After a hour of shopping then about two hours of driving Mark pulled in to a park. Mandy was confused why he would go this far to go to a park when they had one next to the hotel. She figured there had to be a good reason and would wait. They walked around the park for a little while when Mark stopped. He looked around then turned to Mandy. "This is where I first meet your mother." He said to her.
"Really, that is so cool. So how did you meet?" Mandy asked wanting to know more.
"I was here to get away from Sara because we had a fight. Your mother said she was here because she loved spending time here. Any ways, I was sitting right here and as you can see it is the only bench in the whole park. Your mother came over and asked if it would be alright if she sat down with me. You know what I am like when I am in a bad mood, so I wasn't the nicest person to her. You mother didn't take it she told me off and said the park is made for everyone not just me and she was going to sit there no matter what I had to say." Mark said laughing remembering everything.
"That isn't a good start so how did you two hook up?" Mandy asked.
"Well after a few minutes she asked me if I wanted to talk about my problems and for some reason I felt like I could talk to her about anything. She became like my best friend and we would call one another and talk all the time. After a few months and all the fights with Sara I fell in love with your mother and that is how you got here." Mark said smiling.
"What about the letters?" Mandy asked then wished she could take it back.
"Letters?" Mark asked her not knowing she read the ones in his bag.
"Well once when you left the room I went threw your bag and I found these letters from mom and one to mom from you." Mandy asked wondering if he was going to be pissed off at her.
"Yeah I was going to give you them someday so you would know some about your mother but I just didn't have it in me to let them go." Mark said looking down at his hands.
"That is okay dad you can keep them. Besides any time I want to know mom all I have to do is ask you." She said hugging her father.
"I will tell you almost everything, there is some you don't need to know about." Mark said laughing.
"Yeah, I am sure I wont want to know." She said laughing.
"I should get you back since you and Dave have plans for your first date." Mark said as they walked to the car.
"I really do like him." Mark could see it in her eye that she really did like Dave. That was the way her mothers eyes would look when it came to him. He just wished he could go back and fix everything.
"Your mother would be so proud of you."
"I am sure she is proud of you for doing a good job with me. Look how well I turned out." Mandy said laughing.
"You know you have a birthday in about five more days so what do you want to do for your big day." Mark asked knowing she was going to be 21 and he wasn't ready for it.
"I don't know yet but when I do I will let you know." She said thinking about her birthday.
"You know you have one more year of school left. What do you plan on doing after that?" Mark asked wondering what else his daughter would want to do with her life.
"I really don't know about that. I was thinking when your old and in a nursing him I would be able to take care of you." She said laughing.
"You are going to put your old man in a nursing home!" Mark said laughing a little.
"Well yeah then I can party." She said laughing.
"Better be a good one then and there best be some good looking nurses there for me to look at." Mark said as they pulled up to a red light.
"I promise I will take care of you and I wont put you in a nursing home unless I have to." She said laughing.
"Good because I paid for your school so you pay me back by taking care of me." Mark looked up to see the light turn green and started to drive. He then looked at the house they passed and smiled. "See that house right back there?" He said to her.
"Yeah what about it." Mandy asked looking back at the house.
"That is where your mother used to live." He said remebering all the times he would stay there.
"Are you ever going to move on and find someone else?" Mandy asked him.
"I don't know maybe if the right person comes along. It is to soon to tell right now and I have to watch out for you." He said laughing.
"I am a big girl now I can take care of myself. Dad are you really sure that you are okay with me and Dave?" Mandy asked not wanting her father angry with her.
"Yeah, Dave is a great guy. On top of that I work with him so I can keep a eye on him when you go back to school." He said laughing.
"What are you his baby sitter now?" Mandy said as they pulled up to the hotel.
"You know it, now go have fun and stay out of trouble." Mark said giving his daughter a hug then let her go so she could go on her date with Dave. Mandy pulled out her phone to let Dave know she was back.
"Hey, I just got back give me about a half hour then I will be ready to go." Mandy said in the phone to Dave.
"Okay, I will come to your room and get you." Dave said getting ready himself.
A half hour later Mandy heard a knock on the door. She was all ready to go and couldn't wait. To her it was the best that she had a date and her father approved. Mandy never thought this day would come but it did. She walked over and opened the door to find Dave standing there with roses. "For you, am I going to have to have you back any time soon?" He asked laughing.
"No, thank you so much these are so beautiful" She said as she left him in the door.
"I was thinking we could go get something to eat, and you can tell me about your day with your dad." Mandy put the flowers in water then they walked out the door and off till their very first date.
R&R I want to thank everyone for reading this you all are the best!