Darla

"If I take you on, I take you down to square one. You start out buck naked and will have to earn everything from your first stitch of clothing to your first phone call. I don't care about our history or who you are right now, this is all about what you will become."

She eyed me warily.

"You surrender all rights. I will have full authority over you and I will eventually permeate into your very soul. You will discover great joy in pleasing me and learning from me. You will be collared to indicate your subservience to me an to the illustrate to contract between us. I will use the crop and, when necessary, spank with my open hand. Every part of you from the tip of your toenails to the last follicle of the hairs on your head will be mine to mold as I see fit. In exchange I will house you, instruct you, and send you off with a new outlook, a new set of job skills, and a more satisfactory life all around but you MUST become my property!"

"But Daddy!" She pouted in return.

Technically speaking, Darla was not my daughter but she may as well have been. Her entire life she had called me 'Daddy.' I had raised her from the age of sixteen months to the age of sixteen. Now, four years later, at age twenty, she was tumbling down the same path as her worthless biological father and my now ex-wife. There was one bad boyfriend after another, there was the experimentation with drugs. There was her history of barely earning a diploma from high school and the subsequent flaming out of a college for dunderheads with a GPA too low to measure. Darla had lost her job, been kicked out of her apartment, and had no where else to go. My ex-wife, Bonnie, was simultaneously too self-absorbed and too obsessed with the cock of her new boy toy to provide any solace to her daughter. I had heard enough from old family friends and other sources to be prepared for Darla's inevitable visit to my doorstep.

Neither her current loser boyfriend, nor the dopes she had a history with had the means to take care of her, nor did they have enough affection for her to give her even a corner of the roof in the apartments or flop houses they dwelt in. She was at the end of her rope.

Darla and I had always gotten along, with some major caveats. She had been an exasperating daughter as I had been prevented from disciplining her the way I could have or should have because of Bonnie's interference. All of my old predictions as to how Darla would turn out were reverberating about my skull. It is true that a prophet goes without honor in his own country.

I returned her exasperation with a scowl.

"But Daddy, that's not how you raised me! Me being naked in front of you would either case me to turn to stone or you to go blind! You did nothing like that when I lived with you!"

"And see how good that turned out? Had I had a free hand when you were living under my roof, you would not be in the pickle you are in now. I won't take you back only to repeat the same mistakes. I will not repeat my offer. Take a walk around the block to think about it. After your walk you will have to fish or cut bait. If you enter my house tonight, you enter under my terms and you live here until I decide that you are capable of living on your own. Apply yourself, demonstrate that you have some backbone and a willingness to learn. If you do, I will even fund you another try at college. But the Darla that exists now can NOT enter this house. It is not too late for you but time is running out. I offer you hope and salvation, but my terms are non-negotiable and require unconditional surrender."

"My God, Daddy, You ARE serious!"

"Yes I am. This is the last shot for both of us. It is your last chance to turn around your life and it is my last chance to impart maturity, self reliance, and wisdom into you."

"But me naked. You spanking me."

"Embarrassment and shame are the last tools left in my arsenal. Had I been able to raise you right the first time, today, instead of turning up on my doorstep like a bad penny, you would be a career woman or a successful college student. Those methods of embarrassment and shame would have never left the toolbox. Look at all the bad choices you have made. If you are honest with yourself, you will recall that my advice was ALWAYS better than the course you chose. Even now when all others are rejecting you, I offer you a lifeline. It is my lifeline so I get to dictate the terms"

"Daddy, I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm a young woman."

"No Darla, you are a spoiled little brat who never heard no from her mother and were permitted to flaunt my authority night and day. Young women are respectful, properly demure, confident and capable. You Darla, are NONE of those things. You are a petulant six year old in the body of a twenty year old girl. That six year old little brat needs to be smacked in the fanny from time to time, made to clean her room, pick up her toys and apply herself in school. Most of all that spoiled little six year old needs to admit that she was wrong and that her life is messed up because she was too proud, and too spoiled to ask for help from a loving parent to make her a better little girl. When you lived with me, Darla. I offered you my ear. I attempted to discipline you the best I could but your mother wouldn't let me. In spite of everything, I never stopped loving you. I STILL love you. I STILL want the best for you. You can STILL have those things. Now I am going inside for fifteen minuets. Take that time and decide if you want to continue being a failure. If you want to change, come back and knock on my door. This is the ONLY offer of help that you will get from me."

Before she had a chance to object, I closed the door in her face. I knew that Darla had no where else to go. Since divorcing, Bonnie, Darla's mother, my life had been one success after another. A year or so after she left me for a school teacher who was later caught with a ton of kiddie porn on his work computer, I developed a code that was highly desired by several very large software and computer companies. I patented this code and made some very impressive money by selling it to the highest bidder, For legal reasons, I can not mention the company I sold my code to, but rest assured that you have used it.

I've been retired for over a year. I have no family to speak of. A new long-term project was just the thing I needed to banish the retirement blahs. Darla was the closest thing I ever had to a child of my own. For the most part, I enjoyed raising her but the frustration I felt when I saw the direction her life was headed, made me truly grieve. Darla really is a great kid. Although she never applied herself in school, she is whip smart. She's also quite lovely physically but her lack of self-confidence is so strong that she has never allowed herself to shine. Just altering the way she carries herself would do wonders for her appearance. Yes, I realize that Darla right now is a dead ringer for her mother. I married Darla's mother when she was a few years older than Darla is now. The fact that Bonnie was an unwed mother, should have been a warning to me but what can I say? Love is blind. The ONLY good thing that Bonnie instilled in her daughter was the importance of good birth control so that she not repeat her own mistake.

I strolled around my new home. Since I had an more than an inkling that Darla would be headed my way I had a spare bedroom all set up for her. It was spartan by design. The thought of Darla naked was, to be honest, more than a little arousing but I would push my dirty old man inclinations aside as much as I could because, as I said I truly cared about Darla and wanted the best for her. I told myself repeatedly that quasi-incest was NOT my goal. In truth Darla NEEDED to be reduced to nothing before she could truly appreciate anything. The sound of my door bell ringing again was simultaneously delightful and conflicting.

I opened the door a crack. Darla was in tears as she stood with her head hung low on my door step.

"Daddy, I have nowhere else to go!"

"Will you abide by my rules?"

She inhaled deeply, nodded her head and said, "What other choice do I have?"

I opened the door all the way and Darla entered my foyer. I took the suitcase from her hand, and retrieved the rest of her luggage from my front stoop. In truth there was a lump in my throat and my heart was beating loudly in my ears. I steeled myself, and faced my step-daughter.

"Darla, I have a pot of tea steeping. In a while we will sit down and share a cup. But there are some things that must occur first. Later you are going get undressed and I will give you a bath. I imagine that tonight will be the single most awkward for both of us. You will feel humiliated and angry, but believe me, that is exactly what you need. Because I had more than an inkling that you would head my way, I have a nice room set aside for you. I'm sure you remember that I am an excellent cook. Starting tonight you have a strict bed time and wake up times. Most of your days henceforth will be tightly structured. The faster you adapt to your situation and the better you behave, the more freedoms you will be granted. I am going to lock up your suitcases and your purse. Starting as of this moment, I provide you with EVERYTHING. In exchange you apply yourself, listen to my instruction, and ultimately, turn your life around."

"Daddy, WHY are you doing this?"

"Because I love you Darla, because I love you. You can't see that now but as time passes you will. Now, follow me."

Darla bit her lip and stamped her feet as I led her to my impressive master bathroom. Even so I could see Darla's eyes drinking in all the new luxury I had come into. She was beginning to realized that living with me would indeed have its benefits.

"Now Darla," I said as I adjusted the taps on the tub, "you have to get undressed now. Everything comes off, including that stud in your nose and your earrings and any other jewelry. I decide when and it you are permitted to adorn yourself and I decide what jewelry you will wear."

Darla turned beat red and stamped her feet but eventually her fingers went to the zipper of the light jacket she was wearing. Even though it was June it had been a cool day. She kicked off her low heels, stared at me for a long moment. She gulped noticeably and then reached for the top button of her pink blouse.

"Oh, Daddy." she whined before slowly undoing the buttons. She filled her lacy bra quite nicely and her tummy was nicely toned. It was like gazing through a time portal and viewing her mother's body. I felt myself stiffen. As a precaution against embarrassment on the part of both myself And Darla, I was wearing two athletic supporters under my loose khaki pants Darla pouted for moment stomped her foot and at last open her jeans and withdrew her long shapely legs from them. Instantly, I was reminded that it was Bonnie's legs that had first attracted me to her. I hoped that Darla did not hear my short intake of breath as I gazed at the trim dark haired woman who had once been my step daughter.

Delaying actual nudity as much as possible, Darla glared at me and then placed all of her jewelry on the edge of the sink. Last to go, the small stud from the left side of her nose. Tears welled up in Darla's eyes and she squeaked, "Let's get this over with!" In two quick motions she removed her bikini style panties and lacy bra. Her tits were just like her mother's and her brown bush was thick but neatly trimmed. I was delighted to discover that she had not defiled her lovely flesh with tattoos or piercing below the neck. Full of shame, Darla bowed her head, turned beet red and stared at the floor.

I tried to force my mind away from my honeymoon, where as my first act as a new husband, I had given my bride a bath. The body before me now was practically identical. I prayed that my overlapping jock straps were up to the Herculean task of masking my boner.

With a splash, Darla was in the tub. I picked up a washcloth and said,

"See, Darla you didn't explode and I didn't turn to stone from seeing you naked."

"Oh, I'll bet you are just LOVING this! If I had anywhere else to go on the planet I would be there. Watch you hands 'Daddy.'"

For the first time since she was an insolent teenager, Darla had pronounced the paternal word with as much venom and contempt that she could muster. I was content to let this particular instance slide. I would not be as forgiving in coming days. Gingerly, I began to lather and wash Darla. It had been a very long time since I had been in this situation. Looking back on it it seemed that Darla and I had our best bonding at bath time. I would ask her how he day had gone, what she had learned and what she had done. In return Darla would open up like a little flower for me, savoring and relishing in my attentions.

After a few minuets of silence that was beyond painful I asked Darla,

"How was your day?"

Darla laughed and said. "Well I never imagined when I woke up this morning that it would end with me at the mercy of a dirty old man or that that particular dirty old man would be the one who was literally once my very own old man."

She gazed at me with tears welling up in her eyes.

"Under the circumstances it feels funny calling you 'Daddy' but I've never called you anything else. The only reason I am tolerating your outrageous behavior, is because out of everyone in my life, you've been the only one that was always there for me. I know that you have always been good to me and you alone among the people in my life has never lied to me, cheated , or abused me. Sadly, I can't say that I treated you with the same respect you showed me. Because you have always meant right by me, I thought long and hard and decided that you would not change your spots now. I have always known you to be a wise and caring man, Daddy. I regret not having listened to you in the past. After circling the block and thinking long and hard, I decided that for the first time in my life I would obey you completely."

I paused in my washing of Darla's back and our eyes locked. With all of her heart she said softly,

"Daddy, please don't take advantage of me while I am in your care. Always remain the hero you have always been in my heart."

Silently, I nodded my assent, projecting as much sincerity as I could with my eyes.

We exchanged nods and then Darla turned from me and broke down in tears.

"Oh, Daddy! I had a horrid day!"

For the next three quarters of an hour, Darla poured her heart out to me. It was not hard to recall other bath times from a prior decade when she had cried about a particularly trying day at school or about a girlfriend who had been mean to her. For the most part all I did was listen and keep the water warm. My former step-daughter had a lot of frustrations to get out. When she was finished I presented the washcloth to her so that she could wash her face and blow her nose.

Somehow, we both knew that as she stepped out of the tub, something had changed between us. All of Darla's hostility and rebellion were gone and I had pushed away all my incestuous thoughts to see my self almost solely as mentor, coach, and confessor. Somehow I knew that both of us would come to relish our new relationship.

As she stood with the towel about her body I took something out of my pocket.

"Now Darla, I could have gone with a conventional slave type collar, but those are declasse and bulky. However there must be some outward symbol of your obedience and my authority." She oohed when I presented her symbol. "This choker is gold and platinum with the letter "D" in small emeralds It has a small but very strong lock in the back and I posses the only key. When your training is complete and you are on the way to a new productive life, I will remove it from your neck. I tell you now that your training will probably take more than a year. There will be frustrations and obstacles for both of us but together we can over come them. Do you accept my terms Darla? Do you give me full authority over you in ALL things?"

Darla nodded and then said, "Yes, Daddy. Whatever you say."

My hands trembled as I lifted Darla's hair and locked the choker about her neck. It looked marvelous against her skin and would look stylish with any type of clothing. Darla liked the look of my gift and spent some time gazing at it in the mirror.

"Its lovely, Daddy."after another moment of appreciating the jewelry she turned and said, "Let's have that tea."

I allowed her to keep the towel as we sat in my kitchen and sipped tea. We filled each other in on the lost time between us. Darla seemed truly interested in my patent and was both surprised and delighted that my newfound wealth had not changed me as a person. When the time was right I gave her an extensive tour of the house. The tour ended where both of us knew it wold.

"This room is yours Darla. Right now you have a bed, a chair, a desk, a bookshelf with some reading material and a currently empty closet and chest of drawers. Through that doorway is a half bathroom consisting of a commode and a sink. You will note that there is no door on the bathroom and the lock on this door can only be operated from the outside. There will be no secrets between us. Over the next coming weeks and months your good behavior and obedience will fill up the dresser and the closet with very fine clothing that will be selected for you. The rooms are warm enough that you will not need clothing for a while and the quilt is thick for when the nights ARE cold."

Darla stepped into her new world and said. "It's better than where I have been living that's for damn sure." She saw the stuffed animal on the twin bed, broke out in a wide smile and said "Mr. Bun!"

She picked up the stuffed rabbit and her eyes looked at mine with wonder.

"Believe it or not, I found him last year in a trunk I had not opened since I was married to your mother. How he got in there I'll never know but it seemed almost criminal to simply throw him away."

"Oh Daddy, how sweet." Darla embraced the memento of her childhood, reminding us both of other, more pleasant times. I had not seen her smile so serenely in years.

After a moment of letting her soak everything in I announced. "Well Darla, it is now technically past your bed time. I'll need your towel now and then I am going to lock you in. The lights will go off in fifteen minuets. Breakfast is tomorrow at 8:30 A.M."

Darla, unspooled the towel from around her body and seemed suddenly devoid of embarrassment as she held the towel out for me to take.

"Goodnight, Daddy! Sweet dreams."

"And sweet dreams to you as well precious."

It was only after the door had closed and locked that I realized Darla and I had just repeated, word for word, our final daily exchange from the entire time we had lived together. Even when she was rebellious and nasty, we almost always ended our day with those exact words!. Not for the first time I wondered just what I had gotten myself into.