Let me just set the scene – I am not an alpha male, in fact, I am probably the polar opposite. I do not play sport or work out, I am not fighting my way to the top of the corporate ladder and I am not a conqueror of women. My name is Nigel and I am five foot eight tall, slimly built and I wear glasses. I am what I look like, a shy and retiring nerd.
After school, where I was bullied, I surprised everyone by landing a girlfriend. Perhaps she felt sorry for me or, maybe, she was just into nerds. What was perhaps the most surprising thing was that she was both beautiful and intelligent. Her name was Sarah and I fell in love with her immediately.
We dated all through university and I moved to London with her when she got her first job as a solicitor (lawyer). She was brilliant and it wasn't long before she was promoted and then promoted again. I kind of clung on as she rocketed into senior management. It was after her promotion to partner that she told me we were getting married, I was both surprised and delighted. She went on to tell me how it was going happen and what I needed to do.
Less than six months later we were married and on our honeymoon. As with everything else Sarah had planned it to perfection and after one particularly lovely session in bed she told me she was ovulating and was almost definitely pregnant. Nine months later, exactly as Sarah had planned, our daughter was born and Sarah told me she was to be called Elaine.
Within two weeks Sarah was back at work. She had told me I was giving up my work as an IT technician at a local bank and I was to take care of Elaine. I did it gladly and had some of the happiest years of my life watching Elaine grow from a tiny baby into a young girl. But when she started private school at four Sarah told me I was to return to work part time.
I found a job fairly quickly but it was low paid. In the few short years I had been away technology had moved on so much I often found myself out of my depth. The young guys around me seemed to talk so fast and about things I had barely heard of. I stuck it out though, Sarah told me it was important.
I don't think it surprised anyone much when Sarah announced to her family, friends, colleagues (and then me) that she was going to run for public office. Within a couple of years she went from serving on our local council to the nominated candidate for MP. On the night of the general election I expected to see Sarah nervous for the first time, this was after all the culmination of a stellar career, but I was wrong. She never gave the slightest hint she was concerned. The results came in early the next morning and Elaine and I were by her side as she read her acceptance speech - she had won by a landslide.
Within days she had pretty much moved out of the house we now had on the outskirts of the city as she would now be spending almost all her time in Westminster. We saw her on the occasional weekend or if she could spare us an hour when we went into town. I didn't mind though, Elaine and I grew closer and it wasn't as if Sarah and I were really in love anymore. I had given her what she needed – a traditional and safe family that she could trot out when the occasion demanded but that she could safely ignore the rest of the time.
Before she left she made one point very clear, I was to be very careful that neither Elaine nor I did anything which might cause her embarrassment. She was on the ladder to the top job and nothing was going to get in her way. I meekly nodded my understanding.
For the first few years everything went well. I managed to not get sacked whilst Elaine excelled at her all girls private school and grew up into a well-rounded and intelligent teenager. She kept her straight brown hair long at her mother's insistence and she was even more beautiful than Sarah had been at that age – her skin was pale and flawless, her dark eyes large and her lips were full and red.
She was not that bothered about most sports but loved running and had represented her school at many county events. I cheered her on at every one and we let Sarah know her result by email later – she only ever said well done when Elaine won. Elaine was also an accomplished ballet dancer but Sarah had told her that whilst she could continue her lessons she would not be allowed to pursue it as a career. She was disappointed but, just like me, always did what she was told. As she had for everything else Sarah had a plan for Elaine and we just had to trust it was for the best. Anyway, the running and ballet had given her a long, lean body. She was only five six but barely seven stones (98 pounds). I mentioned it to her but she just laughed and said she was fine, she certainly seemed to eat healthily.
Elaine turned eighteen in November that year and Sarah graced us with a very short visit. I received a kiss on the cheek and Elaine got an expensive present, most probably chosen by Sarah's assistant, and what amounted to an interrogation to ensure she was working hard and not stepping out of line. Sarah only stayed for about an hour, mostly taken up by looking at her Blackberry, before she left to return to Westminster. Afterwards Elaine was obviously disappointed but tried to put a brave face on it, I was so proud of her.
She took her mock exams just before Christmas and, as expected, got straight A's. It was what she needed to get into the Oxford college Sarah had chosen, however, Sarah was merely satisfied when Elaine phoned her. After the call I could tell Elaine was upset but I made up for it with over the top praise as I always did. I also suggested she go and buy herself some new outfits as a reward for all her hard work. She didn't want to go but I reminded her that with Christmas coming there was sure to be lots of parties. She had never really been interested in clothes but she grudgingly agreed.
Later that day she returned with a number of bags and I made her give me a 'fashion show' like always. She was really not enthusiastic but did it anyway. Over the next thirty minutes she showed me her purchases – each outfit was modest but classy as her mother would have demanded, skirts no higher than her knees and no visible cleavage (although her breasts were quite small anyway - B cups – I did her laundry!).
I told her she looked beautiful, which she did, and I got a smile out of her.
"There is actually a party tonight." She said. "Lucy is having one to celebrate the end of mocks."
"Great." I said, "You'll really turn heads in any of those outfits."
"I doubt it." She said, "There won't be any boys there."
"Well." I said uncomfortably. "They'll be plenty of time for boys later on."
She just smiled and trudged back upstairs to her room. I watched her go and must admit to being a little worried. Her school was very conservative and she had never had a boyfriend, partly at Sarah's insistence. My thoughts were broken by the ringing of my mobile. It was not a number I recognised and, remembering what Sarah had said about journalists, I answered it hesitantly.
"Hello?"
"Nigel, my old mucker. It's Terry." Said the wheezy voice at the other end.
I supressed a groan, Terry was my cousin and was the last person I wanted to hear from. He was twelve years older than me and as a child had bullied me mercilessly whenever I saw him. He was loud mouthed and opinionated, had very dubious morals and had barely avoided a criminal record on more than one occasion. Sarah hated him and had warned me to keep well away from him.
"Hi, Terry." I said.
"Great to hear your voice, mate." He said jovially. He must want something, I thought. "I'm in town and wondered if you fancied a drink and a catch up."
"Well, I'm kind of busy right now." I said unconvincingly.
"Don't be daft." He said. "A couple of drinks won't take long. I'll pick you up at 8pm." And then hung up.
I just stared at the phone – had I just let myself be ignored again?
Elaine came downstairs at 7pm and I couldn't help but be amazed. She had brushed her long hair until it shone, put on a small amount of make-up and had on one of the new outfits – she looked absolutely stunning. She could have been a model I thought – long and slender with perfect hair and the face of a teen angel. I could not help but gasp – Elaine smiled in thanks.
"Wow, honey." I said. "You look fantastic."
She smiled again. "Thanks, Dad. It's not too bad, is it?"
"Well the clothes are really nice but it's you that makes it so lovely." I said. "You are a beautiful, sexy young women."
I saw her blush and with a sinking feeling I realised what I had just said. We never talked about sex, it was a completely taboo subject, and I realised how inappropriate I had been. I was so embarrassed and she obviously felt the same. Time seemed to slow down.
"Want a lift to the party?" I finally blurted.
"Yes, please." She replied, obviously relieved to have something normal to say.
"Ok." I said, grabbing my keys.
As we drove the short distance to Lucy's I mentioned Terry.
"Uncle Terry!" She said with delight. "Is he coming to stay?"
I had forgotten how Elaine had inexplicably become quite attached to Terry as a little girl. He had always lavished her with attention and she had probably enjoyed being around someone so opposite to her mother. She hadn't seen him in years because of Sarah's ban and now seemed excited he was here.
"No," I said. "I think he's just here for one night and then he's going." I didn't want anything getting back to Sarah.
