I Love You, Daddy

The woman sits at the Lakeside Restaurant in Central Park, gazing into a rain-soaked October night. Her eyes are fixed on some distant point, and she doesn't notice the thick drops of water that fall around her. Memories from years past flood her mind. The memories that all lead up to this moment.

She grew up in a small town on the bayous of South Louisiana, where everyone knew each other. Her parents divorced when she was young and remarried by the time she was three. They all lived in this quiet little town of 1200 people. She grew up there with two sets of parents, four sets of grandparents, and more cousins than she could count on her hands.

As she thought about her Dad, a sudden movement caught her attention. A hand grazed her shoulder and moved her blonde hair away from her face. The touch was so familiar that she couldn't help but smile.

"Hey, sweetheart," he says as he leans in to kiss her cheek.

"Hey, Daddy," she replies with a faint uneasy voice.

The tall, bearded man pulled the seat at the table next to his daughter and quickly sat down. She found it odd that he sat beside her, making her a little uncomfortable. She wasn't sure what brought about this meeting, but she took a deep breath, relaxed, and told herself to enjoy this time.

Her Dad was the epitome of a manly man. His rough exterior and even rougher voice could not be denied. She remembered how fearful she was of him as a young girl. She grew up to realize that beneath all that roughness was a sweet, gentle man. And even though he rarely let it show, he cared deeply for his family. Although he always did well financially, he was never an extravagant man. She found it funny that he chose to meet at this particular restaurant. The elegant atmosphere was not his style.

After placing their order with the waiter, her Dad grabbed her hand, and they began discussing what was on both their hearts. Her Dad had always been a man of few words, but he was always there to listen and always had the right words when needed.

"I want to talk more about this little man of yours and how he has been doing," her Dad said with a quick smirk.

"Oh, Dad, you would be so proud of him. He is doing so well in school, and he started playing football and loves it. I wonder where he gets that from?" she said with a chuckle.

"Yes, I do recall someone who had a love for that game," he chimed in.

"You need to come next season and see him play," she added. "He," she hesitated for a second and gave her Dad a huge smile, "and I would love that.”

Those words put a huge smile on her Dad's face. As they sit engaged in conversation, she sees the bright flash of lightning in the window behind their table. She sofly closes her eyes and braces for the thunder destined to follow. After the thunder's roll dies, she slowly opens her eyes.

She looks around, but it is not the restaurant in New York that she sees. She stares blankly at her bedroom wall as tears stream slowly down her face. It was just a dream.

She starts playing through each moment of today until finally realizing how much has changed within just 24 hours. Life will never be quite the same again. She plays back the phone call from her sister, and the words "He's Gone" still haunt her mind. Why did he have to go so quickly? Why did he have to go so young?

The words that went unspoken burn deep in her soul. In her 36 years on this earth, they were words she longed to hear and say. But he left too soon, and she waited too long. Now the opportunity is gone. He was there in her dreams, but time slipped away again.

She grabs his picture on her nightstand and holds it tight.

"I love you, Daddy," she said through the flowing tears. "I love you, Daddy!"