Author's Note: Yay! All of you who guessed Rafe and Evelyn, hooray!!! You're RIGHT!!! I don't think that was too hard, but whateva. I am so glad you liked it. This chapeter is short too and kind of deals with the Danny's death situation. For Ron anyway. I know your picture of her is very vague, and I painted it this way on perpose.
I think writing is more dynamic and more interesting to read when sentences are short and simple and don't over describe. I described her appearence in the prologue, subtly.
The next chapter will be longer and not so . . . cryptic. There will be more details about her everyday life. I just had to get this out of my system right now. Continue reviewing please and thanx for readin'!!!
"You have a baby girl. Congratulations!" The nurse smiled at Rafe and ushered him inside the room.
He was silent. In his eyes, she was perfect. Wispy little curls covered her head. Her eyes alert and hazel. She has Ev's eyes, was all he could think.
Evelyn handed her to him. He was afraid. He didn't want to break her fragile little body. She was worth more than the world's largest supply of diamonds. She was . . . his! Perfection. Ten finger. Ten toes. Daddy's girl already.
They named her Veronica. For his mother.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
She was daddy's girl from that moment on. Danny was his too. But . . . not like this. Danny was Danny's. She was his flesh and blood. His and Evelyn's. He finally understood what all the fuss was about.
She adored him too. He was her precious Daddy. She was his angel. He gave her everything including his love of adventure. And his loyalty.
One morning, when she was five, Rafe woke up early. He couldn't sleep. When he glanced out the window, he saw his daughter sitting in front of the grave. He dressed quickly and quietly slid out the back door. Her back was to him, so he stood silently for a moment, watching her.
" . . . I'll have to go to school next year too. Danny says he hates school. I don't want to go either. I'd rather stay home and go up in the airplane with Daddy.
Daddy says you were a pilot too. I wish you were alive then you could teach me to fly. Daddy said I was too young. But I'm not! He said when I turn eight like Danny did before his first lesson. And if you were alive, maybe Mama and Daddy won't be so sad sometimes."
"We wouldn't, angel. But we can't change anything." Rafe interrupted. He smiled sadly at her. He could just imagine her sitting on Danny's knee while she said all of this. He could almost see Danny nodding sympathetically and petting her curls.
"Daddy, how did he die?" She asked eyes wide.
He explained the mission to her. "So you killed people too, Daddy?"
He nodded, eyes filled with regret. "I did angel. I killed people. Boy, do I wish I had never gone in the Marines. But I did."
"But what if you killed a dad like Danny? Wouldn't his family be as sad as ours?"
He nodded. "They would. And you know what angel? It wasn't worth it. Danny should have seen his son grow up. He should have lived."
"But, Daddy, if he had lived, I wouldn't be here, would I?"
He stared into her eyes thoughtfully.
"No. I guess you wouldn't."
"Then it's my fault."
"How can it be your fault? He died long before we knew of you. Before Danny was born even. It's not your fault. It's mine. I should have told him he was going to be a father. He never would have gone."
"Yes. Yes, he would of."
He thought for a second. "You're right. He would have."
"Let's go eat. I'm hungry. Can we have pancakes?" She placed the daisy she had been holding in front of the stone. He took her in his arms.
"They were Danny's favorite breakfast." He whispered to no one in particular. But she heard him. And she insisted on pancakes every Memorial Day after that.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Since that morning, she would wake up at the break of dawn. She'd dress herself carefully and comb her curls. Out the back door she would go, for a walk. On the walk she pick a flower (in the summer), or some pretty leaves (in the fall), or even some pine branches (in the winter). She arrange them carefully at Danny's grave, sit in front of it. She would speak to him, for at least ten minutes. Out loud, tracing her finger over the engraved letters as she spoke. Then she'd head inside and wake her parents for breakfast. No exceptions, no holidays.
In fact, holidays were extra special. At Christmas, she'd decorate the grave with pine branched and holly. On Easter, she'd make wreaths of flowers. On Memorial Day, her Daddy would also get a flower wreath. Danny was allowed to help her on holidays. But her mornings were hers only. Danny had evenings to visit his Dad.
She had two fathers, just like her brother. To her, Daniel Walker was as real as Rafe McCawley. Only he was invisible. But he was a great listener. She knew from experience.
Please use the box just below this sentence even for just one word. I can take constructive critisism very well too!
I think writing is more dynamic and more interesting to read when sentences are short and simple and don't over describe. I described her appearence in the prologue, subtly.
The next chapter will be longer and not so . . . cryptic. There will be more details about her everyday life. I just had to get this out of my system right now. Continue reviewing please and thanx for readin'!!!
"You have a baby girl. Congratulations!" The nurse smiled at Rafe and ushered him inside the room.
He was silent. In his eyes, she was perfect. Wispy little curls covered her head. Her eyes alert and hazel. She has Ev's eyes, was all he could think.
Evelyn handed her to him. He was afraid. He didn't want to break her fragile little body. She was worth more than the world's largest supply of diamonds. She was . . . his! Perfection. Ten finger. Ten toes. Daddy's girl already.
They named her Veronica. For his mother.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
She was daddy's girl from that moment on. Danny was his too. But . . . not like this. Danny was Danny's. She was his flesh and blood. His and Evelyn's. He finally understood what all the fuss was about.
She adored him too. He was her precious Daddy. She was his angel. He gave her everything including his love of adventure. And his loyalty.
One morning, when she was five, Rafe woke up early. He couldn't sleep. When he glanced out the window, he saw his daughter sitting in front of the grave. He dressed quickly and quietly slid out the back door. Her back was to him, so he stood silently for a moment, watching her.
" . . . I'll have to go to school next year too. Danny says he hates school. I don't want to go either. I'd rather stay home and go up in the airplane with Daddy.
Daddy says you were a pilot too. I wish you were alive then you could teach me to fly. Daddy said I was too young. But I'm not! He said when I turn eight like Danny did before his first lesson. And if you were alive, maybe Mama and Daddy won't be so sad sometimes."
"We wouldn't, angel. But we can't change anything." Rafe interrupted. He smiled sadly at her. He could just imagine her sitting on Danny's knee while she said all of this. He could almost see Danny nodding sympathetically and petting her curls.
"Daddy, how did he die?" She asked eyes wide.
He explained the mission to her. "So you killed people too, Daddy?"
He nodded, eyes filled with regret. "I did angel. I killed people. Boy, do I wish I had never gone in the Marines. But I did."
"But what if you killed a dad like Danny? Wouldn't his family be as sad as ours?"
He nodded. "They would. And you know what angel? It wasn't worth it. Danny should have seen his son grow up. He should have lived."
"But, Daddy, if he had lived, I wouldn't be here, would I?"
He stared into her eyes thoughtfully.
"No. I guess you wouldn't."
"Then it's my fault."
"How can it be your fault? He died long before we knew of you. Before Danny was born even. It's not your fault. It's mine. I should have told him he was going to be a father. He never would have gone."
"Yes. Yes, he would of."
He thought for a second. "You're right. He would have."
"Let's go eat. I'm hungry. Can we have pancakes?" She placed the daisy she had been holding in front of the stone. He took her in his arms.
"They were Danny's favorite breakfast." He whispered to no one in particular. But she heard him. And she insisted on pancakes every Memorial Day after that.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Since that morning, she would wake up at the break of dawn. She'd dress herself carefully and comb her curls. Out the back door she would go, for a walk. On the walk she pick a flower (in the summer), or some pretty leaves (in the fall), or even some pine branches (in the winter). She arrange them carefully at Danny's grave, sit in front of it. She would speak to him, for at least ten minutes. Out loud, tracing her finger over the engraved letters as she spoke. Then she'd head inside and wake her parents for breakfast. No exceptions, no holidays.
In fact, holidays were extra special. At Christmas, she'd decorate the grave with pine branched and holly. On Easter, she'd make wreaths of flowers. On Memorial Day, her Daddy would also get a flower wreath. Danny was allowed to help her on holidays. But her mornings were hers only. Danny had evenings to visit his Dad.
She had two fathers, just like her brother. To her, Daniel Walker was as real as Rafe McCawley. Only he was invisible. But he was a great listener. She knew from experience.
Please use the box just below this sentence even for just one word. I can take constructive critisism very well too!
