Emmie’s Daddy Ch. 03: Her Confession

Emmie...

Buzzing with sound, the bar's music competed with the evening crowd. Sitting down felt so good, Emmie didn't care about the noise. When Colel pushed a Tom Collins toward her, she accepted the drink gratefully. Sliding back into their booth, Colel said, "You need this."

"I do." When Em took a sip, the sweet fresh drink helped her let her shoulders relax. If she was patient, the alcohol would work its way into her exhausted body. "Candy in a glass."

"And you like candy."

Em's lips quirked. "I do. I wasn't complaining. Your choice is perfect." Em rubbed the surgical mask indentations on her face. She trusted Colel. The woman was an excellent nurse and friend. They had both been part of the team for Baby Emerson's first procedure. The tough little guy had made it through his first hurdle. Sharp and practical, Colel was irreplaceable.

Colel said, "You could always go the simple route and take a banker home. I've done that before. After a long day, good sex helps me sleep." Colel used her red straw to point out a buttoned-up suit sitting at the bar. "Like that one."

Em snorted. Easy enough for Colel, men's eyes always lingered on her velvety doe eyes and caramel skin. Thinking of the banker opening up her closet full of stuffed animals and pretty dresses didn't lead to imagining surprise and delight. Guys like him were the reason she hadn't dated for two years. Annoyingly, anyone her mother approved of would bore her to death. Because the hospital was close to the financial district, you couldn't throw a clipboard into the bar without hitting a financial analyst. Em said, "I think I'll pass on that option. Why are you so worried about my love life?"

"Did you use the card I gave you?"

Heat rose into Em's face, as her skin remembered Stephen's wide hands. She hid behind her glass.

Leaning forward, Colel said, "Oh my God, tell me everything. Did you order a Box?"

"Not exactly." Because Emmie had no plans to tell anyone she was Baby Emerson's benefactor, not even Colel, she hesitated to share the details.

Colel's glass clinked as she abruptly put it down on the lacquered table. "Did you get in a Box?"

"Maybe."

Reaching across the table, Colel gripped Emmie's wrist. "Tell me everything." She lowered her voice. "Spill. Does it pay what they say?

"Living out a fantasy was good." With splayed fingers across her face, she looked at her friend. She couldn't hold in the giggle that bubbled up. "I liked him."

"But you said you were the one in the Box?"

Waving her hand, Em said, "In the Box, out of the Box. You still have choices."

"That might be true, but only one person pays for the service."

"I still have student loans, Colel. And my apartment is close to work, but costly."

"You decided to be thrifty... On this?" Full lips pursing in disapproval, Colel said, "I'm not sure I can support that line of reasoning. You deserve a little spoiling and some carnal joy in your life."

"Maybe." Sheepishly, Em admitted, "The idea made sense when I was filling out the paperwork and running the numbers. And there was something about his smile."

"They started by showing you pictures?" Colel took a fortifying sip of her drink.

"Well, I was about to walk out." Em swirled her straw. "The contract had so many options, Colel. You wouldn't believe what people want." She looked at her friend, testing the waters. "Or need."

"Let me get this straight. This guy was so hot, she put his picture down in front of you and that was it. Your panties just fell off under the table."

"No. Well, kinda. I'd already told her I wanted someone strong and nurturing. I had some specific preferences."

Arching her brows, Colel said, "Em? Do you have some secrets you'd like to share?

Waving off her friend's comment, Emmie said, "The details of my fantasies aren't important. When she told me she had people waiting for someone just like me, I realized I wasn't alone in what I wanted." She gestured to the passing server to bring them menus. "She told me she already had someone in mind for me. If things ever felt wrong, the Box was an escape vessel. I could have left at any time. I had contact with him before I met him. We talked about our fantasies and what we wanted."

"And you were... compatible?"

Em swallowed. "Yeah."

"I can't believe you did it."

"Me either." Swishing the ice in her class, she said, "I'm going to do it again."

***

Story time with Daddy...

The pile of presents stacked on the bed looked excessive to Stephen. When finding things to buy someone was easy, spoiling them became extra fun. Tuesday, he'd been late getting to a meeting because he lost himself in the children's section of the bookstore.

The plastic crinkled as he unwrapped her bubble bath set, and placed the bottles by the tub, next to her brand new rubber duck. Most days, he used his shower because it was more convenient. Friendly cartoon characters smiled at him from the labels. Because Emmie was coming to visit, he smiled back.

With a merry chirp, a text announced the delivery of Emmie. He unlocked the side door and slipped into his backyard. The day was warming up and he did not want to watch them deliver or retrieve the container. There was too much reality in that. The sun felt good on his face. If the weather held, he would run tomorrow. When his phone chirped an all-clear in his pocket, he headed into the house. Within the container, she was singing a made-up song about frogs.

As soon as Stephen keyed in his code, the door swung open. Emmie wore a simple short red party dress. Her pale hair was drawn back with a red headband with three white daisies on one side. Her big green eyes sparkled with warmth. When she opened her arms to him, he reached in and drew her out. Her face was clean of makeup and scrubbed shiny. Tiny in his arms, he dwarfed her in a big hug. He could fit her in his pocket. Stephen lifted her off the ground into a proper bear hug.

She said, "I came to say goodbye."

Blinking, Stephen leaned back. "Emmie?"

She nodded. "I'm going to be a mermaid and they live in the sea. So, I won't see you unless you get a boat." After she planted a kiss on his cheek, her arms wound around him, patent leather shoes dangling.

As he eased her to the ground, he asked, "When will this transformation happen?"

"It didn't say in my book. I just got a new one." She nodded like her comment explained everything. "When I reach the ocean, I'll talk to the sea king and get a tail."

He had sent her the storybook. "I'm not sure that you understood the story. Did you bring it?"

She dove back into the container and came out with her arms full of books, her doll, and an ogre. With her backpack hanging from her elbow by one strap, she said, "I brought my stuff so we could play."

"We can play. And I think we should have story time later."

"Absolutely."

"Have you had lunch yet?"

Nodding, Emmie twisted up her face. "I did not have poison foods for lunch."

"You mean you ate nothing green?" He shook his head. "What on earth did you have?"

"Corn dogs." Heading to the thick rug by the TV, she juggled her coloring gear. The dark surface was blank. Glancing over her shoulder, she added, "Two."

While she spread her things out on the floor, Stephen headed to the kitchen. "How on earth are you supposed to get big and strong if all you eat is corn dogs?"

"I don't need to be big and strong. You are big and strong."

***

After he made himself a sandwich and put some baby carrots onto his plate, he settled on the couch to watch her play. He'd made sure to have healthy food in the fridge. That is what Daddies did. She had a princess coloring book open and was neatly filling in the ruffles on a fluffy party dress.

"She has a glass slipper, Daddy. That is how the prince found her. She had a dinky foot."

"It's not the best way to pick a wife."

"That's how they do it. You lie and wear a dress that makes you look fancy. You dance your pants off and then the prince goes all crazy trying to find your tiny feet."

"What happens if a girl has enormous feet?"

"Then she has to marry a baker, not a prince. Because he finds his wife with a loaf of bread."

"I'm not sure you are getting these stories quite right. All the princesses I have known were pretty smart."

Sitting up, she said, "You know princesses?"

He waved a little carrot at her. "I'll tell you if you eat a carrot."

Face squished together, she said, "Ick."

"They are sweet. You will like them. Did you know bunnies like carrots?"

Head tilted, she watched him eat a carrot. Emmie scooted closer to the couch and took a carrot from his plate. Carefully, she bit down on it and did not spit it out. Crunching along, she watched him.

"The princesses I know are very smart. They study hard in school. And they all like carrots."

After looking at the carrot and pondering, she popped the rest into her mouth.

"And ogres." He added.

"They like them?" Emmie reached for another carrot off his plate and he took one for himself.

"They do. Every single one." He tucked a wisp of her hair behind her ear. "I've been wondering. I think it might be possible that you were a princess."

She shook her head. "No, I am a mermaid." She brought her legs around in front of her, flexing and pointing them. "I am going to have a tail."

"You might already have a tail."

Laughing at him, she said, "Daddy, I have legs. Don't you see them?" She patted her thighs. "Two legs, no tail."

Shrugging, he tossed the last carrot into his mouth. "There might be presents on my bed."

"For me?"

After he nodded, she was gone, scampering away. He chuckled and got up. Down the hall, he heard paper being shredded in his bedroom as he put his plate in the dishwasher.