perverts cornered in a tenement in the slums. Looks like we might be able to off some trash today."
Bella shuddered inwardly. Her father's love of violence hidden by some pretense of justice made her sick to her stomach. She smiled so sweetly to appease him but thought of the times this pretend pervert hater had tried to fuck her school friends.
"Please be careful daddy."
Careful to catch a bullet she added silently.
She listened to the roar of the engine as he started the cruiser. Sure enough the siren was on full volume before he had cleared the driveway.
"Don't imagine I don't know what you're doing young lady."
Her mother finally spoke without prompting for the first time that morning, she never spoke when dad was around unless he spoke first. Bella didn't really understand the dynamics of their relationship just was aware of the stripes and bruises she had seen on her mother's thighs, back and buttocks when she was showering.
"I am trying to survive mom."
The slap caught her unawares and for a second all she could hear was buzzing.
"What did you do that for?"
"Don't pretend you don't have a taste for it Bella. Takes one to know one. He's mine keep your hands and dirty thoughts to yourself."
"He's my father! That's disgusting."
"Never stopped me you fucking little whore. Your granddaddy liked them young too. I catch you near your father I will gut you like a fish."
