“After lunch is Katie time, but we have enough time.”
“Okay, let’s clean up and talk. Just me and you.”
The four of us gathered in the kitchen half an hour later, a simple meal of sandwiches, crisps and sodas. We talked about everything except the elephant in the room. Kelly was her usual flirtatious self, earning plenty of giggles form her friends. Whenever I let her know I found her attractive, she would go quiet but blush. I was left thinking she rarely had compliments from anyone that mattered.
Once lunch was over, I told Katie and Kelly that we’d go to the latter’s once I had a chat with Hannah. They understood why, taking Hannah by the hand and leading her to my bedroom. Closing the door, I asked her to sit up on the bed, taking a seat next to her. She cuddled into me as always, wrapping an arm around her. She would always be safe with me, no matter what.
“Do you want children, Hannah?”
“Yes,” she replied quietly.
“Okay. Have you looked into the problems we’d face?”
“Yes,” she replied, a little more confidently.
“Okay. You want children with me?”
“God yes. So much, Daddy. I want at least three. I want to give you a son.”
That got to me. It really did. I’d only confessed recently that I wanted a son. Claire had never wanted any more children. The fact my own daughter, my own flesh and blood, wanted to have our child, but not only that, give me a son. Yes, in one way, it would be her brother… I stopped thinking about that. It would be our child together, and that’s what would matter, if it happened.
“And wife? What did you mean by that?”
She moved quickly, straddling my lap, though we were both dressed so it was a case that she wanted to meet my eyes. “I want to be your wife, Daddy. I know we can’t marry legally, but I will be your wife in every single way except legally. I’m hoping you’ll buy me a ring, because I’ll buy you one. I want to have your children. And I want to be your wife. I don’t care about university or anything. I’m a modern woman, I can make the decision for myself, and I want to be your wife. I want to cook you breakfast in the morning before you go to work, ensuring I’ve also made your lunch. I want to have dinner ready when you get home from work. I’ll look after the house, and when the time comes, care for our children. I’ll do anything I can to ensure we’re both as happy as we are now. I want to be everything that Claire wasn’t.” I stared at her in silence for a good couple of minutes as I simply didn’t know what to say. “I love you more than anything, Daddy. All I want to do is make you as happy as you’ve made me every single day of my life.”
“I’ll buy you a ring, sweetheart.”
Her face lit up. “Really?” she asked softly.
“You sounded so adamant, so confident in everything you just said, I’m not going to argue. If that’s what you want,” she nodded adamantly, “Then there’s nothing for me to add.”
She hugged me tightly. “Do you want me to finish university?”
“I’d rather you did, but it’s your choice. If you don’t want to go…”
“I don’t care about it, Daddy. I just want to make you happy.”
“What will make me happy is that you do finish your studies, just in case. Can you do that for me?”
“Yes, Daddy. Anything for you.”
“As soon as you finished, if you want to do what you said…”
“I want to do it now, Daddy.” She met my eyes and I saw the determination. I knew classes began in a couple of weeks. We hadn’t paid a cent yet. She would remain at home while she studied. All she needed to do is withdraw. I took a minute before she added, “Daddy, I’m serious. I’ve graduated high school. Once you have me with child, nothing else will matter. My life will be about our children and ourselves.”
“Got it all figured out? Seems you have a better idea than me!”
Her soft lips pressed against mine. “I want to be a mummy,” she whispered, “And I want to have your babies.”
I hugged her tightly. “Okay, sweetheart, if that’s what you really want, who am I to say no?”
“Thank you, Daddy.”
“What about your sister? Will she get jealous?”
“No. We’ve obviously discussed this at length, Daddy. This will be the first time we don’t do the same thing in our lives. She will go off and study, making a career for herself. I will be your housewife, while caring for my sister and anyone else who lives with us, like Kelly. But Katie will remain living here permanently. You will ‘marry’ her too.”
“I will, will I?”
“Of course, Daddy. Once you’ve made love to her, the decision will be easy.”
“And Kelly?”
“You will love her like you love us. And then you’ll love our other friends. Daddy, you really have no idea how much love is sent your way by so many people. So many of us love you for everything you’ve done. You endured a cheating bitch of a wife for three years just so you could ensure that we would stay living with you and that you’d keep this as our home together. I’m not sure how many men could have put up with that. Granted, you got your own back in a way by treating her like a human sex doll at times, but no-one could blame you for that. But look at us now. Have we ever been happier?”
“Hannah, are you sure you’re only eighteen?”
“Daddy, I’ve been sure of this for years. This is what I’ve wanted all my life.”
I had nothing else to add. I was her father, but my daughter was eighteen. She was old enough to drink, smoke, vote, fight for her country, have sex (consent was sixteen in our country but… well, let’s just leave it at that), and make decisions for herself. I could still provide guidance and advice, but she was free to do what she wished.