It's What Daddy Wanted Ch. 01

The night she saw the collection she cried and sat next to me on the couch holding me for hours. She didn't say much but looked up and kissed me on the cheek multiple times. It was two nights later as we sat there watching a movie when we turned to each other at the same time and just fell into a kiss. I hadn't planned on it. We were sitting together with her head resting on my shoulder. There was a soft spot in the movie that made me turn to her and her to me. It was a 'in the moment' type of kiss.

The next few weeks found us holding each other more and kissing on the cheek each time we got together. There were times where we sat and kissed for hours. We missed each other and it was obvious to us both but we navigated gingerly around the issue of our divorce.

One night while on the couch in a heavy petting session Julie ran her hand up my leg stopping at the bulge in my pants. "Why don't you take me upstairs and let me reacquaint myself with this thing?"

"Uh, that is not a good idea. I don't do that with someone I am not married to."

At first she thought it was a dig into her affair with Mark. I stopped it before it got into that.

"I waited until I married you. Since our divorce I haven't had sex with anyone. I will wait until I am married again. I am sorry. That is just something that is important to me."

She removed her hand but put her head back down onto my shoulder for a few minutes. I heard her sniffling a few times and knew she was silently crying.

"Do you think we would ever remarry?" She suddenly asked.

"I would say yes if the time is right for us?"

One thing that had eluded all conversation and something that bothered me tremendously was the fact that she never once apologized. Shannon sort of had, but Julie never even whispered the words. And that would be something she would have to do before I married her again. She did avoid all topics including her father and made sure his name was never mentioned. I actually believed she wanted this to work.

We would cuddle on the couch almost every night or enjoy dinner together like dating couples do. She surprised me one day and took me back out on the ducks in the harbor. It was so romantic at the moment and I knew it brought back memories for both of us. But I just could not muster up or should I say weaken my emotions enough to ask her to marry me again. I will admit, in all circumstances everything felt right. But in my case, I still was waiting for an apology. I am pretty sure Julie thought it would push me passed the barrier I had. If she only knew what it was.

And so we continued in our little comfort zone as the holidays neared. I found some cute little things for Julie and also bought her a very nice necklace. One that I hoped would please her. Two weeks before Christmas I asked if I could take her to dinner on Saturday. She told me she had to have dinner with her parents that evening and wouldn't be able to spend time with me. I then asked about Sunday to which she just said, "We'll see."

With a slight bit of pouting that Saturday morning I decided to go to the club and workout. I was hoping that everyone would be out shopping but that wasn't the case. There were already a lot of people exercising when I arrived. Maybe coming later would have been better.

I worked out for an hour in the weight room before I took advantage of an empty racquetball court and hit the ball around. I didn't shut the door completely as a sign welcoming anyone for a pick-up game if interested or in case I needed to vacate the court if it was scheduled for someone else. The opened door allowed me to hear some conversations and voices as people passed back and forth in the hall. It was Julie's mother's voice that caught my attention. I was going to poke my head out and say good morning until I heard her talking to a younger man.

"Good morning Mrs. Morrow. I don't know if you remember me? My name is Doug, I work for your husband. We met last month." The man said.

"Oh Yes. Hello Doug. It is nice to see you again."

"I wanted to thank you for the invite to the party tonight." He said to her catching my full attention.

What party I thought. Julie said she was having dinner with her parents. She didn't say anything about a party.

"You're welcome Doug. Is there a Mrs. Doug or significant other attending with you tonight?"

"No ma'am. Mr. Morrow said to come alone and he would set me up with Julie for the evening."

It was at this point I wanted to bash someone's head in with my racquet. I was furious. I grabbed my bag after they left and went back to the locker room. I found Doug standing there talking to another guy I hadn't seen before.

"Hey I heard you talking to Mrs. Morrow. You are going to one of their parties? I hear they are always a blast." I said to him catching him a little off guard since we had never spoken before. He had no idea who I was.

"Yes, I just started working there a month ago. I was told I would have a lot of fun."

"And you are taking Julie. I hear she is special."

"Well Mr. Morrow thinks we will hit it off. Says she is coming off a failed marriage with a loser and could use the company. I reserved a room right down the street if I can get her a little tipsy and in the mood for some fun. Hey, right?"

The last part was a little too much for me and I walked out to my car. I went and grabbed a coffee and sat in Starbucks fuming. At the next table were too well dressed woman talking about real estate. It sounded like one of them was either new or being trained by her broker. I know most of the time I get angry I need to be alone and keep my mouth shut. Today may have been one of those times. Instead I exercised my irrational behavior and started a conversation with them. April had just gotten her license and was hoping to start her career. I decided to make it easy on her.

"Here is my address and a set of keys. I want to list the house for two point seven million. The catch is, there must be a sign on the lawn by tomorrow morning. Can you make that work?

The broker assured me that it would work and that I could stop by the agency in the morning and sign the paperwork. The sign would go up first thing.

The interior garage door leading into a mud room was unlocked allowing me to get into the house when I got home. Traveling as much as I had in the past made it easy to throw a week's worth of clothing in a couple of bags which I did quickly and I threw them into my trunk.

I don't know why I didn't just stay home. Instead I drove out to a hotel to wallow in self-pity. After checking in I decided to call Julie. Her phone rang until it went to voice mail. I waited and tried again ten minutes later and got the same thing. At that point I began typing an email listing Julie, Shannon, and her mother as recipients.

Hello Julie.

I called wishing you a fun evening at your father's party tonight. I can't tell you how hurt I am that you decided to go with Douglas and never told me or invited me. I really thought we were going to be together again soon. I know, I know, it is what Daddy wants, but once again it is not something I wanted.

I learned something today. I kept telling myself that if you ever apologized for sleeping with Mark I would ask you to marry me again on the spot. But after overhearing Doug talking to your mother and then bragging about the hotel room he had in case you got tipsy I realized I would never hear the apology.

Instead I find you keeping more secrets from me.

I still love you and wish you the best in life but I also hope to never see you again. I foolishly allowed you to break my heart a second time. Call me stupid or whatever, your dad has many names to choose from if you can't think of one on your own, but I just can't do it again.

Jim

After sending the message I thought I would hear from one of them right away but my phone didn't ring. I took a walk outside in front of the hotel while waiting. Ten minutes later I tried calling her for the last time. It went to voice mail. I threw my phone as far as I could and watched it break in pieces as it bounced down the street.

Continued in the next chapter.