Just Us

your a big girl now

December 6, 2001

haaaaappy birthdaaaaay toooo youuuuu........

Marble top island in the middle of a huge kitchen, sit's a young woman just turning 13. Her father, on the other side of the island singing happy birthday. A white cake with pretty orange flowers......her favorite color...... sits on the counter between them. 13 candles glowing,silently waiting for the birthday girl to make a wish. Her long black hair braided up into a bun on the top of her head and her pretty peach sundress makes her look like a princess.

" Blow out the candles Nicole." he say's. She just sit's there, staring at the candles with a sad look on her face.

" I remember it like it was yesterday, December 6, 1988. My beautiful baby girl was born." He say's with a smile. She rolls her eye's having heard this story a million times.

" Daddy, why can't i have any friends? Why can't i have a party? it's always just me and you. At least when mommy was here.........."

" Your mother is GONE!" He cuts her off, his face turning into something not so pleasant but quickly returning back to a smile, like nothing ever happened.

" Blow out your candles baby girl, daddy has a surprise for you." Nicole leans forward and quickly blows out her candles.

" Come with me." He say's taking her hand and lead her out of the kitchen into the living room, and up the spiral staircase towards his private study.

She follows behind him nervously. For as long as she could remember, they've always had a big beautiful home with a huge yard and swimming pool. Daddy made sure her and mommy had the best of everything until that one night she heard them arguing about her thirteenth birthday. When she woke up the next morning, she was gone. She locked herself in her room, crying for days and all daddy would say is be a big girl, she's never coming back. From that moment on she learned very quickly how to suffer in silence and deal with disappointment. She could have whatever she wanted, except for a normal life and friends. Even education was kept behind the massive gates at the entrance of their beautiful home. A home she had free reign to roam wherever she pleased, except for his personal study. She learned early on not to cross him, so she acted as though that room didn't exist. She stood there silently as he punched some numbers into a keypad she heard a loud click. He opens the door and they walk into an office decorated in different shades of beautiful blues, daddies favorite color, and cream. A huge cherry wood desk sits in the center of the office, floor to ceiling windows behind the desk showing a beautiful lakefront view. He sits at the desk and motions for me to sit across from him.

" Tell me Nicole, what all do you know about Daddy's job?

" You're a very successful contractor and sometimes you have to go away for awhile on business trips."

" You sound like your reading from a script, I know your smarter than that."

" Of course i am daddy, but i'd rather hear the truth from you."

He laughs and pulls open one of the desk drawers. He pulled out a gift beautifully wrapped in gold paper with a big sparkly bow. She smiles and tears the paper off. A polished wooden box with a heart shaped lock on it. She runs her hands across the gold engraved letters that spell out her name. Before she opened the box she looks at him, he nods his head. Inside, surrounded by crushed,blood red velvet is the most beautiful gun i've ever seen.

" DADDY!!"

" Do you like it."

" I don't understand, what am i suppose to do with this?"

" Work with daddy." He says smiling like this was the most normal thing in the world.

" You're a very smart girl Nicole, There is a reason i raised you the way that i have. If you except this gift, all your questions will be answered. You'll see the world&have the life you always wanted. I'll train you and show you things most people could only dream of. Maybe one day you'll take over the company.

" And if i say no?"

His eyes go dark,and once again that smile briefly changes into something that makes her skin crawl.

" Then you'll end up like your mother."

She takes out the gun and hold it in her hand, instantly feeling a connection. A rush she'd never experienced in her life........... and she smiles.

" Feels good doesn't it baby girl?" He asked smiling. " Go ahead, name it."

" Michele........................"