Chapter 25

As the months wore on, father and daughter began knowing each other well and they had grown closer. Try as she might, Brittany hadn't been very successful in bringing her parents together once and for all.

Though they had slept together the night after Britt's birthday and then there had been the impromptu sex upstairs in the guest room during Brittany's wedding rehearsal dinner several years later, Lori Anne and Paul were in agreement that things would be better if they'd stayed apart and life went on as before.

They had Brittany in common, along with some other interests, but it was much better for both to remain friends and consult each other now and again when it came to anything involving their daughter.

Brittany eventually grew up to be a beautiful young woman, eventually meeting and marrying a Marine she had met at a party through one of her friends from college (that her father paid for her tuition as promised) shortly after Britt had graduated.

Six months later, Brittany discovered she was pregnant; both Cliff and Lori Anne had been thrilled at the news and Lori Anne happily helped her daughter prepare for the coming baby.

One afternoon as they prepared the nursery, Lori Anne had let out a snicker while thinking of things.

Paul. Grandpa.

She couldn't help but break out laughing.

"Mother, what is so funny?" Brittany asked. "You've had giggle fits practically all day."

"Nothing. Just thinking of your dad being a grandfather."

"What's so funny about that? Daddy loves kids. He'll be great."

"Britt, we haven't even seen your dad since he gave you away at your wedding. How do you know what he would or wouldn't do?"

"Oh my God, you haven't told him yet? Mother! It's been almost two months since I found out! You said you would tell him, being you talk to him more than I do."

"Serves him right for hiding the distributor cap to the car the day of your wedding, not to mention making a fool of himself by flirting with that nineteen year old waitress. I owed him one back anyway."

"I guess I may as well tell him myself then; he's going to know eventually anyway. And are you still on that whole waitress thing? I swear if I didn't know any better that you were jealous."

"Of what? That your dad can make an ass of himself in public at will? Good lord, Britt."

"I don't know why you two don't just admit your feelings for each other, go to some remote place, screw each other's brains out, and then elope."

"Because at my age, I don't feel like raising another child, particularly a two hundred pound one. Besides, I get along better with him because we're not married and he isn't under my feet twenty four hours a day."

"Good God, Mother, this charade of yours has gone on ever since I was ten. Give it up already. "

"What charade?" Lori Anne wondered. "Daddy and I are just friends and we're your parents. That's it."

"Mmmm hmmm," Brittany replied, skeptical

"I would have thought that now you're grown with your own child on the way, you'd given up that crazy idea of bringing your dad and I together. Britt, it isn't happening.. Besides, I'm marrying Cameron in August."

"All right then."

"He's a good man, Britt. He adores you, really likes Cliff, and is looking forward to the baby coming."

Brittany rolled her eyes. "As nice of a man Cameron is, Mother, please be reminded that I already have a father."

"Cameron isn't trying to be your dad, Britt. He knows where he stands on that and is perfectly fine with it."

"He is?"

"Of course. Actually, we invited your dad to the wedding."

"Oh that should be a three ring circus. The man you're marrying meets the man who knocked you up with me, not to mention had sex with you both the day after my eleventh birthday and during my wedding rehearsal dinner. What a memorable day this should be."

"Don't be a smart ass. I'm sure Dad and Cameron will get along fine."

"Well, at least Daddy will know he has a grandchild coming by then. I'll be showing big time. In the meantime, maybe you can get some final nooky from Daddy before you make it official with Cameron."

"Very funny, Britt. But I don't think anything like that with your dad is going to happen again."

The following August:

In the coming months, Britt had gotten a job on the Creative Team; Paul was thrilled to be able to see his daughter more often as a result even though he was still getting used to the idea of being a grandparent. Though the ribbing from both his colleagues and Brian had driven him nuts, Paul thought perhaps being a grandfather wasn't such a bad thing.

Cliff had eventually returned home from his duty overseas, much to Brittany's joy and relief. The baby would be due in a couple of months, and it warmed her to know he would be there when their son was born.

Though Cliff had been taken aback when his mother in law had called off her wedding to Cameron, Brittany wasn't shocked in the least. As much as she had liked Cameron, she knew deep down he would never measure up to her father.

Plus, it hadn't helped much when she had seen her parents engaging in sex in the back seat of the car at her birthday party.

Britt never told Cliff what she had seen that day, but predicted it wouldn't be longer her mother would call off the wedding. And she was right.

Two weeks later, her parents eloped to Mexico. It looked like her mother was going to be raising that "second child" after all.