Page 49 of Trained By Her Daddy

“But when I looked at my reflection in the full-length mirror, someone was standing behind me. There’s a knife in his hand, and he’s smiling. You see, he was always in my room waiting for me. He’d been there the whole time.”

“Who was waiting for you? Was it someone you knew?”

As I try to form the words, my face falls. “It’s my dad’s father.”

“Listen to me carefully, sweetheart,” he said, tilting my chin upward so our eyes could meet. “Faulty relationships are not easily cast aside. And many adults have recurring nightmares that include family members from their unhappy childhood.”

“I’m probably dreaming about my grandfather because his demons from the Holocaust became the root of all my dad’s problems. But why do you think he wants to kill me? I know my parents were narcissistic, superficial people who didn’t think I was smart, or an asset to the human race, but I never held anything against my grandfather. For God’s sake, he was a victim of Adolph Hitler!”

“The trick as an adult is not to cast blame on those in your past, but to ask for help and then take action to move on,” he said in a smooth, even tone.

“I know it wasn’t my father’s fault he was a bully, but I just can’t seem to get past my anger of how he treated me. And even if I do stop blaming my parents for their lack of love, what kind of mother will I be? When a woman is brought up to think she’s dumb and worthless—she’ll eventually believe it. Admit it, John, I was raised by wolves.”

“Why would you be worried now, Lori? You’re not a mother yet, and I promise to help you work through some of your family issues well before that time arrives. Your worth shouldn’t be based on what your parents thought of you, or how they treated you. It’s how you value yourself—because self-worth comes from within. Don’t you think I’m the perfect person to help you see how valuable you are? You’re going to be a wonderful mother someday.”

My throat was dry, and my palms were starting to sweat. John was the Daddy I’d dreamed of having my whole life, and I promised not to lie to him. “I-I need to tell you something.”

“You can tell me anything, sweet girl.”

“I’ve been using an IUD for the past five years with no issues.”

As John’s eyebrows knitted together, there was genuine concern in his voice. “But now you’re having a problem?”

I swallowed twice, trying to muster up the courage to tell him the truth. “I missed my period a few weeks ago, but I didn’t think much of it. My IUD had been so dependable, and I figured as a method of birth control—it was foolproof.”

“I don’t think any method of birth control is foolproof, my dear. I’m sure it’s a low percentage, but an IUD can slip out of your uterus without completely falling out. Didn’t your doctor warn you about that risk?”

“He did, but I’d thought if it had slipped out—I would’ve known. Anyway, I took an over the counter pregnancy test a few days ago and then called a gynecologist. He told me to make an appointment to see him, because if it’s still in my body—he’ll need to remove it.”

“Did you make an appointment to see him?”

My nod was slow but steady. “I made arrangements for my old gynecological records to be sent from Philly, and I’m supposed to see the doctor tomorrow morning for a full examination.”

“I’m going with you.”

“You don’t have to, John. I’m a big girl—I can do this myself.”

“I’ll not only drive you there, but I intend to be in the room for the exam.”

My face felt like it could explode from the heat.

“So, are you going to tell me the result of the pregnancy test? Was it positive?”

There was no way to stop my lip from trembling as I nodded. “I-If you don’t want to be a part of this—I’ll understand.”

He took me in his arms and held me tight. “Of course, I do, Lori. I love you.”

“I love you too, John. B-But…”

“If we’re going to have a baby, then don’t you think a wedding should be in our future?”

“We aren’t living in the dark ages. We don’t have to be married to have a child.”

He slid out of bed and walked over to his dresser. “Stay right where you are. I have something in my sock drawer you might want to try on.”

“You have something in your sock drawer,” I parroted softly and rolled my eyes. “You’re taking this news rather calmly considering your son is not only my age, he’s also my boss.” But as John slid back into bed, I noticed that a beam of light was coming off his hand, and then he wiggled his pinky finger.

“I was going to wait until Christmas to ask you to marry me, but this seems like an appropriate time.”

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