Catherine wondered if Marlie's parents would also invite her to spend the Easter break with them. Marlie, Marie-Louise, was her girlfriend in her Swiss finishing school and had introduced her to the pleasures two girls could enjoy. During their Christmas break, she had also included her in what she and her brother, Pierre, enjoyed.
Then her father wrote that he would visit her for the Easter break and that they could go skiing or whatever she suggested. His letter started as always: "Dear Kitten," his pet name for her.
She was surprised by his mentioning skiing, since she didn't know that he could. She couldn't. Did they both want to try? She knew that he was comfortably well off, why her prep school and her being in Switzerland were no problem for him, also her going to the college of her choice the next year.
She replied that she didn't think skiing was a good idea, then remembered her course on European Art and suggested that they spend the week in Florence. He replied that that was better idea, admitting that he had only suggested skiing because she was in Switzerland. A couple of letters later, he wrote that he had reserved two rooms in a hotel in Florence and that they could take the train from Geneva. He would pick her up on Maundy Thursday, returning her to the school the Sunday after Easter.
Catherine was delighted, except for the fact that she had to turn down Marlie's parents' invitation, but had learned that Marlie's brother, Pierre, wouldn't be there, since he had had leave before. She sighed with a soft moan, remembering how the three of them had spent the nights together.
She liked her father, despite her parents having separated and divorced, only visiting him for a couple of days of her prep school breaks. In the days before their Easter break, she and Marlie tried to make up for what Marlie would miss back home, just alone.
Her father arrived and met Marlie, when she bid Catherine farewell with their usual cheek kisses. He was a little surprised at how they embraced, not holding their hips back, like he had seen other women rub cheeks. He knew that Catherine had spent her Christmas break with her family.
They set off. Catherine mentioned that Marlie was her best friend at the school, and he remarked that she seemed nice. She agreed that she was, her family too, and changed the subject, asking if he had plans for what they would see in Florence. He did, the usual from tourist information, which agreed with what she had learned.
They were silent for most of the rest of the trip. They arrived and took a cab to their hotel. When she saw that it was a four star hotel, she remarked:
"Looks expensive; do we need two room? I mean, we share your bathroom, when I visit you."
He shrugged and replied:
"It is, but for you. But you're right, if you feel like that."
She nodded. At the desk, he asked if they could change his reservation for a single room with twin beds. The receptionist didn't bat an eye about their sharing a room, agreeing and saying that the hotel had a waiting list for rooms. Catherine was pleased that her suggestion could save her father the price of two rooms, and he also seemed pleased.
They found the room and unpacked and went to dinner, chatting about her school and plans for college. After a walk around the town, seeing the cathedral and other sights, Michelangelo's David. Her father enjoyed her commenting that she had learned that his hands were really too large, wondering himself that his cock and balls seemed too small, but that obviously wasn't something her course would have mentioned.
They returned to their hotel and got ready for bed, discreetly, each using the bathroom in turn and changing to their nightwear there. They said good night, and she thanked him for a nice day, and he thanked her for her company.
In the morning, she was awakened by his saying:
"Good morning, Kitten. Thought jet lag would let me sleep longer. It didn't."
"Oh, right, we're in Florence. Good morning, Daddy."
"It was your idea that we sl ... - that we share a room."
"Why not? You want to go first?"
"Unless you have to? I have to shave."
"Then I will - try to hurry."
"No hurry - I think."
Catherine snorted softly, remembering being with Pierre and Marlie and their having to, and replied:
"I will, anyway," and got up and went in the bathroom. After she had used the toilet, she remembered that she had to change and returned to the room, giving her father an apologetic smile as she found enough to put on. She returned a couple of minutes later in Bermuda shorts and pulling a polo shirt down.
"Tried to hurry," she remarked with a smile, and watched him fling back his covers and disappear.
While he was in the bathroom, she recalled his waking her with her nickname, Kitten. She smirked; she and Marlie had given it new meaning, wondering if he had thought of that, then recalling that he had usually stopped using it when her mother was around. Had she said something about his using it, thinking about what she and Marlie did?
She suddenly recognized that he didn't have anything else to wear and called, asking what she could bring him. He laughed so that she could hear and told her to find a pair of shorts and a t-shirt for him, then adding: "If that isn't too little for you."
She grinned to herself and replied:
"If you don't think so," and found what he had asked for and opened the door and tossed them in the bathroom.
He thanked her through the unlatched door. She grinned again, liking their less formal situation. She snorted, wondering if she could ask him about his nickname for her. Why not? She could ask him about his not using it; that didn't have to suggest what she was thinking. She had a couple of minutes to think about that, enjoying the idea.
He returned, looking a little embarrassed in just his underwear, quickly turning from her to find his trousers. When he turned back to her, zipping them up, he smiled wry and said:
"Maybe I should have asked for them too."
"We were just too ... well, too prudish before, well, not quite like this in your place."
"Just as well, Kitten."
He had used his nickname again. She smiled and replied:
"I like your calling me that, since I can remember."
"Your Mom didn't."
"Yeah, I wondered about that. Then you didn't, when she was around."
"Usually."
"Um-hmm, and sometimes she made a face or said something."
"Um-hmm. You don't know why?"
"Not until I was here."
"You do?"
"Now, of course, the same in French."
"Really? Didn't know that."
He had put on a shirt and was tucking it in, unselfconsciously opening his trousers to do so. Catherine nodded, liking how the conversation was going, making it easier for her to ask:
"Why not, when, when did Mom say she didn't like it?"
"Hmm? Guess you were eleven or twelve. ... Why? Guess you can imagine why."
"You think she thought of that?"
"I didn't ask her."
"You did?"
He was blushing as he replied:
"Not before she didn't want me to use it," and zipped up his pants.
Catherine smiled sweetly and said:
"I still don't mind. Hmm? After Marlie told me the French, and I told her about "kitten," we laughed and decided to call them that."
"You and Marlie?! You talk about that?!"
"Girl talk," she replied, realizing that she had suggested more than she had intended.
"You do?" he asked, with a very surprised expression."
