Rachel

I was a bit surprised when I opened up the door and saw my oldest daughter, Rachel, standing at the door. She was wearing an old, gray T-shirt, faded blue jeans, with her dark hair pulled back in a pony tail. She had a suitcase in her right hand.

"Hey, Jim, where's Mom?"

"Ended up having to take an emergency business trip. What's up?"

Rachel bit her lip. "Oh. Well, my apartment is being renovated this weekend, and my plans to stay with a friend fell through at the last minute. I was hoping if Mom was home that I could stay in one of the guest rooms."

"You still can. It'll be like a mini family reunion." Rachel gave me a confused look. "Both your sisters will be here. Suzy is leaving the kids with her mother-in-law for the weekend."

Rachel nodded and I let her in. Again, I couldn't help but check out the ass of one my stepdaughters as they walked away from me.

I had just gotten supper on the table when Suzy finally showed up. I have to admit, she looked good. She had worked hard to remove the last vestiges of her latest pregnancy, and it showed. She gave me a very warm hug, thanking me for letting her stay this weekend as she put up her bags, then came back downstairs for supper with me and her sisters.

All things considered, the supper went well. I served a white zinfandel with the hamburgers (I even let Michelle have a single glass), and the mood seemed light, almost festive, during the course of our meal. After everyone was finished and I cleaned up, I came back to a discussion about what the girls wanted to do now.