Nat: Challenge Two

His Angel

By Nat

Daddy, I’m scared, she says
And he knows his heart is breaking
What kind of father was he
That couldn’t even protect his own daughter?
I know, sweetie, he answers
Daddy’s here, it’ll be okay
Looking at his little girl, who’s all grown up now
He thinks back to the day she was born
He’d never seen anything so beautiful
A little angel wrapped in pink blankets
And she only grew more beautiful with each passing day
The most outgoing girl with the golden curlsAnd brilliant smile that could make him melt
He remembered
Her first day of Kindergarten
How excited she’d been
And how hard he’d struggled to hold back the tears
Teaching her to drive
Struggling to keep his patience
And the feeling of pride when she got it right
The day of her first date
Trying to help her find the perfect thing to wear
But he’d never really been a fashion expert
Prom night
Dress and shoe shopping for weeks
Watching her come down the stairs
Looking so much like her mother
How she’d breezed right by him
Into the waiting arms of her date
The sense of loss as she waved goodbye
Now, seeing her wasting away in this hospital bed
All he could think about was
How hard she’d been fighting,
Fighting to beat the cancer
That was breaking down her defences
And more thoughts flashed by
The things he’d never get to see her do -
Get married
Have children
Go to her 10-year high school reunion
Have a 50th wedding anniversary
Parents shouldn’t have to do this, he thinks
I shouldn’t have to watch her suffering
But he holds a brave face
For the sake of his daughter
Daddy, she says again I’m scared
And he knows that she doesn’t have long
It’s okay, sweetie, he tells her
He doesn’t know where his courage comes from
But something gives him strength
Daddy, she whispers, I love you so much
He buries his face in her hair, tears flowing like rain
I love you, too, he whispers
She looks up bravely, tears pouring down her cheeks
Don’t worry, baby girl, he tells her
There’s no time in heaven
I’ll be there in a minute
Her eyes close for the last time
Her hand still caught in his tight grasp
He can’t believe how much strength she has
How strong she is, and how brave
And even though she isn’t wrapped in pink blankets anymore
She still looks like an angel