Daddy, I Love You

A story about the relationship between a dad and a daughter, this story is dedicated to my wonderful father :)

“Daddy Daddy!!” The little three year old, blue eyed girl tugged gently on her daddy’s gray, wet coat.  Her father, who she begged for every inch of his attention, looked upon her with soft blue eyes much like her own.  He bent down, his tall being, encumbered at such a small thing and scooped her up in his overwhelming arms. The little girl looked into her father’s eyes and pushed his thick dark hair away from his handsome face with her soft hand, and gently snuggled deeper into his arms.  The safest place in the whole world.  

This to her was home, ever since her mother died her father had become everything to her, and she had become the same to him.  Her mom died in a tragic accident that had left Emily confused.  One day her mommy was smiling down upon her, her eyes glowing with pride for her little girl, and the next day she was gone. One slip was all it took and one rock was all anything ever needed to change the lives of two people; one a man, who in that fall, lost his other half, and for the other a woman who had given that little girl the world.  

Now they stood all alone the only place to turn to was each other.  Emily sat there in his arms her white blonde hair that reached to her shoulder covered her face.  Her hands sticky, her lips stained a juicy red from the cherry jam she wasn’t supposed to have before dinner.  She began to kick violently trying to get her point across that she wanted down.  He set her down with as much care and caution as china doll, and as much love as a teddy bear.  She immediately, on reaching the floor, sprang away and disappeared into her pink, majestic room.  From the cramped living room Craig could hear the rustle of clothes, and the slam of her dress up trunk; a few minutes later she twirled out of her room covered head to toe in her favorite pink gown and sparkling tiara.  

Craig smiled and chuckled at her bed pants that stood out from under the skirt. She spun round and round, stopped suddenly, and then ran to him in joyous abandon her eyes sparkling in mischief and fun, her cheeks glowing from her childhood innocence, her feet swaying her and spinning her to the music she made as she sang her favorite nursery rhymes.  Craig took a seat and watched the show in enjoyment.  Laughed when she fell, and caressed her when she cried at the boo boo on her darling little foot.  She was bandaged as if she had broken her leg, and he wiped off the cherry from her face and hands.  

He carried her sleepy little figure and laid her to bed.  Her eyes growing heavy as she listened to the resonance of her precious daddy’s voice as he read her her favorite stories.  Her yawns widened and her body relaxed completely as her eyes closed in sleep.  He put down the book he was holding and pulled the covers, which she kept perpetually kicked off, up to her chin.  He leaned down and kissed his little angel and prayed a silent prayer of thankfulness for his little girl.

 

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     Craig shook his head, the anger building within him.  How many times was she going to annoy him? How many times had he said no?! No! She could not have a pony! Emily pushed out her bottom lip and opened her eyes just a tad bit bigger.  Her hands held up a picture of a deep gray horse, its mane flowing as it ran.  That was her little fantasy, and oh how he became sick of it.  Sure it was cute until it came to the point where it was all she talked about and berated him for.  Here he drew the line.  

Emily had seen that placid glare many times and knew what the answer was and what it always would be.  Her heart sank; her eyes took off from the puppy dog face and transformed into an even more pitiful act of manipulation.  Craig tried to keep up the impression of annoyed, now he was only amused, and that made Emily mad. 

“Fine!” she mumbled.  She slumped her shoulders and walked away.  Her manipulation lasted a whole of two minutes when she came flying back into the kitchen. 

“Hey daddy, can we go to the movies tonight?” Craig looked up from his tea and Bible.  He began to think his eight year old daughter was becoming quite spoiled.  He took a sip of herbal tea; relishing her anticipation and then destroying it all by one harmful word. 

“No.” That made the little bluebird screech and peck. 

“Why not?!”

“Because I said so.” A child’s most dreaded phrase.  Now her curiosity overtook her want; now she wanted to know why they couldn’t.

“Why?” A parent’s most dreaded phrase.  Now his annoyance was peaked.  Did she always need a reason for everything?!  Couldn't she just obey without question?

“Because I said” He slowed his voice as if she was a child that couldn’t understand, and she didn’t.

“You hate me don’t you?”  Her face turned up.  Her eyes shot fire at the injustice of it all.  She turned around and huffed out of the room; dejected.  Her father completely ignored the whole conversation, and Veronica poked her head around the corner trying hard to see guilt in his darling blue eyes.  Nothing, she ran into her room and tried to fight off her eight year old emotions.  First it was anger, second it was complete self pity, third, she began to see the wrongness and tried hard to see it from her daddy’s point of view, but not enough to even tempt her to go out and apologize or even to live life normally.  These are often the thoughts of one so young.  

She kept up her pitiful act until she heard her father push back his chair and his heavy footsteps tread across the tile flooring, and were muffled by the soft carpet from the living room floor.  She listened intently from where she laid on her bed, her forced tears from her “horrible” life streaked down her face.  All was silent until suddenly the T.V. turned on as if by magic.  Her favorite movie!  

She wanted to go out and watch, but she had to keep her stand or her father would never learn his lesson.  She fought with this for about five seconds until she laid aside her weapon and carefully tip toed out of her room into the hallway.  She peeked around the corner at her father sitting on the floor eating ice cream out of a cup.  Her mouth watered.  She stalked across the floor and cuddled up next to him her eyes fixed on his shake.  He smiled gently knowing that her curiosity and desire were much larger than her own little idea of her own little principles; for now.  

They sat there for the rest of the evening talking, watching movies, laughing, and being together in each other’s own sweet embrace.

 

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     Twelve year old Emily walked out of her still pink environment; her hair tussled and unbrushed.  Her clothes made it unbelievable that she should walk out of such a nice, sweet, girly room.  She wore a blue shirt, for the third day in a row, her jeans were ripped at the knees; she had on a baseball cap on backwards; it was caked in dirt.  She carried under one arm a baseball mitt and a few packs of Pokemon cards under the other.  Craig watched his daughter pass him and head straight for the door, it was Saturday.  

“Emily.” She stopped right when she reached the door her back to him.  The second he had said her name her shoulders slumped, and even though he couldn’t see her he knew she was rolling her eyes. 

“What?”

“Haven’t you had enough of your friends?”

“No.” Her father couldn't miss the annoyance in her voice.  He felt angry and hurt that his daughter preferred her friends, every single day, over him.  He hated being alone, but now it seemed like he was always alone.  Ever since the younger boys of the neighborhood had excepted her as one of them she had been absent nearly every day; trading Pokemon cards, playing baseball, running around in the woods.  He didn’t mind her tom boyishness at all.  

At this time it was a good thing, but he knew this would become a problem later.  Should he step in when he feels like the time is right, or should he just let her grow out of it?  He prayed silently for wisdom.  He wasn’t a woman, so what should he know about such things as femininity and how a girl should dress.  Without a woman's touch for his little girl then he needed guidance, which he sought regularly.  

He sat down in the silence of the house and tried to read, but the house seemed to echo its own sounds.  He sat there remembering how leaving her daddy for the first time in her life she had cried constantly; clinging to him.  He remembered times when she was small that she told him over and over that she would never leave him alone; that she would take care of him always.  Well they all needed to grow up sometime.  

That night Emily walked in, her face covered in dirt her pants ripped even more.  She looked about as she set her mitt on the spotless kitchen table and spotted her dad snoozing quietly in his rocking chair.  The kitchen was spotless; he had done her chores for her even after she had ignored him earlier, and left him alone all day.  She was panged with guilt.  Her spotted gray and white cat looked up at her with love and affection as he swirled in between her legs.  Emily kneeled down and brushed her fingers lightly through the silken fur.  The cat curled up in her lap and looked so content.  Emily picked him up and laid him gently on the couch, and silently stole towards her dad.  His glasses were still on; a picture lay on his lap, and as the lamp near him shone upon it Emily could not mistake the beautiful smiling face that looked back her.  It was her mother.  

Emily felt a single tear slide down her dirty face as she thought back at how lonely her father must have been, and all he had to keep him company was the picture of the woman he once loved.  Emily leaned down and gently kissed his bearded cheek.  Then lay her head upon his shoulder vowing to herself she would do better.

 

 

 

 

 

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     Craig buttoned up his tuxedo and brushed back his slick black hair.  The gray began to show, he didn’t need to hide it; he was proud of the fact that every year he lived was another blessing and that every grey hair on his head represented all the blessings he had received.  Emily signified at least half of them.  She was his greatest blessing.  He hurriedly brushed his teeth and eyed himself in the mirror; he looked fine enough.  He looked down at his shiny new watch; they had plenty of time, and if he knew Emily it would all be used up.  

He walked out of his bedroom and began texting a coworker while she finished getting ready.  The new tabby kitten Lizzie grabbed at his coal black shoes and dodged when he nudged her.  Emily's spotted cat had died less than a year ago, and Emily’s only comfort was Lizzie, a surprise from her kind dad.  Craig could hardly bear the hurt and pain in her eyes when she had been told that her best friend was gone.  He could still hear her cries of despair and anguish.  The pain was almost fully gone now, and Lizzie had succeeded in charming everyone out of their misery.  Craig set down his phone and crossed his arms waiting for his daughter to hurry up. 

“Daddy!” she called from her room,

“Close your eyes!”  Craig obediently did what he was told.  

“Ok open them.” He opened his eyes and eyed his daughter.  She was fourteen years old and looked like an older version of the princess she would dress up as over her pajamas.  Her dress was a bright blue that brought out the color of her eyes.  Her hair a bit less blonde then it once was curled and pulled back on top.  She grinned, her eyes shining again as if she was three years old.  Her smile radiated sunshine and innocence.  Craig swelled up with pride at what he had raised.  She was truly beautiful. She still had much growing to do, but Craig a few times could see a glimpse of the finished gem and felt proud to be a father to it. 

“Emily, you look beautiful.” Her grin widened until her eyes were almost blocked out like crescent moons. 

“Thank you daddy.” Her eyes glistened with moisture as she looked at her daddy.  He looked so much older, but he was still as handsome as anyone she had ever seen.  Craig led her to the car and they drove to the church that the Daddy/Daughter dance was being held.  They entered into the large auditorium and eyed the gorgeous decorations.  The center was cleared out as the dance floor, tables encircled it all every individual table had its own unique decoration.  Craig moved to the closest one and sat down Veronica right beside him.  

A few dads were mingling and talking about sports with one another.  The daughters ran off with their friends.  Emily looked around and realized that they were the only couple that stayed together.  They talked and talked to one another, finding gentle solace in each other's company.  Craig making her laugh her radiant laugh every other word.  

The auditorium pretty soon began to fill up, and people began to fill in everywhere.  Craig’s first thing was to go over to the entry table and buy five raffle tickets; one dollar apiece.  He came back to the table as the music began.  Daughters went in search of their fathers to beg them to dance.  Craig looked down and took Emily’s hand and they walked to the dance floor.  It was a swing dance.  Craig showed her a few moves and in a minute were twirling and swirling away.  Craig looked her in the eyes and remembered watching her daughter dance, sway, and twirl in the living room as a little girl.  She had never stopped.  She danced only for her daddy, and one day she would open her heart to one more person and that would be another reason worth dancing for.  The swing dance ended and both partners were out of breath.  

Thankfully the next was a slow dance.  Craig held her close and they talked quietly about memories and her mother; about her little mistakes and quirks as a child.  The time her grandpa had come to babysit her and she had cheated during monopoly and taken candy from the jar; when her father got home she asked if she could have candy and he had said a firm no; the guilt on her face clearly showing.  Her grandpa had taped the whole thing.  Emily casually laughed at herself.  As they talked on Emily was amazed at her father.  He always had the perfect wisdom about everything, including her. They danced and talked all throughout the rest of the evening.  Near the end it was time to open the letters from the daughters to the fathers.  Hers read as such…

 

Dear Dad,

I cannot begin to tell you how blessed I have been to have you as my dad. I love you so much.  I know that sounds childish, and a little cheesy, but it’s true.  You will always be the greatest gift I have ever had the honor or privilege to know.  I know I will take you for granted many times, but know now that forever, even in hard times, you shall forever be an incredible, loving, and genuinely amazing  father. All the adjectives in the world could not describe how wonderful you are, or how much you mean to me.  I pray you will not be taken away from me for a long time.  I love you so much daddy and all of our memories together with always comfort me when I am old and you are gone.  I love you.          

 

 

     Emily

 

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     Emily turned this way and that as her bridesmaids pulled and pressed here and there trying to form the flowing, crystal white gown just right.  She eyed herself in the mirror and couldn’t believe this day was finally here.  Six months ago her fiancé had asked for her hand in marriage.  She felt like the day of their betrothal to one another was forever away, but it was finally here.  

At this moment, she looked forward to her new life, but with a little fear and trepidation.  She was so unsure of herself at this point.  Doubt flooded her mind.  She silently prayed for strength.  The veil was gently pulled over her face, and the flowers placed in her hands.  Soon her father would be here to take her to the alter and give her away.  

She gave one last hasty glance at herself in the mirror before her father tapped at the door several times.  He walked in at her ok and gasped at her.  His heart had never felt such a mixture of emotions.  He was proud of her, but he already felt the deepening void of loneliness, but refused to let it show.  This was her day and he wanted her to be happy.  His eyes began to water and he pushed back the lump in his throat; she looked just like her mother.  He missed his beautiful wife now more than ever, and hoped that wherever she was she was watching this moment.  

Emily edged her way towards him; her dress rustling as she took his hand and kissed his cheek.  He would miss her dreadfully.  He took her hand and led her from the room and through the double doors.  

The young man standing at the end was clearly nervous, but forgot all his worries as his breath caught when he saw his future wife walk towards him.  He was captivated with her and everyone in the world could clearly see how much love they had for each other.  Her father let her go and she took her new first love’s hand and right then Craig knew he would never get her back.  

The vows were said and after the ceremony everyone headed for the reception.  It took awhile for everyone to get there.  The music began and couples began dancing while others raided the buffet.  Craig sat to the right side of the bride at the long table.  He listened as Emily and her new husband smiled and giggled with each other.  He smiled to himself.  He had raised her right.  

The speaker got up and called out to the audience that it was now the father and bride dance.  Craig walked over and held out his hand; she placed hers gently into his and walked to the center of the room.  He placed his arm about her waist and gently led her to the music.  

She looked up at him and he looked down at her, and all time seemed to stop, and she was but a little girl again; young and frolicking about as if she had her whole life ahead of her, he wondered silently where all the years had gone to.  She leaned up towards him and whispered into his ear, “I love you daddy.” 

 

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     Craig suddenly awoke, his alarm going off right next in his ear.  He sat up, the full realization of the dream he had sinking in.  He quickly climbed out of bed and tip toed softly into his Emily’s room; it was pink and stuffed animals coated the floor.  He stole over to her bed and watched her as she slept, her thumb in her mouth and her blankets kicked off once again.  And as he looked on, marveling at her childish beauty and innocence he smiled and thought to himself, he still had time.

Author's Note

Please ignore any grammatical errors. I am not and have never been good at grammar and I am sorry for any errors in my story. Thank you.

Reviews

[Viet Pham]

Sweet story, I am sure your father really enjoyed it.

[Midori]

thats so sweet i liked it!

[GlamGirl]

Ah, I'm tearing up. This is so beautiful! I loved every bit of it :) What an amazing little girl.

[Truth_About_Rain]

Wow, beautifully written!! Love it :)