Chapter 34

I had time to shower and reset before Isla came back from school. Of course, Jim brought her home, so as soon as she entered the room, Isla climbed onto my lap, kissed my cheek, and settled happily into place.

“How were the two tubby tarts?” She asked after kissing my cheek.

“I think you and my wife spend entirely too much time talking, my girl,” I growled as I carefully wrapped my arms around her hips. “How did you know I was visiting friends today?”

“Daddy Liam,” Isla patiently explained, even as she rolled her eyes. “Aunty Nessa and I know everything you’re doing and will do. So, don’t get your knickers in a bunch about it, and accept we like you playing around.”

Nothing I could say to that that was appropriate for underaged ears, so I remained silent.

After an uncomfortable silence, I asked, “How often do you and Ness talk?”

“Every day, of course,” Isla unsurprisingly replied. “If she’s on a late, I call her during lunch. If she’s doing an early, I call her when I get home from school, and if she’s on days off, she calls me.”

“Every day?” Isla nodded. “Since?” I questioned.

“My eighth birthday,”

“What on earth do you have to talk about to need to chat every day?” I asked.

Looking at me as if I were a backward child, Isla responded, “You, of course.”

“Me? My life is not that exciting that it needs a daily conference about.”

“Yes, it is,” Isla insisted. “Besides, how am I to be your woman if I don’t know everything about you?”

“Vanessa is my woman,” I reminded Isla. “Not you.”

“Yes, Daddy Liam,” Isla exasperatedly said. “Of course she is. But eleven months from now, you will be my man.”

Worried about where this was going, I reminded Isla that I was Ness’ man and that I’d only be ‘her man’ for the night and day of her eighteenth birthday.

“Big, naïve, blind lummox,” Isla muttered as, needing to pee, she got off my lap and headed down the hall.

A little later, Jim and I walked down to the leagues club and chatted over a few beers. After we’d discussed how well the Broncos were going (they’d recently won the NRL championship, so pretty good!), the imminent demise of the Gold Coast Chargers, and John Howard’s betrayal of ‘Johnny’s battlers’ (A group of low-income workers that traditionally supported Labor but were convinced by the Liberal/National Party to vote for John Howard) by his mooted introduction of a GST.

Then, in a lull in the conversation, Jim stated, “Isla expects to stay with you and Nessa when she attends Uni. You know that, right?”

Spitting out my mouthful of beer, I exclaimed, “What?”

“Ellen tells me Isla wants to live with you and Vanessa.

Not knowing how to answer, I eventually muttered, “Jaysus, brother, this is news to me!” It wasn’t, but I didn’t want to fight with my oldest friend. “Isla made it clear years ago that she wanted me to be her first, but I never once thought it was more than that!”

“So, Liam, when my youngest daughter asks to stay with you, what will you and Vanessa say?”

Holding his gaze steadily, I responded, “No. It wouldn’t be fair to Isla because she’ll be alone most of the time. She’d be better going into the Dorms with Tanya.”

“Wrong answer, brother,” Jim growled. “If you say no, you’ll break Isla’s heart, and I’ll probably have to kill you!”

Shocked again, I spat, “What? Brother, a father does not threaten a man for not taking his daughter into his home. You know that, right?”

“I didn’t say I liked it,” Jim sighed. “And you’re right. I was one hundred percent against it until Ellen and Isla sat me down and explained it was happening with or without my permission, so I’d best get on with the idea of it. Besides, brother, you’re a good man and obviously love my daughter, so I know you and Nessa will look after her. I guess I’m trying to say that she could do worse than staying with you, okay?”

“Fuck, Jim,” I muttered. “I have no idea what to say.”

“Then say ‘yes’ when Isla asks.”

“It won’t be up to me, Jim. It’ll be on Ness. She’s the one that has to give up her privacy.”

“Yeah, but we both know Nessa won’t do it unless you’re on board with the idea. So, I ask again, when my youngest daughter asks to live with you, what will you say?”

“Fuck!” I spat. “No still seems like the right thing to say, but I think you’re right, and it’s already a done deal. So, I’ll say, ‘yes’.”

“Good,” Jim smiled. “At least I won’t have to kick your ass later.”

Grinning, I replied, “You keep telling yourself you can, brother. If it makes you feel better.”

We finished our beers and walked back home in time for Ellen to yell dinner was ready. Taking our seats, we ate and discussed our day. I couldn’t offer much, as you can imagine. Indulging in almost six hours of Bdsm play with two bisexual tarts isn’t something you can sit at a family dinner table and chat about. But subjects ranged from what was happening at school, how Tanya’s new job was going, and what problems Ellen was having at the hospital. All in all, an enjoyable way to spend an evening.

Repairing to the lounge, I welcomed Isla onto my lap, lightly tickled her ribs, and asked how her day was.

Giggling and telling me to stop it, Isla replied, “Same as every day at school, Daddy Liam, boring!”

I’d been thinking about this and asked, “Have you checked with Open University Australia to see if they have anything you can start on to help with the first year of your nursing degree?”

“No,” Isla replied. “What’s Open University?”

“It’s a conglomerate of several universities around Australia offering courses by correspondence. They say they’ll move their courses online sometime in the future when internet speeds improve.”

“It’d be worth having a look, at least. How do I get in contact with them?”

“You’ll probably have to phone the operator and ask for a number, then call them,”

“Cool. I’ll try after school tomorrow.”

The rest of the evening passed with nothing more than friendly conversation, and it was soon time for bed. Isla followed her now typical charade of entering her room, then sneaking into mine when the house slept. However, she always wore her nightgown over her full-length pyjamas and slept under a blanket on top of my quilt, so there was no doubt there wasn’t anything untoward occurring. Therefore, I rolled her off my chest this time and snuggled her into the ‘little spoon’ position.

In the morning, Isla woke, rolled and snuggled under my chin before kissing my neck. Then suddenly realising it was much later than usual, her eyes snapped open, and she said, “Oh no! Mum and Dad are already up! I’m in so much trouble!”

“Do you really think your mother, at least, doesn’t know you sneak in here every night?”

Her eyes widening, Isla gasped, “She hasn’t said anything to me!”

“No, but she usually pops the door open around 1.00 am and checks. If she had a problem with you sleeping here, she’d have chased you out the first night you did it.”

“You didn’t tell me,” Isla accused. “I was terrified of being caught, and you’re saying Mum knew all the time!”

“Well, you were having so much fun sneaking around behind your parent’s backs that I didn’t want to spoil your fun,” I explained.

“Asshole!” Isla smilingly spat, then left to get ready for school.

Later, as we sat at the breakfast bar, Ellen affectionately tousled her daughter’s hair and said, Miss Isla, when I tell you to sleep in your bed, I mean for the night. Not until you think I won’t notice you sneaking into Mister Liam’s room!”

“I sleep better in Daddy Liam’s arms, Mum,” Isla defensively said. “His heartbeat is so strong and slow it makes me feel safe and secure as if no harm could ever befall me.”

“And exactly what harm are you expecting to encounter in our home, may I ask?” Jim queried as he entered the kitchen. “You’re lucky your mother said that every time she checks, you’re fully clothed and on top of the bed, not under the quilt, or I’d ban you from seeing Liam until your eighteenth birthday.”

“Nightmare harm, Daddy,” Isla explained as she held her hands out to her father for a kiss and cuddle.

“You still having those, baby?” Jim asked.

“Not as often since you hung the dream catcher in my room, but I still get them. Only I don’t when I sleep in Daddy Liam’s arms.”

“That’s no excuse to disobey your mother, Isla,” Jim pointed out. “But it seems we’re trying to shut the barn door after the horse has bolted, so I won’t say anything more about it. As long as you promise to remain a virgin until your eighteenth birthday, you may sleep, fully clothed, with Mister Shephard.”

“Thank you, Daddy,” Isla squealed, then pouted, “But Daddy Liam’s only here for one more night, so I’ve lost four nights.”

“If you call sleeping with him every night since Saturday ‘losing four nights’,” Jim stated sarcastically.

Colouring, Isla admitted, “Yeah, I did. But only on top of the covers, Daddy.”

“Yeah, if your mum had found you under the covers, she’d have dragged you out by your ears.” Jim pointed out.

Checking, Isla asked, “But I can tonight?”

Jim nodded, “Yes. After you’ve promised you won’t break the law.”

“We won’t, Daddy, I promise,” Isla quickly stated.

Jim glared at me, “I love you like a brother, Liam. But if you’re inappropriate with my daughter before her eighteenth birthday, I will kill you!”

“Eighteen is ridiculous, Jim,” I growled. “You know that! But it’s the law, so Miss Isla, as Tanya had to do, can wait until the night of her eighteenth.”

Tanya had work, so she left with Jim and Isla when they headed to school, leaving Ellen and me alone at home. I’d hoped to spend this day with the two tubby tarts again, but they could only arrange a single day off, so I had a day with little to do.

‘Should have brought my golf clubs,’ I thought as I listlessly flicked through the four available TV channels, searching vainly for something to watch.

I watched ‘The Morning Show’ for a time as it seemed the least worst of the available programs. Having seen enough, I was about to change into my running gear when Ellen walked naked into the lounge. Marching up to me, Ellen pushed me against the couch back, straddled my thighs and tried to stuff her tit into my mouth. “I can’t stand it anymore, Liam,” she growled. “You must fuck me right now!”

Standing then, depositing her on the floor, I retorted, “Sure! Ness is on a late, so she’s home. You call her now and ask for permission. While you’re doing that, I’ll phone your husband at school and check if he’s okay with it, too. If they both agree, I’ll fuck you into next week!”

“They don’t have to know,” Ellen pleaded.

“Vanessa knows of each and every one of my dalliances, Ellen, and I’m damned if I’ll make an exception for you. Now, woman, what happened to ‘I will obey my new vows to my husband’?”

“Every night, Isla sneaks into your room and does what I want to do—fuck you, then sleep in your strong arms. It’s not fair! Jim has improved his forcefulness greatly but is still too gentle with me. I want to be fucked, Liam. Fucked like the dirty whore slut I long to be, but although he’s improved, he’s still not manly enough to force me to what I need to be.”

“Ellen, that’s bullshit!” I snarled. “First of all, Isla and I have exchanged nothing more than a soft lip kiss, and not ‘fucked’, as you so crudely put it. And, if he isn’t being what you want him to be, tell him and show him what you want!”

“Top from the bottom, you mean?” Ellen sneered. “I wouldn’t have to do that with you!”

I took her in my arms and softly kissed her lips, “Ellen, I’m not doing this. We’re not doing this. I want you. You can tell by my throbbing cock against your belly that I want you, but without permission from our spouses, we are not doing this!”

“Jim will never allow me to fuck another,” Ellen said sadly. “Especially if that ‘another’ is you. That’s why we have to do it now, today.”

“And when you feel guilty and confess? What then? Your marriage is over. My marriage is over. Your daughters hate me, and I’ve lost the one friend I value above all others. No, Ellen, the cost is too high, and I won’t do it. No matter how much my cock throbs and my balls ache.”

Taking hold of my shaft, Ellen ran her hand up and down it before saying, “But you want to, right? Let me have that, at least.”

Kissing her pouting mouth again, I replied, “Of course, I do, Ellen. You’re as sexy as all fuck, but girl, you know that!”

Stepping back, Ellen looked at me tearfully and said, “I’m lonely, Liam. Other than Jim and the girls, I have no friends. Larry moved out because he got sick of our arguments. Jason barely talks to me for the same reason. Vanessa and I were close until my bitchiness drove her away. Plus, I have the reputation of ‘The Ice Cold Bitch’ at the hospital, and no one wants to work with me.”

I sat on the couch and requested, “Ellen, go put some clothes on, and we’ll talk about this, okay?”

Ellen exasperatedly flounced away but soon returned wearing trousers and a clinging T-shirt, her braless breasts standing proud on her muscular chest.

“Happy?” She asked.

“Yes,” I facetiously answered. “My throbbing cock and aching balls appreciate your clothed state.”

That, at least, made her smile. But she turned serious and demanded, “You’ll fuck both my daughters, but won’t fuck me? Why?”

“Because your daughters aren’t married to my best mate!” I snarled back. “But, more importantly than that, you need to fix your friendship with Vanessa so she’ll consider your request to fuck me because I will not fuck you without Ness’ permission.”

“She’s okay with you fucking my daughters, though?”

“So are you!” I reminded her.

Blushing guiltily, Ellen confessed, “In the twelve month lead up to you and Tanya consummating your love, Jim got more sex than he’s ever had before because I kept fantasising that it was me you were slowly building toward making love to.”

“You didn’t mention that as the reason, though, did you?”

Ellen shook her head, “I’m not that stupid!”

“So, your personal life? What’s with?” I asked, wanting to change subjects.

Tears filled Ellen’s eyes again, and she said, “I’ve found the church ladies are nothing but interfering, backstabbing, gossip mongers who couldn’t give a toss about the truth if they can believe a more salacious version instead. The nurses I work with acknowledge my skills and knowledge but hate me personally, and even close friends like your wife, I somehow seem to alienate.”

“Are you ready to hear this, Ellen?” I asked. “I don’t know how to phrase this politely, so what I say will be brutally honest. Are you prepared to hear what I have to say?”

“Nothing you say can make me feel any worse than I already do, Liam. So, have at me.” Ellen assured me.

Sighing because doing these types of things never ends well, I started with, “The easiest thing first, Ellen. If you’re not smiling or engaged in conversation, you look angry. You look like you’ve realised that someone’s fucked up, and you’ll find out who and make them pay.”

“I can’t help my natural face,” Ellen protested.

“Yes, you can.” I insisted. “It’s easy to keep an almost permanent smile on your face. I do it all the time!”

Thinking, Ellen admitted, “You and Ness both always look like you’re secretly amused by everything you see. That nothing bothers you, and it’s all just one big joke.”

“It is all ‘just one big joke’,” I snarled. “People take shit that doesn’t matter one little bit seriously and then carry on as if the world has ended. Their discomfiture amuses me, and it’s even funnier when I can wind them up further by teasing them!”