Page 1 of Guardian Daddy's Girl
1
REX
There’s something wrong with me. Has to be. An illness far worse than a cold or flu. A disease of the mind, the sort only a shrink can fix. These days, I’m pretty sure even that boat has sailed.
No normal man would be burning this hot at the sight of a woman under these conditions. Gawking at the black dress clinging tightly to her petite frame while tears spill down her cheeks. Daydreaming about how I’d make her wail in pleasure instead of sorrow while she hovers beside a coffin. Clenching my jaw so fucking tight my teeth start to ache for even a second of reprieve from the erection tearing a hole through my trousers.
Hailey Kimble is beyond an obsession. She’s an all-consuming flame that has set my mind ablaze. Not even her father’s funeral can free my mind from the spell she cast on me.
I hate seeing her this broken up. Haven’t seen a tear in her eye since her father and I saw her off to college. My thoughts on her were pure back then. She was the innocent little girl I had teaparty’s with and chased around the house pretending to be a big, scary monster.
But time changed her in my eye. Transformed her from a child into the goddess she is now. The only thing time hasn’t and can’t manage to change, is me being that monster.
Hailey leaves her father’s side and it’s my turn to say final farewells. I get out of my chair and head over to the box.
He looks so peaceful inside it. Like he’s dozed off for one of his lazy Sunday afternoon naps when we were supposed to be drinking and watching whatever sports game was scheduled that day.
God, I’m gonna miss those.
I slide my hand into my pocket and pull out a white envelope with a red stamped seal. The contents have haunted me since it fell onto my desk last week – a letter penned by his hand:
Take care of her, will you?
You’re the only one I trust.
J.K
Though wise,it’s the stupidest thing my old army supervisor could’ve done. He handed me the keys to the castle. Gave me permission to never let her out of my sight again.
And I’m not the sort of guy who looks a gift horse in the mouth.
“You’ll be missed, old friend.” I tuck the envelope into his jacket pocket. I doubt he looked at it as a secret between us, but it’s the kind of thing I don’t want to carry with me.
I pat Josef on the shoulder and turn away. There’s a long row of people waiting for their turn, and I feel a little strange hovering over him without so much as a tear in my eye.
And it’s not because I’m one of thosemachomen who believe that boys don’t cry. No, I believe deep down in my heart that crying’s gotta be one of the best things a person can do. Shed the burden and weight with some water running down your cheeks.
But we, Josef and I, were military boys. We had the crying beaten out of us on the battlefield. Too many funerals, too many goodbyes, will do that to a person.
I step away from Josef and someone takes my place in an instant. An older woman, bawling her eyes out at the sight of the deceased. I step away to give them privacy and return to my seat, across the aisle from where Hailey’s getting well-wishes from close friends or extended family members. Though every muscle in my body screams to go and comfort her, I can’t do it yet. Not the way I want to. So, it’s for the best to let everyone else have their turn.
The line of folks wanting to see Josef off peters out after a while. Most of them find seats, some crying but most taking the same stoic stance as myself. The reverend’s sermon is the usual batch of nonsense, talking about how Josef’s moved on to a better place and someday we’ll all see him again.
Part of me hope’s that he’s right, that they’ve all been right. That somewhere at the end of this long road we call life, our friendsare waiting for us on the other side. But I don’t get much peace in the belief of an afterlife. Men like me never should.
I’m not destined for those beautiful pearly gates. Especially not when the only thoughts running through my mind, is how amazing Hailey’s tits look in that tight black dress.
When the talking is done, a group of four pretty big guys head over to Josef’s coffin. They lift it onto their shoulders and lead the rest of us outside into the scorching heat. Not a cloud in sight, nor a gentle breeze to aid from the sun’s blistering rays.
Those who care enough follow the four to Josef’s eternal resting place, while the others disband and head home. Can’t blame ‘em. Funerals are terrible affairs to begin with, having the sun beat down on you while dressed in a full black suit isn’t fun.
And then it’s over. Just like that, a man that was standing at my side less than a week ago, is gone. The permanence of death never struck me until now. Sure, I’ve been around it all my life, but this? This isn’t some cannon fodder grunt thrown into the battlefield; this is a man I respected in ways I never knew imaginable.
I stick around for a while, pretending to mingle with the remaining few, but do a pretty bad job of it. And it’s while listening to one of them drone on about some bullshit he’s dealing with at work that I see her.
She’s sitting under a willow tree, knees up to her chest, and hands covering her face. A few people hover close, probably wanting to express their condolences but don’t make a move to approach her.
I make my excuses and head over to her. We could both use a break from all of this.
