The Enthusiasm of Youth

Haley Jones sat stiffly on the hard, straight-back chair, her gaze shifting, taking in the details of this office, this place she'd never been to before. The school psychologist, Ms. Anderson, sat behind a big, well organized desk, a student file lying open there, Ms. Anderson's eyes giving it a quick, scanning read.

"Haley, Principal Akers asked me to talk with you. He's filled me on some rumors that are, according to him, spreading like wildfire all through the school. I must say, I was shocked to hear what he told me."

Haley slightly nodded, her heart sinking even as it beat faster. This summons to meet and talk, she now knew, was bad.

Ms. Anderson looked up from the file, looking into Haley's eyes. "Are you aware of the rumors?"

"Yes," Haley answered, her voice quiet. "They're...true, I guess."

"You guess? Haley, this is a serious situation. I haven't spoken to your friend Olivia yet, but..."

Haley tried to keep her shock from showing. "Oh my gosh, are you going to talk to her, too?"

"I think I probably will need to, but...let's hear your side of the story first. I never trust a rumor. What you're here for, today, is to help me understand. In a situation like this the truth is all that matters."

"Yes," said Haley, a bit of worry inflecting her quiet voice.

"Let's start with the crux of the matter. Haley, have you, or Olivia, had sex with your father?"

"Ms. Anderson, it's legal. She's...we're both...eighteen."

"Is she? Well that's good to know. I haven't looked at her file yet, but I see here...you turned eighteen a month ago. If you're right about Olivia, then I'm...well, I'm relieved. But this is still a situation we need to discuss. A high school full of these kind of rumors, it's...something that needs to be addressed, somehow or another. So, you and Olivia were both eighteen at the time of the...sexual encounter?"

"Yes."

"And this happened when you were away at a hotel? Did your father take you there specifically for this?"

"Oh, no! He didn't! Is that what you think?"

"Haley, I don't know what to think, not until you help me to understand it all. I'm just now learning about it. Principal Akers told me about this a half hour ago. So, it's you and me from now on. I know we've never formally met before. I'm a licensed psychologist, Haley, so this session, and any session I have with you, is confidential, unless some law was broken. In that case I'd have to bring my findings to the principal, and the state's Office of Child Protective Services. But you're eighteen, Haley, so you're not a child in the eyes of the law, not anymore. And I'm hopeful that you're correct about Olivia's age."

Haley watched Ms. Anderson reach for Olivia's file and open it.

"She's eighteen," Haley assured. "I was at her birthday party, with her parents. She's eighteen."

"Yes," said Ms. Anderson, closing Olivia's file again. "Good. That's a relief. So how do we address these rumors, Haley? You say that the sexual encounter did actually happen? Are you aware that there are laws against incest?"

"Incest! No!...No!...There wasn't...any."

"Haley, you and Olivia, with your father in a hotel room, and you said a sexual encounter took place. Are you saying the rumors about you being in on it are incorrect?"

"Yes. Sort of."

"Was it your father with Olivia and...you watched?"

Haley nodded sheepishly. "Yes, but...there was more."

Ms. Anderson swallowed hard, sensing a porny situation. "Maybe we should start at the beginning. How did you all end up in a hotel room together?"

"It's...kind of a long story. It was the Taylor Swift concert, at the stadium, in the city. I asked my dad if Olivia and I could go, on our own, and he said no."

Haley thought back to that evening, remembering how it all went...

"But Dad, I'm eighteen! And so is Olivia! She'll be with me!"

"Haley, calm down. Isn't there a concert closer to home you can go to?"

"Taylor Swift? No, she's only playing the biggest stadiums, the biggest cities. Oh my God, I've gotta go. Please, Daddy."

"Haley, I'm not letting you and another high school girl go to the city alone. If it was a concert closer to home and you were going to be home that night I might think differently, but...that far away, with you spending the night in a hotel, I'll have to insist there's an adult with you. Is Olivia's mother a music fan? Maybe she'll take you."

"No, Dad, her mother would never do that. You haven't met Olivia, so...I'll tell you. She's adopted. Her parents are older. Like, a lot older."

"Oh. Okay, well...I know this means a lot to you. I guess I can free up a couple days. I won't go to the concert and embarrass you. I can get some work done in a hotel room just as easily as I can at home. But Haley, you know how expensive the city is. If you and your friend feel funny about sharing a hotel room with me we just won't be able to do it. We can't afford two rooms."

"Oh my God, Daddy! You'll take us? Thank you thank you thank you! Oh my God, wait'll I tell Olivia! I promise she won't be weird about the room thing. We're going to see Taylor! Oh my God, we're going to see Taylor!"

After explaining this first part of the story to Ms. Anderson, Haley squirmed a little on the straight-back chair. Ms. Anderson seemed to be onboard so far, with an understanding look in her eyes. Haley, knowing the story was soon going to get more interesting, remembered what was just said about confidentiality, and was glad that this school staff woman was youngish and seemed almost friendly.

"Okay," said Ms. Anderson, making some notes in a notebook. Relieved that, at least so far, Haley's father didn't seem like predator, she asked, "What happened next?"

"Oh," said Haley. "I guess...we got to the hotel. My dad brought his computer. He started working, almost, like, right away. Me and Olivia, we got dressed for the concert in the bathroom. We were so happy, and laughing. It was so much fun. When we were ready we walked out and Dad was sort of smiling, but I think...maybe he would have wanted us to wear different clothes." Haley's eyes drifted to the framed diplomas hanging on the wall behind Ms. Anderson's desk, and continued the story, remembering it all so clearly. "When we came out of the bathroom I asked him, 'Think Taylor will notice us, Daddy? Do we look sexy enough?' Then Dad said, 'Jeeze, Haley, what kind of question is that for your father?' "

"Ms. Anderson, I could see something in his eyes, like, maybe he was suddenly wondering if I was a lesbian or something, and maybe if Olivia was, too, but then I could tell that none of that seemed right to him. He knows I've always liked boys, and Olivia, yeah, I could tell that he thought she looked really sexy, because she did, and the way her eyes looked so happy at him with that 'Do we look sexy' question hanging in the air, I knew he couldn't believe for a minute that she didn't like boys. So I asked him again...

"What do you think, Daddy? Do you like our outfits? Our makeup?"

Ms. Anderson sat rapt, waiting to hear more. Haley filled in a few details...

"I'd never really asked my dad stuff like that before. Ever since my mom died he's let his sister--my aunt Maisie--handle all the 'girlie' questions, things like makeup, clothes, periods and stuff, so it was fun to hear his answer about how we looked. He said, "Do you want my honest opinion?"

I said, "Of course, Dad. But it better be good because we don't have time to change or anything."

"Dad smiled in a nice way. He said, 'Okay. Well...you both look perfect. Too sexy in my opinion, but...'

"That's when I smiled, went sort of quick to his side, lifted up on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. He looked at Olivia as it was happening and I wondered if she'd be next, sort of rushing to his side, kissing him and leaving pink lipstick on his other cheek. But no, she stood still, with a really cute, like, magical look in her eyes that sorta said 'I'm really glad you think I look sexy'.

"But, I mean, how could he not? Ms. Anderson, he'd never met her before that day, when we all got into his car for the drive to the city. I was in the front passenger seat, and Olivia was behind me, and I could tell he could see her each time he looked in his rear-view mirror. She looked super cute, even then, but in the hotel, dressed in her concert clothes, with all her best make-up on, her short little skirt showing off her super nice legs, and her cropped top showing off her belly-button and her super nice cleavage, I mean, yeah, it was really fun to see him noticing. Olivia thought so too, I could tell. That's when I said to him...

"You don't need to wait up for us, Daddy. We're eighteen now, remember?"

"That's when he shook his head, though, and he said, 'Oh, no, you can't just pull that one out of the air. You're still high school girls, and I'm responsible for Olivia's well-being. And yours, of course. I want you both to be back here soon after the concert ends, okay? It's almost right across the street so I'll be able to hear when it's over. Will you promise me that? No wandering around the city afterward?"

"I said, 'But Daddy, what if we meet boys? Can't we stay out just a little?"

"He said, 'So you can go drinking with twenty-one year olds? No, Haley. Seriously, I'm responsible for Olivia."

Ms. Anderson sat still, listening to this account of what happened. Haley looked her in the eye and continued. "I knew Olivia wanted to say something right then, and she did. 'My mom lets me drink,' she said. As soon as she said it I could tell she realized it was maybe the wrong thing to say."

"See, Dad?' I said. "She drinks sometimes, and you let me have a little wine sometimes. We can handle it. Maybe...we can go out afterward for just an hour?"

"Dad didn't like the idea. He said. 'I'm sorry, kiddo, that's a hard no. Not gonna happen.'"

"See what a good parent he is, Ms. Anderson? Of course I kept giving him a hard time about it. I asked him, 'How about this, Dad...can we have a drink from the mini bar here in the room when we get back? That'd make it fun. Then we'd want to come back here instead of going out."

"He said, 'You're negotiating with me using that as a tactic? Wow. So, you want me to bribe you with the promise of alcohol. Does that sound to you like I'd be practicing good parenting?"

"But this is special," I said to him. 'It's Taylor Swift, Daddy. It's the biggest night of our lives!"

"My dad smiled. 'One drink,' he said. 'You each get one drink when you get back here,'"

"I said, 'That's so cool! Awesome!'"

"Only if you're back here on time, and only if you promise not to tell anyone,' he said."

Ms. Anderson very seriously looked Haley in the eyes. "So there was alcohol involved, when you got back to the hotel?"

"Oh, shit, that's illegal for me and Olivia, isn't it. Shit Ms. Anderson. Forget I said all that. We didn't drink."

"Did your father drink? Was he already drinking when you got back from the concert? Don't forget, Haley, what you tell me is just between you and me. I'm not going to turn your father in for giving alcohol to a minor. That's not what this is all about."

"Oh, wow, really?"

"Really. I want you to speak freely. It'll be better for everyone if I know all the facts."

"Okay, so you won't be busting Dad," Haley smirked. "Good to know."

Ms. Anderson smiled, just a little, for the first time.

Haley relaxed a bit. "So, yeah, the next day Dad told me he actually did go to the hotel's downstairs bar while we were at the concert. He wouldn't tell me why. It'd be sexy if he was hoping to meet a woman or something, right?"

"Do you wish that for him, Haley? How long ago did your mother pass away?"

"It's been six years. I've tried to get him interested in dating. He always says no. But now..."

"But now? What do you mean by that, Haley?"

"Just...seeing him with Olivia. Now I know he's, like...still wanting it. He's totally still a guy. With, like, maybe even an extra lot of horniness, from it being so long since Mom, you know?"

Ms. Anderson made some notes, speaking as she wrote. "That's certainly a possibility. So...you did see him with Olivia? Having...sex?"

"Yes. Do you want me to jump ahead to that part, or...?"

"No, let's stick with the timeline. You and Olivia are back from the concert, and your father has had a drink at the bar. Was it just one drink, do you think, or...was he acting inebriated at all?"

"Dad? No, he wasn't drunk. He was smiling. He maybe had a couple, maybe more, I don't know. Not drunk at all. I was glad he'd had a drink or two, though, because me and Olivia, we sat next to some nice girls at the concert, and they passed us, like, a big pre-roll cone. Do you know what that is? It's weed."

"So you and Olivia got high at the concert, on marijuana?"

"Oh, crap, that's illegal for kids my age too, isn't it. But you already promised you're not going to bust us, right?"

"That's right. It may surprise you, but I used to get high at concerts when I was your age."

"Wow, really? Ms. Anderson that's so cool!"

"Let's keep that between you and me, Haley. This is all confidential, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. For sure, Ms. Anderson."

"So, you were saying...you and Olivia arrived back at the hotel room, the two of you high and your father feeling good from a couple drinks."

"Yes. That's what I was saying, we were glad that he was, you know, kinda loose from drinking because it meant he didn't notice so much that we were high."

"Perhaps he felt guilty about drinking, so didn't say anything about your condition so you wouldn't say anything about his."

"That's exactly it, Ms. Anderson. That's what I was hoping, anyway, and maybe it worked. Turns out maybe I didn't have to worry, though, because I found out pretty soon that my Dad smokes weed, too."

"How do you know that?"

"You promise not to tell?"

"Haley, I've explained all that to you already. I promise, unless there's a serious law that's been broken."

"And getting high with your dad isn't one of those?"

"No, Haley, not in this instance. If you and Olivia were under eighteen, I'd think differently, but..."

"Good. Okay, so, those nice girls I told you about, the ones at the concert, they gave us a whole 'nother one of one of those pre-roll cones to take home with us. They said their brother grows it, so they had lots. They were super nice, really. The nicest."

"Let me guess -- you and Olivia smoked it with your father?"

"Yup. It was her idea. I could tell as soon as we got back to the room that she liked him. I mean...she sorta had the hots for him. Was that weird for me to notice that and feel happy about it?"

"Haley, I'm certainly not up on your entire situation, but...I can say...with your mother being gone, and if you perceive your father to be lonely and wishing for a relationship with a woman, it's actually not unusual at all for you to wish for him to have a 'date'. What is unusual is that it was with your eighteen-year-old schoolmate."

"Unusual, but not perverted, right? I mean, they're both legal age adults, right?"

"Barely so, but yes. Both legal-aged adults. I'm withholding judgment, though, until I hear how your father handled things."

"Oh, wow, no, he was totally cool about everything. Not, like, going after her, if that's what you mean."

"Yes, that's what I mean. So how did it go, Haley? You got back to the room and Olivia wanted to smoke some weed with him? What did he say about that?"

"He was surprised. He asked me how much I've smoked before, and whether I've done any other drugs. He asked me how much I drink. He asked Olivia those questions, too. He was nice about it but was sorta surprised that we sort of know what we're doing. We've drank and smoked weed, but I've never done any other drugs."

"Has Olivia done other drugs?"

"I'm not gonna answer that. She'll tell you, if she wants to."

"Fair enough. So, how much of this 'cone' did you smoke with your father?"

"We passed it around a few times. Do you call 'em doobies, or joints or whatever? We smoked half of it, maybe. It was a big fat one. Dad and Olivia finished it a little later."

"Did their...physical relationship start right then? As soon as you all got high?"

"No. But she got super flirty with him, and I could tell he liked it. They both liked it. It was fun. I liked watching it.

"Flirty, as in...sexually suggestive?"

"I mean, yeah, sort of. When her and I got back to the hotel after the concert, on our way to the upstairs we walked down a first-floor hallway and saw a sign for the hotel's swimming pool. It's closed at night but we tried the door and it was unlocked. The lights were mostly off. No one was in there but it was a really cool place, echoey, and the water was really still and you could smell it. So, yeah, when Olivia was all high and getting flirty with Dad up in the room, she told him about the pool and she said she wanted us all to swim, and he said he didn't bring a swimsuit, and she said it was nighttime and no one was there and we didn't need swimsuits. She told him she likes skinny dipping. It was so cool to see Dad's eyes when she said it. You know Olivia. She's, like, a total hottie."

"I haven't met her, Haley, but I know who she is."

"Oh, you haven't met her, Ms. Anderson? She's totally fun. Loves to party. My life got so much better when I started being her friend."

Jotting something in her notebook, Ms. Anderson asked, "Did the three of you go swimming?"

Haley blushed. "Do you think it's messed-up?"

"Do I think what's messed up, Haley?"

"Me...skinny dipping with my dad."

Ms. Anderson took a deep breath. "It's...unusual. Of course it'd be more normal if you were younger. Much younger."

"Like...before I got my tits, do you mean? Parents swim with their nude little kids."

"Yes, they do."

"Which do you think is weirder, that I was nude with my dad, or that he was nude with me?"

"I can't answer that, Haley."

"Okay. Yeah, I'm feeling weird about it now."

"Can you explain why, Haley?"

"Because...my dad's really sexy and I hadn't ever even thought about it until that night."

"Do you find older men attractive?"

"Did you, when you were my age?"

Ms. Anderson smirked. "I'll admit I did, but this isn't about me. Had you and Olivia ever talked about 'older men' before that night?"

"Yeah, sometimes. Hot dads are hot, you know?"

"So, the three of you are at the pool. Tell me how it went."

"Oh, wow. Yeah, it was...exciting. The lights were dim and it was so quiet when we took off our clothes. Dad had a hard-on, under his underwear. God, it was, like, a total surprise to me. I did not expect that. But, I mean, that was totally dumb of me, right? My super hot best friend was stripping right next to him and I didn't expect him to be turned-on? What was I thinking!"

"That's a good question, Haley. What were you thinking? Did it occur to you to say no, or to leave, or to ask him to leave?"

"Ms. Anderson, have you smoked any weed lately? We were super high, remember? And it happened sort of fast. Neither one of them waited. He and Olivia both got nude at the same time and..."

"Haley, was it traumatic? Is this a memory you'd rather forget?"

"No! It's...an amazing memory. My Dad. It's like...I never knew he was a man before. That's what it seemed like, almost. There he was, all nude, with a big, awesome, hard cock. So much nicer than any boy's. A real man's cock, on a real man. He looked so much better than any guy I'd ever seen nude before."

Ms. Anderson smirked. "I'm not here to delve into your past, so I'll assume you're talking about pictures of men, right Haley? Okay, let's continue. How close to nude were you?"

"When I saw Dad's big cock, do you mean? I was in my bra and panties. My new sexy ones. Me and Olivia went to the lingerie shop a few days before that, to get our outfits just right for Taylor. Everybody dresses really fun for her concerts."