Chapter 5

With her life back on track, on track to normal subsistence, she could take a rest from the craziness that her life was. And she was enjoying herself which was a positive!

But as was her life, circumstances were to turn her world upside down again.

Thursday after dinner there was a knock on her door, she looked at the clock and saw it was to early for Scott. She walked to the door and asked, “Who is it?”

“Uhm, hi. I’m Janice Lewis, Craig Ware is my Father? I believe you know him?”

Uh oh. What to do? Should she yes and open the door or tell her she doesn’t know Craig. They had all agreed to keep quiet on what they were doing and Craig was a straight up guy and she trusted him so, with a cringe, she opened the door.

She opened the door and it was no doubt that she was Craig’s daughter, her features mirrored his but far more feminine and softer, and appeared to be in her mid thirties. She let her in and asked, “What can I do for you Janice?”

“Wow, you’re young! How old are you?”

Well, this is not going to go well is it! “I’m nineteen.”

“Nineteen? Crap. My husband said I should let it go, but, I can’t. What are you doing with my Father?”

The tone. There it was. Just before she left home it was the tone that her Mother had used when talking to her about her pregnancy. She hated that tone, and knew that nothing Janice would say could hold back her hatred and loathing of her. Defiantly, as she was with her Mother she responded, “Isn’t that between him and me?”

“Listen, I don’t know you, I don’t know what your deal is, or what your trying to get from my Father, but I don’t like it, and I want you to stay away from him.” It was the finger pointing. She pointed her finger at her. Her Mother pointed her finger at her. She hated it.

She crossed her arms before continuing, “I think HE can decide what he wants to do and who he wants to be with.”

Ah, now the silence, her Mother used that on her. Janice stared at her waiting for her to break as her Mother did. But she was immune to it as she stared back at her. Finally Janice broke the silence, “Yes, you are right, of course. But I am not so sure the police would be so enthused with what you are doing.”

She was winning this battle, “Well, what Craig and I do is between Craig and me.”

The claws came out, “Even if they knew that he paid you to have sex with him?”

She was on autopilot as she shot back, “Is that what he told you?”

She could see a weakness in her attack on her as she briefly hesitated before resuming the attack, “He didn’t have to. I balance his check book, I watch his finances, he’s been spending money and won’t tell me what it’s for. But I know, and I don’t like it, and I want it to stop.”

Emphasizing each word she spat back at her, “Talk to your Father.”

She snarled back at her, “I have, and he’s told me that it’s none of my business.”

Softly and with a smile she replied back, “I think that is pretty clear, to me.”

Too far, she pushed her too far as Janice responded, “But not to me. You stop messing around with my Father.”

“It’s his choice.”

She moved her hands to her hips and said, “Sure it is. And when I go to the cops, or spray paint whore on your door, or tell everyone in the neighborhood what you are, just a common whore, that’s MY choice.”

She stood there silent, not knowing what to say. What was there to say? He was a grown man and able to make his own choices and should be free to do what he wants. But his Daughter, what a nosy person she was, she had no right to get involved in what they do, none whatsoever. But that she has and how she was threatening her made it her business.

“You know what, I’ll tell your Father what you want. I’ll explain to him that you threatened me, and him, and let him make the choice. But for me, if he chooses to continue or not to continue, unlike you, it is his choice. ONLY his.”

“You just stay away from him. I mean it. Stay the hell away from my father!”

With that Janice turned and left slamming the door behind her. She turned away from the door and stormed into the kitchen and stood next to the stove, her arms crossed. She was pissed. Things were going so well for her, she was seeing a light at the end of the tunnel and she gets this! Who is she hurting? Who? No one is hurting her! So no one gets hurt!

People should just stay out of her life!

But as she was raving at the attack on her from Janice a small doubt came to her. What if the cops did come? What of they did arrest her, what would happen to Dylan? Where would he go? Her parents would get him. Or he would end up in foster care.

Though she hated her mother, Dylan would be far better off in their care than in foster care. Her mother was fine as long as you did everything right. The problem is, no one does everything right. Growing up is about finding your way, and sometimes you make mistakes. And when you do, you don’t want to be beaten over the head with it, you want someone to be there for you, to hold your hand and comfort you. That, was not her mother.

She spent much of the night deep in thought on what had transpired this day, with most of her thoughts not on Craig or his daughter, but with her mother and Dylan and what would happen if what she was doing got out of her control. She stewed on this for the next couple of days and waited patiently for Friday when she could talk to Craig. If he showed up.

She was on edge all day Friday waiting to get to the bottom of Janice and Craig’s familial discontent, as she saw it, and when after Jim and Craig had closed the door she started, “Craig, I had a visit from your daughter, Janice, the other day.”

“What? How? Shit. What did she say?”

“She doesn’t want you to, be here.”

“You didn’t say anything about, well, us, did you?”

“No, but she’s got a pretty good idea what we are doing.”

“I tried to keep her from getting involved in my business, but, well, that’s damn near impossible. She’s gotten into just about everything I do. She’s a lot like her mother.”

“So, what are we going to do?”

“I’ll talk to her, I’m sure I can get her to back off and leave you alone.”

Somewhat satisfied with Craig’s approach she nodded her head in agreement to let him take up the responsibility of curtailing his daughter’s actions. But she had an inkling that it wasn’t over with Janice. There was something about her, a persistence that was evident in how she carried herself and spoke, that had her concerned. Craig might be confident in his ability to corral his daughter, but she wasn’t sure that Janice would stay that way.

Three weeks had passed since the incident with Janice and her new life became a routine of Dylan, work, and sex, all of which she truly enjoyed but none more than Dylan. He was becoming more active and his personality was beginning to come forward, his likes and dislikes, and his acceptance of Jim who would sit with him when she was busy.