AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Laura
Eighteen years earlier…
Staring down at my patent red shoes, I smiled as they glimmered under the kitchen lights. My tiny foot was half the size of the man’s shoe I stood on. He stepped to the left and then to the right, and I giggled when my father spun us around.
“Daddy! I’m going to fall,” I cried but he gripped my hand tighter and pressed my back closer to hold me steady.
“I’ve got you. I won’t let you fall,” he crooned.
“We’re dancing,” I shouted and bounced on the top of his feet, my toes anchoring my weight every time he moved us in sync.
“Yes, we are, Laura. Hold on tight now.” He swung me around and my white dress with red polka dots twirled at my knees as I held his waist as tightly as my seven-year-old arms could manage. We danced like this nearly every night when daddy was in a good mood, which had become more often lately.
The phone rang, and my father stood still. “Hold on, Laura,” he said and I stepped off his feet. I watched his smile turn to a frown as he listened to a voice on the other end of the phone and deep lines burrowed across his forehead.
Without a word, he hung up. “I’ve got to go, baby girl. I’ll see you later.” He grabbed his keys and left me all alone in our kitchen. I fell asleep in my polka-dot dress on the couch as I had done countless nights before.
*
Opening my eyes, I caught the sunrise over the horizon through a window that spanned an entire wall of the room. I blinked several times to orient myself and realized that I was in Ryan’s bedroom and I’d had the dream again. I hadn’t dreamed of those times since I was a teenager. Strange that the memories should haunt me now. But he had asked me why I didn’t dance, so maybe it wasn’t so strange after all.
Feeling sad and a bit melancholy, I pushed out of the bed and watched Ryan sleep. His dark eyebrows smoothed to a natural tip, nearly reaching his temple. His full lips were parted and I wondered if he was dreaming as well.
I hoped his dreams were better than mine.
I found my red dress next to Ryan’s jacket, along with my red lace panties. Confused for only a moment, I then chuckled. That wasn’t a red handkerchief he wore last night. The red fabric was my underwear. Well, damn, that was hot.
Finding a pen and receipt in my purse, I wrote Ryan a note. ‘Thank you for an incredible night. I wish you well.’
We had said it would only be one night. We would get our fill of each other and move on. But despite Ryan waking me up twice last night to make love again, I still wanted him this morning.
This would not work. I repeated this over and over as I ordered a ride through my phone and walked out of Ryan’s home.
When I opened my front door, I immediately flipped the switch in the hallway. The light went on. Thank god, the electricity was back.
I needed coffee.
After setting a pot to brew, I tiptoed to the bathroom and turned on the shower. I would need to be quick to make it to class on time.
Fifteen minutes later, wrapping my head in a towel, I padded across the hallway and popped my head inside my dad’s bedroom. The bed was made and he was nowhere in sight.
“Dad?” I called.
Nothing.
He must have left to go to work. At least he wouldn’t pepper me with questions this morning. I should be thankful.
I poured myself a large cup of coffee and added cream and sugar. Stirring the mug, I sat at the kitchen table, prepared to read the paper on my phone. Except something on the countertop caught my eye.
A wad of money had been shoved under the microwave. I probably wouldn’t have noticed it if I hadn’t sat in a different seat today. Squishing my hand underneath the microwave, I pulled out the stash.
Whoa.
I counted three hundred dollars.
Where did this come from? It could only be my father’s money. Who would give him three hundred dollars cash, and why would he want to hide it from me?
I didn’t like where my mind wandered, so I quickly shut it down. I was going to be late for school and it wouldn’t do me any good to speculate. I’d only worry for nothing.
