Stepfather

The Stepfather
“Because you’ve got no business sniffing around a young girl!” snapped Jake.
“Whatwhat?”
“Youve been filling Emilys head with nonsense! Think I dont see the way you look at her? Shes not just your stepdaughter to you, is she?”

William couldnt hold backhe grabbed Jake by the collar with one hand and raised the other, ready to land a proper punch.

“Willie!!!” Emilys frightened voice cut through the air. He let go.

William had married Margaret when her daughter, Emily, was ten. The girl still remembered her real father, whod died two years earlier, and at first, she eyed her mothers new husband with suspicion.

But William won her over. She never called him “Dad,” yet the way “Willie” rolled off her tongue was so tender, so familiar, that no one doubted their bond.

And it was Emily who saved their family when, six years into the marriage, the devil himself mustve nudged William into cheating at the office party with his coworker, Ingrid.

Hed had too much to drink, got carried away by the revelry, still buzzing from a job well done

Later, he barely remembered a thing. But someone made sure Margaret found out.

The row that followed was spectacular. William begged forgiveness, swore it would never happen again.

Margaret refused to listen, threatened divorce.

They fought while Emily was at school, but the girlkind, sensitive, observantstill sensed something was wrong. It broke her heart.

“Im only forgiving you for Emilys sake,” Margaret hissed through gritted teeth. “But this is the first and last time.”

Next time, itd be over.

William cursed himself a hundred times, groveled, spent even more time with his family. Relief flooded him when Emilys eyes slowly brightened again.

But their girl grew up, and at eighteen, she brought a boyfriend home to meet them.

Jake rubbed William the wrong way from the startlanky, fidgety, smug, always smirking.

Only for Emily, who gazed at the boy like he hung the moon, did William bite his tongue.

“Em, love, you sure hes the one?” he murmured after the lad left.

“Oh, Willie, dont you like him?” Emilys face fell. “You just dont know him yet. Jakes lovely.”

William sighed but forced a smile. “Well see. Youve got a good head on your shoulders.”

Jake, though, seemed to sense the stepfathers dislike. He kept his distance, stayed painfully politethough it clearly didnt come naturally.

Then William had bigger problems than his future son-in-law: Margaret accused him of cheating againwith Ingrid.

“What, did you like her so much the first time you couldnt resist?” she raged. “Go on, then! Why torture me?”

“Meg, what?!” he gaped. After that night, hed never even considered straying again. “Whered you get that idea?”

“Good people told me!”

He didnt bother arguingjust dialed Ingrid on speakerphone.

“William,” she said dryly when he asked about them, “are you drunk? Ive been married six months, expecting my husbands baby. Did you even show up when I treated the office to celebrate?”

“Sorry,” he muttered. “My mistake.”

William shot Margaret a look. She flushed but scoffed and stormed off.

Two days of silent treatment later, things settled. He spun some half-baked excuse for Emily, whothough wrapped up in Jakestill fretted over her parents silence.

Then William got hit by a car. A bizarre accidentas if someone shoved him into the road. A sedan clipped his legs.

Lucky the speed was low. He limped away with a sprain and mild concussionthough the pavement hadnt been kind when he fell.

Emily doted on him as he hobbled around the house. Brought meals to his armchair (despite protests), played draughts, read books, or just chatted about nothing.

“Why dyou bother?” William once overheard Jake whisper in the hall. “Hes a grown manlet him”

“Jake!” Emilys hissed reply was furious. “Willies like my dad! I love him, and Ill care for him, no matter what!”

Jake grumbled something defensive. William smiledtheyd raised a good girl.

Two months later, disaster struck again. A clientsome bloke named Leonardclaimed Williams crew botched the ceiling job in his flat.

“Mr. Leonard says the ceiling sags, the corners are crooked,” his boss muttered. “And” He lowered his voice. “Says you shook him down for extra cash to do it right.”

“Thats bollocks! We did a cracking job and never asked for a penny more!” William nearly choked on his anger.

Leonard had been a nitpicky pain, but hed seemed pleased. Why the sudden complaint?

“Sort it,” his boss snapped. “Fix whatevers wrong, or youre all out on your ears with black marks.”

That evening, William trudged home grim-faced and unloaded the mess.

“Willie, dont fret!” Emily rushed to comfort him. “Hes confused. Want me to come with you?”

“Dont you dare lose your job over this,” Margaret sighed. “Sort it yourself.”

Leonard faltered when William showed up. “What dyou want? Im taking this to court! Hacks like you deserve the sack!”

“Show me where we messed upwell fix it,” William said through clenched teeth.

“Nothing to see!” Leonard squawked. “Expertsll handle itproper ones, not like you!”

William shoved past him into the flatignoring the mans squawksand found perfect ceilings.

He fixed Leonard with a stare. “And the shakedown?”

Leonard wilted. When William stepped closer, the man shrank back, babbling about police.

“Quiet,” William said softly, holding his gaze. “Tell me: your idea, or someone elses?”

Leonard cracked. A lad named Jake had suggested complaining to squeeze compensation (theres always flaws, right?). Even paid Leonard to specifically target Williamget him sacked in disgrace.

William didnt need guesses. He showed a family photo, Jake in the frame.

“Him?”

Leonard nodded frantically. “You know him?”

Jake was lurking outside when William leftodd, since he usually went up for Emily. Even better. The boy flinched at the sight of him.

“Why?” William asked.

“Because youve got no right sniffing around her!” Jake spat. “Think we dont see how you look at Emily? Shes not just your stepdaughter!”

William grabbed him by the jacket, fist raised

“Willie!!!” Emilys cry stopped him cold.

“The truth stings, eh?” Jake sneered, scrambling back. “Yeah, I wanted you gone! I even told Margaret about Ingrid! How was I supposed to know itd backfire?”

“You pushed me into the road?”

“No-no-no!” Jake threw up his hands. “Dont pin that on me!”

William scoffed. “Not worth dirtying my hands.”

When Emily learned the truth, she dumped Jakepleading didnt help. She threw herself into her studies, her parents full support behind her.