by Becca Little
“I wish I had known your father.” She remarked. “He looks so happy.”
“Yeah…” Jenny admitted.
“He was.” Mrs. Crane said as she walked into the room. “Until he started working for Damien Fields.”
“Your father worked for him?” Abigail looked over at Jenny.
“He did.” Jenny nodded.
“Jenny always blamed Mr. Fields for killing her father.” Mrs. Crane took a seat. “He had a weak heart, but the stress of that job…” Her words trailed off.
“I never knew that.” Abigail said bluntly as she looked eyes with Jenny and stared at her.
“I was a kid.” Jenny replied. “I didn’t know what I was talking about.”
“Mr. Fields sucked all of the life out your father.” Mrs. Crane replied. “It was always something—something important. Your father jumped every time he asked for something. I mean, your father was older than him and knew the business way better than Mr. Fields did. He built his fortune on the blood of men like your father.”
“It sounds like you don’t care much for him.” Abigail said with a sarcasm in her tone that only Jenny could pick up on.
“He was an easy scapegoat after my husband died.” Mrs. Crane sighed and shook her head. “The doctors said he had a weak heart. It was a birth defect. It would have happened at some point, regardless, according to the doctors. I just can’t help wondering how long regardless actually would have been if he wasn’t so overworked.”
The conversation drifted off after that and they were soon saying their goodbyes. Jenny climbed into Abigail’s car and they drove way, lighting cigarettes once they were out of sight of the Crane residence. It wasn’t long until Jenny was silent, staring out the windows. All of things her mother said reignited her previous feelings and concerns about Damien, the man who had claimed her. She had let herself get taken into his world, yet she wasn’t sure if her decision was right in the wake of everything she had witnessed.
“Do you still feel like he has your best interests in mind?” Abigail asked, tossing her cigarette out the window.
“I don’t know…” Jenny said.
“What is it going to take to change your mind?” Abigail’s voice was angry.
“I need to speak to John’s sister.” Jenny turned towards her. “I need to hear it from her.”
“I’ll talk to John…” Abigail shook her head. “I just don’t think he’s going to agree with it.”
“Is it even his call?” Jenny asked. “He should ask her if she’s willing to talk to me.”
“I know.” Abigail nodded. “Like I said, I’ll talk to him.”
The ride back was darker than the ride there. They tried to keep it lighthearted, but as they headed back to John’s house, Jenny was feeling a bit overwhelmed by what she had learned. There was kindness in the man who became her Daddy, and he quite literally taking care of her mother. He never mentioned that to her. He never asked her. He just did it. Abigail acted like it was nothing to him, because he was so wealthy, but that wasn’t true. He could have just as easily avoided it altogether and never sent a dime.
When the car pulled up outside the house, they went inside and Abigail talked to John while Jenny had a cigarette and a glass of wine after a quick snack. She waited in the living room as the voices raised and then became subdued. Eventually, Abigail appeared at the doorway and motioned for Jenny to follow her. They walked into Jenny’s bedroom and Abigail closed the door. She took a deep breath and turned around.
“John said he is fine with you talking with his sister, but he wants you to know that she may not be receptive to the discussion.” Abigail said.
“I understand that.” Jenny nodded.
“He’ll make the arrangements tomorrow.” Abigail opened the door and left without saying anything else.
Jenny sensed hesitation with Abigail. There was clearly an argument, although she didn’t know who was arguing for what. Abigail seemed distant and disconnected from the discussion with Jenny. Jenny put on her pajamas and crawled into bed. She pulled her pillow tight and as she lay in the darkness, she missed her Daddy. She missed their time together, especially the times when they were intimate. She wondered what he thought when he came home to find his door destroyed and his Little Jenny missing. Was he searching for her? Did he think she had somehow orchestrated her own escape? She was finally able to quell her mind and she drifted off to sleep.
CHAPTER 18: SAMANTHA
The next day, they all got into the van and drove to a shady area of town. Jenny was surprised that John’s sister lived in such a dump. She was glad they had John with them, because it didn’t look like a safe area. When they got to the top floor of the apartment, the trio waded through garbage as they walked past walls covered in graffiti. They got to the end of the hall and John opened the door with a key, motioning for them to stay outside.
“Well this is lovely…” Jenny said as she looked around.
“John offered to let her live with him, but she turned him down. I think she’s still angry about being committed.” Abigail said.
“I would be too.” Jenny retorted quickly.
John walked outside and motioned for Jenny to enter. Once she was inside, John closed the door and waited outside with Abigail. The stench was the first thing that hit Jenny’s nose. She walked past a trash can buzzing with flies, filled to the top with dirty diapers. They were adult diapers, similar to what her Daddy had made her wear. When she walked past the kitchen, she saw a woman in a chair, facing away from her. On the table was a few needles, some plastic straps, and an empty wine bottle.
“So you’re my replacement.” A voice said.
“Are you Samantha?” Jenny asked.
“I’m Sammy.” The voice said. “I’ll always be Sammy. Sit down, let me have a look at you.”
Jenny walked past the garbage and sat down in the chair Sammy pointed at. When Jenny sat down, she was absolutely amazed at the sight in front of her. Sammy was wearing a dirty dress, unkempt hair tied up in two pigtails, a diaper that looked like it was long past the need for a change, and her whole body was frail. There were needle marks in her arm, and when she sat down, she saw several spoons on the table that were nearly burnt to a crisp.
“You’re pretty.” Sammy said as she leaned forward. “Just like I used to be.”
“I’m Jenny.” Her voice cracked as she looked at the woman in front of her.
“Of course you are.” Sammy shook her head. “How is he? How is my Daddy?”
“Damien?” Jenny asked.
“Of course. Who else would I be talking about?” Sammy’s voice raised slightly.
“He’s good… I think.” Jenny nodded. “I haven’t seen him in a few days.”
“Don’t stay gone too long.” Sammy shook her head. “He’ll replace you, just like he did me.”
Jenny stared at the frail woman. She barely looked human. Jenny couldn’t imagine ever getting to that point, regardless of what happened with Damien. Sammy was obviously on drugs, and it didn’t look like she ate very much. She looked like she needed to be committed at that point—she was practically decaying. Jenny had so many questions, but she didn’t know how to ask them. She imagined meeting someone who could talk with her about Damien, but the woman in front of her didn’t look like she could talk about much at all—at least not coherently.
“My brother said you want to ask me some questions?” Sammy asked, almost as if she could read Jenny’s expression.
“Yes.” Jenny nodded, trying to put her courage into words. “Are you comfortable talking about this?”
“I’ll talk about anything you want to talk about.” Sammy coughed. “Got a cigarette?”
“Not on me, no.” Jenny shook her head.
“That’s okay.” Sammy leaned forward. “Ask your questions.”
“What happened to you?” Jenny asked. “He said you grew up…”
“I thought I did.” Sammy nodded her head. “He was the best thing to ever happ
en to me. I was a complete fuck up. I was barely getting by in school and I was rather surprised when I was offered an internship at his company…”
“Your brother mentioned that.” Jenny nodded.
“He took an interest in me from the beginning. I think he can smell failure. I didn’t do anything to warrant his attention. I was probably the worst intern out of my group. When the program ended and I got back to school, things kept falling apart. I was partying, doing drugs, fucking every frat boy that looked at me…” She sighed. “When I was at my lowest point, he asked me to meet him for a drink one night.”
Jenny nodded, listening intently to Sammy’s story.
“That is when he told me what he really wanted. He wanted to be my Daddy. He wanted to love me, take care of me, and give me a life I couldn’t have even begun to dream about. I figured that meant sex, but I didn’t care at that point. He was the hottest guy who had ever showed interest in me.” Sammy’s eyes filled with tears. “It was such a beautiful life. Being his little girl. I had never felt so special.”
“What changed?” Jenny asked.
“At first, it was wonderful. I don’t think my ass ever stopped burning the first month I was with him. I got spanked at least two times a day. I was such a fuck up, but I was his fuck up. He showed me the error of my ways and damn if I didn’t love being over his knee. I just couldn’t get enough…” She muttered.
“You liked it?” Jenny’s eyes opened wide.
“It wasn’t a question of liking it—it was the experience. I loved being shown right from wrong. I loved showing him how good I could be. I loved knowing that if I did something wrong, he would punish me. It made my life so simple. I never had that before I met him.” Sammy said.
“Yeah… I guess I was like that too.” She nodded, although she didn’t share the love of spankings that Sammy seemed to have.
“Contrary to what my brother would have you believe, I wasn’t a slave. He didn’t touch me in that way until I wanted it so bad I was begging for his touch. I gave myself to him in every way. I wanted him so bad…” Sammy sighed. “Once I graduated from college—taking online courses—he helped me start my own marketing firm.”
“John mentioned that.” Jenny nodded.
“Yes.” Sammy replied. “He’s familiar with that part of my story. The firm started doing very well. I had a lot of clients and I was running everything from my computer. As I got more successful, it became necessary to meet clients. That was my first mistake…”
“How so?” Jenny asked.
“I couldn’t very well meet them as his Little Sammy. I had to morph back into a woman for those events, with heels that hurt my feet and dresses that hugged me so tight I could barely breathe. As I ventured further and further outside of the life we had created, I started missing the life I lived before I became his little girl. I felt like the time had come and I was ready to grow up.” Sammy nodded.
“That’s what he told me.” Jenny replied. “He said you grew up.”
“I had to. Before long, I had so many clients the work was coming nonstop. I was Samantha more than I was Little Sammy. I could feel the rift forming. He got more annoyed with me, more critical of what I did. Eventually, I didn’t feel like I could be his Little Sammy anymore. I asked him to take me out on a date…as a woman.” Sammy smiled. “It was a wonderful date.”
“What happened after that?” Jenny asked.
“There was no passion in his touch. There was no emotion in his voice. He lives to love and protect. I outgrew him—or at least I thought I did. We said our goodbye and I walked out of there with my head held high. The real world was beckoning and I was ready to take it by the throat.” She shook her head. “I was so fucking wrong.”
“What was the problem?” Jenny leaned back against the cushion, totally absorbed in Sammy’s story.
“The marketing firm was successful because of him. He was pushing clients my way. When I set out on my own, I realized I couldn’t do it without him. The stress was just too much. I couldn’t handle it. I needed him to prosper and without him, I was nothing.” She shook her head.
“Why didn’t you go back?” Jenny asked.
“I tried…” Sammy sighed. “I was too proud to admit it at first, but eventually I did realize I was nothing more than a little girl who needed her Daddy. Unfortunately, he had already moved on—I guess that is where you come in.”
“Me?” Jenny blinked.
“He didn’t wait around for me. By the time I realized just how badly I needed him, he had already chosen someone else to take my place. The nightmares started after that and my brother decided I needed to be committed. I spent several months in a mental hospital and they spent every day pumping me full of drugs to keep me subdued. Now I need this…” She picked up a syringe. “Just to feel anything.”
“No.” Jenny shook her head. “No you don’t. I’m going to talk to him. You don’t deserve this life.”
“Don’t…” Sammy shook her head quickly and tears streamed down her face. “Don’t tell him that I’ve become this shell of the little girl he loved. He has you now. You’re perfect for him. Don’t make the same mistakes I did. Don’t ever let him go, and whatever you do…don’t ever grow up.”
“You deserve better.” Jenny said.
“This is my penance.” She said softly. “I let him go and this is the price I have to pay until I’m dead.”
Jenny couldn’t listen to Sammy anymore. Her words were ridiculous banter fueled by drugs. She left her in her apartment and met John outside. They walked back to the van and climbed inside. Jenny knew what she had to do, although she knew she had to keep it to herself. The van cranked and Jenny lit a cigarette, watching the smoke drift off the tip. She wasn’t going to end up like Sammy. She wasn’t going to let Sammy end up like Sammy. She was going to fix everything, even if it meant she had to betray the trust of the two people who thought they had helped her.
“So did my sister give you all the gory details?” John asked.
“She didn’t want to talk about much.” Jenny stated, concealing the lie in her tone.
“That’s no surprise.” John sighed. “She won’t talk to me either.”
They drove back to the house and by the time they arrived, it was dark. They ate dinner, drank wine, and smoked until it was so late they were all tired—everyone except Jenny. While they partied, Jenny dumped her wine down the sink. She was on a mission that they couldn’t understand. She was no longer Little Jenny. She was no longer Jennifer. She was something more. She didn’t need to be saved—she was going to be the savior.
“I’m tired…” Abigail said as she finished her glass of wine.
“Yeah, I need sleep.” Jenny nodded.
The trio headed their separate ways. Jenny lay in her bed until some time had passed and she was sure they would have both fallen asleep. She walked out into the living room and got a piece of mail, staring at the address for a moment. Jenny peeked into Abigail’s room and saw her cell phone on the charger. She walked quickly to it and grabbed it, retreating to her room. She dialed Damien’s office and left a voicemail with the address, asking that he come get her. All she could do at that point was wait and hope his secretary took the message seriously. She felt uneasy after she returned Abigail’s phone and crawled back into bed. Was it betrayal—or was it something that had to be done?
CHAPTER 19: REUNION
The next day started with pancakes and they ate at the table like they had every morning since Jenny arrived. She felt guilty betraying them, after everything they had to done to try and save her. She knew their intentions were pure, but she still loved her Daddy. The bond they had formed couldn’t be broken. She didn’t consider her journey a complete waste, because she had been able to reconnect with Abigail, talk with her mother, and meet Sammy. Sammy was the one she was most concerned about. After breakfast, they retired to the living room.
“I’ll have to get back to work tomorrow.” John remarked.
“Yeah.” Abigail nodded. “I’ve only got one more day until I’m out of vacation time myself.”
“You’re welcome to stay here as long as you want.” John said, looking over at Jenny. “I can get you set up with a job around here.”
“Or if you want to move back to the city.” Abigail smiled. “You can stay with me.”
“I’m not sure…” Jenny said.
As they sat there, a sound could be heard overhead. As a couple of minutes passed, it got louder. It was definitely a helicopter and it seemed to be getting louder. Jenny’s heart jumped up into her throat with fear and joy—both at the same time. She knew it had to be her Daddy, coming to rescue his little girl. John jumped up and ran to the window, pulling the curtain back. Abigail ran to a window across from him, doing the exact same thing. Jenny stood in the middle of the room, watching the chaos develop around her.
“Oh shit!” John yelled. “It’s him! He’s found us!”
“Get your gun.” Abigail said as she ran to her room.
“Gun?” Jenny shook her head. “No!”
“What did you do, Jennifer?” Abigail walked out of her bedroom holding a small silver pistol.
“Come on, no guns…” Jenny shook her head.
“Fuck that shit.” John walked out of his bedroom and pumped a very large shotgun. “If that mother fucker steps foot on my property, I’m putting him in the ground.”
Before either John or Abigail could react, Jenny ran to the front door and opened it. She ran out into the yard and waved at the helicopter. As she looked up at it, she saw a line of black cars coming down the road. It looked like an army. They slammed brakes as they got close and when the doors opened, men dressed in black and holding large assault rifles of their own stepped out. They formed a semi-circle around Jenny, pointing their guns at the house. The helicopter landed and when it opened, Jenny saw her Daddy’s face.
“Daddy!” She yelled as she ran. The men kept a wall between her and the house.
