Chapter 2

The drive home was, for the most part, uneventful. We stopped for breakfast shortly after leaving town, and then for lunch, at about the halfway point. At about seven-thirty, we pulled onto the driveway towards the house. I pulled the car into the garage. We got out, and I started the task of putting the top up on the car. The door that led to the house opened up, and Leesha was standing in the doorway.

"I thought I heard that beast pull up."

"Aunt Leesha!" Sally exclaimed, and rushed towards her with her arms out looking for a hug. "I'm so happy to be here."

"Long drive?" She asked, looking in my direction.

I simply nodded a yes while I got the luggage out of the trunk.

I carried our bags through the kitchen, and into the family room. They hit the floor with a thud, and I went back to the kitchen where the girls were already getting caught up on the past few years. I retrieved a glass from the cabinet, filled it with ice, and poured myself a Scotch. I listened to Sally telling my wife about everything from the boys at school to her friends, to what really happened in the supermarket, and how she was also glad to be away from those people who were really the wrong people to be around, and just how glad she was to be here with us for the summer. Then she took a breath, and continued to tell her about her step dad, and mom, and how they had done everything they could to get rid of her, and she didn't like Frank. Seeing that I wasn't going to get a word in Edgewise, I retired to the comfort of my den, after refilling my glass.

Once I sat down, I powered up my laptop computer, and began the arduous task of checking the dozens of e-mails from clients, employees, and deleting the ones with promises of increasing the size of my manhood. A few minutes later, Leesha entered and announced that she had shown "the mouth" to her room, and she was getting settled.

"That girl can talk can't she?" She walked behind my chair, and put her arms around my neck. "Did you miss me?" She asked playfully.

I put my arms over my head, and around the back of her neck, pulling her closer. "Yes I did." I said

"Did you miss me, or did you just want to get away from the constant talking?" she laughed.

"Both," I laughed in return, "but, missed you more than anything." She kissed my cheek.

"I'll take Sally into town tomorrow and get her some jeans and work clothes, and show her around a little. Are you gonna try to get her on at the plant?"

"Yea," I answered, "I'll talk to human resources and see what we have available. The phone rang, and Leesha grabbed my glass from the desk. "I got it, and I'll get you a refill my love."

I continued checking mail, and began to answer one from a supplier that was trying to explain just why he couldn't get my components to me on time, when I heard a glass hit the floor and shatter. I jumped to my feet, and ran to the kitchen to make sure that everyone was ok. Leesha was holding onto the refrigerator door handle to steady her balance, and looking at me with shock in her eyes.

"You're sure it was them?" Her voice started to tremble, and tears welled up in her eyes. Her body went limp, and how she managed to stay on her feet is a mystery. I reached for her to hold her up. She took the phone from her ear, and let it fall to the floor.

"What's the matter?" I exclaimed. "What's wrong?"

"It's Misha and Frank." She was now sobbing. "They were in an accident this afternoon." She put her hands to her face and through the tears and sobbing I heard. They're dead. They didn't make it." I guided her to the kitchen table and sat her down. Sally bounded into the room. "I heard a glass break, is everyone ok?" She walked carefully past the glass on the floor to where Leesha was sitting.

"Sit down sweetie." I motioned for her to sit next to Leesha and pulled out a chair. I pulled another chair close to both of them, and sat down between them. "It's about your parents." I heard Leesha starting to sob again. "They were in an accident this afternoon." Sally grabbed for my hand. "They didn't make it sweetie. They're gone."

Sally put her arms around my neck, and squeezed very tight. There were tears streaming down her face, and she was crying hard. I held my wife's hand, and pulled her close to me. Both girls cried for quite some time, and it was Leesha who broke the silence.

"We have some calls to make now." She broke the embrace, trying to put the strong face on. "There are arrangements to be made. I have to call Carla and Jake, to let them know."

"There's time for all of that honey." I made a futile attempt at reason, but there wasn't much sense in it.

Sally was still sobbing on my shoulder and wouldn't let go. I didn't know what to tell her. If there was even anything at that point that could make her feel better. Her mother was dead.

Leesha got up from the table, retrieved a broom and dustpan from the pantry, and proceeded to clean up the broken glass from the floor. I was able to release the embrace from Sally and offered to help.

"I can do it!" She stated fairly emphatically. Which was her way of dealing with just about anything.

Over the next 2 weeks, people were notified, plans were made, and there was a lot of traveling. The funeral was in our town, but the house that they lived in had to be emptied, and put up for sale. Sally, being the only child from the family, and the fact that Frank had adopted her, was awarded everything, by law. Leesha and I applied for and received guardianship of Sally, so it was our duty to take care of the estate for her. The money from the sale of the house would be put in trust for college, if there was anything left after paying the bills that remained from the funeral, and other bills that were left. Neither Frank nor Misha had any life insurance to speak of. Frank had a small policy that he got as a benefit from his job, but Misha wasn't covered at all. The belongings that Sally wanted to keep, were put in a rented moving van, and what she didn't was sold at an estate sale, or donated to good will. Sally, for all intents and purpose, was our daughter now. We would be tasked with taking care of her, and raising her to be a good person.

Once everything was done, and everyone was home, the punishment for Sally had died with her parents. There wasn't much sense in it now. She started with a clean slate, and was offered our home as her own. We laid down rules for her to follow, and assigned chores for her to do, just like any other teenager in the country. Life moved on, for the most part. I would still hear muffled sobbing every now and then coming from Sally's bedroom late at night, but the pain was subsiding with the passing of each day.

It was actually Leesha's idea to get Sally to meet people around the neighborhood. It also gave Leesha an excuse to entertain, which was always motive for a party. The announcement came on Wednesday that the party was to happen on Saturday.

"Sure am glad I got a little notice." I said with more than a hint of sarcasm in my voice.

"Oh, come on." She said with a wave of her hand at me. "We've done more with less time." She laughed, "Besides, you don't have to do much, Sally and I can manage the shopping. I will need you to mow the lawn, and clean around the pool."

"Ok, what time is this shindig of yours?" I asked.

"Around three thirty I think. That should give you plenty of time that morning to get things done." Her voice trailed off up the stairs as she went to go get Sally to start making plans. Sally didn't know hardly anyone in town yet, but I'm sure Leesha is going to change all of that.

By Friday, the food was bought, invites were sent out, and things started getting decorated. I got home from work, and immediately went to the shed to get started on the mowing. I was directed by my wife to invite some of the families from work. The ones that I knew had kids around Sally's age. There were only 2 folks in my office that had kids, and only one of them was around her age, so that made the choice rather simple. I got on the mower, and started my rounds around the back yard first. Out by the pool was my wife, getting a tan. She waved at me when I passed by. On my second trip by the pool, Sally was also out there. A bright yellow bikini, that was at least 2 sizes too small was the only thing separating what God gave her from the rest of the world. Her vibrant breasts were straining at the thin straps, and the strings that tied the front to the back of the bottoms had barely enough string to tie a bow. It was pretty easy to make my glances not so obvious, after all, my wife was there, and she's still a very beautiful woman. I made a growl at my wife. That should make her think I was looking at her. On my next round by the pool, my wife wasn't there anymore. She must have gone inside to get something to drink or something. But there was Sally. Looking at me over her sunglasses, making the shame on you sign with her fingers. She knew what I was looking at. She glanced over her shoulder towards the house to make sure Leesha was out of view, then spread her legs, and moved her bikini bottom to the side giving me quite a view of her hairless, young pussy. I would swear I saw it glisten in the fading sunlight. What a sight it was.

I finished with mowing, and put the lawn mower back in the shed. Now I was ready for a drink, and a shower. Now, I didn't have anything to do in the morning except sleep, or so I thought.

Around nine-ish or so, I woke up on my own. It was nice to wake up without an alarm clock. There was a coffee cup on my bedside table, still warm. "Hmm," I thought, "I guess it is good to be the king."

Sitting up, I took a sip of coffee, and noticed there was the paper at the foot of the bed. Now it was starting to get weird. I never got the paper in bed. Somebody must want something. I put on my old tattered robe, grabbed the paper, and headed down stairs. At the bottom, I noticed that the house was very quiet. No TV going, or stereo. No voices coming from the kitchen, just quiet. I sat down at the kitchen table, and spread my paper out to start my morning read.