Tasha stared at her for a second and as she sensed Lizzie’s unease at the notion of her dad beingthe old guyand that he wasreally goodshe responded. “Pippa, please,” she chastised slightly. “Will you stop referring to Jim as the old guy and whether it is lame that I miss him or not I don’t think you should discuss whether he is really good or not.”
“Sorry Tash, it was only a joke,” said Pippa defending herself.
“I know,” acknowledged Tasha, a little gentler now, “but he is Lizzie’s dad and my boyfriend, God, he’s going to be my husband!” cried Tasha disbelievingly making the two girls laugh at her.
“Sorry.” Pippa repeated her apology as she hugged and kissed her sister before putting some cereal into a bowl.
“I am going to get a shower while you two eat breakfast and then you need to get ready for today’s shoot,” Tasha told them. “Plus, I don’t think you want the image of me and Jim in your head either.”
“Eww” cried Pippa who was already covering her ears, fearful that her sister might continue.
“And if you are interested there may be a photo shoot in it for the two of you.” Tasha exited the room to the sounds of screams and squeals of excitement.
The shoot and the whole day passed quickly and Tasha had to admit that the girls had taken to it like ducks to water and seemed far more natural models than she ever had been. They had been put into casual wear mainly, but had also modelled a couple of more formal, evening or occasion wear and had even been trussed up in bridesmaids dresses alongside Tasha as a bride which caused a considerable amount of amusement to them all, especially when a very attractive, young male model, Abe, appeared as the groom. Jake had suggested sending a shot of Tasha and the girls to Jim and with a little persuasion from the girls she agreed and entered Jim’s email address into Jake’s computer.
“All done,” announced Jake. “The bridal shots are winging their way down the line to sunny L.A.”
“Shots?” asked Tasha, “All of them?”
Jake nodded.
“Including the ones with Abe?” A little concern entered her voice as Jake nodded again. “Shit!”
Lizzie began to laugh. “Daddy will not like that.”
“No, he will not,” agreed Tasha as Pippa looked on confused.
“What’s the problem?” asked Pippa eventually.
“Tasha is Daddy’s and he is very jealous so will not want to see pictures of her with any other man, especially not one looking like her groom.” Giggled Lizzie.
“It’s not funny,” Tasha told her, but giggled herself.
Tasha and the girls were eating pizza in front of the TV with Lucy when the phone rang. Lizzie answered. “Daddy,” she squealed and grinned at the sound of her father’s voice.
Tasha watched on and smiled broadly at just how happy she was to be speaking to her dad. It never failed to amaze her how he became even more attractive when he was simply being himself as a dad.
“Thank you for letting me do the photo shoot today, we had a ball and Pippa and I got to keep the clothes. What? Not the bridesmaid ones no, although we haven’t got any yet, but Tasha says she is on the case with that. Yes, she is here, okay. Yes of course I’m being good. I love you too.” She passed the phone to Tasha. “Daddy wants you.”
“Hello,” answered Tasha, suddenly nervous with the mention of the wedding shots, specifically she was nervous in case he objected to the ones with Abe.
“Hi baby, how are you?” came Jim’s response.
“I’m fine, thank you and as you’ve heard, the girls had fun today.” His simple use of baby immediately made her feel less nervous.
“I heard, yes, and you appear to look very pleased with yourself on these photographs, you, Lizzie, Pippa and who is your groom?” he asked, still lightly, but a little less playful now.
“That was Abe,” replied Tasha.
As she waited for a response she would have kicked Lizzie hard had she been closer because she decided that an appropriate interjection came in the form of, “Yes, Daddy, Abe. He was very beautiful and I think he is my new daddy.”
Pippa and Lucy giggled along with her, but Tasha didn’t, she tried to change the subject.
“So, how has your day been so far?”
“Honey, it is not quite noon yet so my day has barely started, but for the record it was okay until I sawmyblushing bride on the arm of my daughter’s new daddy,” he said seriously, but still calm.
“I thought Jake would only send a couple of shots of me and the girls,” she admitted honestly.
