You Girls Have Fun
The smoke dissipated in a second with no odor or residue. In its place stood a middle-aged man with close-cut gray hair that matched his beard. He wore a blue button-down shirt and a gray sportcoat over black pants. He was facing away from Teddy, directly at Susan.
“Oh, I didn’t know you were at the door Princess!” he said in an accent Teddy had never heard before. “I thought you might have been out so I let myself in.”
“Hi Daddy!” Susan said with a guilty smile.
“Were you about to go out wearing that?” he asked, stepping into the alcove by the door. “You’re practically naked!”
“Oh uh, no Daddy,” Susan looked down in shame.
“Now, you never lie to me darling, do you?” he said and he flicked his wrist. Susan’s bikini actually grew, the fabric connecting across her chest and stomach to form a one-piece. “I won’t have you ever lie.”
“Sorry Daddy,” she said.
“Nothing to apologize for,” he replied. “You said you would not wear that out and now you won't.”
Teddy shifted his weight on the bed. The man turned and looked at him. His eyes were a deep gray, almost black and his eyebrows were dramatic. His eyes flitted from Teddy, to his open bag, to the stack of shorts, and then to the disheveled quilt on the bed.
Teddy stood up, “Sir, uh, Mr. Rakan, I am Theodore Hauser. I did not intend to meet…”
The man ignored Teddy and walked into the bathroom.
Susan looked terrified as she cowered against the door biting her lip.
They could hear the wastebasket be lifted off the floor and then dropped. There was silence.
Teddy looked at Susan who shook her head and mouthed, “run.” Teddy shook his head. “Mr. Rakan, I believe we should talk about a few things.”
The man stepped out of the bathroom and took a deep breath. “You used protection. Good.”
Susan began hyperventilating. “Daddy! I’m sorry I…” he held up a hand and she was silent.
“You are in your 20s now Sue,” he said. “I would be a fool to think that it wasn’t possible for you to hook up with some shithead off the beach while you were on spring break with your girlfriends.”
“Now wait a minute!” Teddy stood up. “I am not some random shithead….” Teddy suddenly was frozen in place, unable to speak as Mr. Raken held up a hand. His vision was locked on the man and he couldn’t even move his eyes away. As the man moved into the room, Teddy’s eyes followed him on their own.
“I know who you are, Teddy!” the man said. “Susan has never spoken of you to me, but a father knows what is going on in his daughter’s life. After all, she NEVER lies to me.” He was hovering over Teddy now. “I won't let her.”
Teddy’s pulse was racing, he wanted to take a deep breath but even his lungs wouldn’t obey commands and he just breathed at a normal pace while he felt his chest scream for more air.
Mr. Raken reached past Teddy and picked up his shorts. He walked over to the dresser, opened the 1st drawer, saw Teddy’s socks and underwear, and closed it. He opened the second drawer and dropped the shorts next to Teddy’s t-shirts.
“Which makes this awkward,” he said.