Steven was sitting alone in the hallway of the Waite Funeral Home on Mitchelli Street. His family and friends were waiting on him inside the chapel down the hall to the left. He couldn't breathe. He just wanted to leave, run away, hide. Emily was the strong one, and she was gone now.
He thinks back again to the clumsy brunette with perky titties, tight jeans, & a toddler he meet in business college 16 years before. He was an accounting major, and she was going for business management. He knew she'd go far on her looks alone, but boy, the brain on her. She should have been at M.I.T., but she fell in love with some jock in high school that left her pregnant and alone... She struggled so hard for so long.
Once they married, Steven made sure Emily and Madeline would remain financially secure. With Emily's style and social grace, they had investments all around the country. They spoiled her daughter, Madeline, with all their love and often took her with them on trips. As the years passed, Emily became sick, and the number of trips dwindled. During the last year, Madeline would shut herself off from everyone for long periods of depression.
One morning, during one of Madeline's spells, Steven awoke to Madeline in their bed as though she were 6 again and had a bad nightmare. Right between him and Emily. He was more than embarrassed when he realized that the warm, soft body nuzzled up against him was his 18 year old step-daughter, not her mother. He gently lifted his body to remove his arm, she wiggled her bottom closer against him, causing his morning wood to enrage to life. He tucked his head to groan in his arm, inhaled, and took in her scent. He bounced out of bed and ran to the shower. When he arrived in the kitchen 30 minutes later dressed and shaved, he had intentions on addressing Madeline's intrusion. Instead, his coffee was made and Madeline was nowhere to be seen.
Steven's thoughts came back to the present. He wiped his eyes as he heard feminine footsteps come from down the hallway. His breath caught and choked him as Madeline stepped into his view. She looked every bit like her mother. He couldn't help but notice the dress she was wearing was Emily's favorite black silk and lace dress he purchased at a Fashion Week in New York right before she fell ill. It fit Madeline's shape exquisitely. She sat in his lap, and took his face in her hands. Lifting his head, she looked into his eyes. He wanted to cry. It wasn't fair!
"You don't have to go in, you know. They will understand." She wrapped her arms around him and pulled his head to her large bosom, swaying him back and forth, just like Emily did with them when they became upset.
Not sure where to set his hands, he grabs her by her arm, and pulls her off his lap. He stands abruptly, regaining his composure. Clearing his throat, he motions for her to proceed down the hall to the chapel.
"I just needed a moment to clear my head", he said, straightening his coat and tie.
Madeline followed Steven to the front pew and sat between him and her Aunt Gracie. She crossed her legs and felt the clips of her garters dig into her thighs. Taking her step-father's arm, she leaned into him, nuzzled, and sighed. She missed her mom. Emily had been sick for so long, it seamed. Just as Madeline's high school years started, right when she needed her the most, mom got sick. It wasn't fair. At first, Madeline thought it was all the hours that her mom spent working, but when Steven forced her mom to retire for health reasons, things didn't get better. Hell, it got worse. All the vacation trips turned to doctor trips that Madeline wasn't allowed to go on. She felt closed off, and would escape into bouts of depression, locking herself away for long periods.
The whole time, Steven stayed by mom's side. He never left her. Madeline loved her step-father. She never knew her real father, and Steven always made it a point to let Madeline know that she was his little girl, no matter what. She started calling him daddy when she was 6. Her sixth birthday, exactly. She asked for a pony that year, as every little girl does. He rode her around on his back, galloping around and laughing. After a few minutes he said he was out of breath and set her down. He told her Whispers was gonna have to ride her around from that point on. She jumped in his arms, and said "I love you, Daddy! Thank you!"
Madeline wiped a tear away quietly. Steven leaned over, kissed her forehead, tightened his arm reassuringly, and patted her thigh. She knows he felt her garters through the dress, he had to. His hand hovered, and moved back to his leg, which was now shaking.
Steven was relieved as the Preacher asked everyone to stand for the final hymn, Amazing Grace. Every one quietly milled out of the quaint chapel and made their way to their cars for the cemetery burial. Madeline was waiting for Steven in the limo. Steven climbed into the back. He was greeted by a sullen, and now slightly buzzed Madeline. She must have smoked a joint before she got in, because it didn't smell like it in the limo. She looked across the space at him, he at her. She broke the stare, but licked her soft pink lips. The tip of her tongue rolling teasingly across her mouth. He could feel her body screaming at him. NO! It's not right! She's my little princess! For Christ's sake, I'm burying her mother today! God forgive me. He buried his face in his hands and sighed heavily.
One of his golf buddies, Warren, teaches at her all-girl private school and told him stories about two of her friends. How Adele, the redhead, likes to tease every male teacher with her sultry hot looks and fiery comments, and that Brianna, her Laos friend, likes to give great head in the lounge to off-duty male faculty, and even has been known to seduce a female member or two. Oh how he wishes he could get those stories out of his head.
When any of the girls would come over for sleepovers, Steven would put in late hours at the firm. He could remember seeing Adele's sweet, creamy mounds swelling up and popping out from her too-small halter top and her firm, round butt that screamed to be marked, peeking from the thighs of her super-short sleep shorts. Madeline wasn't covered any more than Adele, that night. She wore a sports bra and boy shorts, not that it helped tame her wild curves any. It was torture to walk through the den and see the girls snuggle together. All that hot, young, feminine flesh wrapped around each other like they had made out all night and fell asleep together. It was enough to drive him into a cold shower and forget his accounts for the night.
This wasn't a sleepover, and he was trapped all alone with Madeline in the limo. Her head rolled back and she sighed. "Damnit, Daddy, I'm ready for all this show to be over with. How much more do we have to deal with? I'm ready to go home and just disappear into my bed." She slides down the seat, and kicks off her high heels.
"Where are your friends?" Steven asks. "I thought they'd be here for you, to share in your grief." Both Adele and Brianna opted for out-of-State universities. Madeline chose to stay closer to home for the time being.
"They're flights were delayed due to weather. They'll be in later today. They're supposed to be meeting us at the cemetery and will ride with us to the reception."
Steven nodded. He kept silent the remainder of the evening. He stood by Madeline through the sermon, tossed his rose on Emily's grave, said good-bye and walked back to the waiting limo. Once home, he changed for the reception. It was nicely put together by some of Emily's closer business associates. After speaking with several people, and hearing all the sympathies and well wishes he could handle, he grabbed a bottle of wine, and a glass and made his way through Emily's garden to one of the greenhouses that was really a gazebo in disguise. Sort of a secret hide-a-way for her to go to once she was retired. As Steven approached, he noticed the greenhouse was opened, and the lights were on. He toed the door open and coughed. Waving away the smoke, he walked in.
