by S. E. Law
Now that my father’s home from his latest jaunt on the road, he sits at the small table in our trailer. It’s made of manufactured wood, and it’s actually quite cunning. It retracts into the wall when not in use, thereby saving space, but it’s still really stable too. Our trailer is cute, and I’ve named the double-wide Begonia.
“So Sugar, how is school?” my dad asks as I put a plate of hot food in front of him. “Are you doing well?”
I nod.
“Of course Daddy. I’ve always been a good student. Even after Violet got sick, I did my best to maintain my grades, and I think I’m going to graduate with honors in the spring.”
Jack nods and looks serious.
“I’m proud of you, Sugar. These have been a tough couple of years, but you pulled through. Honors, too! Imagine that. I’ve never won an academic prize in my life. Your mom would be proud, Sugar.”
I nod happily.
“I know, Daddy. I miss Mom too and I wish she were here to see me graduate. Even if I don’t end up finishing with honors, still, she’d be so happy. I know Mom almost didn’t finish high school because she was pregnant with me, so this would mean a lot to her.”
My dad sits back and laughs for a moment, relaxing. The tension goes out of his big shoulders, and his hands idly clasp the utensils.
“I’ll never forget the sight of Violet waddling across the stage with a big belly to collect her diploma. A lot of people would have been ashamed to be so visibly pregnant, but not Violet,” he says. “Plus, I was so proud for people to know that Violet and I were expecting a baby. There was just something right about it all. We were in love, we were about to get married, and we were going to have a child soon. Sometimes, the stars really do align.”
I nod happily while taking a bite of my salad.
“They do,” I say. “And by the way, Daddy, how are things with you? Is work treating you right?”
My dad nods, although a small blush creeps across his cheeks.
“I’m sorry for going out on the road so much, Nats—” he begins.
“No it’s fine!” I protest. “Working hard has helped you get back on track after Mommy passed away.”
He nods.
“Yeah, but that was a few years ago. And I know after your mom died, I was gone a lot.”
“Yes, but you’ve been around more recently,” I say staunchly. “Especially ever since you met Sienna.”
My dad grins.
“Yeah, I have to admit that Sienna keeps me around a lot. She keeps your uncle and I on our toes, that’s for sure.”
I giggle.
“Do people ask you about that? I mean, it’s not everyday that a girl dates two men simultaneously, much less two men who are brothers.”
My dad looks rueful.
“Yeah, it’s a little extraordinary, so Jock and I don’t really tell people. Of course, our friends and everyone who matters know about our trio, but otherwise, there’s no reason to belt it out to the world. The additional scrutiny is unwanted, so we just keep things private.”
I nod.
“Of course. But it seems like the people that we know took it pretty well,” I say. “Isn’t that a little strange? It’s like it didn’t ruffle any feathers. Not even Tyler had anything to say.”
My dad looks a little rueful.
“Well, it helps that Tyler’s dating Layla, your cousin. If he’s going to date Jock’s daughter, then why can’t Jock date his?”
I nod.
“Good point. But even so, everyone else seemed to take your relationship in a stride.”
My dad nods slowly, as if he’s making a weighty decision.
“I know, Nats. It feels like no one blinked an eye, and there’s a reason for that.”
My fork hovers in mid-air, and I stare at him.
“Really? What is it?”
My dad smiles hesitantly.
“Well, first things first: Sienna is expecting a baby.”
My fork clatters to my plate as my eyes bug out.
“Get out!”
My dad shakes his head.
“Nope, it’s real. Sugar, you’re going to have a sibling soon. I’m sorry I didn’t give you one closer to your age, but later is better than never.”
I jump up and scurry around the table to throw my arms around Jack.
“No, this is amazing! Oh my god, I’ve wanted a sibling for so long, and finally, my dreams are coming true!” I squeal. “Oh my god, how far along is Sienna? Is she showing yet?”
My dad looks rueful, if pleased at my excitement.
“She’s probably only two months as of yet, and no, she’s not showing.”
“Oh my god!” I squeal. “So are you and Jock going to get married to her? Who’s the biological father by the way?”
My dad shakes his head again.
“We don’t know, and we’ve decided it doesn’t matter. The two of us love Sienna, and we’re in a committed relationship. All that stuff about DNA is pretty unimportant so long as the right feelings are there.”
I nod.
“Yeah, of course. Besides, you guys are brothers, so the baby is going to be at least your niece or nephew, if not your son or daughter. But holy smokes! This is great news!”
My dad nods.
“It is, and I feel very fortunate to become a father again. But back to your question, Sugar. You asked why people have been so accepting of our three-way relationship, and it’s not that simple. Well, it is, but it’s for a reason you’ll never guess.”
I plop back into my chair with a smile.
“Now that you’re having a baby together, I doubt it matters.”
My dad nods, but he looks serious again.
“No, it matters, Sugar. You see, a lot of us long haul truckers belong to a group together. I’ve actually been a member for a long time. Ever since your mom passed away, in fact.”
I squint at him.
“Okay, but it’s like a professional association, right? You get together over drinks to discuss developments in the industry.”
My dad shakes his head.
“No, not exactly, Sugar. You see, the group is called Dads and Daughters, and it was formed to meet truckers’ needs. You know how we go out on the road a lot, for weeks at a time, sometimes?”
I nod.
“Yes, but you’re used to it.”
He nods.
“I am, but it doesn’t make things any easier. I drive for sixteen hours a day, and then pull into a rest stop to grab dinner and a shower. It can get lonely on the road, and a man has urges, if you know what I mean.”
I look at him closely.
“But you just watch TV, right? You don’t really do anything about it?”
It’s awkward having this intimate conversation with my dad, but we’ve gotten through some rough patches together. I’d rather talk with him about crazy subjects than not talk with him. After all, without Jack, I wouldn’t have anyone in the world.
My dad looks uncomfortable for a moment.
“Well, sort of. I do do something about it, in fact, and that’s where the club comes in. It’s called Dads and Daughters for a reason. You see, when a long haul trucker goes out on the road, he might put a summons out when he pulls into a rest stop. Then, a daughter in the vicinity might respond.”
I stare at him.
“A summons? What’s that?”
Jack looks uncomfortable again.
“It lets the Dads and Daughters chapter in that particular city know that I’m at so-and-so location. They’ll ask around, and they’ll usually send a daughter out to greet me.”
“Okay,” I say slowly. “But that’s pretty G-rated. It’s like having your own personal hostess.”
Jack nods.
“Yes, but it’s more than being a hostess. You see, the daughter is usually prepared to satisfy a man’s needs, if you understand what I mean. She might spend the night with me in my cab. Then, we’re both sated and go our separate ways the next morning when I leave.”
&nb
sp; I stare at him.
“Are you serious? So the daughters are bed buddies with the dads?”
Jack swallows noisily, and I swear some food gets stuck in his throat. But he manages to get it down and turns to look at me again with serious blue eyes.
“Yes, Natalie. The daughters are “bed buddies,” so to say. Long haul truckers with daughters submit their girls for an initiation when they turn eighteen. So for example, when Sienna turned eighteen, she was submitted for initiation by Tyler. Your uncle and I were her ‘initiators,’ so to say, and after that first encounter, she became part of the club.”
My mouth hangs open, but no words come out. My dad looks a bit ashamed and holds up a hand.
“I’m only telling you this because you asked, Natalie. We’re all part of this group, and that’s why people have been very accepting of Jock and my relationship with Sienna. We’re all members of Dads and Daughters, and it’s just a question of Sienna being with two men instead of one.”
This time, I gulp. My eyes are bugging out and my mouth goes dry.
“But I turned eighteen last month,” is my low whisper. “Does that mean that you’re going to submit me for membership?”
Jack sits back and looks thoughtful for a moment.
“I don’t know. Would you be interested, Natalie?”
I swallow and turn beet red this time. Holy cow. This is a dirty daughter swapping club where older men enjoy each other’s nubile young daughters. Holy shit! I had no idea this was going on in our little town, and that my dad was part of it too.
“I don’t know,” I finally manage. “It seems so crazy, Daddy. I mean, you’re basically a bunch of swingers.”
He shakes his head.
“No, we’re not swingers because no one’s married. There’s no cheating or “hot wives” or anything like that. Everything is mutual, and all the girls are an appropriate age as well. It’s legal. It’s just different.”
I swallow again.
“Well, I’m not dating anyone so …”
My dad quirks an eyebrow.
“So you want to be submitted?”
I sit back and shake my head.
“Yes! I mean, no! I mean, how do I know? I have no experience, and this is all so sudden! Daddy, were you a member of the club while Mom was around? Please say you weren’t,” I say, suddenly flushing. “I’ll never be able to forgive you if you were.”
Jack suddenly looks very tired again.
“Of course I wasn’t,” he says. “I only joined after Violet passed. Your mom meant the world to me, and I would never step out on her. There are clear boundaries that weren’t crossed because I loved Violet.”
I stop for a moment, and take a deep breath.
“Okay, that makes me feel a lot better. But can I get some time to think about it?” I ask. “This is all so sudden, and I really need to process it.”
My dad nods slowly.
“Sure, but I can do you one better. I’m headed out to the club’s lodge this weekend. Do you want to come, sweetheart? Take a look around, and meet a few people? I’m sure if you talk to some of the daughters who have already been initiated, they can give you some answers.”
I nod furiously.
“Sure, that sounds good. That’s a great idea. Let’s plan on this weekend then, Dad.”
Jack nods, pleased with himself.
“Okay, Nats. And by the way, did I tell you? This food is delicious. You’re becoming a better and better cook with each day.”
I giggle because my skills as a chef are still atrocious. My mom was an amazing cook, and she always had a hot meal on the table waiting for my dad whenever he was home. After she passed, I tried to pick up the torch, and it’s been hard. But I’ve been working on my cooking for the past couple of years, and now, I can actually make things that taste okay.
As we share a laugh and dig back into our food again, I smile. This is such a confusing situation, and my mind’s still blown by the realization that Dads and Daughters even exists. But what’s the harm in finding out more? It’s just a club, and I don’t have to join. Going on a fact-finding mission is the perfect next step.
60
Natalie
“Sugar, are you ready?” my dad asks.
I nod.
“Ready Daddy!” I say pertly while putting on my coat. “Where is the club located, anyways? You didn’t say.”
My dad grins.
“It’s out in the forest, about an hour’s drive away. We didn’t want to be too close to our little town because of its … well, unconventional nature. So we built a lodge about sixty miles away and it’s served as our local headquarters since.
“Cool,” I say brightly, before getting into my dad’s truck. “It’s going to be fun!”
Jack starts the car and we pull out onto the road. He puts on some country music, and the two of us listen companionably. This is what I live for: quality time with my father. I wish there were still three of us, but now that we’re only two, I treasure my time with Jack even more.
My dad whistles as we breeze along the road, and I lean back and smile. There are butterflies in the pit of my stomach because I’m not really sure what’s going to happen once we get to the club. As if reading my mind, Jack turns to me.
“Don’t be scared, Nats. I asked Sienna to be there this weekend, so she’ll talk with you a bit and show you around. I asked Layla if she was free this weekend too, but she and Tyler were headed out on a short vacation.”
I nod.
“Thanks Daddy. Yeah, I’ll enjoy talking to Sienna. She’s always been so nice to me, from even before you guys started dating.”
My dad starts whistling again, and we enjoy the long ride. Finally, after coasting along the highway for what feels like forever, my dad pulls the truck off onto a smaller road. We start heading into the forest, although there are still a few houses scattered here and there.
“Who thought up the idea for the club?” I ask curiously.
My dad shrugs his shoulders.
“I’m not sure, actually. I think I knew at some point, but I’ve forgotten. All that I know is that it’s been around for a while. When I was a young trucker just getting started out, I’d hear rumors of its existence. But it was always just that to me: rumors, and nothing more, because I was with your mom. They knew how committed to Violet I was, so no one actually approached me about membership.”
I slide a sideways glance at him.
“But how did they approach you after Mom passed? Did you get a formal invitation?”
My dad laughs a bit.
“No, not exactly. It was your uncle actually. He saw how depressed I was, and how I was sleeping out in that tent in our backyard. So Jock brought up the idea of joining,” he says.
“And by then, Jock was divorced,” I say slowly.
“Yeah, your uncle had problems with his marriage, and divorcing that bitch of an ex-wife was one of the happiest days of his life. But after the divorce, he became a member of the club, and when your cousin came of age, Layla joined too. She hooked up with Tyler almost immediately, as you may have guessed, and they’ve been happy for a while now. But yeah. It was your uncle who encouraged me to join a couple years back.”
I shake my head.
“I’m not surprised. Uncle Jock has always been something of a maverick.”
My dad lets out a laugh as we drive down a windy road sheltered by trees. The forest is quite dense now, and I can’t see more than ten feet into the foliage.
“You can say that again. Jock’s always been the wild one of the two of us. Even when we were boys, he was a risk-taker. Sure, I got your Mom pregnant while we were in high school, but Violet was my steady girlfriend. By contrast, your Uncle Jock has been hooking up with women left and right ever since I can remember. I’m surprised he even got married, to be honest.”
“But he has Layla now, and he’s happy right?”
My dad grins.
“Yeah, he’s happy. Layla’s an adult, and she’s
happy too, which makes him even happier. The club has met our needs in ways we didn’t anticipate, and I think that’s one of the best parts. Sometimes, you don’t know what you’re missing in life, Nats. Sometimes it takes some exploration and Dads and Daughters is a great way to get that done in a safe environment.”
“How so?” I ask curiously. “I mean, the girls are hooking up with strangers basically, right?”
My dad shakes his head even as we pull up in front of a huge lodge. It looks like a log cabin on steroids, with a steep, pitched roof; a set of solid oak doors; and a porch with a couple rockers out front. The entire look is a fancy ski lodge crossed with a hunting cabin. I can’t wait to see what they have inside.
But Jack hasn’t forgotten my question. He turns off the ignition and faces me in the truck.
“Well, Natalie, a lot of guys want their daughters to have good first times, if you will. They don’t want their daughters pawed by some teenage asshole who’s going to use her and then run off. So instead, we save our daughters’ initiations for an older man who knows what he’s doing. He cares about her, and makes sure that she’s taken care of. Even if it’s not love per se, it’s a sacred ritual, and we treat it that way.”
I stare at him.
“Have you initiated anyone? Oh wait, you initiated Sienna with Uncle Jock, right?”
He nods, and his blue eyes go fierce.
“Yes. I take the role of initiator very seriously, as do all of the dads in the club. It’s something that we don’t take lightly. After all, how would you like it if your daughter was being initiated by an asswipe? Personally, I’d choke him to death with my bare fists if that happened to you, sweetheart.”
I swallow, my cheeks flushing.
“Got it, Daddy. So there’s some quid pro quo going on.”
Jack nods, but then sighs.
“Yes, but it’s not that transactional, Sugar. The fathers benefit, but so do the daughters. And a lot of girls really enjoy their time with the club. They generally stay a couple years and service quite a few truckers. It makes them better lovers in the long run. Practice makes perfect,” he finishes wryly.