Totally Clueless

Chapter 52

What is the meaning of this?" The voice clapped like thunder.

They were no longer alone.

Chrisy sprang from Josh's lap and turned towards the door so quickly she got dizzy.

"Daddy!" She yelled wide eyed,"...I thought you went to LA." she clasped shaking fingers over the unbuttoned portion of her tanks.

Josh leaped up from the sofa as well.

Horaces voice had given him an instant headache.

"Mr H. This isn't what it looks like," he tried to defend.

He recognized the look on Horaces face as he eyed them both.

It was disappointment.

"You have no idea what this looks like Josh."

Josh gave the room a once over. Horace's expensive liquor was on the table with the poker pieces and unlit cigars. Josh's shirts were laying carelessly on the floor. The top of his daughters blouse unbuttoned, they were in his office, on his sofa. Yes, Josh thought he had a perfect idea what it looked like and just then It was as if a million pounds came down on his chest and crushed it. He could hardly breathe.

"I can explain daddy, we were just playing poker... it's my fault, I made Josh play..."

All this time Josh's heart raced wildly in his chest. What could he say? He had no words, no excuses. He was half naked in Horace's office. There was nothing to deny, he was caught.

"I...Let me explain this, please." He tried anyway.

"You should go Josh, and don't forget your clothes on the way out."

"Yes sir" he picked up the shirts he was suppose to be wearing from the ground. If ever the ground had wanted to open up and swallow him, now would have been the perfect time.

Chrisy's eyes welled up with tears as they followed him as he exited the office. He kept looking back at her. He was afraid to speak, afraid of what he could say to her infront of her father. He held his phone up to his ear as if to say "Ill call you," their usual parting words, but this time silently, discretely, or so he thought.

As soon as Josh was out the door her father stretched his hand to her and she knew what he wanted.

Her phone.

"No Daddy" she begged "please?"

By then her ringtone sounded. No question it was Josh and she desperately wanted to answer but Horace didn't let her.

"Give it to me." he said sternly.

She reluctantly stretched it to him.

"Please daddy. This isn't what you think."

"Go to your room Chrisy..." Was all he said to her. "...I'll see you at 7"

As soon as Chrisy entered her room she picked up the land line in her room, but by the time she had, she heard the line go dead. Her father had disconnected it.

She sat on her bed. Shaking in panick. Then uncontrollably she burried her face in her palms and cried.

Horace returned to his office and sat in his chair.

He took a framed picture from his top desk drawer. One he had put there more than two years ago. He set it on his desk top and stared into the picture as if wishing he could go back in time. That day Jasmine had laughed hysterically as she enjoyed the sunny afternoon in the front garden with her husband and a six year old Chrisy who busily blew bubbles at her.