Opening up her last gift, Ariana squealed in unison with her friends as she pulled out a VISA prepaid card which had been hidden inside the paws of a new purple stuffed animal--something he saw at the mall and couldn't help getting for her. She ran up to him like an ecstatic little girl again and kissed him on the cheek happily.
"Thanks, Daddy!"
He smiled brightly and watched her almost immediately return to her friends to play with her new brand new smart phone.
"Damnit, I love her."
Ariana's step dad couldn't believe how much he loved her. One more year meant that he had one less year with her, and it made his heart twinge to think that this was indeed his last year with her. Every part of him was anguished at this thought, but in the back of his mind was one tiny glimmer of hope that kept his heart beating--albeit pure fantasy. Secretly he hoped that she might choose to stay with him when she was old enough to decide--but he knew he would not allow it. She deserves to be free, like other girls his age. He sat there deep in thought with his laptop on his lap as giggles broke his train of thought.
The girls all ran to the kitchen to grab some snacks, and then off to his daughters' room. He smiled to himself when he heard the radio switch on and excited teenage babble coming down the hall.
"I still have time," he thought.
Doing his best to not think about the five teenage girls in their pajamas in the room next to him--he decided to take a short walk to clear himself.
Coming back from an eternally long walk--he couldn't help his curiosity and thought he might just peek in on them. Coming inside, he made his way down the hallway; so curious to know what they were doing, he completely forgot to knock and got quite the eye-full for his thoughtlessness!
His sweet little daughter was tonguing her best friend on her bed, with her hands cupped around the friends' breasts.
"What the hell?!"
Ariana's body had never moved so fast as it did at the sound of her Daddy's voice.
"Daddy!"
All the girls filed out of the bedroom faster than running water as he stood there divided as to what to do here. Shutting the door behind him, he told her friends to call and come get picked up.
"Baby--"
His voice cracked at the incredible hard on he had from that visual--but he was her Dad, and those girls were not his, after all. He'd have to handle this tenderly.
"Daddy she just wanted to know how to kiss! We're all girls!"
"You're not supposed to KNOW how to kiss! That's our secret, remember?" He could see her eyes darken when she realized what she'd done.
"Well, they know I'm adopted they probably just think I learned it in foster care. I did, you know."
"In any case, baby girl--I have to send them home now."
Tears welled up in her eyes and he hated this so much. He supervised the safe return of all of her friends, before returning to her room where she sat there, sulking.
"What are the boys at school going to think when they hear about this? You know they're going to want you to show them, too!"
"Daddy I made them swear--they're not telling anyone!"
"Hmm.. Do I trust five teenage girls to keep a secret like that? No, I don't baby girl. Should you?"
Ariana's stomach turned as she realized he was right. Tears welled up in her eyes and her head nodded down to the side in humiliation.
Sitting on the bed beside her, Daddy wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
"Aw baby, I love you. You can still have a good birthday!"
He always had a way to cheer her up and just having his hands shake her a bit while his voice tried to appease her, automatically made her feel better. She half smiled at her daddy, and pushed her legs together in embarrassment at the scene he'd just caught her in.
"Yeah! Let's watch a movie--and then go get ice cream, okay sweetheart?"
Her mood lightened but she wasn't satisfied. She knew what she
really
wanted for her birthday.
Reading her like a book, he halted in half consonant before he went ahead and asked,
"Do ya want to spend the night in my bed with me tonight?"
Immediately her face shot up to him and he knew that's what she was holding out for. It
was
her birthday, after all. How could she resist? His fingers began tickling her slightly at her armpit and his other hand started poking her side.
Immediately she started giggling and thrashing slightly before she returned the favor, her fingers easily locating his ticklish spots and he stood up quickly to avoid embarrassment. Still, she tickled him as he stood up and giggled.
"Well, grab a blanket and some pillows. We'll order pay per view tonight!"
--------------------------------------------------
Halfway through the movie they'd picked to watch--Ariana's daddy left the room and came back with something in his pocket. It was her true birthday present.
Cuddled up together on the couch, he handed her a jewelry box. Her eyes lit up like stars and he just smiled at her while she unwrapped its' satin bow.
"Oh, Daddy. What did you do?"
Her gaze couldn't break from the necklace he'd given her as she pulled it out of its' box. Her fingers delicately scanned the chain of her white gold chain and necklace. At the end, dangling in front of her beautiful face was an elephant pendant. He watched in contentment as her eyes sparkled pure delight. In the center was a gemstone in the shape of a heart, an amethyst.
"Daddy!"
