by Tia Wylder
“It’s like you and Miss Tiffany,” his daughter whispered, and he chuckled under his breath.
“Yeah, something like that,” he murmured in response. Amanda smiled, looking utterly enchanted when the film ended with Razz Beary and Bloo Beary walking hand in hand through the forest together. The lights cut on, and the other movie goers began to file out of the exit. Amanda gripped her father’s hand, imploring him with her eyes to remain for a moment longer. Tiffany stretched beside him, leaning forward to smile at Amanda.
“That was sweet, wasn’t it?” Tiffany grinned, faltering as Melody turned a bitter gaze upon her.
“Yes, absolutely darling. If you’re into furry woodland creatures getting busy, anyway,” she drawled. Tiffany narrowed her eyes, and Amanda looked disgusted by her mother’s words.
“Not appropriate talk about a movie your child enjoyed, Melody. I was trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, but you’re shaping up to be a real bitch,” Tiffany announced, and the few lingering people in the theater gasped collectively. Melody’s eyes widened, and she turned her head towards the lingering patrons with anger blazing in her eyes.
“Mind your own business, maggots,” she snapped before turning her attention back to Tiffany. “I’m a bitch? You think I’m a bitch? How do you think it feels seeing the man I loved pay more mind to some new floozy than he ever did his wife?” She hissed out. Tiffany looked taken aback, but Daniel was the one who was truly wounded by the words. He narrowed his eyes, inhaling a shuddering breath.
“Well, I never felt for you, the way I feel for Tiffany,” he hissed angrily, feeling only slightly vindicated when Melody’s cruel expression faltered. Tiffany grabbed him by the arm, and he wondered if he had gone too far. However, when Tiffany guided his face towards her own, her smile was warm and enchanting. His breath caught in his throat as she closed the distance between them, kissing him passionately. He moaned against her lips, reveling in how completely soft the woman was. He tangled a hand in her hair, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him in closer. It seemed like he was swept up in a moment of pure heaven before someone cleared their throat and Tiffany drew away.
“Nice, with your daughter watching,” Melody bantered bitterly, a single tear rolling down her cheek. Amanda rolled her eyes dramatically, catching her father by the hand.
“I’m just glad you’re happy again, daddy. Momma, I’d like to go home with daddy and Miss Tiffany if that’s okay,” Amanda implored innocently. Melody looked as if she had been struck through the heart, and it was obvious she wanted anything but her daughter going home with the new couple.
“Honey, it’s technically your mom’s day--,” Daniel began, and Melody laughed once, a harsh and jaded sound.
“No. It’s alright. I’m not going to deprive my daughter of time with her father, despite how scummy I may think he is. You can ride home with your father and his harlot honey. Give mommy a kiss,” Melody muttered, leaning in for Amanda to kiss her on the cheek. Daniel couldn’t deny the guilt brewing within him as Melody stood, gathering her things before casting a final, lingering glance at Tiffany. “He may seem like the perfect man now. But believe me, he values his job over anything else, even his family and relationships. He’ll start to lose interest in you too, and you’ll see why I shaped up to be such a bitch,” the slender woman sneered icily. Tiffany watched her with something akin to pity in her eyes, and Melody glowered a final time before stalking out of the theater. Amanda wrung her small hands anxiously together, and Tiffany reached out to take the girl by the hand.
“I made it worse, didn’t I?” The young girl murmured in a watery voice. Daniel’s expression softened, but before he could react, Tiffany had stood and gathered his daughter in her arms. She pressed a kiss to Amanda’s forehead, smiling gently at the girl.
“Honey, parents fight sometimes. Believe me, when I was little… well, you’re lucky to have a daddy as nice as he is. But when parents fight, and just can’t get along anymore… you can’t blame yourself, okay?” Tiffany attempted to comfort her. Amanda hiccuped, burying her face in the woman’s shoulder. Daniel rose from his seat, exchanging a look with Tiffany. It was obvious that in spite of the power his words had over her, he had messed up big time. Though he had been lying through his teeth and expected that much to be obvious, it appeared that Melody had believed him. It seemed she truly believed that he had cared more about his job than he did his own family. The realization weighed heavily in his chest, causing an ache in his heart.
“Come on, my two princesses. Let’s head home. We’ll grab takeout on the way,” he announced in a voice that was much stronger than he currently felt. Tiffany adjusted her grip on the young girl, shifting to take his hand in her own. She offered him a sympathetic look, and he replied with a weak smile.
“Maybe we can get milkshakes too, daddy?” Amanda mumbled, her voice muffled by Tiffany’s shoulder.
“That sounds great, sweetheart. Come on, let’s head out,” he murmured, rising to his feet. He led the two females out of the theater, the ache in his heart only growing stronger as he watched Tiffany settle Amanda in the backseat. Perhaps he had been the villain all along, without even realizing. Perhaps Melody was right about him, perhaps he had been gone too long, too late, too many times. It was far too late to salvage anything with his ex wife, however, as she made it quite clear how she felt about him at that point. However, even with Tiffany, he fell into a pattern of using women for his own gain. Though Tiffany had offered, the only reason they were carrying on this charade was so that he could get custody of his daughter. While his wife clearly wasn’t the best mother, he was beginning to wonder if he was in the wrong trying to get sole custody.
“I love you, daddy,” Amanda murmured, reaching out to cup his cheeks in her tiny hands. He leaned in, and she pressed a tender kiss to his nose. “And I love you too, Miss Tiffany,” she announced as the woman in question slipped into the passenger seat.
“I love you too, sweetheart,” Tiffany smiled. Daniel had no doubt that she meant it, either.
Boy, did he feel like a real bastard.
Chapter Five
Daniel was rather irritated to be called in for an emergency at work, but considering the nature of his work, it wasn’t as if he could simply ignore the call. He had left shortly after returning home from the movies, but his daughter had assured him that it was fine. She was eager to spend time with Tiffany more than anything, and despite himself, he couldn’t help but feel the warmth that spread in his heart considering how much his daughter loved his fake girlfriend. It was growing increasingly evident, to Daniel at least, that he was developing feelings for the woman he was carrying this entire facade with. However, he was reluctant to accept the feelings for what they were. He tried to tell himself it was simple lust, nothing deeper than that. Sure, he appreciated her help, and adored the fact that she got on so well with his pride, but it wasn't as if he could pursue a relationship with her. If he didn't have his doubts before, he certainly did after the situation with Melody in the movie theater. The expression on his ex-wife's face haunted him, and though he held her in relatively low regard, he had little choice but to accept the truth of the matter for what it was. He had neglected her, had likely neglected his daughter as well, all for the sake of furthering his career.
It was a thought that haunted him the duration of the drive to his job, but once he got immersed in his work, he could distract himself somewhat. The emergency was not something easily resolved, and despite how troubling an emergency was in his line of work, it was a welcome reprieve from his own miserable thoughts. It was late that evening, past Amanda’s bedtime before he could pack up and go home. He could only hope Tiffany had put the girl to bed, looking forward to a night filled with relaxation after the trying day he’d had. When he pulled up the house, he noticed that all the lights were off, save the one in his bedroom. That was no surprise, considering he and Tiffany had shared a bed. It was strictly platonic, something he had to remi
nd himself on a regular basis. However, waking up next to the warm body of a lover, farcical or otherwise, is comforting. Shaking off this thought, he parked the car, unlocking the door and stepping out. The night was chilly, the stars shining brightly in the sky. It made for a rather romantic scene, he only wished he had someone to share it with. He inhaled a deep breath, unlocking and opening the door as quietly as he was able. The inside of the house was about as quiet as he might have expected, indicative that Amanda had fallen asleep while he was gone. He smiled to himself, ascending the stairs and moving to peek into her room. She slept peacefully, curled up on her side with ribbons and bows in her hair. He had to swallow a laugh, and could only imagine what she had put Tiffany through in his absence. He pulled the door shut, slinking towards his bedroom.
When he opened the door, he was not sure what he expected to see. Perhaps Tiffany sprawled on the bed watching TV, or curled up asleep as his daughter had been. What he had not expected, however, was to see the woman lying seductively on his bed in lingerie that left little to the imagination. His mouth hung agape at the sight, and she looked briefly vulnerable, rising up from the bed with the slightest bit of nervousness to her motions.
“Tiffany…?” Daniel weakly implored. His mouth nearly watered as she sauntered towards him, her curves hugged tightly by the frilly bra and panty set. “What on earth,” he began, but she grabbed the front of his scrub top, shoving him towards the bed. He flopped gracelessly on top of the sheets, cursing how his obvious arousal jutted out. She did seem particularly bothered, however. In fact, his body’s reaction pleased her. She sashayed towards him, coming to a stop just short of the bed. Daniel sat up, watching her closely as her body began to sway from side to side. She hummed softly, a warm and velvety sound that seemed in tune with her movements. She reached behind herself, drawing her lip between her teeth as she unclasped her bra. It fell to the ground, exposing her heaving breasts and perky pink nipples to the open air. “Christ. You have such a great body. It must drive all the guys wild,” Daniel admired, speaking without truly thinking. She hesitated, crossing her arms under her chest. She looked torn by something, pausing a moment longer before offering him a response.
“I’ve… this is my first time doing something like this. I’ve never felt comfortable in my own skin,” she explained weakly, and Daniel considered her through wide eyes.
“So I’m the recipient of your first strip tease,” he teased gently. She smiled sheepishly, shrugging her shoulders.
“My first everything. I’m a virgin, Daniel,” she murmured. All at once, alarms sounded in Daniel’s mind, and as Tiffany moved to slip her underwear down her hips, he jolted upright, resting his hands atop hers to stop her.
“Tiffany… I’m touched. Truly, truly touched. But… I don’t want to take your virginity under false pretenses. We’re acting. We’re not truly together,” he murmured awkwardly, as much as he wished he could accept the gesture. Her eyes widened for a moment, and she simply stared at him. Then, her expression crumbled and she swiftly made to get dressed. He watched her with a sad expression, though it turned to alarm when he realized she was rushing out the door. “W-wait! Where are you going?” He called out, trailing after her. She said nothing, grabbing her keys and darting out into the night. He stumbled downstairs, praying the ruckus didn’t wake Amanda. By the time he got downstairs, Tiffany was fumbling with the keys to her car, trying to make an escape.
“Leave me alone, Daniel. I need to be alone,” she blurted, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. He rushed forward, snatching her keys from her hands and leveling her with a serious expression.
“You expect me to let you leave in the state you’re in? If you want to be alone… I’ll leave you be. You can sleep upstairs tonight. I’ll take the couch,” he offered desperately. She didn’t seem particularly eager to remain at the house, but she exhaled a shuddering breath before slipping past him once more. “I think we need to talk about this,” he called out, but she ignored him. He followed her inside, watching as she bolted back up the steps and into their shared room. Or, what had been their shared room. He breathed a sigh, grabbing the guest sheets and making a place for himself on the couch.
Early the next morning, Amanda woke him by jokingly asking if he was in the doghouse. She didn’t know how right she was.
When Tiffany came downstairs sometime later, Daniel wasn’t sure how to address her. Her eyes were rimmed with red, and it was obvious she had spent the night crying. As much as he wanted to comfort her, he simply wasn’t sure how. It wasn’t as if he could confess his feelings after such a misstep, and he certainly didn’t want to lead Tiffany into a relationship he couldn’t commit himself to. Overcome with uncertainty, he simply remained at the dining room table, sipping the coffee he had brewed earlier that morning. Tiffany grabbed a cup, pouring herself some coffee with gratuitous amounts of sugar and milk. He swallowed his usual teasing comment about whether she wanted some coffee with her milk, and she was silent as she sat opposite him.
"I'm hungry," Amanda bleated unhappily, and Tiffany stiffened for a moment as if she had almost forgotten about the young girl’s presence in the house. She rose quickly, offering Amanda a smile.
“I’ll make you and your dad some pancakes,” she uttered, her voice sounding somewhat hoarse. Daniel didn’t speak up, didn’t dare mention that he certainly didn’t feel deserving of a home cooked breakfast. He watched as Tiffany slipped into the adjoining kitchen, and lowered his eyes to the newspaper with a sense of unease. Amanda sat at the dining table, fiddling with the new tablet he had bought her. He could hear whinnying from the device, and he looked up to consider his daughter.
"What are you doing, honey?" He inquired, and she glanced at him from the corner of her eyes before focusing on her tablet again.
“I’m playing Wonder Pony Stables,” she said curtly, and he stared at her for a moment, feeling more than a little taken aback. “What did you do to upset Miss Tiffany?” She asked mere seconds later, setting her tablet on the table and crossing her arms. He quirked a brow, wondering how he could explain this to his daughter. He surely couldn’t explain the truth of the situation, and vaguely wondered how he could play down the dispute. He propped his chin up in his hand, watching his daughter with a pensive expression. She seemed troubled, and he knew it was his responsibility to soothe her nerves.
“We just got into a bit of an argument, honey. You know how it can be with grown-ups,” he offered. She narrowed her eyes critically, the expression much too serious on her small and delicate features.
"Yeah, Daddy, I do," she huffed. His eyes widened, and he was briefly angry at the woman in the kitchen for stirring such a fear in his young daughter. He hadn't thought of how Amanda might react to losing Miss Tiffany, especially so soon and after getting so attached. He realized he couldn’t be awfully angry at the woman. He had essentially refused her although that he was growing increasingly attracted to her. At the thought of Tiffany, his mind wandered to her exposed skin, the way her breasts jiggled when she had freed them of that skimpy bra. He felt his cheeks grow flush, and he took a long swallow of coffee to try and dismiss the thought. He felt downright dirty having such thoughts while trying to console his daughter, but she paid him little mind, returning her attention to her tablet.
“Tiffany and I will make up soon, sweetie. Daddy made a mistake, but it… it won’t be like with mommy,” he offered. Her eyes lit up, and she turned to him with a much happier expression. He didn’t have the heart to tell the truth of the matter: that Tiffany would be leaving in scarce months if all things went according to plan. He simply quirked his lips in a smile, looking up at Tiffany as she stepped into the room with a large stack of pancakes. She put some on Amanda’s plate, gently taking the tablet from the girl and setting it aside. Amanda cooed as her eyes fell upon the breakfast concoction, thrilled to see the pancakes in a heart shape.
“Aww, Miss Tiffany,” she blurted, and Tiffany quirked her lips in a smile.
> “Just to show you two that I still love you both. I’m sorry, honey. I shouldn’t have let you see me so upset,” Tiffany murmured. Amanda brightened, reaching out for a hug. Tiffany leaned in, wrapping her arms around the small girl for a long moment before pulling away.
“Now Daddy!” Amanda said decisively. Daniel met Tiffany’s gaze, sputtering uncertainly.
“Miss Tiffany doesn’t have to hug daddy if she doesn’t want to,” he grinned awkwardly, warmth blooming in his cheeks as Tiffany wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a kiss to his cheek. She shifted slightly, whispering into his ear.
“It’s fine. I’m sorry,” she managed, drawing away with a faint smile. Her eyes traced with tears, but she seemed content to ignore. She placed a stack of heart-shaped pancakes on Daniel's plate, serving herself up a much smaller stack than even Amanda. Daniel's heart ached at the obvious realization that she was feeling more self-conscious than ever. He parted his lips to speak, but paused before he could get the words out. He was unsure if his opinion would be particularly welcome, but he couldn’t simply allow Tiffany to think she was unattractive. Silently, he stabbed his stack of pancakes with his fork, transferring some to Tiffany’s plate. She looked up, looking as if she would protest, but the look in his eyes silenced her.