John walked slowly up the walkway to his house, still lost in thought and wondering if anything had happened... or came out, while he was away. He sighed as he felt his chest tighten; thinking how his little "walk" had increased his anxiety not eased it. Now he had a crazy preacher's wife to worry about beside his crazy daughter and his "head in heaven" wife. When he reached the steps, he walked up them as if a zombie, opening the door to the house and stepping in. He saw his youngest daughter on the couch turn away from watching the TV, as she noticed the door opening behind her.
"Hi daddy, have a nice walk?" Cynthia asked with a slight smile as she looked at him. John wasn't sure what, if anything to read into her smile and decided at this point it didn't matter much.
"Not really pumpkin, but it doesn't matter." John replied from a dark place that surprised even him. He did notice his daughters smile fade at his response though.
"I'm sorry daddy." Cynthia said, seeing her fathers pained look on his face. She had to quickly turn back to the TV or she knew she might tear up or start asking him why he was so sad, but she thought that maybe the answers were best kept quiet for now...especially since she was thinking she might have played some part in his feelings at the moment. John closed the door too, louder then he had intended to because a second after it closed his wife called out from the kitchen.
"John! John is that you?" Monica cried out as she appeared in the doorway to the living room from the kitchen. John saw the look of almost pleasant surprise quickly turn to annoyance as she looked at her husband. "Where have you been John? We've been home for almost an hour and the car was still here and Cassidy had no idea you were even out of the house. Where were you?" Monica asked, becoming more exasperated with each word. John looked at her and listened to her tone and his own anger returned.
"I was just out ok! I went for a walk...trying to think...and...and I ran into Mrs. Granger down the road. Ok! We talked for a bit and now I'm here...happy?" John said, irritated and embarrassed about having to lie to his wife, especially in front of Cynthia. He felt his face as if it would glow in the dark from being so flushed and he turned away walking over and sitting down on the other side of the couch from his daughter. He glanced up at her and noticed her glancing back at him nervously, quickly looking away from him, not wanting to draw his anger to herself. He heard his wife sighing as she walked around behind him and felt her hands touch his shoulders.
"I'm sorry John; I shouldn't have raised my voice to you. I just wasn't sure where you had gone is all. Did you and Barbra have a good talk?" Monica asked him, thinking he had sought out the reverends wife in counsel as she had her husbands. John stiffened slightly at his wife's use of Barbra's name, but nodded his head to her question.
"Yes, it...it was ok. Umm, in fact she might stop by tomorrow... in the morning to talk more." John said, trying to keep his tongue from fumbling as he lied to his wife. He was very flushed and wondered if he sounded believable. Apparently he had nothing to fear at the moment.
"Good honey, good. I'm so glad to hear that, maybe between the reverend and his wife things will be cleared up!" Monica stated happily, thinking her husband was finally seeing things her way. But John groaned softly, almost hearing a funeral march in his head at his wife's being happy at the prospect of him being alone with the good reverends wife. Monica leaned over and hugged him from behind, then walked back into the kitchen to finish making a late lunch for them all. John looked back at his daughter, who was still shyly glancing at him out of the corner of her eyes.
"Cyn, I'm sorry I raised my voice sweetie, your father is just a bit...stressed at the moment." John told his daughter, in a bit of understatement he thought. Cynthia looked fully at him and smiled at him.
"It's ok daddy, I understand, I know your stressed out." Cynthia said still smiling trying to make her father not worry about making her upset. John gave her a funny look.
"You know I'm stressed huh?" John asked her, smiling slightly. He knew he and Monica had been yelling a lot recently, but he also noticed his question made his daughter totally freak. Her eyes went super wide and she sat there gaping like a landed fish for several seconds and John could tell she was 'fishing' in her thoughts.
"Umm...well...you and mommy have been arguing and...I can just tell is all..." Cynthia finished quite lamely, lowering her eyes, now unable to look at her father. John stared at her his thoughts racing.
"Uh huh." Was all John could say, starting to wonder if Cassidy had told her anything. John wondered if he should say or ask anything of her to try and find out, when she suddenly stood up.
"I think I should go help mommy in the kitchen." Cynthia said suddenly, all the while avoiding looking at him as she walked into the kitchen.
"Well shit." John muttered softly, wondering if she knew something or if it was just her being shy as she often was. He knew his youngest daughter was often shy to the point of being a recluse and embarrassed easily. He tried to mentally shrug, hoping that she didn't know what had happened with her sister or that Cassidy would have the sense of not talking to her about it. He sighed from his toes as he leaned back into the couch and tried to watch Television.
Cassidy figured she could stop playing sick and leave her room from her self imposed exile. She wasn't sure where her father had gone after leaving her room, but she knew that her mother had come in to check on her and had asked where he was. Cassidy had honestly told her she hadn't known, though she had lied and told her she hadn't seen him since breakfast that morning. So it was with large butterflies in her stomach that she left her room, not knowing what to expect as she entered the hallway. But she soon answered the question about her father being back, she saw him sitting on the sofa in the living room. She stopped and hesitated for a second before walking into plain view. As she walked into the room, her father looked quickly toward her and she also noticed that they were alone in the room. She smiled over at him.
"Hello daddy." She said softly as she walked over to the couch, her heart pounding in her chest. John caught the look on her face and gave her a warning look as he glanced at the kitchen door. She also looked that way as she reached the couch, touching it with her leg. She looked back at him. "Its ok, we'll hear if they open the door." She said and quickly leaning over him, planting a firm kiss on his lips. John jumped at her abruptness, and jerked even more as he felt her tongue invade his mouth, then almost hitting the roof when she just as quickly brought her hand up and cupped his crotch, squeezing his cock through his pants.
