BRAT LOSES SHIRT!
My mommy was a lawyer. And when she wasn't taking in stray dogs, she was taking in stray men.
I was eighteen, and I'd gone through quite a few daddies. Some had been mean, some had been nice. But one thing they all shared is that they all moved on.
My newest daddy was different from all the others. I really didn't even know how my mommy had snagged him.
For starters there was a sharp edge to him. The man actually wore a knife. And something told me he knew how to use it.
My mommy worked for the government. And she met my new daddy while helping to get him into the witness protection program.
That was really all I knew about Daddy's history.
Neither he nor Mommy would tell me anything about his past. They said the less I knew the better.
Oh, I tried to be so nice to my new Daddy. Mommy was busy a lot with her job, so I often made dinner.
I'd always sit down and eat with Daddy. He'd carry on casual conversation. He'd treat me in a friendly way. But mostly I sensed he was just trying to ignore me.
Once or twice I'd catch him staring at me. But quickly he'd turn away. He'd pretend like it hadn't even happened.
I had to wonder if this meant anything. Was he perhaps attracted to me?
I figured eventually he'd disappear just like my other daddies. And that just broke my heart.
I wondered if there was something I could do to keep him around. I'd have done anything!
One day my mommy came home and said she had a sudden business trip. She'd be gone for two whole days.
My heart leaped. It was going to be just Daddy and me!
But that first morning Mommy was gone, Daddy dashed my hopes pretty quickly.
"Listen, Tiger," Daddy said to me. "I need you to do me a big favor."
"Just name it," I said.
I was so eager to please that man!
"I'd like to have the house to myself tonight." Daddy said. "Could you stay with one of your friends?"
"I don't think Mommy would approve of that," I said.
Then Daddy laid a hand on my shoulder. He had big, strong, powerful hands. I hate to admit this. But I just melted then and there.
"Right. That's why I don't want you to say anything to your mom about it." He said. "It'll be our little secret."
I so loved that man. And I so hated him! Why did he want me out of the way?
"Okay, Daddy," I said.
I'm so pathetic. I just couldn't say no. I loved the idea of us having a little secret between us.
But then when that evening actually came, and I was at my best friend's house, all I could think about was Daddy.
What was he doing?
I wondered if maybe he was with another woman. That just tore me up inside. I was so jealous.
I tried to ignore my feelings, but as the evening wore on, I just couldn't deal with the thought of Daddy having a sneaky affair with someone who wasn't me.
I had to know what Daddy was doing!
So I apologized to my friend and I headed back home. I had no idea what I would find.
When I got there, the upstairs lights were out, but the dining room lights were on. The shades had been pulled down.
And in our driveway there were a bunch of cars. I had to park on the street.
What was Daddy up to? Was he having some kind of wild swingers party? Had he hired a band of hookers? I had no idea.
As soon as I entered the house, I heard the voices of people talking. I went right to the dining room.
My daddy and five other guys were sitting around a table, each of them holding cards. In the center of the table was a pile of money.
They were all playing poker!
I didn't know the details, but I did know that Daddy was not supposed to be doing this. He could get in really big trouble if the authorities found out about it.
"I'm home," I said.