"Once upon a time, there was a kingdom called Ohio and the king of Ohio's name was King Burt." I snuggled into my mother's side, listening to her beautiful voice. "King Burt had a son named Prince Kurt. Prince Kurt's mommy died when he was very little and when he got bigger, King Burt married another lady named Queen Carole." I beamed up at my mom. Carole was the most beautiful name I had ever heard.

"Queen Carole also had a son named Prince F." My mom continued. "Prince F's daddy was a brave knight who died when Prince F was just a baby. When Prince F got older, he was the most handsome prince in all the land. All of the maidens wanted to marry him, except one. Lady Rachel was the daughter of Lords Hiram and Leroy and Lady Shelby. She had the most beautiful singing voice in all the land, and talent which did not go unnoticed. Lady Rachel sang all the time and her dads supported her to never give up.

"Prince F also had a wonderful singing voice, but he tried to keep it a secret because his friends thought singing was girly." My mom looked upset, but smiled down at me and kept going. "One day, a handsome knight named Sir William heard Lady Rachel sing and found four others with amazing voices, forming a group called New Directions. Sir William heard Prince F singing not long after New Directions was formed and he made him join the group. Prince F and Lady Rachel fell in love." My mom smiled sadly.

"They stayed together for two more years, until Lady Rachel got a fancy invitation to learn to sing better in a school called NYADA in the kingdom of New York. Prince F didn't get any school invitations, so he didn't think he was good enough for Lady Rachel. Then one day, he told Lady Rachel that they were going to get married, but he really sent her to New York in a horse and carriage. When Lady Rachel got to New York, she found out that she and Prince F were going to have a baby, but she never saw him again. Then Eve Faith Berry was born. The end."

My mom bent over and kissed my nose, making me giggle, but I was soon serious again.

"Mommy." I asked her quietly. "Why did Prince F tell Lady Rachel that they were going to get married?" Mommy climbed out of my bed and tucked the sheets around my chin.

"Prince F thought he was doing what was best for Lady Rachel." She tried to explain. I wrinkled my nose.

"You mean like in that castle movie where he makes the girl leave even though she loves him?" Mommy laughed and shut off my lamp.

"If you mean Casablanca, then yes. Exactly like that. Goodnight baby." She left my room and shut the door behind her. Once she was out of earshot, I jumped out of bed and dragged a small box out from underneath it, opening it carefully. I pulled out a worn photo of a handsome teenager in a football uniform, waving at the camera. I kissed the picture and smiled.

"Thank you for the happy birthday daddy, I love you and I miss you. I'll see you next year." I placed the picture back in the box, closed it, hid it, and climbed silently back into bed. "Goodnight daddy." I whispered before I fell asleep. That was the year I turned 8, the year, not unlike the others, that I was sure my dad would come and find me. I would never have guessed, that instead of him finding me, I would find him.