Chapter 13: Rainey

Chapter Cast:
Darren, Male, 53

- Narrator, retired, father of Gwen and Victoria (Vic)

- 5’11, beige skin, 195lbs, cropped greying brown hair
Audrey, Female, 16

- High school senior, daughter of Duncan and Theresa

- 5’9, pale skin, 140lbs, light-green eyes, straight auburn hair over her shoulders
Gwen, Female, 16

- High school sophomore, daughter of Darren, sister of Victoria

- 5’6, beige skin, 135lbs, shoulder-length wavy black hair
Victoria (Vic), Female, 14

- High school freshman, daughter of Darren, sister of Gwen

- 5’4, beige skin, 120lbs, wavy neck-length light-brown hair
Rainey, Female, 47

- Night nurse

- 5’8, 155lbs, beige skin, blue eyes, shoulder-length auburn hair

The rest of Thanksgiving day, I had honestly felt a little better. Rainey’s open interest in me was warming. She seemed like a very kind person, well-meaning, polite. She was quite pretty, just above average height, maybe a few extra pounds. I wasn’t really thinking sexual thoughts about her at that point, just observing. I thought it might be nice to have a friend to do things with again. It might even help me move past my longing for Audrey.

And on Thanksgiving, after we ate, I didn’t see much of my young ex. She and Travis disappeared at some point, perhaps to her bedroom. I tried not to think about what they might be sharing behind closed doors.

The next day, I spent the morning checking out the possibility of going to Japan for Christmas. Vic’s schedule was free, and it looked like Gwen’s would be as well. Herman had given me the details of their trip before I’d left the holiday party, and there were still seats available on the same flight as well as room at the hotel where they planned to stay. Thanks to our travel over the years, me and my daughters all had valid passports, so other than the concern about being close to Audrey on the trip, I saw no reason not to plan to go. I waited to book our travel, though, wishing to be sure it was the right thing to do.

Rainey met me at the theater. She wore a simple dark-blue dress which was flattering on her curvy hips and full breasts. When I saw her, I found myself sexually attracted to someone for the first time since Audrey.

I’d picked out a silly comedy about three forty-something friends on a road trip to see a private museum dedicated to the porn star they all adored when they were younger. It had sort of a Harold and Kumar feel to it with silly sidetracks and raunchy jokes. I wasn’t sure of Rainey’s sense of humor, but she laughed as much as I did, and when the movie was over, we went next door to eat pizza and drink beer.

“I never understood women who don’t like beer,” she told me, finishing her second pint and ordering another. “I can’t stand much of anything else, but I love beer.”

“Ever tried scotch?”

She laughed, “Twice. Not my thing.”

“Shame. It’s my favorite,” I told her.

“I’ll remember that for Christmas...”

Hmm. On our first date, Rainey was already suggesting our relationship would extend more than just a day or three. I felt like that meant she was enjoying my company. To be honest, I was enjoying hers, as well.

“I don’t know about you,” Rainey told me as the waitress sat her cold beer in front of her, “but I could use a long walk after this. Up for it?”

I shrugged, “Sure.”

“There’s a great park nearby. I love walking there from time to time. It’s a great place to take photos.”

“Sounds good,” I replied. “Say ... how do you keep on a regular schedule working nights?”

Rainey said, “It takes practice. I’ve done night shifts for so long I just adjust. I still stay up late and sleep in most days, even when I’m off, so I can’t get fully out of sync. But if I have a few days off, I can often switch it around without too much of a problem. I guess I just get used to it.”

“Sounds complicated.”

“Nah, not really. Night shifts are the best, to me. It’s generally quieter and there’s less hustle and bustle at the hospital. I can really focus on my patients at night. Day nurses have it much harder. Doctors coming around constantly asking for this or that, one after another going in and out of the rooms. At night, there are usually just a handful around and they tend to let us do our hourly checks and stay out of our way. I like it enough that the odd hours don’t really affect me.”

We finished our drinks and I paid our tab, then Rainey rode with me to the park. We walked a distance down a path which followed a meandering stream, benches and water fountains spaced out along the way. We talked about her family and mine. I told her about being a widow and a father, and she listened with a sympathetic ear.

Rainey had been married twice, but neither lasted more than two years. The last ended almost a decade earlier. I didn’t ask about why she’d not had kids. It wasn’t really any of my business, and she didn’t explain.

We sat on a bench to rest, and I leaned back, stretching my legs.

Rainey’s hand slid onto mine and she just held it, smiling at me but saying nothing. I enjoyed the warmth of her skin. “I like you a lot, Darren.”

“I like you too,” I told her honestly.

“Good, cause ... I know we barely know each other, but I’ve got a really good feeling about you.”

I smiled happily for the first time in what seemed like months. “I know that feeling.”

Rainey met my eyes and we drew together, sharing a soft kiss. She giggled when we separated and said, “That was nice.”

“Very nice.”

I dropped her off at her car and we kissed again. “I’ve had a lovely day with you,” she smiled. “Let’s do something tomorrow.”

“I’d love to, but my daughter Gwen has a dance competition to go to. Unless you’d like to come?”

She shrugged, “Sure, sounds fun!”

“It’s a date, then,” I grinned.

Rainey kissed me again and I let her go, returning to my car and heading home.

My daughters were both out for the night, Vic going with Gwen and some friends to play miniature golf. I sat alone, watching an old western, slowly sipping my scotch.

It was a moment of reflection, and what I found was encouraging. Rainey’s company that day had raised my spirits, and much more importantly, the longing I felt for Audrey was much more distant. Maybe there was some hope for me after all.

The girls came home around ten and Gwen went off to shower. Vic plopped down beside me on the couch and leaned onto my shoulder. “Have fun, Sweetie?”

“Yeah. I did,” she giggled. “Gwen had more fun.”

“Do tell...”

“She kissed this boy she likes. Maybe did more than kiss, I don’t know.”

I raised an eyebrow. “The Wilson boy? What was his name...”

“Pete.”

“Right, Pete. I hadn’t heard much about him for a couple of weeks.”

Vic shrugged. “Well, she likes him and they were kissing all night. They disappeared for a while, too.”

I chuckled. “Well ... your sister is old enough to know how to be safe. That’s all I can ask of her.”

“I suppose,” Vic replied. “He is super cute. Not like his brother.”

“Who’s that?”

“Andrew ... err ... Andy. He’s my age. Nice enough, I guess, but just...” Vic shook her head and shuddered.

“And what’s not cute about him?” I asked.

“I dunno ... He dresses all ragged like he’s homeless or something. He doesn’t shave, so he has this ratty-looking hair on his face. His hair’s always tangled.”

“That’s an awfully detailed set of observations about a boy you don’t think is cute...”

Vic laughed.

I added, “Perhaps you like him a little bit anyway?”

“Dad!” Vic laughed again, “God ... I dunno.”

“Well ... just promise me you’ll talk to me if things get serious with ... Andy.” I’d given Vic the same talk about birth control I’d given to Gwen earlier that year. Vic said she wasn’t interested in anyone and not ready to have sex, so she had turned down the offer of birth control. I was fine with that. Vic was only fourteen, though she’d be fifteen in January. I hoped she’d be honest with me if things changed for her.”

“God, Dad,” Vic said in the fax-exasperated tone I knew so well. “I just said he’s not cute.”

“True, but you didn’t deny that you might also like him.”

Vic grinned. “I dunno ... maybe...”

I kissed her forehead and turned back to the movie.

“How did your date go?” she asked me moments later.

“Better than expected.”

“She’s pretty, Dad. I think she likes you.”

“I agree. And ... she does like me...”

“Do you like her back?” Vic asked, giggling.

“I do.”

“So ... when will she be staying over... ?”

I laughed. “We’ve only been on one date, Vic. Cart and horse and all that.”

She giggled again, “But you want her to stay over, right?”

I admitted, “I might like that, yes. But we just started dating...”

“I’m happy for you, Dad,” she said sweetly. “I prayed you’d start dating again. You deserve to be happy.”

“Thanks,” I replied, “it’s still new to me, but so far, given that i’ve only known her for little more than a day, things are going well. She’s going with us to your sister’s dance tomorrow.”

“Oh, good. I was afraid I’d be stuck with just you all day.”

I lightly pinched her shoulder and she yelped with a laugh. Gentle, carefree moments like those with my daughters made me get up in the morning when things were at their darkest. I loved them so much, and I wished, one day, they would understand how important they were to me, especially when it was hard for me to see the beauty in other moments.

“I’m need to shower,” she told me, leaping off the couch. “I’ll push Gwen out if I have to.”

“Make sure she doesn’t hit anything too hard when you do.”

Vic grinned and skipped out of the living room.

Gwen’s outfit was always a bit of a concern for me when she danced. It’s like the designers were going out of their way to ensure that teen and preteen bodies were presented as maturely as possible. Gwen’s breasts were obvious and to anyone who had watched her growing up, clearly still getting larger even when squeezed hard by the purple leotard. The tight material down lower left even less to the imagination, often forming camel toes or wedgies as she moved. As her father, it was hard to realize that everyone watching her could see those things, and I knew more than a few men were actively fantasizing about her.