Daddy's Perfect Match

Chapter 22

Charlotte's Point of View

The hours of the afternoon pass too quickly. Each hour goes the same. Recover from a lack of James, task, desperate, hurried cuddles.
By 5 o'clock I've named my bear(Kip),
drawn daddy another picture, and I'm pretty sure I know everything about the tumblr DDLG underworld.
I stand in James broad, warm arms by the front door.
"I have to leave before my parents get home"
"I know" he sighs into my hair.
" I can come back after..." When do my parents go to sleep? "11"
"Will you have to sneak out honey?"
"Yes"
He sighs again.
"I hate making you act out and maybe cause problems with your parents. I was the never that guy who went after underaged girls" his face is all frowny
"That's why I went after you" I giggle
"That's not how the court would see it"
He seems so dejected. I run my hands up and down his back.
"Tell them you couldn't resist my cookies!"
He grins down at me
"I'll tell them I couldn't resist your cookie" he rests his palm right where my thighs meet and I blush like a ripe tomato.
"Soo.. I'll see you at 11 daddy?"
He hesitates for a second.
"Yes baby"

So I go back home, sit on the couch, and I wait for my mother, and I replay every single little thing he said or did, because I already miss him.

My mom comes bursting in with arms full of groceries, teetering on her court day heels. She's a divorce attorney who has always discouraged a love of romance in me. It seems a little hypocritical, considering she's had 20 happy years with my dad.
She always argues back,
"20 years because I'm not all starry eyed. I'm practical about my relationship with your father and I know it could end any day. I could be whooping his ass in court tomorrow"

She clip clip clips in on her beige heels, already telling me about her day in that booming voice. "You would not believe the client I had today Charlie!" I hate that nickname. I'm a girl. "She had been dating him since she was six-fucking-teen and she married him when she was 20! Like, we all know how that's going to end"  I can hear her plunks the bags down on the counter.
"Hey Char, can you come in and help me unpack these bags?" I hate that nickname too. I am not a charcoal briquette.
I follow her voice into the kitchen. Yes, my mother is exasperating, a little rough at times, and a whole lot of personality at times, but I love her.
She's wearing a Chanel suit and a silk blouse and she's holding a package of pork chops in one hand and a head of lettuce in the other. I swoop in for the hug, forgetting moms rule.
"Whoah Whoah Whoah! Don't crease the silk! I already one lost blouse today to my clients blubbering. I'll go change. Big hugs for people who unpack the groceries!"
I never did like the way she doled affection as payment. Oh well.
she yells down from upstairs, "Hey hon, I'm gonna take a quick shower, can you start getting the ingredients together? I'm making Nana Perkins stuffed pork chops"
"Those are one of my favorites!"
"I know!" She yells.
I rifle through the little plastic container with all of Nana's hand written recipe cards until I find my goal.
By the time mom comes down stairs I've sautéed the shallots and garlic, wilted the spinach, made up the stuffing and rubbed the spices on the pork chops.
My mom streams into the kitchen in a silly blue dressing gown and hugs me from behind as I try and I cut into the pork chops to find a place to stuff my filling. I hate touching raw meat, even with gloves on.
"Thanks for helping Charlie.... Why are you wearing gloves?"
"It just grosses me out mom. It doesn't hurt to wear gloves" great, now we're going to have this argument
" We've talked about this. The pork chop isn't going to attack you! I can't let you grow up and leave this house knowing I've sent some wuss who's afraid of her food into the world"
Tears prick the backs of my eyes.
"I guess I could try touching it with one finger"
"Well let's try that"
I take off my glove and give the meat a quick poke. It's not sooo bad. I try to hold the pork chop but I pull my hand back in disgust. Ew ew ew! I'll try a little more tomorrow and I bet overtime I'll get used to it and mom can be proud. I start to put my glove back on,
"The fuck Charlie!" She starts to pull my glove back off my hand, I keep pulling it on. It finally snaps, and mom makes quick work of my other glove. Then she grabs the container of white surgical gloves from below the sink and starts stomping out side.
"Where are you going?" My voice wobbles. I hate being weak around her.
"I'm putting an end to this"
She's going to the garbage cans. I can feel a tear running down my hot face. They're just stupid gloves, Charlotte,
I bolt upstairs, lock my bedroom door, and dive, face first into my bed. I hold Kip close but I really want my daddy.
I pull out my phone.
Charlotte: Daddy? Can you talk?
No answer. I must have watched that phone and waited for a long time because then I hear my mom outside my door.
"Char, I'm sorry, I overreacted. You know how my temper is. Your father reminded me that your uh sensitive" my mom says sensitive like its a dirty word "and Ive never been sensitive and I don't really know what to do with you,I mean, it. I just don't want you to grow up to be one of the romantic sad sacks that comes blubbering to my office. I want to be a good mom and raise you to be strong. Come down to dinner? Please?"

Well, I do love stuffed pork chops. I swipe on a little concealer. I hate my mother knowing that I've cried, and I head downstairs.
Dad and mom are already seated. I sit quietly and pick up my fork. My dad catches my eye and mouths silently "are you okay?"
I nod.

Hey there reader!
I hope you all liked meeting her parents. Not that those authors or stories are bad, but I'm getting tired of every single parent in this genre being 100% evil! You don't have to have a screwed up childhood to like DDLG.
Anyways, thank you for reading, starring, and commenting!