Darren, Male, 53

	- Narrator, retired, father of Gwen and Victoria (Vic)

	- 5'11, beige skin, 195lbs, cropped greying brown hair

Audrey, Female, 15

	- High school student, daughter of Duncan and Theresa

	- 5'9, pale skin, 135lbs, light-green eyes, straight auburn hair over her shoulders

Duncan, Male, late-60s

	- Father of Audrey, husband of Theresa

	- 5'7, pale skin, 175lbs, dark-brown cropped hair

Theresa, Female, mid-50s

	- Mother of Audrey, wife of Duncan

	- 5'7, pale skin, 150lbs, shoulder-length auburn hair

Early morning flights were never my thing, but I was on a mission and I got us to the airport on time. We were seated a few minutes before departure. Audrey didn't want the window, so I took it, she in the middle with an older, grandmotherly type to her left on the aisle. Audrey curled against me and tried to sleep on the direct flight, but she shuffled around enough for me to know she was awake. The tears hadn't started up that morning, but I knew they weren't easily held back.

In Buffalo, I picked up a rental car and we headed straight to the hospital. I dropped Audrey off out front so that I could park. It took a while to get to the intensive care wing. “I'm looking for Duncan Andrews,” I told the nurse behind the counter.

She eyed me a moment from just above her thin glasses. “Not taking visitors right now. You can wait just down the hall.”

“Erm, okay. I brought his daughter to see him. Has she come up?”

“Tall, slender teen? Reddish-brown hair?”

“That's her.”

“She went down to the cafeteria with her mom.”

“Thanks. I'll go look for them there.”

- - -

I found the mother and daughter sitting together at a square table near the back of the cafeteria. Audrey had been crying again. Theresa had clearly had no sleep. An untouched tray of fruits and baked goods sat in front of them. I approached slowly.

Audrey's eyes drew up and when she saw me, there was a small smile sent my way. “Hey,” she said quietly.

“Hi... Hello, Theresa...”

The woman nodded and smiled politely. “Nice to see you again, Darren... Thanks for getting Aury home...” Aury was the nickname her mother used for the girl. I'd never known if Audrey liked it or not.

“I wish I could do more... Um... May I sit?”

“Please,” she said, sweeping her hand to an empty chair.

I settled and glanced from face to face. Both were pointed down, staring blankly.

“How... uh... How is Duncan?”

Theresa shrugged, “still out. Doctors think that's good for now. Let's his body try to recover.”

“Good...” I hated situations like this, largely because there wasn't anything of use to say. “Listen... I can stay a few days... If you need anything... anything at all, please say so.”

Theresa offered a weak smile, “I really appreciate that, Darren. You're a very kind man...”

I'd known the family for many years. I'd moved to Houston with my wife and young daughters more than a decade earlier, and Theresa and Duncan had brought the young Audrey with them to visit Herman and Joyce the first summer I was there. They'd always been very polite, if somewhat reserved, people. They'd even offered me help from afar when I'd lost my wife, but at the time, there was nothing they, or really anyone, could have done. It felt nice, though, to be able to return that kindness in a moment when they needed some support.

We sat in awkward silence for a while. Audrey sometimes lifted her eyes to mine. Sadness was there, but also thanks. I felt warmer with each glance. I could tell my presence was helping the teen during a very difficult moment in her life.

Theresa's cell phone rang and she answered it quickly. She listened and said a few words, then hung up. “Duncan's roused. I want to get Aury up to see him immediately.”

“Good... I'll, uh... Here, I'll gather up your things and bring them up shortly.”

While the mother and daughter rushed out of the cafeteria, I collected their unopened packages of fruit cocktail and muffins and stuffed them into a bag, along with the jacket Audrey had left behind. I'd packed warmer than I was used to, but even so, I hadn't been prepared for the chilly Spring that still clung to Buffalo. I shivered a bit in the sterile, empty cafeteria, then made my way back upstairs.

I waited on a couch for any word. I hadn't asked to go in to Duncan's room, figuring it was better to let Audrey have personal time with her parents. I had no idea what shape the man was in, but I knew massive heart attacks could often be fatal, even if it happened a few days after the event. I hoped he recovered, but I tried to prepare myself to help Audrey and her mother if he did not.

I dozed off, apparently, waking to the touch of a cool hand on my shoulder. “Darren?”

“Audrey, hey... sorry, didn't mean to fall asleep.”

She plopped down in the chair next to mine.

“How's your father?”

She shrugged, “Okay for now. He was awake for almost an hour. A little confused, but Mom said that is kinda normal right now. They are running some tests on him so they sent us out of the room. Mom's using the bathroom.”

Her head leaned towards me and I automatically wrapped my arm around her. I froze, realizing what I was doing. In public. With her mother almost certain to see us. Yet, I couldn't not comfort Audrey in that moment. Instead of panicking further, I squeezed her tighter and let her relax against me.

Theresa rounded the corner and her eyes cast to where Audrey was against me. I started to ease the teen off of me, but then her mother offered me a weary smile and mouthed a silent, “Thank you...”

I nodded, unsure what the woman might be thinking, but I supposed the way I was holding Audrey was perfectly alright given what was going on.

Theresa sat across from me and let out a long breath. “Well... this is going to be a long day, I think.”

I nodded slowly. “Anything I can do?”

She shrugged, “Get Aury out for a while. She could use some sleep, I think. Doubt anything is going to change here too quickly. The doctors think Duncan is stable and likely to make at least a decent recovery. The tests they're doing now will hopefully confirm their predictions.”

Audrey groaned against my shoulder but didn't protest further.

“You want to go back to your house, Audrey?” I asked close to her ear. I could feel Theresa's eyes on us. I wondered if she was asking herself a question or two about what was going on between us. I hoped not to add to the sad confusion in their lives by making it known that the teen and I had been developing more than just friendship the past few days.

“I guess...”

I patted her shoulder politely then sat her upright. “I'll go get the car. Meet me at the main entrance in about ten minutes, okay?”

Audrey nodded. I offered Theresa a hug. She clasped me firmly. “I'm so sorry, Theresa. I hope Duncan recovers quickly. If you need anything...”

“Thanks, Darren. You've done so much already... though... I wouldn't mind it if you bring me a change of clothes back when Audrey returns later. She'll know what to grab. And... I need my medications... Audrey, can you get those for me?”

The teen nodded again.

“No problem, Theresa. You've still got my cell number?”

The woman did, and I asked her to call me directly if she needed anything.

- - -

The drive out to the house took about twenty minutes. It was in a suburb near the lake. Quite a nice neighborhood, actually. Audrey's parents seemed to be doing pretty well for themselves. The teen gave me the passcode to get into the gated community, and she directed me to a large, cream-colored two-story on a sprawling lot with leaf-bare trees and grass trying to recover from the cold winters of upstate New York.

I pulled into the driveway and parked, and Audrey let us in through the door. As soon as it closed behind me, Audrey turned quickly and wrapped her arms around me and brought her lips to mine. I hugged her tight and returned the kiss, letting her warmth radiate through my body.

“I love you, Darren...”

I hadn't expected to hear those words. My mind raced for the right words to say. She was sad. Lonely. Scared. She was fifteen, my oldest daughter's age. I was her father's. There were a million reasons she didn't understand or possibly mean what she was saying. And yet... “I love you, too...”

Her arms clasped tighter, drawing me to her lips again. I felt her desire for me, her urgency. Her hands moved down my back and to my waist. Mine drifted lower, lower, soon cupping her firm, young ass. It felt right, so right.

Audrey took my hand and said, “Make love to me...”

She started to pull me down the hall and I hesitated. “Audrey...”

“Please... I want you right now... I need you...”

“Audrey...” I took her other hand and stopped our movements. My mind slowed and I found the words I needed to say. “I love you. And... I want to make love with you...”

“But?” Her voice sounded sad and low.

“But... I want your first time to be because you're happy. Right now... if we did this today... it would be because you are sad. I want you to look back and not remember that it took place on a day when you were so sad. Trust me, Sweetheart... I don't want you to think about your first time being clouded by the sadness...”

She looked at me softly a moment, then offered a small smile. “Okay... Then... at least... hold me?”

“I'd love that...”

The fifteen-year old led me to her bedroom. It was nothing like what my daughters had put together at home. Where Gwen and Victoria had posters of kittens and unicorns and boy band stars covering every inch of their walls, toys and games and clothes strewn all over, Audrey's room was neat and orderly, fairly conservatively decorated. There was a photo of the teen from a year or two earlier outside a large radio telescope mounted on one wall, a tree of life poster on another. A huge bookcase was overfilled with volumes on science and philosophy and engineering. It looked more like a bedroom of a studious post-grad than a fifteen-year old.

Her bed was low to the floor and had a thick layer of soft blankets and two pillows at the top. Before I could take it all in, Audrey stepped out of her jeans and removed her sweater and t-shirt. Unlike the night she'd teased me during her attempt at strip poker, she wasn't trying to tempt me. Instead, she slid under the covers quickly and looked at me to do the same.

I shed my jacket and coat, then without a thought, removed my slacks. I wore a pair of boxers that buttoned in the front. Audrey's eyes glanced only briefly at where they barely hid the fact that our earlier embrace had made me grow erect. Audrey slid to one side and welcomed me under the blankets. I eased myself down and in seconds was covered by thick fabric and the slender teen's body as she rolled herself against me and draped a leg over my thigh.

We kissed in an endless, wonderful moment frozen in time. I throbbed my arousal but made no move to do more than kiss and caress the young woman. I was serious about her first time not being something which should be wrapped in sadness. Whenever it happened, I wanted her to be in a happier point in her life, whether that was the next day or the next year. I knew, however, that it would be very hard to say 'no' to her again.

Even as I tried not to let worry creep in as Audrey's warm, soft lips moved with mine, I wondered how this was going to work. I only had a few days in Buffalo before I had to leave to be home for my daughters' arrival. It seemed unlikely things would turn around quickly enough for me to feel okay about doing more than making out with Audrey. And once I left, what then? She'd be in Buffalo. I'd be in Houston. Best case would find her back to visit in June once summer break started, but would we find that the passionate, spontaneous thing we'd found ourselves involved in was broken by the absence? By the distance? By the fact that Audrey was fifteen? What would her parents think if they found out? What would my daughters think?

I was swimming in doubts when Audrey pulled back and looked at me with sleepy eyes. “Where'd you go just now?”

“Hmm?”

“You weren't here... in your head, I think...”

“Oh,” I said, not wanting to lay out all my worries on the already-sad teen, “sorry, just... It's been a long day, you know.” I recovered and looked into Audrey's beautiful light-green eyes, “I really love you, Audrey. I really do. I never thought I'd ever feel that way about anyone again...”

Her smile was genuine and she kissed me again.

Some time later, we broke our lips apart, and Audrey rested her head on my arm as I stroked her hair and held her. “What happens next?” she asked quietly, yawning. “You go home, and I stay here...” There was a sadness not related to her father in her tone.

I nodded slowly. “Yeah... I don't know.”

“I can't tell my parents. They'd totally freak out.”

“I can't tell my daughters... for the same reason. Plus...” I hated to say it, but it had to be acknowledged, “you're fifteen...”

There was a depressive silence between us a moment, then Audrey said, “will you break up with me when you leave?”

“I don't want to... I just... I don't know how we make this work... for a million reasons... The distance... our families... if anyone finds out... I'd be in big trouble... Even just a text message seen by the wrong person...”

More silence.

“Well,” Audrey said quietly, “I'm really glad you're here... now...”

“Me too, Audrey. Me too...”

- - -

My cell buzzed and woke me from my slumber. Audrey was still curled up against me, our flesh sweaty where we touched. I kissed her forehead and slowly got out of bed. I saw her stretch lightly but she didn't appear to wake. I fumbled through the pocket in my slacks and retrieved my phone.

A message from Theresa was waiting. I listened to the brief recording. Duncan was feeling better and was awake. He wanted to see Audrey.

I knelt down beside the bed, wishing I didn't have to wake her. It was for a good reason, though, so I ran my hands through her beautiful hair and whispered, “Audrey... Audrey...”

“Hmmm...” she said sleepily.

“Your dad is awake and feeling a bit better. He asks that you come see him.”

Audrey turned and her bright eyes shined into mine. She stretched then kissed me. “I love you,” she told me sweetly.

“I love you.”

We were dressed and on the road quickly. My stomach rumbled. I hadn't eaten since before our flight. I dropped Audrey off at the entrance and parked the rental in the visitor deck. In the intensive care wing, a nurse pointed me to Duncan's room and I stopped outside to glance in.

Audrey was sitting on the edge of the bed talking quietly with her father, the man looking haggard but seemed to be talkative. Theresa was in a chair nearby watching them. She noticed me and waved me in. I hesitated, but she insisted.

“Duncan,” the woman said loudly as if the man's hearing wasn't so good, “Darren is here to see you.”

“Darren,” the man's gravelly voice rang out. He sounded tired and weak, but he was alert, at least.

“Duncan. Good to see you again.”

“I don't usually go to such lengths to draw a visitor,” he said, coughing on his words lightly.

“Next time, just call me.”

He laughed then coughed again.

“How are you doing?”

“Shitty,” the man complained, “but I'm alright, I suppose. Got my wife and daughter here, can't bitch too much.”

Audrey watched me, somehow balancing her expression between youthful interest and a more mature appreciation of my presence.

“I hear you. Anything I can get you? Anything I can do?”

“Well, first, thank you for coming all this way to bring Audrey back. You are a good man, Darren. A good man. Really appreciate that.”

“Of course. Any time.”

“But if you wouldn't mind, I've not eaten a thing and I was promised something an hour ago.”

“I'll get right on it,” I replied. I cast Audrey a measured smile and went out of the room. I waited at the nurse's station until someone came by.

“Can I help you?” a young woman asked as she set down a coffee mug.

“Hi, uh, Mr. Andrews would really like a bite to eat.”

She sat in front of a computer and punched the keys a moment, then said, “dinner will come around in an hour or so.”

“Anything you could get him now?”

She smiled, “I'll bring him something right now.”

The nurse left and I returned to the room and let Duncan know food was on the way.

There was a quiet silence as I stood and shifted my gaze from Theresa to Duncan to Audrey.

“So, Darren,” the man said finally, “how are your daughters?”

“They're good. Visiting my sister in Aruba this week,” I replied.

“Ah, Aruba. Beautiful place. We went there once, didn't we dear?”

“Beautiful place,” Theresa replied. “Before you were born,” she said to Audrey.

More silence.

My pocket vibrated and I pulled out my phone. “That's my sister now. Please excuse me.”

I stepped out into the hall and started to walk slowly down the corridor. “Hey Viv.”

“Darren. Just wanted to let you know that Vic had a bit of a tumble this morning. She's alright, but she broke her leg pretty good.”

“Oh, no.”

“Yeah. Don't you worry, though. They're taking good care of her here. Got the docs and nurses all wrapped around her finger.”

“Sounds like her.”

“Don't you worry about trying to fly out here now, either. Bad storms likely this week. No trying to come in an swoop up your little princess in all that.”

“I should be there for her.”

“Usually, yes, but she's fine. Where are you, anyway? I called your house line but got the machine.”

“Oh... uh, I'm in Buffalo.” I explained briefly what had taken me north. “He's doing better, but not out of the woods. I'm heading back on Saturday to be in before the girls get home.”

“Might be a few days late, I'm afraid. Between the leg and the storms, it might be difficult to get Vic out before Monday.”

“Damnit...”

“Yeah,” my sister said, “not a problem here. I'm happy to have a few more days of these girls. You know how much I love them visiting me.”

“I do. Really should come see Vic, though.”

“Don't you worry about that,” she repeated, “and don't go worrying about Gwen, either. She's been having a good time, at least until her sister's break. Doubt she'll mind hanging out with me a few extra days. I'll have them call you later this evening.”

“Please do. And send my love. I miss them.”

“I know, Dev. You take care of yourself, now. Love you, brother.”

“Love you, Viv.”

I sat slowly into the chair in the waiting area.

“What happened?” Audrey was there suddenly, and I knew the look on my face showed something was wrong.

“Vic broke her leg this morning. She's okay, but...”

“You should go to her...”

“Want to, but Viv... my sister... talked me out of it. Bad storms or something there.”

“Oh.” Audrey sat beside me and took my hand in hers. “Shitty week, huh...”

“Yeah...”

“At least we're together, though.”

“Without that, this would be a much worse week.”

Her voice was a whisper, “I love you.”

“I love you, Audrey.”

- - -

Theresa decided to stay in the hospital room with her husband and sleep on the pullout bed available in the couch. I drove Audrey to her home.

I sat on the couch while she showered. I felt drained. Tired from the early morning. Mentally fatigued from the emotional whirlwind of hospitalizations and a new relationship. I'd taken ibuprofen moments earlier, hoping the pain reliever would kick in soon. My daughters had called, as well. Both sounded to be in good spirits. Vic was on painkillers and I could hear the opiate's effect in her drawn-out speech. Still, her pain was being managed, and the doctors were happy with how the leg had been set. She missed me and loved me, and then, after talking to Gwen for a while and hanging up, I leaned back on the couch and closed my eyes.

I woke some time later with Audrey curled up with me. Her head was on my lap, one arm draped over my legs. I smiled down sleepily, watching her doze. I ran my hand along her back. She wore a white nightshirt which had bunched up around her hips, the lower curves of her buttocks hanging out. If she wore panties, it wasn't obvious.

I was much too tired, too wearied by the day to think anything sexual. Instead, I grabbed a blanket which was draped over one arm of the couch and covered her from neck to toe. She stirred lightly but didn't wake. I closed my eyes again and drifted off.