Sponsor a story at EDF - Your message can reach thousands of readers for just $4
Marisa Tourneau booked her wedding planner the day she turned twenty-one. She would have done it sooner, but the rule of the house was, “Daddy’s Money, Daddy’s Timeline.” That meant no Sweet-Sixteen planning until each girl’s fifteenth birthday and no, absolutely no, wedding talk until they were old enough to drink. Daddy always said, “No one gets married until she can drink the champagne at her toast.” But of course that was ridiculous, because all three Tourneau girls had been drinking champagne since they were old enough to stir a mimosa.
As he signed the check, Mr. Tourneau asked, “Who’s the lucky man, again?” He’d more or less given up on keeping track of the steady stream of boyfriends the moment the parade of Sweet Sixteens began.
Marisa rolled her eyes, “No one, Daddy. It’s just that Janelle St. James is impossible to get, so we have to book now if we even want to have a shot in a couple of years.”
“So… this means you won’t be getting married for two years?”
“At least. She’s booked solid for three.”
He smiled and signed the check with a flourish.
Thirty-six months later, the “lucky man” turned out to be a blond, blue-eyed snowboarder named John — a perfectly respectable name if his middle name hadn’t been Lennon. John Lennon Moorcock, and he always went by all three. Ms. St. James left no detail to chance. The flowers were grown locally in a hothouse run by world-reknowned horticulturists. The cake came with three Michelin stars. Five minutes before the ceremony, Marisa was sewn into her dress by a master tailor.
“How’s that work?” John Lennon Moorcock asked.
“Stress can make you lose weight. And you can gain from anything. From drinking too much water. This way, it’ll fit like a glove.”
“I mean for getting it off,” John Lennon Moorcock said.
“Oh that.” Marisa shrugged.
Honeymoon planning wasn’t part of Janelle St. James’s package, but she still had her connections, so she made it a point to present each prospective groom with a portfolio of options six months before the departure date. Any earlier, in her experience, the duty would slip the groom’s mind, and any later, the most exclusive destinations would be booked up.
John Lennon Moorcock accepted the folder with easy grace. “This is awesome. I totally know where we’re going.” He brushed a bleached lock away from his eyes. Marisa imagined him doing the same, shirtless, on a white sand beach.
He wanted to keep the destination a surprise, so she packed a little of everything — some high heels and slinky dresses, three bikinis, all the lingerie from the shower except the nightgown from Aunt Hester. At the last minute, she threw in a pair of running shoes, not sure she could break the habit, even for a week. He reminded her to bring her passport, so she tucked it into her carry-on along with the latest Vogue and her silk eye pillow.
They slept in the morning after, wild on champagne and 600-thread-count sheets and each other. He pulled the Jeep around to meet her. Ms. St. James had suggested they keep it locked it away from the best man and maid-of-honor, but they’d found it anyway and festooned it with tin cans and window-paint hearts. It was right. It was good.
The inside was loaded with beef jerky and Cheetos.
“Road trip,” John Lennon Moorcock said. He smiled with straight, white teeth. “We are gonna pown Canada.”
Marisa Moorcock sighed, tossed her bag of bikinis in the back, and climbed in. “Daddy’s Money, Daddy’s Timeline.” Daddy always said, “No one gets divorced until there’s tarnish on the ring,” and Janelle St. James always insisted on platinum.
Jennifer Tatroe lives near Seattle with her husband and eight-year-old son. Her work has appeared in numerous venues across the internet and even, occasionally, in print.
This story was sponsored by
Naked Metamorphosis — All the world’s a stage… and Franz Kafka wants to direct. An absurdist’s version of Hamlet complete with heretofore unexplored heights of depravity, cockroach transformation, Shakespearean bawdiness, and split infinitives!
GD Star Rating
loading...
loading...
Did you like this story?
A new and interesting story is posted every day.
A new and interesting story is posted every day.
Subscribe to the RSS Feed! (what is rss)
Don’t miss another story! Subscribe to Every Day Fiction via RSS.- Share on Facebook
20 Responses to “DADDY'S GIRL • by Jennifer Tatroe”
Comments
« INVASION • by Laura McHale Holland | Home | FRIDAY MIDNIGHT FIVE STARS • by David J. Rank »
November 19th, 2009 at 12:50 am
“tailer”?
November 19th, 2009 at 4:03 am
Loved the last line! Also enjoyed the fact that, in planning a wedding acceptable to everyone including her own moneyed tastes, poor Marisa forgot to wonder if the groom would actually suit her!
November 19th, 2009 at 5:10 am
Road trip sounds good to me.
Good story, Jennifer.
November 19th, 2009 at 5:54 am
I don’t know what to make of this story until I find out if platinum tarnishes. This whole story hinges on the last sentence – if platinum tarnishes, then Marisa’s a two-dimensional shallow rich girl who’s had her wedding and is just waiting out the statute of limitations on her marriage; if it doesn’t, then her sigh means she’s determined to make a go of it, and she becomes real and interesting.
November 19th, 2009 at 6:08 am
Did my research; platinum does not tarnish, and I now officially love this story.
November 19th, 2009 at 6:44 am
Kind of cute, but not much “body” to this one.
November 19th, 2009 at 7:21 am
I really liked the writing and the story’s strong. Maybe a little too much ‘body’ or not enough lead into the ending.
But I’m afraid I have to disagree with you Bob:
‘if platinum tarnishes, then Marisa’s a two-dimensional shallow rich girl who’s had her wedding and is just waiting out the statute of limitations on her marriage’
Whether the ring tarnishes or not the girl IS waiting out ‘daddy’s timeline.’ Whether she’s just realized this or not could say something about her character, but I don’t think it would make her a ‘shallow rich girl,’ and even if she was it does not follow that she’s a shallow character for a story.
There are plenty of good stories about characters we don’t ‘like’ or agree with necessarily but that doesn’t make them ‘shallow’ or unlovable stories.
November 19th, 2009 at 8:22 am
Great story! I loved the image-conscious girl paired with the handsome, free-wheeling snowboarder. There’s so much truth to the old adage of opposites attracting.
November 19th, 2009 at 8:53 am
What I love about this story is the whole world you’ve created. In so few words, Jennifer, you’ve created a complex of cross-generation interplay that informs on our present shallow-juicy couture-media drenched society. I’m sure there are many daddy-girls in today’s world. In the days before we got caught up with the minute-byminute bombardment of “celebrity” via TV, the internet, and fanzines, a daddy’s-girl might have had the opportunity for growth, a chance to get serious…
But now, how would this happen in our world of moving on to the next thing the minute we get bored? Even with a timeline. The focus for this father-daughter team is all wrong.
Anyway, THAT’S what this story made me think about through its detail and counterplay of Daddy’s “timeline” and Marisa’s place in today’s world. I say thank you and bravo.
November 19th, 2009 at 8:54 am
I just woke up so if that’s a jumble up there in the commentary, blame it on my subconscious.
November 19th, 2009 at 9:38 am
Well done. This one maintained a kind of light touch throughout, not getting bogged down in details, telling just enough to keep things moving along and interesting. Everyone in this tale is as shallow as a rain puddle: “money can’t buy…” and insert your own list here.
–John
November 19th, 2009 at 9:50 am
A enjoyable read, Jennifer, though perhaps relying alittle too much on the last sentence. Still, you maintained my interest throughout and made me smile by the end (no mean feat!!). Thanks.
Gavin
November 19th, 2009 at 10:07 am
I enjoyed this one immensely. Like others, I enjoyed the writing and the world. The interplay between the groom, the father, the bride, and the wedding planner really made this story flow.
I didn’t quite get the ending, until I related the “sigh” and the bag of bikinis to the destination. It’s a very subtle twist that pops this one out of the oven… well done!
November 19th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
I enjoyed your story, Jennifer! This story makes me wonder what else is on Daddy’s timeline? Or what might happen if she doesn’t follow Daddy’s wishes down the road? Maybe something to consider for a future story?
November 19th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Thank you for all the comments so far (especially P.M. Lawrence for pointing out my typo and the editors for quickly fixing it–I don’t know how we all missed that).
Bob, I love your take on the ending. It mirrors my own. A marriage requires a lot more compromise than a wedding, but I like to think they figure things out.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:38 am
who is Marisa Tourneau ? she contacted her wedding planner just as she was 21,that’s cute and funny
love love love
November 20th, 2009 at 8:04 am
Enjoyable story. The breezy tone fit the subject matter well, and I loved how much more there was going on than just what was on the page. I especially liked the ending.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
This story was perfect – just perfect. I laughed out loud at your many clever lines. Thank you for sharing it with us.
November 24th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Your characters are always so believable to me. They are absolutely real, and since I read this story I’ve continued telling the tale in my head several different ways. Which is the best way for flash fiction to leave a reader, I think.
January 31st, 2010 at 10:15 am
Are the rich really that dull? She deserved a Motel 6 hony moon! I enjoyed it!