Mchapter1

Josh Chasez smiled proudly as his daughter spun around in front of him, showing off her very expensive new prom dress. She looked like such an angel with her blonde hair flowing gracefully around her face. And she had beautiful blue eyes, just like he did. She looked just like her mother had at her age, minus her sparkling blue eyes. Her mother had had brown eyes.

***

Josh remembered the day he�d met her mother Christi. He�d been the new kid at his middle school. Her big brother had been the school�s most popular jock. Name any sport, he�d probably succeeded at it. Her brother found some sick pleasure in teasing Josh and beating him up. But one day, all the teasing had become worth it.

Christi wasn�t just popular back then because her big brother was. She was the most genuine and caring person Josh had ever met. One day, she�d been standing with her brother when he decided to pick on Josh yet again. Josh tried to ignore him, but couldn�t, as he was pushed up against the brick building. Josh could hear Christi screaming at her brother to stop as a fist made contact with his jaw. Josh fell to the ground and held his jaw in pain. He�d looked up a few minutes later to make sure the bully was gone, and looked right into Christi�s worried eyes. She held out her hand to help him up, and that moment, while staring into her chocolate brown eyes, is when he fell in love.

Skipping a few years, he recalled the first time he�d asked Christi out. Ever since she�d helped him up, he�d wanted to become friends with her. When he was a senior, and she a junior, he�d finally worked up the courage to ask her to go out on a date with him. And he�d been ecstatic when she�d accepted. They hadn�t really said much to each other after the day her brother beat him up, maybe a random �hey� here and there. But after dinner and a trip to the bowling alley, they knew a lot more about each other. Josh remembered that after that night, they�d spent a lot of time hanging out and getting to know each other even better. He�d even become friends with her brother Chris. He was a cool guy when he wasn�t beating you up, Josh remembered thinking. Chris had apologized to Josh many time and Josh had forgiven him.

****

�Dad?� his daughter, Leah, said, breaking him out of his trance.

�Yeah, sweetie?� Josh answered.

�Are you ok?� she asked, worried.

�Of course, I was just thinking about your mother,� Josh admitted. They talked about Christi often. Josh wanted to Leah to know what a wonderful mother she�d had. �She would be so proud of you now, Leah,� Josh said, before adding, �you look so beautiful. Just like her.�

�Thanks, dad,� Leah replied, �I needed to hear that.� Josh stepped forward with his arms out and embraced Leah when she stepped into them.

He heard her sniffle and said, �now don�t cry honey, you don�t want to spoil that beautiful make-up.� He smiled at her and winked. �Every guy there is going to be jealous of Justin.�

Leah laughed before saying, �yeah, and every girl is going to be jealous because Justin is really� uh, cool.�

�Yeah, sure. Go ahead and say it. You think he�s a total hottie, am I right?� Josh winked again.

�Dad,� she chided.

�What? That�s what you were thinking, wasn�t it?� he joked with a big smile.

�Well� yeah, but when you say it, it sounds weird,� she responded, sticking out her tongue.

�Where is he anyway?� Josh questioned.

�He should be here soon,� Leah answered.

�Great. Don�t leave without letting me take a few pictures,� Josh added before leaving the room.

�Ugh. Do you have to?� Leah whined, but she knew she�d thank him for taking the pictures later.

****

Josh wandered into the kitchen, suddenly saddened. He wasn�t sure why. He was probably just worried about his �little girl� who was now seventeen years old. He figured he�d already lectured her enough. He�d also talked to Justin, who was her best friend, about curfew and told him to take care of Leah.

He couldn�t help but think back to his own prom. It was the same year that he�d asked Christi out and they�d become friends. He had asked her to be his date and she�d said yes. They�d gone as best friends, just like Christi and Justin were going to do. But he also remember that he and Christi had fooled around that night. He hadn�t expected it at all. It had just seemed right. He�d lost his virginity to her that night. As he thought back to the night, he remembered every detail.

Christi had looked so gorgeous in her light blue floor-length prom dress. She�d pulled her hair up, and dusted her face with light make-up. The prom had been a blast, and so had the after parties, but what he remembered most was after the prom and parties. They�d gone back to her house, and no one had been home. Her parents were on vacation and Chris was out with some of his friends. So they�d had that house to themselves. She�d led him to her bedroom and sat him on her bed while she got out some candles and lit them. He just watched her in awe as she made the room glow. Then she�d walked slowly back towards him and smiled a smile that showed both her nervousness and her excitement. It had been her first time too. They�d laid down in her bed and made love.

After, while they were lying together, they talked. About everything and anything. They talked about their fears and their deepest secrets. Josh had gotten up hours later to retrieve his pants, and he�d seen the panic in her eye. She�d thought he was going to leave her when she was most vulnerable. But when he pulled a small black box out, got down on one knee and took her hand, her eyes had widened in shock.

He�d made his speech and then waited patiently as she stared at him. Finally, she moved to pull him to her and whispered her answer in his ear. And she�d made him the happiest man on earth that night. He�d taken out a simple ring, apologizing because it wasn�t very big, but she hadn�t cared. She�d never cared that his family didn�t have much money and her family was the richest in town. Money didn�t matter at all to her. They�d spent the rest of the night in each other�s arms. They�d decided to wait until she�d graduated to get married because they weren�t ready just yet.

****

�Hey dad?� Leah yelled, interrupting his daydreaming, �Justin�s here.�

�Ok� he yelled back, leaving the kitchen and going into the front hall, �hello, Justin.�

�Hello, Mr. Chasez,� Justin responded.

�I told you you could call me Josh,� Josh reminded him, �Mr. Chasez makes me feel old.�

�Ok,� Justin agreed with a smile.

�So, dad,� Leah started, �we�re going out to dinner and then straight to the prom and then right back here.�

�Don�t you want to go to a party?� Josh asked, almost smacking himself for suggesting it.

�Can we really?� Leah asked, her eyes glowing with excitement.

�I don�t see why not. I did after my prom. But I want you two to stay together. And Justin, you take care of her, you hear me?� Josh said.

�Yeah, of course I will� Josh,� Justin replied, smiling.

�Good, now how about some pictures?� Josh suggested. He had Leah and Justin pose together and then asked Justin to take a picture of him with Leah. When he was satisfied, he asked to speak to Justin privately.

�Dad,� Leah objected.

�Just one minute, Leah, and then you two can go,� Josh promised.

�Fine,� Leah replied, frowning. She mouthed �I�m sorry,� to Justin before he was led into the other room.

�Now, Justin,� Josh started.

�Yes?� Justin asked, suddenly becoming nervous.

�I just want to share something with you. I want you to be careful with my daughter tonight. I know what most guys have on their mind on prom night, because I�ve been there. I know you probably don�t want to hear about my experience, but let�s just say that Leah was conceived on prom night,� Josh ended, as Justin�s eyes widened.

�You mean she was a�� Justin trailed off.

�If you were going to say a mistake, no. But she was a surprise. It�s hard to raise a baby while you�re still in school. Especially without a wife. But that�s not the point. If you are thinking about sex, please use protection. Because I don�t think either of you are ready for the commitment a child brings. I know I wasn�t,� Josh smiled when he saw that Justin was blushing.

�So, um,� Justin stuttered, blushing more if possible.

�So have a good time tonight, Justin,� Josh said to ease some of Justin�s nervousness.

�Thanks, Josh,� Justin replied, �you did a great job with Leah, you know, she�s a great girl.�

�Thank you, that means a lot,� Josh responded, ignoring Justin�s hand when he offered it, and pulling the boy into a hug, �you be good to her.�

�Of course,� Justin said, jumping when Leah shouted to ask if they were done yet. They both went back to the front hall where Leah hugged her father and then said goodbye. Josh sighed as he saw Justin drive away with his �baby.�