Eli: Hey all! So, IrishravenX, I get my cell phone back, right? Lily, the
four letter word was either love or hate. However you interpreted the
chapter. I'm sorry I did not say that right out before hand. Rogue, loved
your observation. Isn't Sara fun to be married to? Darkness, can't you be
polite when you review? Update your story! Beloved, when more story? RL
getting to you? Alright, here's the next chapter. I got the title from a
song from this Andrew Lloyd Webber CD. Grab your hankies folks! Enjoy!
(Though I doubt that is the right word. Force of habit.)
Gracie waited patiently on the porch for her Daddy to arrive. Today was their last day before Spring Break let out, and she wanted to spend it with Jake. Vicky went through her backpack, making sure Gracie had everything. When Jake pulled into the drive way, Gracie jumped off the porch steps and ran to him. She was hugging him before he was even half way out of the car. He fell backward from the impact.
"I think someone has missed me." He said, smiling.
"Uh huh! Hi Daddy! I missed you so much!" She said as he finally got out of the car. He pushed her back a little and had her stand up straight.
"Why, I think you have grown an inch since I last saw you. Keep this up and you'll be as tall as a tree." He joked. They went over to the porch. Gracie hugged Vicky and took her back pack from her.
"Be a good girl for your daddy." She told her.
"Yes, mommy."
"Love you."
"Love you, too. Bye bye!"
"Bye. Jake, have her home by curfew."
"I will." He assured her as Gracie climbed into his car. Jake got back in and started to drive off. Gracie waved to her mommy from the window.
"So where are we going today, Daddy?" She asked excitedly.
"Somewhere fun." He told her. She crossed her arms over her chest.
"That's not a good answer! Where are we going?" She asked again.
"You'll see." He told her.
Half an hour later, Gracie started jumping up and down in her seat. "We going to the zoo! We going to the zoo!"
"You're a smart girl." He replied as he parked the car.
-Later-
Gracie could have died with happiness. She got see all her favorite animals and even got to hold some of them. Her favorite part so far had been when they had visited the bird sanctuary and a bird had landed in Jake's hair. She laughed as he and the trainer tried to get it out. It had gotten glued to him by the hair gel he had in his hair. They had to hose down his hair to get it out.
Gracie looked at the map as she and Jake took a break from walking. There was still so much for her to see.
"Gracie, I think we only have time for one more stop before we have to go."
"Ahhhh."
"I know, I know. But we have to get you home before curfew." He told her. "So, which place to you want to see?"
She looked at the map and pointed. "Monkeys!" She said. He nodded and they walked over to the exhibit.
Gracie watched the monkeys with interest. They were so funny! She looked at the sign and started trying to pronounce the name of the monkey she was currently watching.
"Ch-ch-chim-paaaaan-aaan-zees. Chim-pan-zees. Chimpanzees!" She said happily. "Daddy, those are chimpanzees!"
"Yes, sweetie, I see. Gracie, can you sit down for a minute?"
She sat down on his lap. "Yes, daddy?"
"I have some news that you....... May not like." He started out. "You know I love you, right?"
"Uh huh. I love you, too."
"I know. You are a very good girl and you mean everything to me. But, Gracie, sometimes adults must do things. Things they hate to do that will hurt the people they love."
"What's wrong Daddy?"
"My work is moving me to our base in California." He blurted out. Gracie couldn't believe her ears. Tears started coming to her eyes.
"No."
"Gracie, I am so sorry, baby. I never, ever expected this to happen."
"But Daddy! This means you can't see me anymore!" She said horrified. "Daddy, please don't go!" She begged. Jake wiped her tears away. He wasn't sure how long he could hold them in herself.
"Grace, I have to. It's my job. If I could do anything to change it, I would. I'm so sorry, sweetheart."
"I'll miss you so much, Daddy." She cried out. He checked his watch and he knew they should be leaving. He picked her up and started carrying her out.
"I'll miss you, too." e whispered to her.
-Later-
Gracie was silent on the way home. He pulled into the drive way and unlocked the doors. Gracie opened her door and came out. She walked slowly into her house. Vicky sent her up into the Living room for a moment.
"Did you tell her?"
"Yeah, she didn't take it well."
"What child would? You care about your damn job than her."
"I do not!" He hissed out. Vicky sighed.
"I am not even getting into this discussion with you. Say your good-byes and leave."
Jake called Gracie back into the hallway. She gave him a huge hug and was threatening not to let go till he promised to try not to go. She kissed his cheek three times and finally let go of him.
~I know the way we should spend that day.
Take me to a zoo that's got chimpanzees.
Tell me on a Sunday please.
She clung to Vicky as they watched him drive off. She started crying all over again. He would not try to change his bosses minds. She watched him leave knowing that he wouldn't be there for her the next Sunday.
Coming Attractions:
The Search
Gracie waited patiently on the porch for her Daddy to arrive. Today was their last day before Spring Break let out, and she wanted to spend it with Jake. Vicky went through her backpack, making sure Gracie had everything. When Jake pulled into the drive way, Gracie jumped off the porch steps and ran to him. She was hugging him before he was even half way out of the car. He fell backward from the impact.
"I think someone has missed me." He said, smiling.
"Uh huh! Hi Daddy! I missed you so much!" She said as he finally got out of the car. He pushed her back a little and had her stand up straight.
"Why, I think you have grown an inch since I last saw you. Keep this up and you'll be as tall as a tree." He joked. They went over to the porch. Gracie hugged Vicky and took her back pack from her.
"Be a good girl for your daddy." She told her.
"Yes, mommy."
"Love you."
"Love you, too. Bye bye!"
"Bye. Jake, have her home by curfew."
"I will." He assured her as Gracie climbed into his car. Jake got back in and started to drive off. Gracie waved to her mommy from the window.
"So where are we going today, Daddy?" She asked excitedly.
"Somewhere fun." He told her. She crossed her arms over her chest.
"That's not a good answer! Where are we going?" She asked again.
"You'll see." He told her.
Half an hour later, Gracie started jumping up and down in her seat. "We going to the zoo! We going to the zoo!"
"You're a smart girl." He replied as he parked the car.
-Later-
Gracie could have died with happiness. She got see all her favorite animals and even got to hold some of them. Her favorite part so far had been when they had visited the bird sanctuary and a bird had landed in Jake's hair. She laughed as he and the trainer tried to get it out. It had gotten glued to him by the hair gel he had in his hair. They had to hose down his hair to get it out.
Gracie looked at the map as she and Jake took a break from walking. There was still so much for her to see.
"Gracie, I think we only have time for one more stop before we have to go."
"Ahhhh."
"I know, I know. But we have to get you home before curfew." He told her. "So, which place to you want to see?"
She looked at the map and pointed. "Monkeys!" She said. He nodded and they walked over to the exhibit.
Gracie watched the monkeys with interest. They were so funny! She looked at the sign and started trying to pronounce the name of the monkey she was currently watching.
"Ch-ch-chim-paaaaan-aaan-zees. Chim-pan-zees. Chimpanzees!" She said happily. "Daddy, those are chimpanzees!"
"Yes, sweetie, I see. Gracie, can you sit down for a minute?"
She sat down on his lap. "Yes, daddy?"
"I have some news that you....... May not like." He started out. "You know I love you, right?"
"Uh huh. I love you, too."
"I know. You are a very good girl and you mean everything to me. But, Gracie, sometimes adults must do things. Things they hate to do that will hurt the people they love."
"What's wrong Daddy?"
"My work is moving me to our base in California." He blurted out. Gracie couldn't believe her ears. Tears started coming to her eyes.
"No."
"Gracie, I am so sorry, baby. I never, ever expected this to happen."
"But Daddy! This means you can't see me anymore!" She said horrified. "Daddy, please don't go!" She begged. Jake wiped her tears away. He wasn't sure how long he could hold them in herself.
"Grace, I have to. It's my job. If I could do anything to change it, I would. I'm so sorry, sweetheart."
"I'll miss you so much, Daddy." She cried out. He checked his watch and he knew they should be leaving. He picked her up and started carrying her out.
"I'll miss you, too." e whispered to her.
-Later-
Gracie was silent on the way home. He pulled into the drive way and unlocked the doors. Gracie opened her door and came out. She walked slowly into her house. Vicky sent her up into the Living room for a moment.
"Did you tell her?"
"Yeah, she didn't take it well."
"What child would? You care about your damn job than her."
"I do not!" He hissed out. Vicky sighed.
"I am not even getting into this discussion with you. Say your good-byes and leave."
Jake called Gracie back into the hallway. She gave him a huge hug and was threatening not to let go till he promised to try not to go. She kissed his cheek three times and finally let go of him.
~I know the way we should spend that day.
Take me to a zoo that's got chimpanzees.
Tell me on a Sunday please.
She clung to Vicky as they watched him drive off. She started crying all over again. He would not try to change his bosses minds. She watched him leave knowing that he wouldn't be there for her the next Sunday.
Coming Attractions:
The Search