Chapter 3

Now, Vanessa began getting up an hour earlier for school. She wanted to make sure she had time to dress up for her daddy. Her daily outfits had subtly changed to where she was wearing hosiery everyday and just the slight bit of heel. And her makeup, nails, and accessories, including shoes, had to all work together. She was becoming ever the more fashion conscious.

Then there was her hair. She really wanted to go to a salon. So she was working up her courage to ask her daddy to make an appointment.

"Good morning, daddy!" she said as she waltzed down the stairs on the first day after her second appointment at that hair removal place that she'd been going to. The first thing her daddy saw was her heels and shiny legs and short, pleated miniskirt. Not too short for school but definitely eye-catching. She wore a satin blouse, and then he saw her face, beautifully, yet subtly made-up with light pink lipstick, hint of blush, mascara and oh so little eyeliner.

"Wow, hi, there, kitten! Where did you learn to use your makeup so nicely?' he asked awkwardly, but still asked.

"Oh, I've been reading a lot of magazines," she smiled back. She was happy that he noticed. "So have you booked the appointment for Jenny too next weekend?"

"Still must do that, sweets, but don't worry. I can get her in."

Vanessa knew her daddy had connections, so she didn't pursue it.

"Dinner tonight at the usual time?" she asked.

"Yes. Should I bring something special?" he wondered.

"No, I'll make sure we have something good," she responded.

She dug into her breakfast of granola and yoghurt with strawberries, content in knowing he had gotten a good look at her in the morning, so that he could think about her all day.

"What do you say we go shoe shopping tonight?" he suggested. "I'd like to see you in some more grownup heels and maybe even some boots."

"Sure!" she said perhaps too eagerly. She was liking dressing more grownup.

"Ok, quick dinner and off we go."

Vanessa gave her daddy a lingering kiss on the cheek, grabbed her lunch, and out the door she went to catch her bus for school. She swore to herself when she realized she'd forgotten to ask her daddy about a salon appointment. She wrote it on the back of her hand while she was on the bus to help her remember tonight.

"Hey, kitten, how was school?" It was the first thing she heard when she got home that night. She'd been late taking an extra chemistry tutorial, and her daddy had gotten home before her. Before she could say how tired she was, her daddy asked, "what do you think about getting an appointment at a hair salon? Would you like that?"

She ran up to him and hugged him. "Wow, I would love that! How did you know that that was what I was thinking?"

"Oh, just call it father's intuition," as he was enjoying the hug. "I will make it in the morning at a very nice salon. Now, I got some things started for dinner, but I need your help."

"Sure, daddy, let me put my school stuff away."

"How much homework do you have, sweets?"

"None, I got it all done between school and the chemistry study. I knew we were going out tonight, so I planned ahead."

"Very impressive, Vanessa. Daddy is very impressed."

She smiled and ran upstairs to put away her stuff.

They had a quick, but filling dinner, and then off they went to shop for shoes. Vanessa kept her same outfit on, including her hosiery, as she knew she wanted to wear whatever shoes they found with hose.

The local mall had some good shoe stores. Four to be exact, but they ended up at only two of them because they had the better styles and more variety in the higher heels.

Vanessa loved the attention of both her daddy and the shoe salesmen. They ended up buying a pair of four-inch open toed black heels, a strappy pair of three-inch silver heels, four-inch leather boots, and a pair of red three-inch pumps. These were the fanciest shoes Vanessa had ever worn. She couldn't wait to try them out.

All this choosing took three hours, and by the time they were done, Vanessa was wiped out.

"Take me home, daddy, I'm so tired. I can't believe I'm saying that about shopping!" she laughed.

Her daddy realized how long of a day she had had, and was happy to oblige. In the car he admired her shiny legs and the open toed heels she had elected to wear home.

"Oh, by the way, honey, I booked the appointment for Jenny with you next Saturday. Hers will take longer since it is her first one, but you should go together. I will take you."

"Mmm, thank you, daddy, I'll text her right now," she said sleepily. And she did. Her daddy was always amazed at how much energy these young people could put into texting, even when they were dead tired.