Chapter 8

I had forgotten that Victoria was coming home that night. Her schedule was so erratic that it was often a surprise when she showed up. I never really kept track that close, as I never had anything to hide. Now, when I had something to hide, I forgot. A noise had awakened me, and as I shrugged off sleep I noticed Cindi was still sprawled out next to me, her head on my shoulder, hand on my chest, hair everywhere, with a satisfied little smile on her face. I loved watching my girls sleep - they were so cute. Of course, we were still naked. I looked up to see what woke me and watched Victoria walk into the bedroom. Time froze as my mind tried to grasp what was happening.

Bizarre thoughts flitted through my mind as to how I could get out of this. Disappear? No, this was real life, not fantasy. I could pretend I was asleep, but that would just postpone whatever was going to happen. I felt tears well up in my eyes as I realized that my desire to help my daughter, no matter how misguided, might in the next few minutes cost me everything I held dear in life. It was dark in the room and Victoria was too far away for me to see her eyes, to see if they were the flat and devoid of all expression eyes I had seen twice before. If they were, it would mean that my life would probably end in the next few minutes, literally. There was no outward indication of what she was feeling or thinking, but I just could not see any way it would be good.

Victoria walked into the room. She moved over to the bed and stood there, obviously waiting for me to say something, for me to explain what the HELL was going on before she killed me. Even then, my love and sympathy for Cindi won out over my fear and I just knew I had to protect her. "Victoria, don't blame Cindi for this. I'm the adult here, I'm responsible, and I should have stopped it. It's not her fault. She's a hurt little girl trying to find her way, trying to find love anyway she can. Blame me, not her. Please don't hurt her any more than she already has been by others and me. Although not intentionally, I took advantage of her and I cannot tell you how sorry I am." I said all of this in a whisper, hoping not to wake Cindi and have her face this any sooner than she had to. I could finally see Victoria's eyes, although not well through my tears. They didn t look flat and devoid of all expression; maybe I would live through this yet. She sat on the edge of the bed, bent down& and kissed me! I was stunned! I couldn t think. Her first kiss was just a gentle kiss, too quick for my numbed mind to even respond. Then she kissed me again, and this time her mouth opened and she slipped her tongue past my lips into my mouth. I responded automatically, as my brain struggled to figure out what was going on. After she broke the kiss, she sat up and stared down at me. Her eyes were solemn, yet full of a strange twinkle that seeped out from around the edges. "Surprised you didn't I?" she asked, smiling gently. I could only nod my head. "Look," she said, "I know you well. You would never take advantage of anyone. I doubt very much this was your idea, or that you gave up easily.