"A
baby sitter?!?!?
Dad, are you fucking
serious?!?!?"
Albert stared hard at Chrissy and replied, "With you two? After that party last winter where you drained my liquor cabinet? Absolutely!
"But also understand something. It's Mike. He's been very lonesome these past few months without his wife. Splitting up is REALLY tough. Please try to understand. Not only do I want him keeping an eye on you, but I also want him to be around people."
Chrissy, 23, a raven-haired Italian girl with a perfect 5'8", 130 lb. body, smooth tan skin from her time out in the sun, 34C breasts, beautiful round brown eyes and full, pouting lips, stopped complaining. "Oh, Mike. He's cool. Even though he's old... er," she said with a laugh, "he likes our music and doesn't treat us like kids. He's okay."
Vicki, at 20 a virtual carbon-copy of her sister, except a couple of inches shorter and 15 lbs. lighter, agreed. "I could deal with Mike being here for two weeks. He doesn't hassle us. I even LIKE hanging out with him. Don't worry, Dad, we'll treat him right!"
"Right, then it's settled. He'll be here in a few minutes. Remember, girls, he's in charge. You treat him like he's the king of the castle, or so help me I'll ground you two into the next lifetime. Understand?"
Both girls snapped to attention and saluted their father.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
As I was driving over that Saturday afternoon, I of course knew nothing about any of this. All I knew was that Albert and Nancy were going on a Mediterranean cruise -- a milestone anniversary, I think -- and had asked me if I would house-sit and mind their daughters while they were gone. I didn't mind. Since my divorce this past winter, I really didn't have anything better to do. We hadn't cheated on each other. We didn't have any financial issues. We'd just grown apart and fallen out of love with each other. It happens sometimes. We'd parted as friends.
Except to go shopping, I'd barely left the house these seven months. But it was now summer and Albert and Nancy decided I needed to put myself amongst the living again.
At 55, I was still in pretty good shape. 5'10, 175 lbs. of lean muscle -- I still lifted my weights and went to the gym -- and thick salt-and-pepper hair. Nancy had said something about how she was going to fix me up with some of her divorced friends when I told her I was ready. I wasn't ready yet.
I'd always gotten along well with Chrissy and Vicki. I'd known them practically from the cradle. I played in a band and, to the girls' delight, sometimes even played their song suggestions. I didn't have any children, so I doted on them as if they were my own. They would kid me as they were growing up about all the baby-sitting money they missed out on.
I arrived at their house. Albert gave me the various instructions and phone numbers in case I needed any help. The girls arrived -- they were both wet from having just taken a dip in the pool, so they refrained from hugging me even though that was their standard greeting -- and were told once again, firmly, "Mike rules this roost for the next two weeks. He says 'Jump', your answer is 'How high?' Cook for him -- these two
love
to cook! -- and make him happy. My house is his house, right?" The girls smiled and nodded, then brought my bags up to the guest room. Satisfied, Albert and Nancy loaded up their luggage in the cab and were on their way.
Chrissy came down and asked, "Look, Mike, I have my job to go to during the week and Vicki is taking summer classes at the local college. Since the rest of the time we're practically under house arrest, is it okay if we have friends come over? We won't be loud. The liquor cabinet is locked now, so I don't know what Dad's so bent out of shape about. You can hang out with us too if you like. We
want
you around. You're like the cool parent -- even though you weren't actually one."
I nodded. "I'm probably going to be boring as hell while I'm here. I'll probably spend a lot of time in my room reading or watching TV. Friends are okay. Just a couple of things -- no boys, and you two don't go out at night. Are we good with that?"
Chrissy smiled. "No problem. We're going to do what we can, though, to get you out of that bedroom."
Or find a reason to keep you in it
, she said to herself.
The girls were both dressed in bikini tops and white cotton shorts. They prepared a virtual feast for dinner -- pasta
primavera
with grilled chicken mixed in. The girls were really happy that I asked for a second helping. They
really
prided themselves on their cooking, and they'd noticed I'd lost a little weight since my separation. After a dessert of ice cream and chocolate sauce, the doorbell rang. Vicki got up to answer it, and brought in their friends Stephanie and Regina, who I also knew from the neighborhood.
Stephanie, 23, a bronzed, blonde sculpted goddess at 5'10 and a muscular 145, had gone to college on a full soccer scholarship, and graduated
magna