The next morning the three of us were making breakfast and enjoying the morning together. We talked about Jessica, our stepdaughter, leaving for college soon and confirming she was ready to go with everything she needed.
Jessica and I exchanged knowing glances throughout the morning as we thought about our actions from the night before. Occasionally she would smile and blush, letting me know she was thinking about something specific, which made me happy.
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A week later I was working from home on a Friday afternoon. I heard the front door open and Jessica shout, "Anyone home?"
"Back here," I replied.
She walked in wearing a white tank top and red shorts and sat in the chair facing me.
"Are you here alone?" She asked.
"Yes, your moms at work now. She should be home around 5."
"I'm glad to hear that because I was hoping to talk with you about thoughts from last week."
"No regrets I hope," I asked, hesitatingly, remembering how I took her virginity.
"Hell no!!" Jessica declared loudly. "That was the greatest night of my life."
"I was actually thinking about college. I know this is last minute, but what if I changed my mind and spent the first two years at community college just down the road and then finished my last two at the university?"
Before I could get a word in, she continued.
"It would save a ton of money; I would get the same education and I would be able to stay here longer with you."
She finally paused to hear my response.
Thoughtfully, I said, "I don't want you to start planning your life decisions around me, Honey. You have your whole life ahead of you. There are experiences to be had and guys to meet. You don't want to squander that with me, do you?"
I knew what I was saying was true, but my heart wasn't in it. I desperately wanted her to stay. I never wanted her to leave. I loved her, and the thought of her going away from me was almost unbearable.
At the same time, I knew she was young and had a life ahead of her, which at some point would not include me as her lover. I knew I had to be willing to let her go.
With tears welling up in her eyes, she looked at me and said, "I know it won't always be this way, but I love you and I want to be with you now. You are more important to me than anything else. Someday I'm certain I will meet my 'someone special.' Until then, I only want it to be you."
It was hard to argue with her, and frankly I didn't want to. I liked what I was hearing. I wanted her close to me for as long as it could last. But, when she was ready, I was not going to stand in her way.
"We will need to talk to your mom about this. This is too big of a decision to make without her," I replied.
She agreed.
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When my wife, Jenny, arrived home, she was happy to see Jessica at the house. It seemed like our daughter had been gone so much over the last couple of weeks. Jenny missed her and was happy to spend some time with her tonight.
The three of us began to discuss the idea of Jessica staying home for two more years. After considering the pros and cons, it was decided that it made the most sense to change her plans and stay home this fall as she turned 19.
Of course, Jenny was thrilled to keep her daughter close for a little while longer. I was thrilled to have both women that I love with all my heart under my roof and Jessica was ecstatic over being able to stay closer to me as well.
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The next morning, the three of us decided to go downtown, do some shopping, and enjoy a new restaurant we were itching to try. It was a memorable day for us all.
Later that evening, when we arrived home, Jessica announced that she was beat and wanted to head to bed. She disappeared upstairs, leaving my wife and I to talk with each other, for the first time, about this new development.
"What do you think about this, Kevin?" She asked me.
"Frankly, I'm a little concerned that she might be missing some of the college experiences she has dreamt of for years. But I also see how close the three of us are, and I can understand why she would miss that," I shared.
"I think you're right," Jenny said. "The three of us have never been closer. I see how deeply in love she is with you as her father, which makes me so happy."
"And I love her with all my heart," I confessed.
"I know you do; It's obvious. I can also tell that love is deeper than just a father-daughter love," Jenny said a little quieter, apparently trying to keep Jessica from overhearing.
"I'm not exactly sure what you mean Jenny," I said, a little nervous about where this conversation was going.
Just above a whisper she continued. "I know you and I love each other more than any two people ever could, but I also know our sex life has never been what you hoped for. For some reason I have always struggled with giving you more and I'm not sure exactly why."
"I also know the love you and Jessica have for each other runs deep. I know you talk about everything together. I've never been jealous of that for a minute, and it makes me incredibly happy to know you two are that close."
"I hope you won't hate me for what I'm about to say, but I've thought about this for a long time and after being together today I'm more convinced than ever." She took a deep breath before continuing. "Would you ever consider allowing Jessica to possibly meet some sexual needs in your life that I feel like I can't?"
At this point, she began to tremble from fear of how I might respond.
Never would I have expected her to say what she just said. I loved her more at this moment in my life than ever before. I can see that she acknowledged my needs and tried to think of a way to meet them. That was the most loving thing I could ever imagine. While I was certainly unsure how to reply, I loved her for what she was trying to say.
"Jenny, I love you. Nothing you could say could pull me away from you. You are the greatest thing to ever happen to me," I confessed.
