Daddy's Poem Story
"Mommy! It's time to wake up," A bouncing little girl with dark brown hair just like mine and bright green eyes like her father said in a rush trying to wake me. "Mommy! Mommy!"
"Okay, okay Lilly settle down, I'm awake." I groaned as I reached out and grabbed her by her feet pulling her to me, "The tickle monster is awake!" I tickled her.
"Un-cle, Un-cle mom-my! Stop ple-ase!" She cried out, that is when I stopped my attack looking at her with my playful but I-won look, "Do I have to?"
"Yes you do," I replied to her little pout.
"Mommy, mommy is the best, I love her, the best." She said in a sing song voice, "I special love her blueberry muffins."
"Hmm. I don't remember the last part being part of the song," I lifted an eyebrow. "I'm guessing this means you want blue blueberry muffins for breakfast."
"Yes mommy so much! Please!" She pouted. I nodded an agreement before shooing her to get dressed and let mommy get up, I rolled over onto my side but soon realized that I rolled to the wrong side of the bed. This side of the bed I face was cold as the occupant of this side of the bed no long lived in this house. It's still hard to get up and face the day by myself raising a little 8 year old girl.
Maybe I should introduce myself to you, you see my name is Isabella Marie Swan-Cullen well it was Cullen I don't know what to go by now a days. I'm 5' 5" with dark brown hair with red natural highlights, I have plain brown eyes though some say it's a deep brown that makes you think there is a bigger story behind my eyes. I'm a single mom and its hard work trying to be an author and care for a child that has one parent. No one seems to understand when I am the only one to show up to my daughters events as if both parents show up to every event.
Now my daughter oh she is so sweet, her name is Lillian Rae Cullen. She just turned 8 years old and is so proud that she is a year older, saying that she can do this and that by herself now since she is older, but I worry so much people judge to much for their own good. Lilly has dark brown hair inherited from me and the brightest green eyes inherited from her father Edward Anthony Mason Cullen-who is unfortunately no longer a part of our lives.
Her hair was up in a pony tail,
her favorite dress tied with a bow.
Today was Daddy's Day at school,
and she couldn't wait to go.
I dressed quickly before making my way downstairs and start on the muffins. I had just put the muffins in the oven when I heard the pitter patter of Lilly's feet coming down the stairs. I expected to find her in her pajamas and her hair a mess, what I saw instead made me gasp.
"Mommy I'm ready for school when you're ready," She told me as she gave me a small hug before sitting at the table to color. She sat not in pajamas but in her favorite lavender purple dress that her daddy bought her and hide it away for her 8th birthday. She hasn't worn it much not wanting to ruin it.
"Honey what are you doing I thought we decided we were going to have a mommy-daughter day and have fun all day?" I asked as we had planned that she would stay home for daddy day that the school was having.
"No" I stared at her in shock.
"What do you mean sweetheart?" I asked.
"I want to go to school mommy!" She pouted at me with those big bright eyes that brought me to tears as I saw the determination and love in her eyes.
But her mommy tried to tell her,
that she probably should stay home.
Why the kids might not understand,
if she went to school alone.
But she was not afraid;
she knew just what to say.
What to tell her classmates
of why he wasn't there today.
But still her mother worried,
for her to face this day alone.
And that was why once again,
she tried to keep her daughter home.
I nodded slowly, "Alright sweetheart I'll go with you."
"Thank you mommy will you do my hair please?" I nodded again as we went to the bathroom to put her hair in a ponytail. "I love you mommy!" She whispered in my ear when she gave me a hug for finishing getting her ready.
"I love you too my sweet Lilly-bug," I whispered back. We went back down and finished breakfast and all to soon we pulled up to the red bricked school building that served as the school Lilly attended. "Are you sure you want to go we could go to the movies, or the arcade, or anywhere you want?"
"Mommy, please I want to go to school it will be fine specially if you're here." Lilly replied in that sweet voice as hers before leading me inside the school towards her class room with a bounce in her step.
But the little girl went to school
eager to tell them all.
About a dad she never sees
a dad who never calls.
There were daddies along the wall
in back, for everyone to meet.
Children squirming impatiently,
anxious in their seats.
One by one the teacher called
a student from the class.
To introduce their daddy,
as seconds slowly passed.
"Now class since today is daddy's day in class I think everyone of you should come up and introduce your dad and tell us a little bit about them, Adam will you start?" the teacher Ms. Lee said before sitting down.
"Yeah, This is my dad Eric…" Adam and many others introduced their dads and why they are special to them. Everyone in the class went until there was only Lilly left.
"Lillian would you like to go now…" Ms. Lee trailed off not sure what to do since she knew Lilly's dad wasn't going to be here.
At last the teacher called her name,
every child turned to stare.
Each of them was searching,
a man who wasn't there.
"Where's her daddy at?"
She heard a boy call out.
"She probably doesn't have one,"
another dared to shout.
And from somewhere near the back,
she heard a daddy say,
"Looks like another dead beat dad,
to busy to waste his day."
Lilly smiled back at me before slowly walking up to the front of the class watching as her classmates searched the back waiting for Lilly's dad to step forward so that he could be introduced.
It broke my heart hearing the boy ask 'where her daddy's at?' and specially when another boy shouted out 'She probably doesn't have one.' That one is true she doesn't have a daddy not anymore.
"Looks like another dead beat dad too busy to waste his day," A dad that was standing by me mumbled under his breath making the tears come to my eyes.
The words did not offend her,
as she smiled up at her Mom.
And looked back a her teacher,
who told her to go on.
And with hands behind her back,
slowly she began to speak.
And out of the mouth of a child,
came words incredibly unique.
Lilly smiled a smile full of strength showing me that she was not bothered by the words pointed against her dad. She looked to the teacher who smiled encouraging and told her to go on.
The words that came out of her mouth was strong emotions you could feel the love she said:
"My Daddy couldn't be here,
because he lives so far away.
But I know he wishes he could be,
since this is such a special day.
And though you cannot meet him,
I wanted you to know.
All about my daddy,
and how much he loves me so.
He loved to tell me stories
he taught me to ride my bike.
He surprised me with pink roses,
and taught me to fly a kite.
We used to share fudge sundaes
and ice cream in a cone.
And though you cannot see him,
I'm not standing here alone.
Cause my daddy's always with me,
even though we are far apart.
I know because he told me,
he'll forever be in my heart."
With that, her little hand reached up,
and lay across her chest.
Feeling her own heartbeat,
beneath her favorite dress.
And from somewhere here in the crowd
of dads, her mother stood in tears.
Proudly watching her daughter,
who was wise beyond her years.
For she stood up for the love
of a man not in her life.
Doing what was best for her,
doing what was right.
I stood watching my daughter bring this dads to tears as my own tears fell freely down my cheek. Remembering all Edward did for our daughter, all he did for me.
And when she dropped her hand back
down, staring straight into the crowd.
She finished with a voice soft,
but its message clear and loud.
"I love my daddy very much,
he's my shining star.
And if he could, he'd be here,
but heaven's just to far.
You see he is a Marine
and died just this past year.
When a roadside bomb hit his convey
and taught Americans to fear.
But sometimes when I close my eyes,
it's like he never went away."
and then she closed her eyes,
and saw him there that day,
And to her mothers amazement,
she witnessed with surprise.
A room full of daddies and children,
all starting to close their eyes.
I watched in amazement and wonder as everyone closed their eyes just as Lilly did. I also silently closed my eyes seeing Edward my dear sweet husbands smiling face. He is so very strong just like our daughter who was beyond her childhood wisdom with the wise words she said today.
Who knows what they saw before them,
who knows what they felt inside.
Perhaps for merely a second,
they saw him at her side.
"I know you're with me Daddy,"
to the silence she called out.
And what happened next made believers,
of those once filled with doubt.
Not one in that room could explain it,
for each of their eyes had been closed.
But there on the desk beside her,
was a fragrant long-stemmed pink rose.
And a child was blessed, if only for a moment,
by the love of her shining star.
And given the gift of believing,
that heaven is never too far.
That day will forever be burned into my mind watching the daughter of Sergeant Edward A. M. Cullen stand before people that thought her father had abandon her but instead dead protecting this country to insure her safety and freedom so that she may grow up strong.