Fission
Part Two:
Phillip Corbyn stared at the dark screen; his gut clenched tighter than his fists. He had re-watched the video a fourth time. Gone was his arousal, and he would not even contemplate the fact that he had been excited when he viewed the it the first time.
A fetish video purportedly of his eldest daughter barely dressed, dancing erotically. He felt sick again, and as before, he pushed the nausea away through sheer force of will.
At this point he had seen the video enough times he didn’t believe it was Allie, just someone’s lame attempt to fuck with him. But they used his family, or a facsimile thereof. He would not, could not, let that stand. Percy Ford would be the most likely suspect, the email had his name on it, but as he looked Phil was less certain. The address was different from the one on his mailing list.
Percy ford, as a rival attorney, wasn’t a friend, but they had crossed swords before, Phil knew him as an honorable man, a capable hired gun. And hired guns do the job they are paid to do.
Murcheson Energy, on the other hand, there were rumors, other attorneys spoke of ‘reservations’ when dealing with them. They played dirty. Could Murcheson have paid Percy to fuck with him?
If he wasn’t so pissed Phil might have even admired how they did it. It was just enough that if he complained to the judge; he could risk getting slapped down for potentially viewing opposing council’s privileged work product. Not to mention the ramifications of possibly involving his family in an ongoing case. He’d have to withdraw if it turned out to be Allie, and it couldn’t be kept a secret. He could risk it though, as he didn’t think it was her. He wanted to risk it, but he would have to explain the situation to his partner, Ron, and that he didn’t want to do.
‘Am I certain it wasn’t Allie? I mean she was here all summer, she used the pool, I didn’t stare at my daughter, but I would have remembered if she was walking around with a tramp stamp. Then there were her feet—’ That line of thinking made him belch.
He wanted to throw the computer out the window. He wanted to punch something. He knew however, what he really needed to do was buckle down and finish his part so he could get to the college faster and… what? Demand his daughter show him her lower back?
‘What the fuck am I thinking,’ he asked himself. ‘How in the fuck do I get out of this? Of course, prioritize. First and always, protect my family.’ He was certain, but he had to know regardless, beyond all possible doubt.
Was it his daughter in the video? He wouldn’t ask directly, any possible explanation for that question would damage their relationship, perhaps forever. He would have to contrive a means, which meant he had to clear his plate.
Phil Corbyn sat at his desk and popped his knuckles. ‘They don’t know who they just fucked with,’ he told himself.
Ron Lewis all but rolled his eyes as he looked at him. Phil always thought Ron looked ridiculous in his cowboy hat, especially when sitting at a computer, but he supposed every man was allowed some affectation. Ron was one hell of an office manager, though that wasn’t his job, he just had final say there. Like Phil had final say in the courtroom.
“We can work with this, although it’s going to take the kids a while to flesh this out” Ron steepled his fingers. “Surprised you got it done so early, you in a hurry or something?” His drawl got thicker in the office, his little kingdom as it was.
‘Time to have it out, I guess.’ I sat back in the leather chair. “I’m leaving today actually. Something’s come up, I gotta go take care of it.” I could see him gritting his teeth.
“That wasn’t our agreement. Murcheson is the biggest case in our firm’s history and you could go if you would just let me- “ I cut him off.
“And if it goes to trial, I’ll crush them. And when it comes to motions, I can do that too, though I don’t have to be here to birddog.”
“Is that what I am now,” he asked, “a fucking birddog?”
I spread my arms open. “You fucked up.” I stared him down, as bad as me opening that email was, nothing could touch going on a two week long bender, losing twenty thousand dollars to a prostitute and key evidence in a trial. We were still in litigation with our former client, losing that evidence cost them three million dollars and they wanted us to pay it. Me, paying for his fucking screw up.
In all fairness that was over a year ago, and Ron went through treatment and has been in therapy ever since. Some kind of hypnosis based mumbo jumbo. But none of that didn’t excuse what he did, while I was still grieving; he went and flipped his lid, I assume from the pressure of my absence, and he nearly destroyed everything. I hadn’t forgiven him. I didn’t know if I could.
He didn’t back down. “Fuck you, I’ll call the realtor this afternoon and sell my house. Subtract the difference from my stake in the firm and all debts will be settled.” He took off his ridiculous hat and put his head in his palms. “Make Jacob and Lindsay partners, they deserve it. Just usher in my fucking demise, so long as I don’t have to hear another fucking reprimand.” He looked up; his eyes were on fire. “That shit ends today.”
“They’ll let you attend that country club if you downgrade your residence? Hell, what does that matter, you don’t even like golf.”
He smiled. “Is that what started this? It isn’t about the drinking, I’m still sober. A girl works there. I meet her at the tenth hole, she lets me shoot at her third hole.” He winked.
I laughed. “Barbara would kill you.”
“No,” he straightened up in his chair. “She knows and approves. Wait, just listen, we have an arrangement, it’s how we got back together. Her tennis instructor.”
It all clicked. “Jesus Christ Ron, so you are telling me you two have an open marriage now?” He nodded. “Well fuck, that mean Barbara is available?” I grinned, he didn’t.
“I didn’t want to have to tell you, but if that is what it takes for you to trust me, then fine. It’s one less source of guilt to possibly drive me to drink. But know that I can’t make amends if you won’t grant me even the means to do so.”
‘Perfect,’ I thought. ‘I have maneuvered him into doing what I wanted without having to explain myself a bit.’ There were times, such as these, where I knew I was an awful human being, but I was also an awfully good lawyer.
I pretended to think it over and then stuck out my hand. We shook. “Time to show me what you got, partner.”
He smiled and reached for his belt buckle. “Right here in the middle of the office?”
After a trip to her residence where I learned she was out, I got tired of wandering around the campus and, having learned that no one in her generation actually talked on the phone anymore, I sent her a text.
Hey AllieCat, message me when you see this, I have a surprise for you. Love ya.
That done, it was still a while for her reply.
Hey Dad, I’m free now, whats up?
I need to know where you are, skip any classes and cancel all plans. I’m on campus.
That’s great! :p You know where the library is at? I’m in a study room on the third floor. South side of the building.
I’ll be there soon. I texted.
I pulled up a map image of the school on my phone, it was entirely possible that the library was nearby, and I didn’t know. I just had to look for the building with the least amount of college students in it. My angel was there, however.
Almost as if the gods were mocking me then, the idea struck that what if that was Allie and she was “modeling”? How the fuck would I approach that? ‘Oh yeah sweetie, so proud of you making the Dean’s list again. By the way I was looking at foot fetish vids and saw one of you dancing around in a thong with your pussy nearly hanging out.’ Well, I wouldn’t say it like that, obviously.
While I ruminated on all the angles to this shit show, I not only found the library I made it to the third floor and found her in her study room. I watched her through the glass partition, her nose was in a book. Her back wasn’t facing towards me and the window behind her was too small to see anything. Plan B then.
“Hey Angel,” I stuck my head in and was rewarded with a smile. There is no feeling on this earth that can approach that moment when you know your child is overjoyed to see you. That they are safe, and protected, that they are loved.
Allie leapt up and walked to me, I met her halfway. We embraced, and I noted that she was not shy about this public display. My mind would not stop working. I kissed her on top of her head and lowered my hands near the hem of her shirt. It was too long.
“So, what brings you here, dad? You thinking of getting a psychology degree also?”
“Nah, one shrink in the family is enough. Truth be told I kind of got swamped at work there the last few days you were with us, and I felt like I didn’t get to spend enough time with you. I was thinking I take you to the local mall here, and we will have ourselves a shopping trip. I’ll even turn my phone off, no distractions, just you and me.”
“That would be great,” she told me as she nearly squeezed the air from my lungs. “Want to just follow me to my place then I’ll ride with you?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
In case I had forgotten (and I had) as a male there isn’t a scintilla of joy to be found when shopping with a female. Particularly, I found, my grown daughter whom I could not watch too closely, despite this being the entire point. The elderly sale associate in the first store we went to, the one who gave me a disapproving look, that set me off early.
Sure, Allie is Asian and I’m not. And there I was, a much older man accompanying a beautiful young woman and buying her clothes. But she was my daughter, what was that old biddy thinking? Just the implication alone hurt me, not to mention how self-conscious it made me every time I tried to see if Allie had a tattoo. While we were together, however, I made sure to inquire about her classes and get her opinion on her professors. It was very early in the semester, but she seemed pleased. One in particular, who’s name I can never remember, was teaching her for a third straight time. Seemed like she really liked him.
I eventually tired of the accusations embedded in all the stares and hit upon a wonderful solution. It was still warm; I had a pool at my house. While she was changing into yet another combination of garishly bright T shirt and overly tight jeans, I did some research on my phone and found what I was looking for. It was nice Allie favored clothing that was casual, functional. But she covered up too much, and I needed answers.
“Made your decision on what you want?” She bit her lip, removed one shirt from the massive pile of clothes sitting on the chair beside me and nodded to herself. I laughed and fished out my credit card. “Okay,” I told her, “but there is one more thing I want to buy you, and it’s a surprise.”
“More clothes?” She smiled, “bring it on.”
After we parked the car, I did notice an expression of trepidation as we approached the swimwear store. “Here,” she asked, a strange note in her voice.
“I’m going to run the pool and jacuzzi all winter this year.” I knew as soon as I said it that it was the truth. I even knew why. “This case I’m on, I gotta relax when I can. I figured you come by; you’ll have a few spare swimsuits already there. In fact, you invite any friends over in December let em know they can bring their bikinis.” I waggled my eyebrows for comedic effect, but I realized, after it was stated, the idea had merit. I realized then that I hadn’t thought of Cheryl in several days, and that maybe that wasn’t so bad.
Allie laughed. “Don’t be perving on my friends, dad, though just between you and me, a couple of them have told me they think you are cute.” I stopped as she kept walking. She looked back. “Don’t ask, I will not tell you, I don’t need a stepmom my own age.” She was half serious.
“I would never,” I told her, my voice registering my hurt. ‘She has to know that, right?’
She walked up and kissed me on the cheek. “I know dad.” She slipped her arm in mine. “Now let’s go buy me stuff!”
While I will admit to being happy to indulge my daughter, I realized it had been far too long since we had been out together, again I felt as though I was being watched and judged. It was an uncomfortable feeling, waiting for her to exit the dressing room. I think she even knew this, because with the first bathing suit, she exited the changing area and posed for me, almost like a game.
Thankfully for me she chose to wear a one-piece, dark green in color. Of course, I unable to see if she had a tattoo, and I was a little bothered by how high waisted it was, to the point that a hint of her black panties were peeking out from underneath.
“So, what do you think,” she asked, as she turned for me.
“It looks good, a bit showy though.” I pointed for her benefit and she looked down.
“Oops, sorry.” She giggled and adjusted her suit. “So, can I have it?”
“Sure sweety, it’s fine,” I told her. Once she had returned to the changing room, I took off my sports coat. ‘Did the sales associate mess with the air?’ I looked around and no, same old bored younger woman texting on her phone by the cash register.
I had just sat down when Allie returned, this time wearing a powder blue two piece. “This is good,’ I thought, ‘now I’ll be able to see.’ Which I soon learned was incorrect. The top was in a sports bra style, that I thought was fine, but the bottoms were shorts that were cinched up to her belly button. I stared intently at her toned abdomen, and I realized that I hadn’t known that she was in such great shape.
As she turned, the shorts were pulled too high for me to see anything, so I allowed my gaze to go lower, to her slender thighs, and lower still, until I saw her tiny feet. They were well maintained, and fortunately her red toe nail polish did not match the pink from the video, that meant nothing of course.
‘No,’ I grumbled in my mind, ‘the proof is the tattoo or the absence thereof. The feet could be the same from the video I suppose, they are nice.’ I looked back into her eyes and saw that she was awaiting my response.
I loosened my tie and ran my palm across my forehead. I was beginning to sweat. “I don’t know Allie Cat, that one seems kind of boring, probably perfect for swimming though, sure.” I watched her mouth open as her lips parted. ‘Is she cold,’ I asked myself when I noticed she had shivered. ‘She can’t be, it’s burning up in here.’
“Okay Daddy, last one then,” she told me as she graced me with her old, mischievous smile that I hadn’t seen in years. She left to put on her remaining bathing suit, and I unbuttoned by dress shirt and fanned myself. I peered up and saw the AC vent right above me, I could feel the air blowing on my face, but it was hot.
So hot!
“Ahem.” I tilted my head down and caught her wicked little grin before noticing the white triangle top; it was tied so tightly that it took me a moment to register that it had no padding, which meant the clearly displayed protrusion at the center of each cup was a nipple poking through the thin fabric. “It’s called tan-through, you can tan underneath it, so it can’t have any padding.”
I nodded as if fascinated by the information, terrified to look even lower. Allie turned slightly and I saw then the outline of her areolas raised above the surface of her breasts enough to stand out beneath the bikini. ‘She has puffies,’ I thought, horrified that I not only knew that now, but that such knowledge would never go away.
“So, tell me daddy, do you like it?”
“Yes,” I croaked as I knew I had no one to blame but myself. I offered to buy her things for her to do this, what was she going to say? I had to know that she wasn’t some prostitute.
I used both hands to wipe at my forehead. My eyes were stinging. “Turn around, please” I asked in a half whisper.
She winked, utterly enjoying herself and turned. Through my blurry vision I could tell that she did not have a tattoo, though I was unhappy to see the bottoms were cut nearly like a thong, with only the red fringe on her black panties showing, but the distinct lack of any kind of marking more than made up for this entire experience.
“So, what do you think dad?” She was looking at me with her wide eyes. I was an attorney by trade, a trial lawyer in fact. The ability to come up with the right thing to say while under pressure was my profession.
I stood up, took her hands in mine. “Allie, I think I am the luckiest father in the world, to have such a beautiful and intelligent daughter. You make me so proud, I love you.” She was beaming. “That said, if you wear that bikini around the house, I will disown you.” We both laughed.
Message delivered, I let her go to change back into her clothes, which allowed me more time to process this new information. ‘Given that the model had a distinguishing mark Allie didn’t, this wasn’t some high-powered smear campaign. If it was, they would have had the means to hire a model that more closely matched her. This is someone with a little knowledge of me and my family and some editing software. Hell, it could be an old boyfriend of Allie’s, a classmate, anybody.’
This meant that should it continue I could go to the police with no need to worry about it interfering with my case. Relieved, I turned my phone back on and checked my messages. Tommy and Beth were ordering pizza. Ron emailed me a reply from Percy Ford’s law firm, they were claiming that a trove of documents we had asked for as part of our discovery request were protected by the department of defense as what Murcheson Energy had done was related to top secret projects.
Finally, there was an email from Percy Ford himself. I clicked on it without thinking. The screen for another video popped up. “Fuck,” I muttered and looked up, Allie was still in the changing room.
I returned to the video on my phone. Another set of feet, the skin tone was different, tanned; also black toenail polish this time. There was no wasted movement or dancing, just a slow pan upwards, revealing smooth, toned legs. Thick thighs and buttocks encased in in a green thong. The camera continued upwards to show the clasp on a matching green bra on the “model’s” back. She unhooked it and turned slowly, letting the bra fall.
Her breasts were pert, full, and capped with large, pale pink areolas. There was a small smattering of bumps across them around her pencil eraser sized nipples. I licked my lips at the sight and began to prepare my reply to the shithead that sent this when the view shifted upward so quickly it blurred before it re-focused to reveal a face I knew well.
My other daughter, Bethany.
“Hi Daddy,” she said and waved at the camera.