My Loyal Daughters

Leslie came hopping down the stairs in her cute blue miniskirt, showing off her shapely figure as she descended. She looked amazing as she always does, doing her makeup and hair to look gorgeous for her trip. A big smile came across her face as she walked towards me in the hallway, shimmering but girlishly shy.
“Hey daddy” she beamed as she tucked close into my arms.
“Hey sweetheart, are you all set for your trip?” I replied as I hugged her tight kissing her head
“Yes daddy” she smiled “Are you going to be ok here without me?”
“Oh we should manage just fine for a week” I kidded
“I’ll miss you while I’m gone” Leslie chimed and grabbed softly onto my shirt
Abby watched her sister and her father from in the kitchen, looking up from her algebra. She watched her father lean down and whispered into her ear. Leslie giggled softly and they both glanced quickly at Abby. She looked down at her homework but wondered what secrets they were talking about to each other.

“Alright babe well I’ll pick you up on Sunday ok?” I hugged her one last time
“I’ll see you then Daddy, you two have fun while I’m gone” she kissed me gently on the cheek for several prolonged seconds and then turned and winked to her sister as she strutted out the door.
Abby was really puzzled now, was something going on she didn’t know about? Were they planning some sort of surprise party for her or something? The whole thing was making her feel really left out and hurt. Ever since the divorce, Abby had noticed that her father and sister had become increasingly close when the girls stayed at their fathers but didn’t really know what lead to it, she didn’t notice them spending much time together. Abby spent most of her time after her high school classes in her room chatting with her friends on the computer. Abby was not really concerned with their relationship until now and decided that this week while her sister was at a college orientation retreat and she was spending the whole week with her father, she was going to get to the bottom of it.

Abby closed her notebook and began to head upstairs as she bumped into her father coming into the kitchen in his bathing suit. She was taken aback at how into shape he looked. He had been swimming out in the pool every night before dinner.
“Oh I’m sorry dad I wasn’t looking where I was going” Abby explained stepping to the side to allow him to come into the kitchen
“That’s ok pumpkin,” I smiled “what do you feel like doing for dinner tonight? Your sister won’t be around to cook. I was thinking pizza and movie. I feel like we never hang out anymore.”
“Sounds good” Abby smiled back at her father “I’ll be in my room call for me when it’s ready.”
A while later the doorbell rang and I opened the door, joking with the pizza guy about working on a school night before coming back inside.
“It’s here” I yelled to Abby as I realized she was right behind me
After dinner I washed the dishes before joining Abby in the living room.