Nanny snorted.
“I would like to show her that a little eighteen year married girl could put her to shame. Will you please sit down next to her. I am a trained college professor. Shall we start at college level?” he asked.
“I just got out of high school, not two months ago.” I tried to explain to him.
“Oh yes, let's play school. Amelia, come sit next to me?” Cindy piped right up. She even patted the seat next to her.
My Daddy gave me a little shove.
I sat down next to Cindy. She was playing the game again. She sat up really straight and smiled at him.
“Let's begin, shall we?” He was smiling but he looked mad under his smile. Cindy didn't seem to notice it. “Shall we start with History, ladies?”
I nodded again and Cindy winked at him. She had no idea that he was mad. I had to wonder how long they had been together.
“Which U.S. Navy base was bombed, thus starting World War II?”
I looked over at Cindy, who didn't know the answer. She was biting her lip and thinking.
I raised my hand. Should I stand up when I answered? Nanny didn't make me do it but they did at school and he was a college professor.
“Yes, Amelia.”
I stood. “Pearl Harbor, sir.”
“Very good, sit down, please. 44 + 67 -3 is what?”
My hand shot up again.
“Yes, Amelia.”
I stood up again. “One hundred and eight, sir.”
“Good Amelia. Feel free to jump in at any time Brat. 66 + 4 x 8 – 7 is.”
I raised my hand again.
He smiled and nodded at me. I could tell Daddy was still doing the math in his head.
I stood next to the desk and answered. “Ninety-one, sir.” I sat back down.
Daddy looked confused but it was Cindy who spoke up. “That wasn't right.”
“What's your answer, we'll wait for it.”
She thought for a bit and we all waited. Daddy was still chewing on that one too. “Five hundred and fifty-three.” Cindy looked proud of herself. I could tell that is what Daddy had come up with too.
“Cindy, stand up please.” He was smiling at her like he was proud of her. “Cindy, do you think that we should punish for a wrong answer. I don't know, maybe, with the yardstick, a tap on the hand.” He picked it up as he spoke.
The beast smiled over at me. “Yes, I'm okay with that.”
I saw Nanny smiling, she was standing in my closet watching the game that was being played in here.
I looked at Daddy. He wasn't so sure but Cindy's daddy spoke before he could. “Amelia, please stand and explain to Cindy why she is wrong.” He didn't take his eyes off of her as he spoke.
I stood. “As a rule mathematical equations are always solved by doing the times and division equations first and then the plus and minus unless – ”
“Thank you, Amelia. You can sit down now.” He stared at Cindy. “Hold out your hand.”
“No,” she pouted and crossed her arms over her chest again.
“You would have expected Amelia to do it. You said you were okay with punishing a wrong answer. I don't understand what the problem is now.”
“I changed my mind.” She avoided his eye. I looked up at Daddy. I didn't really want to see him hit her.
Daddy was redoing his math. I could see the moment when he came up with ninety-one.
“Nanny Prim, how should I proceed when she refuses to listen. Even after promising.” He was scaring me the way he was staring her down.
“Grab her by her ear and pull.” Nanny gave him an I'm waiting look.
My own hand flew to my ear wear she had grabbed me a couple of times in the past.
Cindy's daddy quickly got the idea. He had her on her feet in seconds. “Hold your hand out!”
She tried to shake her head no but she hurt herself all the more.
“I can hold this position for a long time, can you?”
“Daddy, please, I'll be good and stop bugging you so you can talk to your friend.”
“And?” he prompted.
“I'll be nice to Amelia.”
He tugged on her ear.
“And apologize to her and her nanny and her daddy.”
“Good now that that is settled hold out your hand.”
She reluctantly did.
He raised the yardstick and brought down, but she had pulled her hand away in the meantime.
Nanny grabbed her from behind and held her arm in place.
He brought the sick down again, but this time she had rolled her hand up. She whined from the pain and she was already crying.
I went to Daddy and hid my head in his chest.
“We will continue until you can learn to leave your hand open,” Nanny said. I recognized her tone. I was very glad that she wasn't using it on me.
“Please stop, both of you. Why are you being so cruel to me?” Cindy begged of them.
“You have been cruel since you stepped into this house.” Nanny wasn't in the mood to forgive and forget. She never was without punishment.
I heard them try a couple more times before she was finally brave enough to leave her hand open. She was bawling by then. Her daddy praised her. She apologized to him over and over again.
I stayed in my Daddy's arms. He held me tightly. I hated this sick side of him that let things like that happen. I was really too young for things like this. I sobbed and held on to him tight.
I could still hear Cindy crying behind me.
Daddy pushed me away from him and held me at arms length. “There is a net built up outside. Do you want to play badminton with Cindy?”
I looked at him confused. Cindy was in no condition to play any game where she would have to hold a racket in her right hand. Plus she was still crying. “Yes, Daddy, I will take her out to play.
He smiled at me. That was what he wanted to hear. He let go of me so I could turn to her.
I felt so stupid interrupting them. I took a deep breath. “Should we go outside again?” I asked her, lamely.
Her daddy pushed her towards me even though she was still clinging to him.
I slipped an arm around her middle and pulled her along with me as she apologized to me. I tried to comfort her as best I could.
I took her out to the orchard, where Daddy and I had eaten cherries yesterday.
She calmed down a little then. She couldn't meet my eye. She sat very quietly in the grass, rubbing her hand.
“I'm so sorry I wanted to set you up like that. I had no idea that it hurt that bad. How can you stand it? All of this crap. Believe me, I'm gone come morning. He will have to find someone else to play his games with.”
“You can just leave if you want to?” I whispered astounded.
She nodded. Really looking at me. “You really can't?” She looked so confused. “But you could divorce him and get half of his money.”
“I can't even get out of my room much less out the front door and to a lawyer's office. I don't have anywhere to go. He has waited too long for a chance like this. He wouldn't give me up without a fight.”
“But he treats you well, right?” Her eyes were full of concern.
I shook my head no and looked away from her.
“Are you serious?” She poked me trying to get my attention.
“The yardstick is the least of my worries,” I admitted to her.
“My family has a bakery in the city. Tony's Italian Bakery. If you could ever get away they would be glad to help you. They could contact me. I would help you. I just have to get through the night with him and then I'm gone.”
“How do you meet him?” The way Daddy had found me was so bizarre it couldn't be repeated.
“He was my college professor – in math.” She shook her head.
“They always have jobs like that. Mine is a pediatrician. How sick is that?” I shook my head, smiling at her. Nanny was marching over.
“You can have as many as you want. They will be over ripe soon.”
I held out a handful of cherries to her. She caught on quick that we couldn't talk freely in front of Nanny.
“Thanks, Amelia, I really am sorry.”
Nanny nodded approvingly and went to sit down on a bench.
Cindy told me about the music she liked to listen to. She explained, that in her family they constantly had music playing and everyone sang along. She even sang a song for me.
Daddy came and got us a bit later so we could come to the table. We talked about nonsense that wouldn't get us into trouble. She kept slipping in information about her family. She was catholic, of course, and that was really important in her family.
I told her that I wasn't catholic, but that I had gone to a private catholic boarding school all my life.
She was the lost black sheep. She had quit college so she could be with him. I had married mine so I had a place to stay after my father kicked me out. Women did stupid things for men.
She had a big family. The men talked among themselves and left us alone. I had a place to go where I could maybe get my feet on the ground. That is, if I could get away.
She told me even more as the men played volleyball. They were really into it so we got to talk a lot until Nanny got too curious. I changed the subject to the school I would be going to.
She felt sorry for me I could tell.
I didn't want her pity.
I wished her all the luck in the world for her next relationship.
They left around ten. Daddy and I waved goodbye to them at the door.
As soon as they were gone Daddy marched me up to bed. He didn't make love to me, but quickly changed me and helped me into my pajamas and kissed my forehead and left. I hoped he wasn't mad at me.
Chapter 4 The Doll
“Nanny, can I have a word with you please.” Brian was once again at her door. He was worried because it had been difficult to bring Amelia to bed. She had been too quiet. He had listened to her breathing for a long time. She was restless.
He wished that Cindy hadn't pointed out that Amelia was being locked in. His little sweetheart had looked so ashamed of herself.
Nanny stepped out into the hall and nodded at him.
“What happened today, that I don't know about,” he asked her.
“The other girl insulted Amelia every chance she got until she was punished. After that they seemed like best friends. Amelia even acted like she was the older one helping the younger. I had a feeling that they were trading secrets. I will be watching her extra closely in the future.” Nanny shook her head and worried.
“I had a feeling that it wouldn't go well. There are two types of Daddies. Your kind, who honestly care about their little girls and the kind who are only in it to play mind games. I hope this doesn't cause any long term problems but I can tell you now if our Amelia starts acting like that one did. I will punish her very severely, and nip that right in the bud.”
“Calm down, Nanny. I agree with you. I warned her beforehand not to act like Cindy does. She has been warned. I won't except any excuses either.”
Brian was worried, too. That hadn't been a good idea. Amelia had been good but he would have never have thought that that girl could cause so much damage in the short time that they were here. Would Amelia try to run away?
Would she start to question everything they told her?
“Amelia was really good. Travis complemented her a lot. Maybe he saw the light. A child needs a firm, but loving hand.”
“I couldn't agree more, sir.”
“Make sure she stays inside the whole week. I don't want her getting sick right before we want to leave.”
“Certainly, sir.”
He turned and left Nanny.
Amelia was rolled up into a ball. Her fists were clenched, and she was holding onto the corner of her pillow, like she did when he made love to her. He laid down with her again and pulled her close. He straightened her out as best as he could.
He worried about her getting away from him and getting a lawyer. She would tell him everything and her lawyer would tell her that he wasn't normal.
Married women weren't kept locked up and they didn't call their husbands 'daddy'.
A lawyer would advise her to go to the press. If this backfired it would backfire big time. He couldn't let that happened. What went on between married people stayed between them.
He didn't sleep for hours.
***
Daddy was gone before I woke up the next morning.
I was a little disappointed. I guess I was getting used to my daily sex, too.
Nanny was standing next to my to wake me up. She got me washed and dressed. At breakfast she told me that she wanted to talk to me about my packing list.
We discussed the fact that Daddy also had work to do. I wasn't allowed to bother him. She explained that he could lose a lot of money if he wasn't concentrated.
She praised me for being so good yesterday and asked me several questions about what Cindy and I had talked about. I didn't want to lie to her so I edited, a lot.
“Cindy told me that she was very sorry, over and over again. She told me about her family. They like to sing at home,” I added.
Nanny was staring me down. I didn't know what else to say.
I figured saying nothing would be the best. I didn't want to get spanked. It wasn't me who had invited them here. And she had offered that I could go to her family if I needed it. I hadn't asked her.
“A little girl just needs a nanny,” she proclaimed.
I nodded along wholeheartedly.
“Did she hurt your feelings, terribly?”
I dropped my eyes, thinking about what had happened in my room.
“Amelia. Amelia look at me.”
I looked up at her. She was smiling kindly.
“That wasn't your fault. She just wasn't a very nice girl. If her daddy takes more time to raise her right she could be nice, like she was at the end. But, believe me, it was her fault not yours. She doesn't have your pose and manners. The girls at the school do. You will make friends there, lots of them. I'm not even worried about that. You are a very nice little girl. Your daddy even commented to me how proud of you he was.”
I sat up straighter. “Really?”
“Yes, really. He adores you. Especially after seeing her yesterday. He knows you are the best little girl in the whole wide world.”
I was beaming. I knew that I should be offended, because she was talking to me like I was a two year old, but I liked what she had to say.
“Your daddy saw the alternative yesterday. If I were you, I would expect a pretty ribbon this evening.”
I had a grin on my face, that I just couldn't wipe away. Everyone wants to hear that they are liked, and that they did something well.
Besides, nanny was always right. She was right about Cindy causing problems and about taking me into the city and basically everything else. Could she be right about me making friends too?
I sat at my desk with my pencil in my hand. Nanny was pacing up and down in front of me. She listed off the things that I needed for my trip. What I was going to take along.
I had to write them down. When we were finished we had the world's ugliest packing list ever.
Daddy and I would be leaving on Saturday and we would be gone for two weeks. It was all going really quickly.
Soon I would be on my honeymoon. That sounded like a very grown thing to do. I wondered what we would do and see. I wanted to be prepared.
I asked Nanny if we had any tapes with German lessons that I could listen to.
She made a call and within an hour I had CD's and a stereo in my room.
The tapes were a little too easy for me, but they were good practice. The nun, who taught German at school had actually come from Germany so we learned a lot.
We were even reading books in German at the end.
Nanny listened along too, but she laughed at the funny sounds. She told me that she spoke French. She said that she would like to teach me some next summer. I wou
ld be too busy with schoolwork during the school year but Nanny sounded opposed to me going to school in summer.
“Before you know it little girls grow up. We will want to spend time together next summer. Now, won't we?” I was surprised that Nanny thought that I could grow up.
I nodded at her. My lessons at home weren't that bad.
“Could I visit my friends in summer?”
“I would insist on it. Friendships need to be nurtured. I do hope that you find a nice best friend. Your daddy could be friends with her daddy. I'll tell you now that it is very important to be friends with just the right kind of people. Your daddy is a very important man. You aren't allowed to do anything that could embarrass him. You will be judged by the company that you keep. Have I made myself clear?”
“Yes, Nanny.”
Daddy came in with a wrapped up box again. He was grinning as big as could be. He must be very proud of his gift. He laid it on the table in front of me.
Nanny didn't look to pleased. I could tell what she was thinking, he was giving me gifts too often.
I carefully opened the pretty paper and folded it. No one laughed at me anymore.
“Because you were so good yesterday.” Daddy was on cloud nine.
I lifted the lid off the box and looked inside. I swallowed hard. It was a doll in a German dress. The eyes were closed but if I lifted her out they would open.
“She's speechless, Nanny. Her first doll.” He was really excited about this.
I decided to bite the bullet and pick it up, like he probably wanted. My hands were shaking. I reached under its arms and lifted it out to me. The eyes open as I did.
Somewhere in the back of my mind I noticed that the doll had been very carefully picked out to look like me. It had long dark hair and blue eyes just like me.
This was spooking me completely. I wanted to put it back in its box and close the lid. I held it to me and sat down with it and looked at its dress and sweater.
“Thank you, Daddy. She looks just like me.” I tried to sound enthusiastic.
“You welcome, sweetheart.”
Nanny wanted to clear away its box.
Daddy's Sweetheart Part 2 Page 5
