**Stepdad**
“What for? Because youve got no business bothering a young girl!” snapped Gary.
“Excuse me?”
“Youve completely messed with Emilys head! Think no one notices shes not just a stepdaughter to you?”
Peter couldnt hold backhe grabbed the lad by the front of his jacket with one hand and raised the other to give him a proper thrashing.
“Pete!!!” Emilys frightened voice stopped him cold. He let go of his opponent.
Peter had married Laura when her daughter, Emily, was ten. The girl still remembered her real father, whod died two years earlier, and at first, shed been wary of her mothers new husband. But Peter had won her over.
She never called him “Dad,” but the way she said “Pete” was so sweet and familiar that no one doubted they were close. And it was Emily whod kept their family together when, six years into the marriage, Peter had made the idiotic mistake of cheating on Laura with a colleague, Ingrid, at some office party.
Honestly, hed just had too much to drink, got carried away by the festivities and the relief of finishing a big project Barely remembered a thing afterward. But someone had snitched to Laura.
The row that followed was spectacular. Peter begged for forgiveness, but Laura refused to listen and threatened divorce. They argued while Emily was at school, but the girlkind, sensitive, and far too observantstill noticed something was wrong and was heartbroken.
“Im only forgiving you for Emilys sake,” Laura hissed through clenched teeth. “But this is the first and last time.” Next time, shed file for divorce without hesitation.
Peter already loathed himself enough. He spent more time with his family, trying to make amends, and sighed in relief when Emilys eyes eventually brightened again.
But then their girl grew up, and at eighteen, brought home a boyfriend to meet the parents.
Gary was not Peters cup of tea from the startlanky, fidgety, smug, constantly smirking. But for Emilys sake, who gazed at the boy with stars in her eyes, Peter bit his tongue.
“Em, love, are you sure hes the one?” he murmured after the boyfriend left their flat in Manchester.
“What, Pete, dont you like him?” Emilys face fell. “You just dont know him yet. Garys really sweet.”
Peter sighed but forced a smile. “Well see. Youve always had good judgment.”
Gary, meanwhile, clearly sensed Peters dislike. He avoided the stepdad where possible, plastered on politenessthough it clearly didnt come naturally.
Then Peter had bigger problemsLaura accused him of cheating again with that same Ingrid.
“What, did you like her so much last time you couldnt resist?” Laura fumed. “Just go to her, then! Why torture me?”
“Laura, what?!” He was stunned. After that first disaster, hed never even considered straying again. “Wheres this coming from?”
“Someone told me!”
He didnt bother with lengthy argumentsjust rang Ingrid on speakerphone.
“Pete,” she said drily when he asked about their supposed affair, “are you drunk? I got married six months ago and Im expecting my husbands baby. Did you miss the memo when I handed out cigars at work?”
“Right. My mistake,” Peter muttered. He shot Laura a pointed look. She flushed but huffed and stormed off.
She gave him the silent treatment for daysclassicbefore things settled. He had to make up some vague excuse for Emily about the row, though the girl, deep in her romance with Gary, still fretted over her parents tension.
Then Peter got hit by a car. Absurd, reallyone moment he was on the pavement, the next, shoved into the road (swore someone pushed him), and a car clipped his legs. Thankfully, it wasnt speeding, so he got off with a sprain and mild concussionthough the asphalt hadnt been kind.
Stuck hobbling around the flat, Peter endured Emilys relentless doting. She brought him meals in bed (despite protests), played chess, read to him, or just chatted about nothing.
“Why dyou bother with him?” Peter overheard Gary grumble in the hallway one day. “Hes a grown man, let him”
“Gary!” Emilys furious whisper cut in. “Petes basically my dad! I love him, and Ill look after him, whatever anyone says!”
Gary huffed some weak excuse. Peter smiledtheyd raised a good girl.
Two months later, another disaster struck. Peters boss accused him of shoddy work after a client, some bloke named Leonard, claimed the ceiling his team installed was uneven and demanded compensationeven alleging Peter had tried to extort extra cash.
“Rubbish! We did a perfect job and never asked for a penny more!” Peter spluttered. Leonard had been a nitpicky pain, but hed seemed happy at the time. Why the sudden complaint?
“Sort it out,” the boss snapped. “Or youre all sacked with ruined reputations.”
Peter couldnt reach Leonard that day and came home grim. Over dinner, he told the family.
“Dont worry, Pete!” Emily rushed to reassure him. “Hes just confused. Want me to come with you?”
“Last thing we need is you losing your job over this,” Laura sighed. “Just handle it.”
Leonard faltered when Peter showed up. “What dyou want? Im taking this to court! You lot are cowboys!”
“Show me where we messed up, and Ill fix it,” Peter said tightly.
“Nothing to see!” Leonard squeaked. “Experts will deal with itproper ones!”
Patience gone, Peter shouldered past him into the flat. The ceiling was flawless, just as expected. He fixed Leonard with a hard stare.
“And the money! You tried to extort me!” Leonard blustered weakly.
When Peter stepped closer, the man flinched into a wall, yelping about police.
“Quiet,” Peter said softly, locking eyes. “Did you think of this yourself, or did someone help?”
Leonard spilled instantly: a young bloke named Gary had suggested complaining to get compensation (theres always some flaw, right?). Worse, Gary had paid Leonard to specifically target Peterget him fired in disgrace. Why? The client shrugged. Just didnt like the bloke.
Peter showed a family photo on his phoneGary included.
“Him?”
“Yes! You know him?” Leonard babbled.
Peter found Gary lurking outside, oddly waiting on the street instead of coming up. Perfect. The lad startled at the sight of him.
“Why?” Peter asked.
“Because youve got no right hanging around a young girl!” Gary spat.
“Excuse me?!”
“Youve twisted Emilys head! Think no one sees shes more than a stepdaughter to you?”
Peter lost itgrabbed Garys jacket, fist raised.
“Pete!!!” Emilys cry stopped him. He released Gary.
“The truth hurts, eh?” Gary sneered, scrambling back. “Yeah, I wanted you gone! I even told Laura about the affair! How was I supposed to know itd backfire?”
“You shoved me into traffic too?”
“N-no! Dont pin that on me!”
“Pathetic,” Peter sneered. “Not worth dirtying my hands over.”
When Emily learned the truth, she dumped Gary, despite his pleading. She threw herself into studies insteadwith her parents full support.
