**Stepfather**
“Because youve got no business bothering a young girl!” snapped Jake.
“Excuse me?”
“Youve filled Emilys head with nonsense! You think no one notices shes more than just a stepdaughter to you?”
Peter lost his tempergrabbing the lad by his jacket with one hand and raising the other to land a proper punch.
“Pete!” Emilys frightened voice stopped him. He let go.
Peter had married Laura when her daughter, Emily, was ten years old.
The girl still remembered her real father, who had died two years earlier, and at first, she was wary of her mothers new husband.
But Peter managed to win her over.
She never called him Dad, but the affectionate “Pete” from her lips sounded so sweet and familiar that no one doubted their bond.
In fact, it was Emily who held the family together when, six years into the marriage, Peter foolishly cheated on Laura with a colleague, Ingrid, at a work party.
Hed had too much to drink, got caught up in the celebration after a successful projecthardly remembered a thing afterward. But someone made sure Laura found out.
The row was explosive. Peter begged for forgiveness, but Laura refused to listen, threatening divorce.
They argued while Emily was at school, but the kind, sensitive girl still sensed something was wrong and grew deeply upset.
“Im only forgiving you for Emilys sake,” Laura hissed through gritted teeth. “But this is the first and last time.”
Next time, itd be over.
Peter cursed himself a hundred times, doing everything to make amends. He spent more time with the family and was relieved when Emilys bright smile eventually returned.
But their little girl grew up, and at eighteen, she brought home a boyfriend to meet her parents.
Jake rubbed Peter the wrong way from the startlanky, cocky, with a constant smirk. For Emilys sake, though, Peter held his tongue.
“Em, are you sure hes the one?” he asked quietly after Jake left.
“Why, Pete, dont you like him?” Emilys face fell. “You just dont know him yet. Jakes really lovely.”
Peter sighed but forced a smile. “Well see. I trust your judgment.”
Jake, however, clearly sensed Peters dislike. He avoided him, staying overly polite, though it seemed forced.
Then Peter had bigger problemsLaura accused him of cheating with Ingrid again.
“Did you like her so much last time that you couldnt resist?” she raged. “Just go to her then! Why stay and torture me?”
“Laura, what?!” he gaped. Hed never even considered cheating again. “Who told you that?”
“People talk!”
Peter didnt waste time arguinghe called Ingrid on speakerphone.
“Pete,” she said dryly when he asked about their supposed affair, “are you drunk? I got married six months ago and Im expecting my husbands child. Werent you there when I treated everyone at work to celebrate?”
“Sorry,” he muttered. “Misunderstanding.”
He shot Laura a pointed look. She flushed but huffed and stormed out.
She gave him the silent treatment for days before things settled. He had to invent some feeble excuse for Emily, whothough wrapped up in Jakenoticed the tension.
Then Peter got hit by a car. A bizarre accidenthed suddenly stepped into the road (as if shoved) and a car clipped his legs.
Luckily, it was slow-moving. He escaped with a sprain and mild concussion, though the fall left him bruised.
Emily insisted on nursing him, bringing meals to his armchair (despite protests), playing cards, reading, or just chatting.
“Why bother with him?” Peter overheard Jake whisper in the hall. “Hes a grown manlet him”
“Jake!” Emily hissed, furious. “Petes like a father to me! I love him, and Ill take care of him no matter what!”
Jake grumbled excuses. Peter smiledtheyd raised a good girl.
Two months later, another disaster struck. A client accused Peters team of shoddy work on his ceiling installation.
“Leonard claims one rooms ceiling sags, the corners are uneven,” Peters boss said. “And” he lowered his voice “he says you extorted money for quality work.”
“Thats rubbish! We did a perfect job and never asked for extra!” Peter seethed.
Leonard had been a nitpicky pain during the job but seemed satisfied. Why complain now?
“Go sort it out,” his boss snapped. “Or youre all fired with no references.”
Leonard acted jumpy when Peter arrived. “What do you want? Well settle this in court! Youre frauds!”
“Show me the mistakeswell fix them,” Peter said tightly.
“Theres nothing to see!” Leonard shrieked. “Experts will handle it!”
Peter pushed past him into the flat. The ceilings were flawless.
“And the money! You extorted me!” Leonard blustered weakly.
When Peter stepped closer, Leonard cowered against the wall, babbling about police.
“Quiet,” Peter said coldly. “Who put you up to this?”
Leonard cracked fast. A young man named Jake had suggested complaining for compensation (“flaws always exist, right?”) and even paid Leonard to target Peter specificallyto get him sacked.
Peter showed a family photo with Jake in it.
“Him?”
“Yes!” Leonard nodded frantically. “You know him?”
Peter found Jake waiting outsideodd, since he usually came up for Emily.
Jake paled at the sight of him.
“Why?” Peter demanded.
“Because youve got no business bothering a young girl!” Jake burst out.
“What?!”
“Youve filled Emilys head with nonsense! Think no one notices shes more than a stepdaughter to you?”
Peter grabbed him, fist raised
“Pete!” Emilys cry stopped him. He let go.
“Truth hurts, doesnt it?” Jake sneered, backing away. “Yeah, I wanted you gone! I even told Laura about the affairwho knew shed check?!”
“Did you shove me into the road?”
“No! Dont pin that on me!”
“Pathetic,” Peter spat. “Not worth dirtying my hands.”
Emily dumped Jake despite his pleas. She threw herself into studies, supported fully by her parents.
