Daddy Dearest

14AmandaThe day passed slower than ever.

Kendall and I kept glancing at one another in the classes we shared, both our expressions rigid with concern. She didn’t say a word to me about any of it, and I kept to myself as well. During lunch break, she hung out with her friend Ryan. I didn’t know what Levi would think of them being all buddy-buddy with one another, but for now, I decided to keep it to myself. Maybe I could use it to my advantage later on.

We finished school at the same time, and I met up with Kendall in the hallway.

“Hey,” she said awkwardly, and I offered her a lame smile. “Do you think we should head home?”

“What else is there to do?” I asked her, shrugging. “Mom will kill us if we’re not home. We shouldn’t be siding with either of them really, but I guess we have no choice. We have to go home either way.”

“Okay,” Kendall said lamely, and I took her hand on impulse, gently squeezing it.

“Hey, don’t worry,” I told her. “It’ll be okay. We’ll get through this just like everything else.”

“I guess,” she said, biting her bottom lip nervously.

We walked out of the school hand-in-hand, with Kendall even choosing to bail on her after-school stuff. She’d always taken on way too much anyway, I’d always told her so. I never understood why she had so many activities. She was a shoo-in for an Ivy League university even without it.

Once we made our way outside, my eyes went to the red Lexus right away.

Levi was standing in front of it, his back against the car, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

I felt shivers go down my spine, my body wanting to submit fully to the man I’d called Daddy just to tease him. But now, I was done with teasing. I would call him Daddy to get us both off, if only he’d let me. So far, he’d been way too focused on Kendall, but I’d make him notice me too, one way or another. I had my ways of getting men’s attention.

He looked so handsome with the sun going down behind him. He wore dark tinted sunglasses and one of his trademark suits. His hair looked more gray than usual, his beard perfectly trimmed and neatly styled, giving him the look of a model. God, he made my knees go weak. I never understood it, but it had been true from the very beginning.

“Hey, girls,” he told us once we approached him.

I’d noticed Kendall’s hand had gone clammy and hot in my own. He had the very same effect on her as he had on me, and I was jealous that her affection was returned by him. Why was she beating me at my own game? And with this man, with Levi – the only one that really mattered. I wanted so badly to have him for myself. Once again, jealousy reared its ugly head, and I looked at the asphalt of the parking lot to hide my inexplicable rage.

“I thought I’d take you home,” Levi said. “I hope that’s okay. I just want to make sure things are okay back there. I’ve been worried sick all fucking night.”

He looked at Kendall for confirmation, and she looked at me.

“Let’s go,” I said easily, and we piled in the car.

Kendall sat with me in the back, and I was grateful for it, because I wasn’t about to fight her for that front seat. We drove home without any of us saying a word, and a song playing loudly on the radio. The sun was setting behind us and it illuminated the whole highway in a glow that took my breath away.

But my appreciation was over as soon as Levi pulled into the driveway in front of our house, because Mom was already waiting on the doorstep, her arms crossed, her face wearing a scowl so angry I knew we were all in trouble. Nobody scowled like Barbara Violet.

“Where the fuck have you been?” she snarled at us the second we got out of the car. “How dare you take a ride with him?”

“Everything’s okay,” I told her placatingly. “Levi just picked us up from school.”

“Did he now?” she snarled. “And what gives him the right to do that?”

“Barbara,” Levi said calmly, rounding the car and taking his sunglasses off, offering her a smile. “I didn’t mean to step on your toes in any way shape or form. I just wanted to–”

“What?” she barked. “Replace me as a parent? Make sure they liked you better? You dream the fuck on, Levi! You’ll never turn my own children against me!”

No, I thought bitterly. You’re doing a mighty fine job of that yourself, Mommy dearest.

“I never meant to do anything of the sort,” Levi said. “Why don’t we take this inside?”