The sun pierced through the window followed by a cool morning breeze lightly blowing the curtains. Nate Gray groaned and turned to the other side of the bed, avoiding the sun rays. He smiled slightly, happy that he could go back to sleep.
"Daddy!"
He flinched at the sudden sound of his bedroom door being flung open. Wrong. He was never going to get his sleep now. He heard a soft giggle as the little one jumped onto his bed. He sighed and lazily opened his eyes. He shifted and turned, fixing his position to face the little one, who had a bright smile plastered all over her face. She crawled towards him and planted a soft kiss onto his cheek.
"Good morning daddy." Her angelic voice, the sweet melody to his ears. He smiled and pulled her into his embrace.
"Good morning, angel." He muttered and kissed her forehead. "Why is my little princess so happy today?" He asked, looking at the five year old girl. She looked up at him, beaming as she flashed her pearly whites.
"It's your birthday!" She exclaimed and cupped his cheeks with her little hands. "Daddy forgot his own birthday!" She giggled and playfully pinched his cheeks.
"Really? Daddy's getting old." He chuckled. "How did my princess remember?" He asked, surprised that this little angel of his knew how to read calendars.
"Actually.." She trailed. He cocked his eyebrow at her, waiting for her to continue. "Well.. Uncle Shane was the one who told me." She smiled sheepishly. "We made you a present!" She clasped her hands together and looked at him; her brown orbs wide in excitement.
"Really? You didn't have to."
"Daddy, hurry get up and wash up! Uncle Shane and I will wait downstairs." She grinned and sat up. "Hurry hurry!" She shouted and hopped off the bed, running out of the room. He smiled to himself, lightly shaking his head as he heard her soft footsteps in a hurry.
Flashback.
Nate furiously ran his fingers through his hair, baffled by the whole situation. He paced back and forth, continuously sighing as he tried to think of a solution. He bit his lower lip as he gandered at the woman sitting on a couch a few inches away. She had her face buried in her palms.
"A-are you sure? Are you completely sure you're... p... pregnant?" He asked with a faltered voice. She slowly looked up at him; revealing her tear stained face, her mascara dripping down her cheeks. She opened her mouth to answer him, but her lips were trembling. She couldn't speak. He sighed and walked over to her. He grabbed her hands and kneeled in front of her. "I'll.. help you through this. I'm willing to be a father." He assured her as he looked into her eyes, hoping she would see his sincerity.
"M-my mother found the pregnancy tests I took.." She stuttered, her body slightly trembling. "S-she was furious..." She continued. Nate was silent as he looked down on the floor. It was no surprise. He knew how much her parents hated him. They hated his guts. According to them, their daughter deserved someone better, someone noble, and someone known. A someone. Nate wasn't a someone. He was a nobody.
As weeks passed, Nate tried his best to help her through every step. He read parenting books with her, he talked to the little one inside her. But as her belly grew bigger, her parents started to lock her up in her own room, forbidding Nate from ever stepping his foot into the house. They were embarrassed of their daughter being pregnant before marriage. It was against their family tradition.
" Nate, I want to run away with you." She pleaded that one night when she managed to escape from the prison of a house her parents had put her into. She held his hands tight as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Take me with you, wherever you want to go. I just want to be with you Nate. We'll start a new life, with this baby." She smiled and placed his hand on her stomach.
Nate stepped into the bathroom and turned on the faucet. He splashed his face a few times to freshen up his skin. He then turned it off and walked towards a rack to get his facial wash. Before he could reach for it, he slipped and fell hard on the cold marble tile. He hissed in pain as he turned to look at the culprit, the source that made him slip. His face softened as soon as he laid his eyes on the small rubber ducky. He picked it up and smiled.
"Ah.. My little princess' rubber ducky when she was a little baby." He chuckled as he pressed the material, hearing a loud squeak. He still remembered how cute and tiny she was back then. He still freshly remembered every single memories of giving her first bath, her first time of changing diapers, everything. But his smile slowly faded as he remembered the first time he held her in his arms.
Flashback.
Nate immediately sat up as he saw the doctor finally stepping out of the operating room. He breathed a sigh of relief, seeing a slight smile on the doctor's face. He had been fidgeting in his seat for hours after the nurses had to rush his girlfriend and the newborn into the emergency room due to a complication.
"How is she doc? And how is my little baby?" He nervously asked as he stood face to face with the doctor. He frowned as he saw the doctor hesitating. "W-what's wrong doc?"
"Mr Gray. I have good news... and bad news." The doctor started. Nate's stomach twisted as he heard the word bad news. He slowly nodded, waiting for the doctor to continue. "The good news is.. Your daughter is safe and finally breathing again." He continued.
"She's safe? Thank god." Nate smiled feeling relieved.
"The bad news is.. We couldn't save the mother's life." Nate 's heart dropped. He looked up at the doctor in horror. "She had a serious case of deep vein thrombosis, or better known as blood clot. We did everything we could. I'm deeply sorry." The doctor shared a look of sympathy while Nate was still speechless. "You may enter the room to see her for the last time. The nurse will bring you your baby girl after we clean her up. Once again, I'm sorry for your loss." The doctor bowed his head before turning to walk away.
Nate forcefully dragged his legs towards the emergency room. He stood under the door frame and looked at the frail looking body on the bed. He cupped his nose as he couldn't stand the smell of blood. He felt his body trembling, tears threatening to fall. He tried to contain the whimpers flooding out of his throat. He stood beside her lifeless body.
"You're still beautiful." He choked out between his sobs. He grabbed her hand and kissed her palm over and over. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever laid my eyes on." He whispered. He planted a soft but loving kiss on her forehead. "I love you. I always will. I will take care of our baby."
"Mr Gray." A voice interrupted. He turned around; meeting a nurse who was cradling a tiny little creature in her arms, his baby girl, the only proof left of their love. "Would you like to hold your baby girl?" The nurse asked. He nodded and reached for the baby.
"You look just like your mother." He smiled as he held the baby carefully. "Daddy is going to take a good care of you. This is a promise."
Nate shook his head, trying to shrug the bittersweet memory off of his mind. He carefully stood up and placed the rubber duck on the shelf. He sighed as he reached for his facial wash.
It had been 5 years now. 5 years after she passed. 5 years after his life started as a single father. He smiled as he washed his face. He remembered how hard it was to take care of his little princess in the first few months. He remembered asking his mother for help. He improved his parenting skills after a year. He remembered taking her out for her first walk but he frowned as soon as he remembered bumping into her late girlfriend's parents that day. They looked at him with eyes filled with fury. They blamed him for their only daughter's death. They threatened to take his little princess away from him. He was scared. He never wanted to lose his princess. After the meeting, he moved to somewhere far away from their old place, hoping they would never find him.
He splashed his face one more time before turning the faucet. He grabbed a towel and wiped his face. Years passed and he stopped receiving threats from them. They can never find him here, he convinced his worried self. He shrugged the thought off and stepped out of the bathroom. He then made his way out and searched his little princess and his best friend. He entered the living room and saw his princess giggling in Shane's lap as they blew balloons together.
"Daddy!" She beamed as she saw him. She immediately got off Shane's lap and ran towards him. He smiled and picked her up. "Daddy! Happy birthday! Look, Uncle Shane and I decorated the living room, and we made a cake too." She chirped happily.
"Ah, really? The living room looks beautiful." Nate smiled as he looked around. He made his way to the couch where Shane was sitting. 'Thanks' He mouthed at him. Shane nodded and placed the balloons aside. He took out a lighter and started lighting the candles.
"Birthday boy, it's time for you to make a wish." Shane grinned. "Let's sing together." He told the little one. They then started singing Happy Birthday. Nate on the other hand was touched beyond words. He then blew out the candles after they finished singing. His only wish, was to be with his daughter forever.
"Yay!" She clapped her hands, jumping up and down. "Let's cut the cake daddy!"
"I forgot to take out the knife." Shane said as he stood up. Nate pulled his arm as he stood as well.
"It's okay, I'll get the knife. You two have done so much." He smiled warmly before turning to the kitchen. Nate came back a minute later with a knife in his hand. He then bent down to cut the cake into a few slices. "Should I be the first one to taste the cake?" He picked up a slice. The other two nodded eagerly. Nate chuckled and took a bite.
"So...? How does it tas-" Before Shane could even finish his question, he was cut by Nate who suddenly spurt out the cake all over his face. "Eww! Nate Gray!" He shouted in disgust as he reached for the box of tissue.
"What's wrong daddy?" The little girl asked, concerned.
"Oh my god, it tastes so salty." Nate placed the remaining slice of the cake back on the plate. Shane pursed his lips in annoyance as he wiped his face clean. "Sorry Shane." Nate apologised, slightly laughing.
"Y-" Before Shane could answer, he was once again interrupted, by the sound of the window glass, shattering to pieces. He widened his eyes in surprise. "W-what just happened." The frightened little girl scooted closer to Shane. " Nate, what happened?" Shane turned to Nate. His jaw dropped as he saw red liquid permeating Nate's front shirt. "N-nate!" He immediately stood up as he realised what just happened. His brother was shot, in the chest.
"S-shane.." Nate managed to choke out as he held his painful chest. He dropped to the floor and started to breathe heavily.
"Daddy!" The little girl screamed as she ran towards Nate.
The front door suddenly slammed open, in came two tall man with their faces covered. One of them was holding a gun. Shane panicked as he pulled the girl closer to him. The man pointed his gun towards him.
"Give the girl to me." The man growled.
"No! Who the hell are you people?" Shane scowled.
"We were hired to find this little girl. Now back off before I shoot you!" Then it dawned on Nate, it was them. The parents. They didn't give up looking for his princess. He tried to stand up, to protect his precious little one but to no avail. He had no energy left. He was slowly dying.
"Get out of here before I call the pol-" Before Shane could say any further, he was shot in the abdomen. He groaned in pain as he fell onto the floor. The little girl cried and crawled towards her father.
"You talk too much. It would have been easier if you just gave her to me." The man scoffed and walked towards the girl.
"Daddy, don't let them take me!" She cried as she grabbed his hands. A tear slipped down Nate's eye as he shut his eyes. He was helpless. He couldn't even move. His breath was slowing down. The man picked his princess up. "Daddy!" She screamed.
"Shut up!" The man growled as he held her tight. She kicked around as they took her away. Away from Nate. Away from her father. Her screams died down, followed by the sounds of engine starting. They had left. And Nate couldn't do anything. He couldn't protect his princess.
"S-shane.." He said in the weakest voice he had ever spoken in. Shane on the other side was coughing out blood as he curled into a ball, enduring the pain. "P-please.. Save her..." He squeezed his eyes shut as tears streamed down his cheeks.
They say your entire life flashes in front of your eyes the second before you die. What flashes through your head at that time, are images of the good mostly moments of your life and when that is over, if you manage to get through it unscathed, you are left off with a feeling of happy memories and nostalgia for those moments. Your mind is a wonderful picture maker.
The images that flashed through Nate's eyes were the images of his little princess.
His precious little princess.
The end.