Getting Closer with my Daughter_(1)

Getting Closer with my Daughter

My name is Robert Peterson. I’m 45 years old. I live in a small town. I live in the cliché of small town. Not much to do. Not much to see. It’s a place you pass through and don’t remember.
I’m married with one daughter. My wife’s name is Bonnie and my daughter is Stacy. We where never a close family. I work 60 hours a week so I’m never home. Bonnie is very active with our daughter. Taking her to school, PTA meetings, bake sales etc.
Stacy was always just the average small town daughter. She was a cheerleader for many years. Always got good grades. Our family was always as normal as could be. We where the type of family you would see on TV.
Stacy and I where never close. We never really connected as father and daughter. She was into pop music cheerleading and boys. I was into Elvis, fixing cars and sports. Not to much in common there.

I knew she cared about me and she knew I cared about her but it was never said. I was raised the same way and so was my father. The man went out and worked hard for the family to provide. And that was the way of showing his love.
Bonnie knew that me and Stacy weren’t close. And I think it upset her deep down. She wanted us to be closer. Share some interests and know about each other’s lives.
So one night when I came home from work, Bonnie sat me down at the table. Her eyes looking like she wanted to cry. She started saying that me and Stacy hardly knew each other. And how she wanted us to bond and be close. I understood her concern, but told her our relationship was just fine. Bonnie wasn’t having it. She told me to make an effort to get to know my daughter better. She suggested we have a father daughter day, just to catch up. A part of me knew she was right. I couldn’t name two likes of Stacy’s.

So I reassured Bonnie that I would talk to Stacy and make a father daughter day. She hugged me with tears of joy in her eyes.
I didn’t know what me and Stacy would do, or even how I would even bring it up to her. So I decided I would sleep on it.
After a good nights sleep I woke up feeling refreshed, like a new man. I jumped into the shower then got dressed. I headed downstairs grabbed a cup of coffee and just sat on our porch. It may have been a small town, but it was very quiet and peaceful first thing in the morning.

Just as I was starting to feel total bliss Bonnie came on the porch. Her first words before good morning where “did you talk to Stacy yet?” My total bliss just turned to anxiety. I told her I didn’t talk to Stacy yet. The look on Bonnie face was of sheer disappointment. I hated to see her upset. So I told her I would go talk to her right now. I got up went into the house and headed upstairs.
I went to Stacy’s room and knocked on the door. There was no answer. I called out hear name, still no answer. At this point I was a bit concerned. So I opened the door and walked in.
The next thing I saw could only be described as total shock. Stacy was laying in bed totally naked. She had headphones on and her iPad next to her. On the iPad was porn and she was playing with herself. I didn’t know what to do or what to say. A second later I didn’t have to say anything. Stacy opened her eyes and saw me standing there. She let out a scream, followed by throwing the covers over herself.

“Oh my god dad what are you doing in here?” She said. I was speechless. I had no words. My mouth was moving but nothing was coming out. She insisted I leave right away and I did as she asked. I walked down the stairs in horror and shock.
I just caught my daughter playing with herself. I felt guilt and shame. But I knew I couldn’t leave things like this. I turned around and walked back up the stairs to her room. I knocked on the door and this time wait for her to tell me to come in.
I sat on the bed. Neither of us knew what to say. It was the elephant in the room that nobody wanted to talk about. I figured being the parent I should start the dialogue. Stacy what you where doing its, not a big deal it’s. She cut me off right there. “Dad this is so embarrassing I don’t want to talk about it.” I didn’t hiding from this was the right thing to do. So I kept talking.

Stacy it’s ok. I know what you where doing and it’s fine. We all do it. I don’t think of you any different. I’m not upset. And you have nothing to be embarrassed about. Stacy looked at me with shock. “Really? Your cool with this?” Yes I am I replied. It’s no big deal.
We looked at it each other and just started to laugh. It was the first time me and my daughter had a good laugh together. I felt like we had a bonding moment. I stood up and headed for the door. Just as I was about to leave Stacy say something. “Wait, dad one question” I said what’s up kiddo? She said, “Did you at least like what you saw?” I stood totally still. I wasn’t able to move. Just as I was about to answer Stacy bursted out laughing. I gave an uncomfortable laugh back to her then left her room.
I don’t know if this counted as bonding in Bonnie’s eyes, but I was going to take it. Me and my daughter where able to talk and joke about sex. I’d say that’s not something most parents and kids can do.

After a few minutes the shock of the whole thing seemed to wear off. I grabbed another cup of coffee and headed to the garage. I had a few projects to take care of, and this was pretty much the only day I had free to do them. I grabbed some tools out on some Elvis and got to work. A few hours later Bonnie walked into the garage. She gave me a kiss and said she was headed out to do some shopping, and wouldn’t be back for a few hours. Like I mentioned before we live in a small town. When you go shopping it takes hours just to get the the grocery store. She left the garage and I got back to work.
About twenty minutes later, Stacy came walking into the garage. This was a bit out of place because Stacy came no where near dirt filth or tools. She walked over to me and the car I was working on.
She asked what I was doing. This was even more odd. Stacy never cared about this stuff before. I told her I was checking the valve clearance. She looked at me like I had several heads. I knew she didn’t understand anything about cars.

I told her she could hang out and watch but I wasn’t going to explain the inner works of a car to her. She laughed and said ok. I continued to work on the car and she just watched.
We weren’t talking much but the sounds of Elvis playing in the background where tuning out the silence between us. Finally Stacy started to ask questions. “Dad how old where you when you met mom?” Was her first question. I told her we met when we where 17. Our last year of high school. She then asked “When did you fall in love with mom?” I wasn’t totally sure the exact moment, but I’d say after a year of dating we both knew.