Foster Daughter Returns

Maggie was at a crossroads in her life. She was 26 years old and getting a divorce from her husband Carl. They had met when she was in high school, shortly before she turned 18 years old, and got married after she graduated college. He was older than Maggie and when they met, he already had a daughter named Jasmin from a previous relationship. Jasmin was graduating high school in a couple of months and was turning 18. Maggie and Jasmin actually had the same birthday, June 21st.

Carl was not a bad guy and Maggie was also a good wife to Carl. They had just drifted apart. Maggie was a very busy CPA and Carl was a civil engineer. They were both very conservative and somewhat boring people and they both needed a change, as they had gone through the normal process of dating and marriage and raising a child, but there was never a spark in the romance department. There was not any cheating with other people involved with their breakup. They were going to sell the house, but Carl and Jasmin would stay in the house temporarily while Jasmin finished her senior year of high school, since Maggie wanted to buy a smaller house in a different town closer to her job.

Maggie had a rough childhood. Her parents were both drug addicts and she went into the foster system at 16 years old, since she had no relatives. She was placed with a 24 year old couple, Mark and Diane, a professional couple who wanted to have children of their own, but were having trouble conceiving. They were very altruistic and wanted to make a positive difference in the life of a young person, as they both grew up in unstable homes and were both raised by their grandparents.

Mark and Diane were very kind to Maggie and gave her good guidance in her last two years of high school, and with the permission and some financial support from the state, Maggie was able to live with them through college, and they were even nice enough to contribute to her college tuition. She moved out as soon as she graduated and married Carl and became stepmother to Jasmin. This was not one of those horror studies you hear about with a foster child and her foster parents. Mark and Diane were good people and actually took in subsequent foster children after Maggie, but the relationship with Maggie was the strongest, since she was the first.

Mark and Diane had divorced a year earlier, and Mark bought out her share of the house, as he was doing very well as a financial advisor and Diane also had a good job as a lawyer. Maggie kept in touch with them and would visit sometimes, but Maggie stayed closer to Mark, since Diane had re-married and was very busy with her new life. Mark and Diane even got to know Jasmin and were very fond of her. Maggie called Mark to tell her about her upcoming divorce.

“Hi Mark, how have you been?”

“I’ve been good, but the house is kind of quiet since Diane and I split up.”

“Have you been dating anyone?”

“I’ve gone on some dates, but I haven’t really clicked with anyone. Also, all of them had children and they thought it strange that I didn’t have any children of my own and were concerned that I would not want to help raise a child, even though I have plenty of experience with that,” he laughed.

“How are things going with you, Carl and Jasmin? Isn’t she graduating high school soon and starting college?”

“Jasmin is fine, but unfortunately Carl and I broke up. It is a friendly split though and I am going to rent a small house, while I look for a house in your neighborhood. Jasmin is going to the college in your town, so she is going to live with me after she graduates high school and while she is in college, after I find a house.”

“Maggie, why don’t you two come here to stay while you are looking for a house? I have plenty of room and it would give me some company.”

“I wouldn’t want to impose on you. I am also 26 years old now and it be weird for me to move back home with my former foster father and bring my 18 year old stepdaughter with me.”

“Maggie, you wouldn’t be moving back home, you would just be my guest and I am glad to help you.”

“Mark, you have been so good to me over the years. I would never be where I am today without your and Diane’s help. I could have gone down a really bad road if it hadn’t been for your guidance and support. I could never re-pay you for all you have done.”

“We were glad to do it, and we got our reward watching you graduate college. It took Diane and I many years to graduate college because of our lousy parents. We just wanted to break the cycle for you. You had the drive to accomplish everything you did. We just gave you a helping hand when you needed it most.”

“Okay, but I insist on paying you rent while I live there for the next few months.”

“Maggie, no payment is needed. I am just glad to help you again.”

“Mark, you’re one in a million. At the very least, I’ll help with the cooking and cleaning.”

“I’ll take you up on that offer. I am a lousy cook and eat breakfast cereal for dinner. The house is also not so clean like it was when Diane was here. When can you move in?”

“How about next week?”

“I can’t wait. It is going to be a lot of fun like the old days.”

Maggie moved in and it was just like Mark and her picked up where they left off. She even visited Diane and her new husband and felt very comfortable living with Mark again. They talked about all the good times they had as a family and about their lives recently

Besides her job, Maggie cooked and cleaned and even did Mark’s laundry. Mark felt embarrassed that she was doing so much for him.

“Maggie, you really don’t need to do everything for me, especially with you working full time. We can get a live-in housekeeper to help, since I might need one after you find your new dream home.”

“No Mark, you took good care of me and now it is time to return the favor.”

Mark and Maggie worked near each other and sometimes met for lunch, but they most enjoyed having dinner together. Maggie cooked most of the time, but Mark sometimes cooked, and sometimes he even managed to not burn dinner. He so appreciated everything Maggie was doing for him.

When she was in college, they loved watching scary movies together on the couch. Diane usually wouldn’t join them because she didn’t like them. As a joke, Diane bought Mark and Maggie matching silk pajamas, so they would feel like they were very wealthy while watching TV. Mark and Maggie decided to watch scary movies one night and were both shocked that they came out to watch the movies in their old pajamas they had saved.

“Maggie, I can’t believe you have your old pajamas.”

“What do you mean? You can’t believe I still fit them at 26 years old?” she replied a little sarcastically. I spend a lot of time at the gym and follow a strict diet. I am actually the same weight I was when I graduated college,” she smirked at him.

“Mark, I can’t believe you kept yours too?”

“Yes, they had sentimental value. I also keep in shape working out and as you’ve noticed we both eat healthy, especially with your great cooking.”

“Mark, it is going to be so much fun watching scary movies like we used to.”

Even though it was only May, Mark liked to keep the house cold and was running the air conditioner all the time. Maggie liked it warmer and asked if they could put a blanket over them as they sat on the couch. During the scary parts of the movie, Maggie moved closer to him and clutched his arm tightly.

“Maggie, I guess you are still afraid of these movies. We had so much fun wanting the actors to not go into the basement, but they always did and got killed.”

As the movie went on, Maggie not only clutched Mark’s arm, but also leaned her head against his shoulder. He started feeling very weird about this. Their relationship when she was in college was always very appropriate and he thought maybe he was imagining she was attracted to him. He looked over at one point and noticed her nipples were sticking out from her pajama top. He was hoping it was just the air conditioning because she had always worn a bra when they were in their pajamas watching movies.

As the movie ended, she asked him softly, “Mark, when the last time you had sex?”

“Maggie that is not an appropriate question to ask. I am your foster father!”

“You are my former foster father. For the last 8 years you have just been a good friend to me.”

“I guess you’re right. It’s been a year since I had sex, since Diane and I broke up. I never had sex while I’ve been dating women during the last year. I never clicked with anyone and I am not a one-night stand kind of guy.

“That’s terrible Mark, you seem so tense sometimes.”

“Well I do watch a lot of porn, so that gets me through lonely nights when I am horny. What about you?”

Carl and I made love the day before I moved out, as kind of a farewell, so I haven’t gone without sex for too long. But this is not about me, it is about your needs.”

He looked at her puzzled.