Chapter 3

Jon and Dani arrived home and before she escaped to room by herself Jon grabbed her hand and pulled her upstairs into the morning room. When she had redecorated the house she created this wonderful private beach feeling oasis for them upstairs. It’s a room Jon found himself spending lots of time in, writing or reading to one of his kids. He used his free hand to move some of the extra throw pillows from the grey suede couch out of the way and sat down facing his baby.

“Del talk to me. What’s the big fear here? We’ve wanted children since day one; we’ve tried purposely to make children together. Now obviously I think our goal was one at a time but since we are lucky enough to have all 3 now let’s enjoy it.” He moved his hand up into her hair, he offhandedly realized that she never touches his hair he’ll have to ask her about that later.

“Jon are you sure? Are you sure you want 7 children?” Danielle asked. Right now her mind and heart were all over the place and she needed Jon’s special brand of reassurance.

“Sweetheart if making love to you nightly produced 100 children I’d be the happiest man alive. Remember these kids are going to be spaced apart very well. My oldest are well on their way to adulthood, my other 2 are school age so these three will be the only babies we have. Don’t worry honey. Just stay stress free and we’ll be fine. My only fear is you are going to stress yourself out worrying and that’s not good for you or our children. Please Del; keep me informed on what’s going on with you. The kids are only with us now because Dot is overseas; they are normally with her during the week because of school. We’ll be ok as long as you don’t shut me out, please baby let me experience this pregnancy too ok, and they are my kids too.”

“Ok.” Danielle said softly.

Jon took his wife in his arms and gently kissed her until the tension melted away.

That night they kept the news to themselves, Jon gave her the time she needed to come to terms with the new aspect of her pregnancy. She called Helen to explain they’d be in Esky the following day to see her mom so she invited Helen to drive up. Hearing the insecurity in her voice and knowing how much of a rock Danielle was for her during her own pregnancy Helen of course says she’ll be there.

About 10am the following day Jon started to round the kids up to bring them to the airport, Richie arrived last night and was going to be coming on this mini family vacation with Jon and Danielle and the kids.

Jon found all his boys easily, then he walked out on the back deck to find Steph. She had a tendency to wander the grounds, she was like him in so many ways, staying inside was never a thing she enjoyed if freedom and security were options outside.

Jon was one step away from leaving the deck when he saw something out the corner of his eye. He turned to his left and could feel the blood rush to his face when he saw his baby girl. She was no more than 10 feet away leaning up against the house kissing a young man a little older than her.

Swallowing hard, Jon walked towards his daughter and her boyfriend, turning to walk in the garage door trying to make it look purposeful he said in the most even voice he could. “Stephanie say goodbye to your friend we’re leaving in an hour.”

The boy jumped back from Steph instantly looking down at the ground. Steph turned to her dad. “If you’re going to kiss my daughter you had damned well better respect her enough to be able to look me in the eye.” With that Jon turned into the garage and disappeared.

“You’re dad’s going to kick my ass.” Steph’s boyfriend said.
“Michael my dad’s not like that. He is however going to keep an eye on us. I’ve got to go I’ll call you when we get back in town. Bye.” She turned and ran inside quickly. Her cheeks still flamed from being caught by her dad.

Not much was said over the next hour while everyone piled into cars and left for the airport. Stephanie sat next to her Uncle Mookie and leaned her head on his shoulder.

“What’s wrong princess?” He asked.

“Is daddy mad at me?” She asked her voice showing her insecurity.

“No way princess. He’s just in shock you’re old enough to kiss boys. Did you at least enjoy it?” Richie smiled, glad this wasn't his daughter starting the boy thing.

“Mookie!” She exclaimed causing Jon to look up. Knowing he had to have this talk with his daughter no matter how much he dreaded it, he stood up and motioned for her to follow him to the back of the plane so they could at least have some privacy.

As Steph walked into the back room on the plane she shut the door.

“Daddy I’m sorry.” She started, predisposed to thinking she’s in trouble.

“Baby don’t be sorry unless he was a creep. You’ll always be my bubblegum princess. I’m not upset or angry with you honey I just want and need to talk to you.”

She moved to sit down next to him on the couch and asked him, “Talk about what?”

“Sex.”

“DAD!”

“I know embarrassing huh but I made a deal with your mom and I have to live up to it.” Jon explained softly.

“What deal?”

“If she gave you life I’d explain the birds and the bees to all of you. I don’t know the female details of…um” Jon stops not knowing how to explain coming of age to a girl; he stopped to think that maybe he should get Danielle involved here.

“Dad I’ve already got my period mom explained what that’s about.”

“OH thank God I didn’t want to go there.” Jon ran his hand through his hair and smiled knowing this conversation was just as awkward for her as it was him so he had to find a way to have it anyway. “Steph when I was about 19 I made a promise to your mother, she made one to me too and it was all about someday when we had kids how we’d treat them, how we’d talk to them. We promised each other a very long time ago that we’d never lie to our kids. I’m happy to say I’ve lived up to that. I have never lied to you and I will never lie to you or your bothers or my new kids.”

“Seriously dad you’ve never lied?” She asked more in the tone of I dare you to deny this.

“Nope, not when you’ve asked me a direct question. So I want you to know during this conversation, as weird as it is to talk about sex with you’re old man you have to know honey you can ask me absolutely anything and I will answer to the best of my ability.”

“Ok.” Steph says unsure of what this conversation will entail.

“Oh lawrd. Steph here’s the situation, my theory on growing up and sex is this, if you are old enough to have sex, you are old enough to talk about it. Even with your old man. Have you had sex yet Steph?”

“Dad!” She screams.

“Steph we need to have this conversation so it's time to get less shy. Answer the question sweetie.”

“No dad I haven’t.”

“Good.”

“So this is going to be one those conversations where you tell me not to have sex and tell me it's evil and warn me about the dangers of it.” Rolling her eyes thinking she already knows what he's going to say.

“Sort of. I’m not going to tell you to not have sex, I’m not going to tell you its evil but I am going to tell you the dangers of it.”

“What? My father isn’t going to tell his only daughter to stay a virgin forever.” Sarcasm flies from her mouth without a thought.

“No I’m not because that would make me an idiot and that is one thing of many I am not. Steph you are beautiful you got all the best traits of both your mother and I. I’m not going to act like a father who is completely out of touch. I know you’ll have sex at some point in this life, I just want to make sure you’re prepared first and you have all the facts.”

“like what?”

“Like do you even know what sex is?” Damn this was the hardest conversation he's ever had with her.

“Yes dad I do.” She mouths off to him.

“Ok what is it?” Jon dares her to reply.

“It's … DAD!” Steph can’t believe her dad actually wants her to talk about this.

“Come on if you’re old enough to think about this we need to talk about it? You proved today when I caught you kissing a boy that you’re thinking in that way so we need to talk.”

“It's when the boy puts his part in the girl.”

“Baby girl there is so much more to it. It's about tenderness, and showing the person you're with that they matter and that you want to be connected to them in a way you aren’t with anyone else. In my case it's showing my wife that she’s everything to me, that she’s the woman I love beyond everything and that I belong to her, heart, body and soul.”

“It won’t be like that for me?”

“Not right away sweetheart, when you first have sex it's all about how your body feels. How you want to touch the person you’re with, everywhere. As you get older, you’ll understand more that sex is fantastic as a way for your body to release built up tension but also a great way to say I love you to someone.”

“So you’re saying that when a guy tells me if I loved him I would have sex with him it's true?” She questioned not quite believing that her dad was being this honest with her. It made her smile inside to know he loves her this much.

“NO not at all, that’s completely a lie. I’m saying that you can say I love you that way if you want to. My wife isn’t feeling quite as sexy as she used to because she’s got a baby inside her that is making her body change and she worries that I won’t find her attractive. When we make love I tell her I love her with my body, I show her I love her and her body in a way that words sometimes fail at.” At that moment Jon realized that explaining sex to his little girl was going to make him old before his time.

“Oh ok.”

“Steph I need you to promise me one thing when it comes to sex?”

“What dad?”

“You’ll never have sex with a boy or man that isn’t your husband without a condom.”

“Dad seriously?”

“I’m serious Steph. I’m not kidding you sweetheart. I won’t sit here and tell you to never have sex, I won’t even sit here and tell you to make sure you only have sex after marriage. Steph I’m not going to be a hypocrite when it comes to sex. I know you’re going to do it I just want your promise to me that you’ll always use a condom unless you’re married.”

“Dad you can’t tell me that you have always used a condom.”

“No I haven’t always used one.”

“Then when do you make me promise?”

“Because baby girl, I’m 46 and I’ve only had sex with 2 women without a condom.”

“Dad you said that everyone except my husband.”

“Sweetheart the first woman was your mother, the woman I was married to for half my life and the other is Danielle my current wife. I’m serious that I want this promise from you. Sex without a condom can do anything from make you pregnant to sign your death certificate. Baby Girl, have you heard of HIV?”