Glory Holellujah

"At least you're not in any trouble."

"I may not be in trouble yet," said Cindy, "but you honestly think I'm getting away with this? I didn't get away with not putting a pen back in his study once. He's not going to overlook me running an illegal glory hole. No, I know him. He's biding his time. He's planning my homicide as we speak."

"And what do we do with the hole?"

"We shut it down, of course!" said Cindy. "Michele, this is over! We should count our blessings we still have the takings. The police could have been involved. All sorts of shit could have gone down. It still might."

"How can you be sure your Dad knows what went on there?"

"Trust me. I just am," she said.

"Well, it was fun while it lasted," said Michele. And she took an unenthusiastic sip of her milkshake.

Tom and Kimberly arrived, in Tom's pick up truck.

"What's going on there?" asked Cindy, watching through the window.

"Apparently they're an item," said Michele. "I guess something happened on the ride home last night. They make a cute couple, don't you think?"

Cindy watched as Tom made out passionately with his new girlfriend.

"I bet they look hot fucking," said Michele.

"She's lucky to have that banana," said Cindy, wistfully.

Her mind went to the beautiful cucumber that was her father's cock.

"For a moment we had it all," said Cindy. "But it wasn't to be."

"Life's a bit like that," said her friend. "What's that saying? If it gives you lemons, make lemonade?"

"Sounds about right," said Cindy, and she took an unenthusiastic sip of her milkshake.

"Lemonade stand again on Sunday?"

***

Things were tense in Cindy's household for a few days.

Pastor Gregory left the house at the crack of dawn each morning, and returned unusually late each night.

And while it was clear to Cindy that he was avoiding her, she grew increasingly concerned about what punishment might still lie in wait.

Could her father be getting his affairs in order to disown her?

It was clear they couldn't avoid one another forever, and she knew at some point a conversation would be required to break the impasse.

For her own part Cindy spent the next couple of days not just pretending to read the religious books her father had always wanted her to, but actually trying to absorb them.

She searched with genuine humility to find mercy, not just for her own actions, but for her father's.

It was a unique situation because although she knew she was in trouble, and fully understood her father's fury, he wasn't so innocent himself, which leveled the playing field somewhat in terms of guilt and responsibility.

Presumably it was the reason he hadn't chosen to punish her yet - or even give a lecture.

But on Monday morning, just as she finished breakfast, she saw the Pastor hovering in the hallway.

In a tone that signaled she was about to be in the worst trouble of her life, he told her to go outside and wait in his car.

She prepared for the worst.

She got into the passenger seat and sat there for an interminable five minutes, which felt like a month, waiting for him to come out.

When he appeared, he was in his priest's frock.

This was at least a good sign he was planning to get to work at some point, although possibly after he had killed her and dumped the body.

He got into the car in silence, and they drove a short distance to the anonymous location he said he was taking them to.

He didn't say a word on the ride there.

To her surprise and terror, she realized they were headed for the abandoned industrial estate.

He was taking her back to the scene of the crime.

It was hardly going to be for a celebration.

They pulled into the parking lot, which was deserted apart from one other vehicle.

"Get out," the Pastor ordered her.

She stepped out the car and followed him dutifully.

They were walking towards the only other car in the lot.

She wondered who was going to be sat in it, that her father might be taking her to see.

The hitman who was going to finish her off?

As they grew closer, it became clear there was nobody sat inside the shiny, polished car, which didn't even have license plates.

Her father unlocked the door.

"Get in," he ordered.

Cindy walked to the passenger side, but he stopped her and ordered her into the driver's seat instead.

He climbed into the passenger seat beside her.

Then he spoke very clearly and softly.

"Cindy, my dear" he said, "this is your new car."

"What?"

"I bought it for you. It will enable you to drive to college, and get away from time to time. You are an adult now, and you deserve more independence and freedom."

Cindy didn't know what to say.

She was delighted of course, and couldn't hide her gratitude, but her eyes filled with tears.

She had longed for him to help her buy a car, but not like this.

Not as part of a blackmail plan, in which she was being silenced for not ruining his marriage, life, career...

"Dad," she said, in a more mature voice than she would ordinarily muster. "This is the most amazing gift, and I'm grateful to you. It's exactly what I wanted. But I can't accept it. I can't pretend it wouldn't change my life for the better. But I don't deserve it. I put you in an impossible position, that came back to bite us both, and I can't accept a gift that is intended, basically, to keep my mouth shut."

She looked him in the eyes.

"You don't need to bribe me," she said. "I would never willingly do anything to risk your role in this family, or our community. So while I appreciate the gesture, I would rather guarantee you my silence, with no strings, and no obligations. Please take the car back, and let's start again. I don't need you to pay me off, Dad."

For the first time in days her father broke into a smile.

"That's all very nice dear," he said, "and I appreciate your kind words. But I don't think you understand. I didn't buy you this car to silence you, or bribe you to keep your mouth shut. I'm giving it to you as a payment for future services."

Cindy looked confused.

"What future services?" she asked.

The Pastor lifted up the curtain of his heavy smock.

He was naked, and his erect, cucumber-sized cock pointed upward to Heaven.

Cindy's eyes opened wide.

"Oh Daddy!" she said.