The day of Emma Rickman’s fourteenth birthday was a bright, sunny and warm Sunday. Alan was awake in the early morning while his daughter still snored in her bedroom, and was taking his time with breakfast and the newspaper. Upon checking his mailbox and checking if there were any new articles on him on the web, he stumbled upon a joke about birthday spankings, and that’s when the idea came to his mind. It wasn’t much used in Great Britain, but maybe, perhaps... ooh it would have been fun! He grinned to himself as he just waited for Emmy to wake up.

About an hour later, Emmy literally bounced into the kitchen and into his lap. "Happy birthday to meeeeee!" she squealed happily as she hugged him tight and kissed his cheeks.

"Ooof!" Alan squeaked as she landed on him. "You’re not just older, even heavier now!" he exclaimed, then laughed and kissed her hard. "Happy birthday sweetheart!"

"Are you calling me fat?" she giggled and tried to tickle him.

"I’m calling you cute," he said, winking. "So, how does it feel to be fourteen?"

"Like I should have presents!" she exclaimed. "Other then that, not tooooo different. I can’t wait until I can go to rated R movies all alone and all sorts of things!"

"Well you will have presents, don’t worry about that little one... oh I can’t call you that anymore now!" he joked, then sighed at her movie comment, knowing he couldn’t avoid it after all. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

"Awwww, don’t be sad dad!" she giggled, squirming around. "When is everyone coming over?"

"I’m not sad, ‘tis a happy day," he snickered, biting her nose. "In, hmm... a couple of hours. We need to make lunch, you know."

"Cake? That’s a good lunch..." she asked hopefully. "Come on, it’s my birthday, lemme have fun!"

"That’s a good END of the lunch," Alan remarked. "We need pasta, chicken, salad... you get to be cook assistant for your fourteenth birthday, isn’t that cool?!" he teased.

"Nah, not especially," she whined, rolling her eyes in a playful manner.

"Well, Miss Not Especially, get your little bum into something more comfy because we gotta run errands around and make it ready for your party," he said, adding another big kiss.

Emmy nodded and bounded upstairs, returning downstairs in jeans with a pink stripe and a T-shirt that sported the words: ‘Guess What? I’m Outta Your League!’

Alan made a face at Emmy’s choice of clothing, and said "You’ll wear a dress later, right?" rolling his eyes, knowing it was almost impossible.

"Err, no. Why would I?" Emmy asked serious. "Daaaaaaad, I *like* this shirt, it’s funny!"

Alan blinked: "It’s your 14th birthday, it’s important... Emma, Greg, Gaia, Sammie and her parents are coming over, don’t you want to look like a young lady and not like a child anymore?" he said, wide-eyed, hoping that’d get to her.

"Dad, I know in *your* day every girl was all fancy dressed up. Girls today, nope. We are just comfy in what we wear. Sorry, fact of getting old, things change," she winked.

Alan sighed, more at her not-too-subtle remark about HIM being old than at the fact that she would not be wearing a proper dress. "Alright... your party, your choice, after all." Just wait and see what’s in store for you, he thought, though, grinning to himself.

"Thanks dad. And I don’t think you’re ancient or anything, I promise." She hugged him tight again. "I’m just teasing, but still, girls used to wear dresses all the time, it just isn’t a big deal now."

Smiling, he hugged her back and patted her backside. "Girls always wore dresses and they looked prettier, while you’re a tomboy... but you’re MY tomboy," he added with a kiss to her forehead. "C’mon, I need help with the table, and with cleaning the dining room."

"Cleaning on my birthday? Ooh, that sucks. Just for you dad," she commented, grabbing the dishes he indicated.

Alan took a bow, smiling. "What honour," he commented, then started working in the kitchen to get everything ready.

The following two hours passed with the various preparations, until, by noon or so, the house actually started to look tidy enough to host a small party.

"I’ve never had a real family party before," Emma gushed excitedly. "I am really excited! Isn’t this great! Hey, what kinda party you want for your birthday?"

"Oh, I was thinking of a Hamlet rehearsal at the Royal Shakespearean society..." he started, then winked when she rolled her eyes, and added: "Just kidding. I don’t know yet. But be sure I’ll let you know right away as soon as it comes to mind."

Right there and then, the doorbell rang.

"Wanna see who’s first?" Alan said.

"Yay!" Emma bounced over to the door and practically slammed it open. Sammie squealed and the girls hugged, falling over in the process.

"Hello Alan," George Turtledove called.

Smiling and shaking his head at the two giggling girls rolling on the floor, Sammie making a big show of messing Emmy’s hair, Alan shook hands with George and Annie Turtledove. "Well, good morning. Thanks for coming."

"Yeah, yeah, thanks Mr. R." Sammie giggled happily, and gave him a hug too.

"Dad made me clean," Emmy whispered.

"Ooooooh, sucky, way uncool, poor dear," Sammie said. "Hey, I got you the best present EVER! I had to get one for myself too, it was JUST that uber cool!"

Alan cast a side look at Sammie as she practically pictured him as the meanie old bear... that he was, but he smiled and still tousled her hair. He welcomed the Turtledoves in and they all moved to the living room.

"Nah, I’m just kidding Alan, I promise! I love you uber lots ‘cuz your Emma’s uber coolies dad, okay?" she smiled as he tousled her hair and the two girls sat beside him on the couch, between him and Annie.

"... are you trying to butter me up?" Alan said, but still smiled and pushed Sammie playfully.

"Oh that she can do very well," said Annie. "Happy Birthday Emma." She and George handed her a small pack wrapped in white card with a purple ribbon.

Emmy hugged them both. "I will open it when Emma and Greg and Gaia come, all at the same time. It’s more exciting that way. Thanks!" Sammie handed her a huge yellow wrapped gift, and she bounced on the couch, making it give a groan.

Alan couldn’t help but smile at the sight. "She might be older now but she sure looks happy like a toddler," he joked, eliciting laughter from the Turtledoves, while Sammie laughed too and planted a huge kiss on Emmy’s cheek.

"Happy birthday sis!" she exclaimed.

"Aww, thanks sis! Just wait until yours, I am soooooo gonna spoil you!" The girls hugged and continued to chatter, while the adults shared knowing looks that clearly said: ‘heh, teenagers’.

They went on like that only for a few minutes, though, before the doorbell rang again. And again Alan rose and walked to open the door, and in came Emma and Greg, with Gaia totally ignoring him and running for Emmy in the living room. "Emmmmmyyyyyy happy birffffday!" she squealed.

Emmy picked her up after the toddler practically threw herself on top of the teen. "Hey little sis! Thanks kiddo!" She hugged her tight. "Don’t forget to say hi to everyone else or they’ll cry, silly."

Gaia frowned, not understanding, then she smiled again and said: "Hi Sammie... hi mister and lady I dunno who you are... HI ALAAAANNN!" she yelled out loud as Alan and Emma and Greg re-entered the living room.

Emma shook her head and commented: "See? She’s a pure Thompson girl."

Alan laughed as the toddler came over and hugged his leg, proceeding to sit on his foot. "Did you gets ice cream? Emmy gotta gets ice cream, dats a important part of birffday."

Picking her up under her armpits, Alan smiled. "Of course we’ve got ice-cream, that comes right after the cake and the candy," he winked before setting her back down. Meanwhile, Greg hugged Emmy and handed her another wrapped gift, wishing her a happy birthday.

"Thanks so much everyone! I love presents!" Gaia picked up on.

"Do you needs help opening? Huh huh I good opener, right mummy?"

Emma nodded heavily. "Yes, she’s got her own personal way: rip everything!" While everyone laughed, the woman approached Emmy and tapped her shoulder. "Hey girl... too old for a hug to your ‘mum’?" she said in an undertone.

"Never ever," Emmy whispered, throwing her arms around Emma. "Love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," Emma whispered back. "Happy Birthday, cutie. I wish you all the best," she said, serious for a moment in all the excitement.

Smiling at her and really feeling loved, Emmy settled back on the couch, surrounded by all her favourite people. "Alrigh Gaia, you can open the one you brought, okay?" She figured it was best to let the little one help, so she wouldn’t get upset.

The child’s eyes widened and she went like: "Yethhhhh!" and she started attacking the wrapping paper wildly with her little hands, biting her lip, tongue sticking out for the effort. Finally a finely-knitted wool sweater in bright colours came into view. "My mummy paid for it but I picked it!"

Emmy laughed and hugged Gaia "Well, you chose a very good one, thank you sweetie!" she turned to Greg and Emma and hugged them both. "And thanks to you too, it’s really pretty, I love it! I always seem to be cold."

Sammie nodded. "She would take a blanket to the movies if she could."

"Not that she didn’t try," said Alan, earning a friendly elbow in his ribs from his daughter.

The chatter went on and on for a while, and more gifts were opened – a portable CD player, a collection of DVDs, a double Coldplay live CD that she already had but didn’t mention that of course – until only the one from Sammie remained. The pretty redhead edged her friend to rip it open, while giggling furiously...

Emmy winked at Sammie and ripped it open. Inside was a video tape with her favourite classic horror movie, Dracula, and a set of two Legolas pillow cases. "AWESOME!!!!!!!" she screeched, tackling Sammie.

Sammie was nearly doubled over with laughter as she tackled Emmy back and tried to tickle her. "We’re SO gonna watch it as soon as the party’s over!" she exclaimed.

Alan, on the other hand, rolled his eyes, making a face. "Oh, good... More scary movies!"

"Dad, it was made in 1931. SO not scary, I promise!"

Alan shrugged and gave her his best British face. "So what? I was made in 1956 and millions of movie-goers say I’m very scary." Emma laughed hard at this, the others just smiled.

"You were scary. When you shot those people in Die Hard? Uber scary Alan," Sammie nodded. "Poor Bruce Willis. I liked that saying though ‘yippi-ki-ya-motherf--" her sentence was cut off as Emmy clamped a hand over her mouth, shaking her head.

"Better not say that," she whispered, and Sammie blushed before both of them dissolved in giggles, while Gaia asked Greg what was going on and Greg replied with a smart:

"Oh nothing you’ll have to care about for thirty years, honey."

Gaia sighed. "Daddy, you ALWEES say that."

"Really Sammie, that was not very polite," George scolded, shaking his head.

"Oh don’t worry, Mr. Turtledove," Alan said, "it wasn’t very polite of me to accept that crappy screenplay either," he said, nudging Emma, who hid a smile, all the while Greg and Gaia kept fighting playfully.

"Dad, you rocked in that movie!" Emmy said. "Don’t be silly! But really, Robin Hood was the best. ‘You my room, 10:30 tonight! You, 10:45! And bring a friend!’" Sammie and Emma quoted in unison falling off the couch they laughed so hard.

Alan couldn’t help but blushing a bit at that compliment. "Ah well, you didn’t see my stage productions though..."

Emma nudged him again. "Our.."

"... yeah, OUR stage productions. Well, thanks anyway!"

"Mummy gonna be a Potter!" Gaia announced. "She tolded me. Alan is a Potter," she nodded. "And sissy too."

Again, everyone laughed at that, because Gaia had her very personal way to say things and it was a totally cute one. "Yeah well I suppose it’s public domain by now," Emma said, looking at the Turtledoves.

They laughed and nodded. "Oh, with Sammie there’s no keeping a secret," Annie said.

"Can we have cake yet?" Sammie pointed out. "I skipped breakfast so I could eat a lot of cake."

Annie and George couldn’t help but rolling their eyes, as did Alan too. "Yes, we can have cake... after the full lunch I’ve been preparing for the whole morning, which should be ready in a matter of minutes... which gives us right the time to do something I came up with," he said, and went to sit on the couch aside Emmy, circling her shoulders.

"Ooh, what’s that?" Emmy asked.

Gaia raised her hand "Donkey tail!" she exclaimed. "Dat the bestest game EVER!"

Sammie tickled Gaia, then pretended to chase her with a donkey tail. While the girls chased each other, and the other adults seemed to pay attention to them rather than him, Alan just said:

"Birthday spanking."

Silence fell on the room like snow at the north pole.

Emmy blinked, not sure what to say. Sammie paused. "Oooooh, we used to do those, didn’t we mom?" Annie nodded. "It’s very popular in the US."

"Yes it is," George nodded too. "Why, you British guys never heard of it?"

Emmy shook her head, while Emma nodded. "Yeah I did hear of it in my days, but... well, I don’t know. It’s been a while."

"I’ve just read it this morning on a web site, and I find it a wonderful idea," Alan added, looking meaningfully at his daughter. "Fourteen smacks, plus one to grow on."

"Err, well...." Emmy squirmed around with his arm still around her.

"Ooh, ooh I wanna do dat!" Gaia announced.

Emmy gave a little smile. "I guess so."

"Don’t worry," Alan said with a reassuring smile, "it’s not going to be a REAL one, you know?"

Sammie chimed in, nodding: "Oh yeah it’s supposed to be playful... most of the times."

Emmy nodded. "Okay, okay, I give in." She gave a goofy smile. "But no ice-cream for you, if you’re wrong," she teased Sammie.

Sammie let out a small giggle, while Alan patted his lap meaningfully. "As the father, the first round is up to me by civil rights," he announced.

Emmy and Sammie stuck their tongues out at each other, then Emmy leaned over Alan’s lap. Smiling back, Alan looked down at his daughter’s jeans-clad bottom and raised his hand, then brought it down with a mild slap across both cheeks, saying "one!".

Emmy squeaked, thankful she hadn’t been bared, and wriggled slightly. Gaia stood wide-eyed by the couch, looking intently, as did everyone else.

Alan kept it up, delivering swat after swat and edging the others on to count with him. "six... seven..." whack! whack!

Emmy continued to wriggle, as the mild slaps blended into a slight collective sting in her cheeks.

"Thirteen... fourteen," WHACK! Alan landed the last, slightly harder one. "And one to grow on."

"Ouch!" the young teen yelped slightly at the last one.

"There you go," said Alan, letting her up and kissing her forehead.

Sammie ran to Emmy and hugged her. "Your first birthday spanking, ain’t that uber coooool?" she exclaimed.

Emmy hugged Sammie shaking her head, but laughing. "Yeah, it wasn’t so bad!" she admitted.

"Oh wasn’t it?" Sammie winked, teasing her. "Alright then, you’re ready for seconds!" and without waiting for her reply, she dragged Emmy across her own little lap, giggling away.

"Hey!" Emmy shrieked, surprised more than anything. "Wait a minute, Sam! I’ll get you at YOUR birthday, just you keep that in mind!"

"Okay, I’ll keep that in mind!" Sammie said before starting. Her hand smacked down on her friend’s bum with some more force than Alan’s, which was only fair considering she was smaller.

Emmy gasped and kicked her legs slightly. "Hey! Be nice!" she scolded.

Gaia was watching with a big goofy grin, as she usually did. Grown up girls were silly!... but she wanted to play too!

"Nice?" Sammie said, delivering the sixth and seventh smack. "I’m being VERY nice!" smack! smack! Meanwhile, while Gaia watched eagerly, all the adults in the room exchanged amused looks as Emmy was getting her bottom spanked.

"Oww! Sammie, not so hard! Ouch!" Emmy yelped, squirming. Unfortunately, though rather small, Sammie was quite strong.

"Oh come on, don’t be such a baby!" Sammie said, smacking eleven and twelve. "You’re 14 now while I’m still thirteen... make an example for me!" she teased, giving her a hearty fifteenth smack and then letting go, giggling away.

Emmy tumbled off her friend’s lap, landing in a heap on the floor as Gaia giggled and bounced up and down. "OUCH!" Emmy shouted, scowling at Sammie.

Sammie laughed at that and immediately flung her arms around Emmy’s neck. "Aww I love you, you’re my big, old friend now!" she exclaimed.

Emmy hugged her back. "Just you wait until your birthday! I might be evil and spank you bare!" she threatened with a giggle.

With that, Sammie brought her hands to her mouth right away, faking shock and embarrassment.

"Well, that applies to you as well, Emmy dear," said Alan, winking at his daughter.

But Gaia kept tugging at Emmy’s pants whining: "Wanna spank too, me too me too me too!!"

Emmy rolled her eyes. "Hey, you already spanked me, dad, so tough luck for you! And do you haaaaave to spank me Gaia?" she gave the toddler a pleading look.

Gaia put on the meanest face she could muster and said. "YES I have to! Its a fun game and everyone is playin’ so me tooooo!"

Emma and Greg just could not help laugh out at that. Emmy laughed too and hugged Gaia. "Alright, alright, but I can’t fit over your lap silly, you’re too tiny."

"Ummm..." Gaia was thoughtful, and bit her index finger. Emma approached her two ‘daughters’ and suggested: "Well, you may lie on the couch, Emmy, and Gaia may stand aside it, hmm?"

Emmy nodded "That work for you munchkin?"

Gaia nodded eagerly and gave a huge smile. "Yethhhhhh!"

Emmy sighed, and Sammie scooted off part of the couch to let her lay out so Gaia could have at her friend’s bum. Giggling like mad, Gaia approached the couch and, not feeling sure what to do, she gave a tiny little smack to the big girl’s bottom.

Emmy made a grunt, then was mostly silent, while the grown ups chuckled among themselves, enjoying the cute show.

"hehe that cool!" Gaia squealed, and smacked Emmy’s bottom again and again, counting out loud till she got to ten, then stopped and looked around.

"What is it darling?" Emma asked her little girl.

Gaia again chew on her fingernail as she whispered: "I can’t count past ten, mummy..."

"Just count five more darling, start at one and count until five, then that will be the right amount, okay?" Emma kissed Gaia’s head.

Gaia gave another little scowl, then shrugged and nodded. "Awright," and she delivered the next five smacks in rapid succession, then clapped hands at herself!

"Good girl!" Emma hugged her tight, while Emmy rubbed her bottom. "Anyone ELSE want to torture me?" she asked, half pouting.

At that, Emma raised an eyebrow and looked at her. "Oh I’m sure your little bum can still take fifteen from me, can’t it?" she said, winking at her, while Alan was looking like he was having the time of his life.

"Dad, quit smirking, meanie," she stuck out her tongue, but her look was playful. "I guess," she conceded.

Smiling broadly, Emma approached Emmy and circled her shoulders with her arm. "You don’t mind, honey? I’m just teasing, but I won’t if it’s not okay with you," she said.

"It’s okay," Emmy admitted. "But is *everybody* gonna do it?" She looked at Greg and Annie and George. Surely her bottom couldn’t take spanks from them all! She’d be very sore, and on her birthday too!

"No, not everybody," Alan conceded, smiling. "Just those you would normally get a spanking from," he added, chuckling.

Gaia didn’t understand, but Sammie grinned: "See? I can spank you if you’re bad!" she teased.

"Yeah, well, same goes for me spanking you, smarty!" She winked. "Well, I guess whoever wants to do it, get it over with, ‘cuz I am getting hungry!"

The room was filled with laughter at that remark, and soon Emma had seated on the couch and was dragging her ‘daughter’ across her lap. "Alright, here we go..."

"Oof!" Emmy grunted as she was dragged over her ‘mum’s’ lap. She wriggled into a semi comfortable place.

"Mummy, is you gonna use the funny shoe again?" Gaia asked pointedly. Emmy gasped at the mere mention of the slipper.

"Dear, of course I’m going to use that. Emmy’s gonna have her bare bottom slippered, right?" Emma said, winking at Alan to imply she was joking and waiting to see what her ‘daughter’s’ reaction to THAT would be.

"WHAT?" Emmy screeched, nearly jumping right off the maternal lap. "That’s not fair!!!" Alan was laughing loudly, nearly doubled over with it. He didn’t think one person could jump so high while over a lap!!

"I’m kidding, you silly kid!" Emma said, playfully smacking the back of her head with a mild tap. "Of course I’m, not gonna do it!"

Emmy sighed in relief. "That was not very funny," she pouted.

"Mummy, you made her sad on her birffday!" Gaia said, her little hands on her hips. "That not nice mummy!"

"Oh you wanna spank me too now?" said Emma to her daughter, winking at her, but then she lost no time and caught Emmy by surprise by smacking her rear end suddenly, and saying. "One!"

Emmy jumped again, her cheeks having grown rather tender since this whole ‘game’ had started. She gasped. "Ouch," she muttered, wriggling around.

"With age comes responsibility, my Emmy," Emma said as she applied number four and five. "So you be a good girl..." – eight and nine – "... and take your spanking."

"Ouch!" she yelped again, kicking her legs. She resisted the urge to shout ‘mummy, that’s enough!’ not wanting to look childish in front of everyone, but it was starting to sting.

Emma delivered smack number fourteen, then raised her hand up high and brought it down hard on Emmy’s upturned behind. "... and one to grow on! We love you sweetheart," she said, and everyone burst out into applause and laughter.

Emmy really howled with the last one, and tears stung her eyes. She turned over and threw her arms around Emma. Right now, this didn’t seem like such a fun game, even though everyone seemed to be really proud of her for taking all those spankings.

"Aww that’s my girl," Emma whispered in her ear so that no-one else could hear, then she helped rub some of the sting off her bottom. Alan joined them at the couch and he hugged his daughter too. "You’re a good girl and we all love you, baby."

"Can I have cake now?" Emmy asked, giving a pout that made Gaia proud.

"Look mummy, I teached her the good pout!" she nodded satisfied, then tugged on Sammie’s shirt. "I teach you too, k?"

Sammie laughed and said "sure!" as she picked up Gaia, walking towards the dining room with the others. Alan winked at Emma then chased Emmy trying to tickle her.

Emmy giggled and ran away. "Daddy! Crazy man, stop chasing me!" she giggled and Gaia clapped.

"Go crazy man!" Gaia chanted, soon followed by Sammie doing the chant as well.

Alan took it as a goal now to have Emmy squirm under his tickling, and finally caught her and tickled her belly mercilessly before pulling a chair out from under the table and having her SIT.

Emmy gasped and shot straight up out of the chair. "That was NOT funny!" She sniffled, looking as if she was about to burst into tears.

"Aww," Alan said, wondering if they had pushed the joke too far, but then smiled and hugged Emmy tight. "Would you want a pillow, perhaps?..."

Suddenly Emmy burst into a fit of giggles. "Got you! Got you!" she teased, pointing at him. "Man, you SO fell for that!"

Alan rolled his eyes and planted another quick smack to Emmy’s behind, though a playful one; she just giggled and hugged him tight. "You cheeky girl! Soooo... who wants to be the first to dive face-forward into my wonderful cuisine?"

"Ooh, that’s SO me," Sammie said, dumping a large amount on her plate. "It’s scary, he cooks and it tastes good. Hey, wanna give my dad lessons?" Sammie asked seriously.

George turned beet red and pecked his daughter’s cheeks with his fingers. "Don’t you know honey, I’m trying to poison you," he teased with a wink.

"I know, that’s what I do when I make coffee!" she teased back.

Emmy rolled her eyes at their goofy jokes.

"Mummy, people gonna DIE?" Gaia asked, her eyes wide

"Oh no honey, no-one’s going to die, even though Alan is making all he can to try and kill us with his kitchen work," she exclaimed, winking at him. Alan rolled his eyes as he helped himself to his plate, and they all started to chat and eat happily.

Soon it was time for cake and Sammie giggled. "Make a wish Emmy! And if it’s about Orlando, count me in the wish too! You never know when it might come true," she said, sounding serious.

Emmy giggled and winked at her and closed her eyes. "Yeth, happy birffday!" Gaia yelled, blowing out the candles for her.

As the adults laughed out loud yet again, the two teenagers groaned: "Bye bye, Orlando...."

Gaia’s ears went pink.

* * *

The lunch had gone wonderfully, and that evening, after even Sammie had been dragged away by her parents, Alan knocked on Emmy’s bedroom door. It had been a tiring Sunday and they were both exhausted, but he still needed to do something very, very important... Emmy was writing in a journal, laying half on her bed and half on the floor, her new pillow cases already on her pillows.

"Come on in," she called, finishing her sentence and then shutting the glittery purple journal.

Alan walked in his daughter’s room and sat on her bed, giving her a sweet smile. "Emmy, honey... come here, sit on my lap for a moment," he said, beckoning her to him.

Emmy looked up, confused. "Are you okay dad?" she asked, sitting on him. The slight warmth and stinging of her cheeks had long since passed and she settled close, snuggling into his chest.

"Oh yes, I’m fine," he said, smiling again. "I just thought you would enjoy this," he said, taking a small silvery bracelet with diamonds in it and tying it to Emmy’s wrist. "Happy birthday honey."

Emma’s jaw dropped. "Huh? Wuh? No... no dad, way way too much! I don’t need this! Holy... crap... Oh my god," she rambled, totally stunned.

"No, it’s not too much, it’s perfect... a beautiful jewel for a girl who is now really a young lady. And I know you’re going to say I’m ancient and this is ancient and everything, but I still want you to wear this from time to time, if you want to, because it shines on you," he added with a smile.

Tears filled Emma’s eyes. "I wasn’t going to say you were ancient, daddy..." she whispered, smiling brightly at her special gift. "I was going to say -- that you’re just right. And I love you so much!" she threw her arms around his neck, bursting into happy tears. "This is the best birthday I’ve ever had!"

"Aww honey..." he started, but couldn’t quite voice what he was thinking. He felt so strongly for his daughter, who was such a beautiful and talented young girl, who only happened to have the occasional issue, or slip, here and there. But she was good, very good at heart, and Alan always cherished those precious moments with her. He hugged her tight and kissed her forehead. "Just remember that I always love you, whatever happens," he whispered.

"Thanks daddy. I love you lots. Want to tuck me in?" she asked, smiling her sweet shy smile

"Of course," Alan said, smiling back He drew the covers away and had Emmy lay under them, then pulled them over her slender frame and tucked her tight around her body. He leant forward and kissed both of her cheeks, now slightly teary. "Goodnight, sweetheart."

"‘Nite daddy," she murmured, her eyes closing as she drifted into sleep

Alan sat there for some more minutes, watching her fall asleep, then quietly stood and left the room, thinking that now, every time someone asked, he would have to say his daughter was fourteen, and no longer thirteen. Somehow, that was the least of his concerns.

click here for pictures of Emma and Alan