Her dad would frequently call her at school. Whenever he had a troubling case, particularly those involving girls and young women around her age, he would call, just to make sure she was ok.
The first time he did it, she had been in the 5th grade. When she saw the call, she got freaked out and demanded to be let out of the room. When she answered, panicked, all she heard was her dad, who was usually so full of jokes, breathe a sigh of relief, "Thank God."
"Daddy, what's wrong?" She had asked.
"Nothing, sweetheart, I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
"Ok, well, I'm fine, but Daddy, I'm in school. I'm not supposed to be on my phone in school."
"I know, and I'm sorry, but I had to hear your voice. Now go back to class. I'll see you tonight."
"Ok, bye Daddy",
"Bye, Sweetheart,"
The next time it happened wasn't until the 7th grade, but it still freaked her out just as much.
"Dad, what's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong, just needed to hear your voice."
"Ok, Dad. I'm completely fine. Hear me? 100% ok."
"Ok, go back to class. Goodbye sweetheart,"
"Bye, dad,"
It happened twice in the 9th grade.
"Hey Dad, what's up"?
"Nothing much, just checking in."
"K. I'm alive. Bye now."
"Bye, sweetheart,"
Then:
"Dad?"
"Hey, how are you?"
"I'm fine, but Dad, you've got to stop doing this. I'm in high school now, the teachers actually care if I'm on my phone. I'm going to get get it taken away or something soon."
"Alright, I hear you."
"Good,"
"Bye, sweetheart,"
"Bye,"
It happened three more times in the 10th grade.
"Hello, Dad."
"Hey, just making sure everything's fine at school."
"Yes Dad, everything is fine at school, except for the fact that my teacher is now pissed at me."
"Sorry,"
"No you're not. Goodbye,"
"Bye, sweetheart,"
After that:
"Hello, father."
"Hello, daughter. How is everything?"
"Everything is fine at school. All my limbs are attached, I'm breathing, no bullet holes or kidnapping or anything. I'm going back to class now. Goodbye, father,"
"Bye, sweetheart,"
Lastly for that grade:
"What?"
"Just checking in."
"Ugh, whatever. I'm fine. Goodbye, Jacob."
"How many times do I have to tell you that I am your father and you do not call me by my first name."
"Whatever. Goodbye, Jacob,"
She could feel his eye roll through the phone, "Bye, sweetheart."
Rose Peralta was pleased, as the phone calls seemed to have stopped after that. She did not get a single call in the eleventh grade, and she didn't think she would get one in the twelfth. After all, she was almost eighteen, practically an adult. That's why, when her dad did call her in the middle of second semester, she decided that enough was enough, and she ignored it.
She continued to do her work, when her phone lit up again with another call from her dad. She just kept ignoring it, but by the fourth time, her teacher had noticed. Mr. Grey was an old dinosaur who hated technology. If he caught a phone ringing in class, even if it was silent, he made you answer it on speaker phone.
Rose irritable clicked the speaker phone button, "What, Dad? I'm fine. I'm always fine."
She heard some static on the other end, followed by a lot of coughing. "Good, I'm glad."
"Dad?"
"I had to make sure you were ok, one- one last time." His words were interspersed with more coughing.
Rose started panicking, "Dad, what's going on? What are you talking about?"
"I'm in trouble, sweetheart. I'm not quite so fine. I needed to hear you tell me that you're fine, you're ok, and I need to tell you to stay that way."
Her eyes started watering, "Dad, please don't talk like that. Please, please, don't talk like that. Whatever happened, I'm sure you're going to be just fine. You always come home just fine."
Her dad coughed again, "I don't think that's going to happen this time, sweetheart. I love you, Rosie, I love you so much."
She was crying harder, "No, Dad, no. You have to try. You have to try to be ok, for me. Please Dad, try your best." She was hysterical. "Promise me you'll try your best. Promise me you'll be ok."
"You know I can't promise that I'll be ok, but I can promise to try. I'll try my very best, I'll fight like hell to get back to you, but you have to understand that it might not work out."
"No, Dad, it will. I have to believe it will, that you'll be ok."
"Sometimes, it doesn't matter how hard you want something to be true. I need you to promise me something."
She sniffled, "What?"
"That if something happens to me, you'll be ok."
"Dad, you know I- I can't-" she choked up.
"Please, Rose, for me. Promise you'll move on, and live your life. Please, promise me," he begged between coughs.
Tears flowed fiercely down Rose's face, "I-I promise, Dad. I love you, Dad."
"I love you too." In the background, she hears the sound of sirens, and it sounded like they were getting closer. "Bye, sweetheart," then the phone cut off.
"Dad? Daddy?" She shook the phone, hit the screen, tried everything to make it work. Finally she looked up, her brown eyes haunted. "I didn't get to say goodbye."