Daddy Dearest: A Christmas Story

by Rachel Burns

  She decided to walk home. While she walked, thoughts plagued her mind. She felt so unwanted and unloved. Why couldn’t she have gotten a father who was a little nicer to her? Why did it have to be Martin Swift, a man who could get away with anything, even hurting her in a public place. It gave her the feeling that she wasn’t worth much.

  Would she ever have the carefree feeling that Fiona seemed to have all the time. She rarely studied and her grades were only average, but she was happy. And her family was happy with her. Next year instead of going to college, Fiona was going to literally backpack through Europe. It was a gift from her parents for graduating. They were going to pay for everything, and she planned to be gone for a whole year. It would be an amazing experience for her.

  Morgan thought about the freedom her friend would have, knowing that she herself would never be free of her father’s rule.

  Would Morgan be able to breathe freely when he died, or would she feel him still haunting her?

  Her mother certainly didn’t haunt her. Morgan couldn’t even remember her. She still had no idea where her mother was buried. She couldn’t ask her father, and she didn’t know anyone else who might know.

  That was something that was eating at her. If she ever had a daughter, she’d want her to visit her at the cemetery. Morgan felt that she was a disappointment as a daughter to both of her parents.

  It took her five hours to get home in the cold. It was after eleven at night, and it was so dark out.

  “Where have you been so long?” her father demanded to know.

  “It took me this long to walk home, sir,” she replied, as she shivered. Her nose and cheeks were bright red whereas the rest of her was pale.

  “Why didn’t you call for a driver?” he snapped at her. His disappointment was so clearly written in her eyes.

  Tears were already running down her face from the cold.

  “Don’t you dare cry. I won’t tolerate it. Now answer me!”

  “I don’t have a phone, sir.”

  “Why not?” he asked her.

  Because my father doesn’t give a shit about me, and he’s never noticed one thing about me. He’s a cold narcissist asshole who can’t think about anyone other than himself. She longed to say that aloud. It was clear that he was about to beat her again anyway. This was the perfect moment for him to do so. They were alone in the house, and he could do what he wanted with her. This was an opportunity that he wouldn’t want to let pass by. But she said nothing. He could figure out why she didn’t have a phone for himself, she thought.

  “I’ll tell your guardian to get you one,” he said. “But you could have gone back into the club and asked them to call you a driver. Or you could have borrowed someone’s phone. What was this stunt for?” he demanded to know.

  She couldn’t have borrowed anyone’s phone. Not with the way people were looking at her. Didn’t he realize what had happened? Everyone knew, even if she had taken her excruciating punishment quietly. Besides, she had no idea how to reach the driver, or the house for that matter.

  “Because I thought you wanted me to walk, sir,” she replied in a soft voice.

  “Is that the kind of monster you think I am? That I would make you walk fifteen miles in the cold at night?” He stepped so close to her that his face was directly in hers.

  Obviously, that was exactly the kind of monster that she thought he was, or she wouldn’t have walked. But again she failed herself and didn’t answer him.

  “I asked you a question,” he stated coldly.

  Morgan wasn’t sure what he wanted to hear from her, but this just seemed so cruel. She nodded at him.

  “You ungrateful brat.” He slapped her hard, bringing pain and warmth to her frozen cheek. “How dare you be anything but thankful to me? I could have told them that you weren’t my kid. I could’ve denied that I was your father. But I did the right thing, and this is how you repay me?”

  He beat her for having the audacity to give him an honest answer for the first time in their relationship.

  ~

  The next day, Morgan had a high fever. She was able to spend the rest of her stay in bed. She was too stiff, and she could hardly move, and it gave her a chance to recuperate before she had to go back to school.

  Still when she returned to school, she wasn’t able to hide the fact that she was filled with healing bruises from Fiona, who called her father, asking him what she should do.

  Nils took it upon himself to call the school and complain, insisting that Morgan be checked over and the beatings documented. He also insisted that they call the police.

  They agreed to do a check-up, but they also explained that Morgan would be eighteen in a few months. If they reported him now, they feared that he might retaliate and take her out of school, where she was now safe.

  Nils took it upon himself to call Martin and let him know what he thought about him. He told Martin that he wouldn’t do business with him come hell or high water.

  Martin was furious that Morgan had gone around telling people that he’d had to punish her. She wasn’t a good daughter.

  She wasn’t like Nils’s daughter. He couldn’t understand what it was like having such a disappointment for a daughter.

  Chapter 9

  Because she was already eighteen, Morgan called her father’s secretary, telling her that she had other plans and wouldn’t be coming home for Easter this year. The secretary promised to pass the information along.

  Morgan thanked her and hung up. If only she’d had her own phone all these years. She would have cancelled every visit home to her father.

  Fiona had wanted Morgan to spend Easter with her again, but Morgan decided to stay at school and study. She had gotten special permission to do so. Her guardian was also going to spend some time with her shopping. Martin hadn’t cut her off financially yet. Morgan expected it to happen soon. It was the one thing left that he had power over her with.

  Morgan took the chance to talk to her guardian, who was a woman that her father paid to take care of Morgan’s personal needs. Morgan told her that she would like to find an apartment in New Haven and move there at the beginning of the summer, moving directly from school to the apartment so she could familiarize herself with the area and join the clubs there.

  Her guardian promised to write up a plan and clear the idea with Mr. Swift’s secretary. He usually said yes to everything that Morgan needed. Although she thought it was a little odd that he didn’t take Morgan shopping when he had her home on the vacation days, but rich people did things differently.

  Morgan also asked her to pass along an invitation to her graduation ceremony. “I don’t think that he’ll come,” she confessed as she choked back tears and forced herself to smile. “He’s a very busy man, you know.” That was her standard line when she had to make excuses for him.

  “If he doesn’t come, I will. I’ll take pictures of you and make you an album so you can remember your time here.” Her guardian promised her.

  “You’d do that for me?” Morgan asked her. “I don’t know if my father will reimburse you for that.”

  “I want to be here. I’ve known you so long that it’s difficult for me to think about our time coming to an end.”

  Morgan gave her a warm smile, but in the back of her mind, she warned herself not to think that the woman really liked her. She had been an easy way for her guardian to make a little extra money while she stayed at home with her kids.

  Don’t trust people, Morgan warned herself. Never make that mistake.

  ~

  True to her word, her guardian had gotten the approval for the apartment, and she had even found one for Morgan that was within walking distance from campus. She’d be living in an apartment above someone’s house. The woman was an old lady, and she wanted Morgan to be a quiet companion who did a little shopping for her. And she wanted to be able to call Morgan if she got any heart pains and needed help.

  Morgan heard the words old lady, and immediately she felt a pang
to have a grandmother. She loved the idea. She was thrilled that her father had agreed to let her go directly to her new school so she wouldn’t have to go home. The fact that he would continue to pay for her schooling also lifted her heart up.

  True to her word, Morgan spotted her guardian sitting among the guests on graduation day. She had her two kids with her, and she was busy taking pictures.

  Naturally, Morgan didn’t spot her father. But that was a relief at that point in their relationship.

  Morgan beamed and felt so relieved to have someone here for her today. She allowed her guardian to take many pictures of her and with her friends.

  Morgan beamed as her guardian took pictures of her with her two kids. She’d never met them before, but it was wonderful having them there too. This felt almost normal.

  The Pattersons also wanted pictures with Morgan.

  Fiona promised to send her postcards from all around the world.

  But then everyone went their separates ways, and Morgan had to wonder if she would ever see her friend again.

  Her guardian had promised to drive her to the bus stop, but then she claimed that she couldn’t do it, but begged Morgan to accompany her to her car. Parked next to her car was a cute little new car with a huge ribbon around it.

  “Wow, somebody’s parents went all out with their graduation gift,” Morgan commented.

  “What if I tell you that someone was your dad?” her guardian asked her.

  “I wouldn’t believe you. He would never even think to do something like that.”

  “I know, but his secretary would. She convinced him that you needed one. This is really yours.” Her guardian screamed out with joy.

  “Are you sure?” Morgan couldn’t fathom what was happening.

  “Yes, I am. This is a normal gift. You’ll need it. You also get a bank account and an allowance. I have the papers on the front seat, including your health insurance and car insurance. They explain everything. You’re all grown up now.” She took more pictures with the child that she had helped care for these past few years, thinking about the changes that Morgan had gone through. At first, she’d been a nervous and almost clumsy girl, and now Morgan had grown into a beautiful woman who was elegant, kind, and good-hearted.

  Morgan saw that her baggage had been brought down and placed in the trunk of the car. She didn’t have much, but it would do for now.

  “Thank you for everything you did for me.”

  “You don’t just have me to thank. Your dad’s secretary was the one with the good ideas all these years. She had the idea to hire me.”

  “If I ever meet her, I’ll thank her.”

  “Thank her for me too. It was a real pleasure meeting you. It was eye-opening.” She looked at her kids and smiled at them.

  Morgan could see that she thought that they had it better with her than what Morgan had as the daughter of a multi-billionaire.

  “Get in the car and drive away before my mascara starts to run. I’ll take pictures of you doing so. Kids wave goodbye to Morgan.”

  Morgan did as she was told. She rolled down the window and waved as she went.

  This was it. She was independent and all grown up. After college, she would be completely free of her dad.

  Chapter 10

  One October afternoon, Morgan stood by her sorority friends as they talked together on the campus. They were looking at the older boys who were already in grad school.

  Morgan was already in her second year, but she still wasn’t certain what she should major in. Every time she thought she knew what it should be, she realized that she had only picked it out to impress her father.

  She hadn’t heard from him at all since she’d been here, but he did continue to pay for her school. That was a huge help. She was able to live a simple life and concentrate on school and be active in her sorority. She dated often, trying to find someone who would love her, but the guys she dated weren’t looking for love. They wanted sex. And when she got too clingy, they shoved her away.

  The guys they were staring at walked over towards them. One of the guys stuck out. He was the best-looking, and he had a certain charm about him. All the girls were hitting on him and trying to get his attention.

  As they were introducing themselves, he asked her if she was Martin Swift’s daughter.

  “Yes, I am,” she replied. It was a question that she got asked a lot. People knew who he was. Most were surprised to hear that he had a daughter. He was considered an eligible bachelor, who enjoyed his playboy lifestyle.

  “My father and him are good friends,” the guy stated. After that, he only talked to her, telling her that he thought she was nice, and that he’d like to see her again.

  They exchanged phone numbers and promised to meet up together soon.

  Their first date went so well that they soon became a couple.

  When he said that they should move in together that spring, Morgan was thrilled by the idea. She talked to her landlord and got permission.

  She felt so grown-up having a boyfriend and living with him.

  Her life was perfect. It was as if God was smiling down on her and making up for the years that she’d had to live with her father.

  Robert was a prince to her. He treated her well. The only thing that Morgan didn’t like was that he was pushing to meet her father.

  She pushed him off as long as she could, but he would suddenly get aggressive and yell at her. In one of those moments, she did call her father’s secretary and make an appointment for them to have lunch with her dad. It had been the only way to get Robert to stop scolding her.

  Morgan had never done anything like call her father. Would he even show up?

  The arrangements had been made with his secretary. She claimed that she would get him to come.

  ~

  Robert adjusted his tie several times. He was nervous and sweating a little.

  “Keep in mind that he isn’t the fatherly type. It’s better to be formal than relaxed. And call him sir. Even I have to do that.” Morgan warned Robert.

  Hearing herself talk, Morgan realized how nervous she was. The last time she saw him, he had beat her worse than ever before, punching and slapping her as if it were a bar fight. She hadn’t fought back. She was too afraid of him for that. It had been the same with her boyfriends. She froze in those moments, letting them hit her.

  If her father didn’t like Robert, Morgan could cut ties to her dad completely. Robert’s family was rich enough to pay for her schooling. She saw Robert and herself as being practically married. With Robert, everything was different.

  Robert rose to his feet when Martin walked in. His hand was extended, and he claimed what an honor it was to meet him.

  When he claimed that Morgan had told him so much about him, Martin looked at Morgan, giving her a quizzical look.

  Morgan shook her head to let him know that she hadn’t done that. She never talked about him. That was also something the bugged Robert. He wanted her to tell him about her father. But what could she say other than he had a strong right arm?

  He sat down, and Robert moved his chair closer to Martin’s.

  Martin’s face slightly showed how displeased he was.

  The two men talked, and Robert was doing heavy name-dropping, trying to get on her father’s good side.

  When Martin asked who Robert’s father was, Robert started to sweat a little more. Apparently, the two men had done business in the past, and Robert’s father had ripped off Martin.

  “How dare you? You knew perfectly well that I wouldn’t approve of you,” Martin accused him.

  “I understand that, but the thing is that I want to marry your daughter when she’s finished with school. We love each other. We need to put what happened in the past behind us and concentrate on the future.” Robert smiled at Morgan and laid his hand over hers.

  “I’ll make this easy for you, Morgan. Either you dump this loser, or I’ll cut you off financially. The choice is simple. Either you choose the loser
who lied to you to get close to you so he could get close to me, or you choose your economical safety. We’ll see how smart you really are.” Martin stood up and left the restaurant, leaving Morgan to wonder what had just happened.

  “What was that about?” she asked Robert.

  “Don’t worry about it. He’ll come around.”

  Morgan wanted to tell him that her father wasn’t the type to come around, but she decided that this wasn’t the place for it.

  Robert paid for their drinks and left. They hadn’t even been able to order a meal.

  ~

  On the way home, Robert continued to assure her not to worry, saying her dad would come around.

  When they got home, he took her into the bedroom and pushed her face down on the bed. “I need to fuck,” he told her, pushing her dress up and her panties down. He took her so hard that it hurt her.

  When he was done with her, he told her to make him something to eat. Because Morgan never learned how to cook, she put a couple of frozen pizzas in the oven. While she waited for them to bake, Robert paced around. He was on the phone with his father, telling him about the meeting.

  He was very upset, and they thought about what their next move would be.

  Was her father right? Was Robert Edmond Thornton the Fifth using her? But what did they hope to gain from her father? Why had Robert lied when they first met, saying that their fathers were friends?

  When he finished his call, she asked him.

  Robert assured her that he wasn’t using her.

  “But what if my father never comes around?” she dared to ask him.

  “He will. You’re his daughter. He loves you.”

  “No, he doesn’t. I first met him after my mother died. He immediately sent me away to boarding school. During the summer, I was at camps so he wouldn’t have to see me. He really doesn’t like me. He will cut me off. Do you think your family would be willing to help me out until I graduate?”

  “What? You want me to pay for your schooling?” Robert barked at her.

  “I suppose, I could take out a loan. Those are so hard to pay back.” Morgan took a step away from him, as she tried to find the words that would sooth his temper.