Serial - Suddenly Daddy Part 47

You are laughing up a storm as you chase the streaking Poppy.  You couldn't remember the last time you had laughed with such care free abandon.  It wasn't that you felt like a kid again, but Poppy and Jeremy allowed you to let yourself go in ways others couldn't.  Son and mother still sat on the couch watching and cheering you on, they had their feet up so as not to get in the way.  Claire was absolutely howling with laughter as she watched you, unsuccessfully, try to chase down the much more nimble girl.

“Ha ha ha ha!  You're crazy Teddy!”  She laughs.  “Look out Poppy, here he comes!  Ha ha ha ha!”

Poppy began to get cocky.  Slowing down a bit, wiggling her tush to tease you, splashing you with the remains of the water.  You just keep on her tail, she would mess up soon.  And so she did.

As she was looking back over her shoulder at you when she misjudged where the hard wooden armrest of the futon was.  You hear her knee crack hard against the wood, sending her body into a spinning and falling pirouette.

“Ahhh!”  She cries as she hurtles earthward.  Jeremy and Claire both sit up and gasp as they watch it unfold in what seemed like slow motion.

Luckily you were right behind her.  You swoop in and scoop her up into your strong arms as she falls.  Holding her in your arms as easy as anything you stand up.

Concern in your voice you say.  “I've got ya.  I've got ya.”

Poppy's face was twisted in pain.  “Owwww, I hurt my knee!”  She looks at you with a grimace.  “I hurt my knee Daddy.”

“It's okay baby.  Daddy's got ya.”  You carry her toward a chair.  “Come on.  Let's see how bad it is my girl.”

Poppy was looking at you with the funniest look, something like disbelief.  The pain seemed to be forgotten.  You pause a moment to stare back at her, she wanted to say something.  She finally does.  “Y-you really care...don't you?  Like...really.”  

You look at her perplexed.  “Of course I care.”  You see in her face those simple honest words seemed to mean the world to her.

Claire was getting up to come look herself but Poppy waves her off.  “I'm okay Mom, it's okay.  It just hurt is all.”

You go to lean down to set her in the chair but she hangs onto your neck tight, she didn't want to be set down.  You stand back up, Poppy still in cradled in your arms.  She strokes your bearded face and her odd look from before was brightening into a smile.

“You're strong.”  She says out of nowhere.

“Thanks.”  You say, but your attention was still on her knee.  You take her closer to the fire to get a better look.  The skin wasn't broken and there didn't appear to be any swelling.  She'd probably have a bruise but she seemed to already be over the pain of it.

“Kiss it better?”  She whispers.  “Kiss my owie Daddy?”

You pull her legs closer and very tenderly kiss her knee.  Her left hand was stroking the back of your head and neck.  “Kiss it again.”  You do so again.  “Kiss my boo boo Daddy.”  You do so again, each one more tender than the last.

“Hey, you okay?  You're acting funny.”  You ask with growing concern.  She responds with a firm powerful kiss to your lips, her hands hold the side of your head.

“Mmmph!”  You let out in surprise.  She holds the kiss a long time before letting you go.

Her voice still a whisper she says not an inch from your face.  “Why weren't you our father?  Why wasn't it you?  Why'd you come so late?”

“Hey, I'm here now.”  You respond.  Hugging her to your body you repeat softly in her ear.  “I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere.”

She nods.  “But...maybe...it's too late.”  You saw her opening up to you.  This wasn't the playful giggling Poppy you had sex with back at the house.  Her mask was off, her defenses down.

She was pulling stuff up from deep within.  It looked like sex would have to wait.  “You need to talk Poppy?”  You ask with a gentle voice.  “Come on, let's talk.”  Once more you go to set her down but she doesn't let you.  She wraps her arms around your neck and curls up against you, she wanted to be held by you.

She rests the palm of her right hand on your chest just above the heart.  “I need you to make love to me.  I'd really like you to make love to me but, I'd...I'd like to be alone.  Can we do it alone.  Please?”  She kisses you.  A long savoring kiss to the lips.

“No, Poppy, you're very emotional right...”

“Please Ted.  Please.  I've never needed anything more than I need you right now.”

You hear Claire speak up from the couch.  “Poppy sweetie, you don't have to be embarrassed.  Jeremy and I would just watch, we wouldn't say a word.  And, we could all talk together after if you want.”

You loved that woman by dear lord was she missing the point right now.  Even Jeremy picked up on it.  He says quietly.  “Mom, let them be.  She needs some time with Dad.”

“But...”

“Mom...stop.”  Jeremy adds more firmly.

As you and Poppy part lips you look to Claire.  “It's not about privacy Claire, it's about intimacy.”

You look to your boy and he simply nods, giving you his blessing to go with his sister.  You carry Poppy out of the light of the fire and into one of the rooms.  Behind you you can hear Jeremy get up from the futon.

“Come on Mom, let's clean up and make us some snacks.  I brought lots of good stuff.”

Claire just stutters.  “B..but...”

With the heel of your foot you swing the door to the room closed behind you.  You weren't sure yet what if you'd make love, but she clearly needed some time alone with you.  The room is near pitch dark, just the hint of pale moonlight filtered into the window through the tree tops.  You knew the place well however.  You walk over and gently rest Poppy down on one of the sturdy cots.  She sits, refusing to lie down as she wanted to keep her arms around your neck.

She giggles, it was a noticeably abrupt change in her previously open and fragile demeanor.  “You want me to be your bad girl Daddy?  Want me to tease you?  Want me to be your little slut Daddy?  Your little fuck toy?”

Fuck toy?  The only thing you thought in that moment was how those words echoed the ones Jeremy had said Roger had told him.  About how Jeremy ought to learn to be a good fuckboy if he wanted someone to love him.

“Come on, use me Daddy.”  She presses her breasts into you and claws at your back.  “Or let me use you.  Did you like when I teased you?  I could say so much worse if you want me to.  Come on!”

You bring her into a big strong embrace.  “Poppy, Poppy stop this.  Just be yourself.”

She laughs, though there was no humor in it.  “Ha ha ha!  This is me Daddy.  I'm bad.  I'm so bad you wouldn't believe it. I'll be your bad little girl Daddy.”

She was trying to grope you and come onto you, but you hold her firm in your steady hug.  “Stop.  Shhhhh.  Just stop."

She laughs again, though this time a shuddering sob is mixed into the mirthless sound.  “What...what's the matter?  You little dickless...you're too much...of a faggot...”

“Shhhhhh, stop this.  Shhhhhh.”  You kiss her head and stroke her long blonde hair.

She begins to cry and you feel her tense up and begin to push and pull against you in anger.

She then suddenly pounds her fists against you. You keep her close to you even as the strikes bounce off your chest.  “Just...just fuck me...you idiot!  Just fuck me!  Just fuck me, fuck me, fuck me!  Stop pretending you care Ted.  I'm a no good whore.  Just use me like the slut I am.  Just...just fuck me...and I'll call you Daddy...”

You kiss her head again.  “No baby girl, that's not happening.  Cause I do care Poppy.  I really do care.”

“But...I want toooo!”  She wails.  “Fuck me!”

“Not tonight, not tonight.”  Your voice remains gentle and even.

Her battering arms soon lose their force.  Her hands now tapping against you weakly before finally she collapses into you, she clutches to you with all of her strength.  “I hate him Daddy.  I hate him...soooo muuuuuch!”

You hold the sobbing girl in your arms and allow her to just let it all out.  Burying her face in your shoulder she weeps with a pain you could only imagine.  It was like a dam breaching to floodwaters that have been building for a very long time.  You hold your little girl in the dark as she bears her soul.  

You shed a few tears yourself.

With a hushed rough voice she asks.  “How could he?  How could he?  I don't understand.”

“I don't know Poppy, I don't know.”  You answer honestly.  “Some people just aren't right baby girl.”

She sobs once more.  Once more you hold her firm.

After a long time of you stroking and soothing the young woman she finally speaks again.  “Daddy?”  It was the voice of a little girl.

“Yes Poppy?”

“I've...done things Daddy.  I've done terrible things.  Things I'm not proud of.”  She was trembling as she spoke, her tiny voice as fragile as spun glass.

You pet her soft hair.  “Then I'll be proud of you.”

“You don't know what I've done.”

“I don't care what you've done.”

Poppy takes a series of sharp breaths in and out.  “I...I...I drink, a lot and...I-I used drugs Daddy.  Like...not just pot...like real drugs...”  She holds to you.  “I...I didn't want to...I don't even know why I did.  I-I don't...know...why...  W-w-we didn't...use protection Daddy...  I...I barely remember it...”  She blubbers as she bursts forth this confessional.  “M-my period is late Daddy.  I'm so scared.  I'm so fuckin scared Daddy.”

Oh Christ!  You keep your voice low and calm.  “Oh honey.”  You kiss her bowed head once more.  “Poppy...why didn't you talk to your mother, or even your brother, about this?”

“I...I don't deserve Jeremy...”

“Stop that, he loves you.”

“And...with Mom.  I dunno, she, I dunno.  I didn't want to disappoint her.  She always believed so much in me.  Always telling me...how smart and....how strong I was.  She can't even see what a fuck up I really am Ted.”  She sniffles.  “And...then she was so happy with you...coming over...I didn't want to ruin that for her.”

You just keep stroking her and hugging her.  “They're your family baby girl.  They will always be there for you.”

She clears her throat and swallows hard, you feel her stiffen and pull back.  “If...if you want to get out of here.  I'd understand.  You don't need someone like me in your life.”

You firm up your embrace on her, a loving yet firm tone coming to your voice.  “Hey!  Stop that.  Stop feeling sorry for yourself.  Stop it.  I'm not going anywhere Poppy.”

“But...”  she squeaks.

“Listen to me.  I'm your Dad Poppy.”  The truth of those words as they so naturally flowed from you shook you to your core.  “I will love you no matter what.”

There is quiet in the room as the pair of you just hold each other.  The heat of your naked bodies keeping each other warm in the cool dark room.

Poppy finally whispers. “You have to swear to me you mean that.  Swear it to me.  Don't fuck with me Ted, not on this.  We need you, this family needs you Ted.  I need you.”

“I swear to you Poppy.  I love each and every one of you with all my heart.  I would be...honored, truly honored, to be your Dad.  If you let me.”  You then add.  “I love you Poppy.”

“I've waited all my life...”  Her voice trails off.  “...and now...suddenly...Daddy.”  She throws her arms around you once more and squeezes you for all she was worth.  “You ARE my Daddy.  You are my real Daddy.  The only one I ever had.  I love you too Daddy.  I love you too!”

You hold your daughter, loving her with every fiber of your being.