I came to see her dad,
For a sit down man to man
Wasn't any secret,
I'd be asking for her hand.
As I got closer to Yolie's house the more I wanted to turn away and run. But I had to do this, didn't I. Yes, I did it was the right thing to do. Man I have never been more scared of anything in my life. As my hand formed a fist and I knocked at the door after the first knock he answered knowing that I was coming today. We sat down in the living room him on a large recliner and myself on a small chair that matched the other furniture.
I think he knows why I'm here or at least has a rough idea. He just stared at me making me more nervous. I began to twiddle my thumbs in my lap trying to calm my nerves. I could not believe I was here to ask him and well really get his permission to ask her, I have tried to play this day out in my head before but never could. He grunted looking away from me and standing up leaving the room and walking into the kitchen.
I guess that's why he left me waiting
In the living room by myself.
With at least a dozen pictures of her
Sitting on a self.
I breathed a bit lighter as he walked out of the room. I waited there alone for about twenty minutes looking over at a shelf that I have yet to see in her house. I could feel his eyes on me though he was nowhere to be seen. As I got up and sat back down I silently cursed myself for being a coward. Then I coaxed myself into standing up again and walking closer to the shelf. It was all pictures of Yolie from birth to well now. All in order well at least it looked that way. I began to count them and noted what she was doing in each one.
She was playing Cinderella.
Ridding her first bike.
Bouncing on the bed and,
Looking for a pillow fight.
Running through the sprinklers,
With a Popsicle grin.
Dancing with her daddy,
Looking up at him.
In her eyes I'm prince charming
But to him in just some fella
Riding in stealing Cinderella.
To Yolie I'm prince charming the one who comes to sweep her off her feet and take her to the ball. But to this man I was the one riding in stealing her from his grip. To him I am no better than a thief.
I leaned into the pictures
To get a better look at one.
When I heard a voice behind me say
Now ain't she something son.
I said yeah she's quite a woman
And he just stared at me
Then I realized in his heart she would always be
Then I saw a picture frame in the back of the others and leaned in to see it better when I heard his footsteps. I knew they were his because his black top shoes screeched as he walked over the floor that his wife just mopped. He stopped behind me glancing at the same picture.
"Ain't she something son?" I sighed yes Yolie was beautiful, smart, loving, strong minded, and so much more. I knew that she was the one for a while I just wanted to wait for her to be ready. Now we're both finished with collage and the time seams perfect. Standing here at this moment I didn't feel so sure. I glanced over my shoulder at her dad who was still awaiting an answer.
"Yeah," I said and he straightened up as if expecting more. What could I say well um...? I felt frozen she's my dream girl my everything. But how do I put that into words. She's... She's the woman I love and I can't even talk to her father. I am such a dork. I'm no better than the monster I was when she met me.
"She's quite a woman." I blurted out wanting to take the words back as soon as I said them. Her dad repositioned himself staring me down. I realized then that no matter what I said I would have got the same reaction. He didn't see Yolie as the caring, educated woman she is today. To him she was three years old and needed to crawl up between him and her mom in the bed because there was a thunderstorm. He looked back at the picture of him dancing with her standing on his toes. To him she would always be...
She was playing Cinderella.
Ridding her first bike.
Bouncing on the bed and,
Looking for a pillow fight.
Running through the sprinklers,
With a Popsicle grin.
Dancing with her daddy,
Looking up at him.
In her eyes I'm prince charming
But to him I'm just some fella
Riding in stealing Cinderella.
Yolie is his Cinderella and she looks at me like prince charming. But I am beginning to think about it about it in a new way. In the story the dads have no character to act as a mirror. Cinderella didn't have a dad but I bet that if she did, I bet Prince Charming would be shaking in his million dollars designer fairytale boots.
So he slapped me on the shoulder
Then he called her in the room
When I threw his arms around me
That's when I could see it two
"Sir, I..." I began trying to make the words come of my mouth. Then he padded my shoulder with a smile. He knew my question and he already had an answer I am the only one who didn't know the answer sitting as his lounge.
"I know why your here Ken it's no secret? I never thought you'd ask. Between us it's not really a father's choice if I were to say no I would be sleeping out here for the night." He said I breathed easier.
"YOLIE!" He called then he turned to me and took out a tissue.
"For the sweat running down your forehead, it's now or never Kenny boy you ready." He asked knowing that I wasn't I stared at the black case that held the ring between a wad of red velvet. The moment I worked so hard for was here and I couldn't believe it.
I knelt down on my knee and waited for her to turn the corner her mom and her sisters peaked from different places to see this display. Yolie's face was priceless and she ran to hug her dad so tight turning to me I bit my lip.
"Yolie will you marry me?" The words flooded out of my mouth easily and clearly. I couldn't believe that it was that easy to ask her.
"Yes, Ken yes a million times yes." She said as I stood up wrapping my hands around her waist as she hugged my neck. I didn't want to let her go she began to pull away and I allowed her two taking her and sliding the ring into its proper place on her finger.
I saw a glow in her father's eyes that I didn't realize before. He looked at me and nodded his head back towards the self. The empty picture frame that I stared at before had a picture of Yolie and I from a second ago was a light blue frame with a ceramic carving of Cinderella on one side and Prince Charming on the other. Over the top it read happily ever after. I looked over all of the other snap shots of her life.
She was playing Cinderella.
Ridding her first bike.
Bouncing on the bed and,
Looking for a pillow fight.
Running through the sprinklers,
With a popsicle grin.
Dancing with her daddy,
Looking up at him.
If he gives me a hard time
I can't blame the fella
I'm the one who's
Stealing Cinderella.
I began to realize as I looked back over all of the pictures that If Yolie I ever had a daughter it would be tough give her away to anybody. But then I made a conclusion that whatever he does he dose because he loves her. Also I'm the one who's stealing his little girl so he has reason to give me a hard time because I am the one taking his baby girl.
I the one stealing his Cinderella.