"Good night, Diana."
"Good night, Cassim."
Before Cassim knew what was happening he was leaning in closer, as was Diana. Their lips were two centimeters apart when Cassim realized what was happening. He quickly pulled back and looked away.
"Cassim,..."
"I'm sorry, Diana, but I can't do this."
That night Cassim had a strange dream. Carina was in it. She spoke to him.
"Cassim, it's okay for you to love Diana. If you love her enough marry her. Only our marriage will matter in Heaven. You have to let go of your past marriage, until you enter Heaven, and move on to the future. You've fallen in love with Diana. You should spend as much time of your future as you can married to her, if she accepts."
Cassim awoke to Cassie knocking on his door and saying, "Daddy, wake up. Breakfast is almost ready."
"Okay. I'll be down in five minutes, if even."
He heard Cassie run downstairs. He thought about his dream and decided to move on as Carina said. He got dressed, put the picture of him and Carina in the droor of his nightstand, and took off his ring. He heasitated for a moment, gently and almost lovingly fingering it. He shook his head, put the ring in the droor, shut the droor, and locked it.
He went downstairs and into the kitchen.
Cassie heard him talking with Diana but couldn't make out what was being said. After a few moments the talking stopped. She went to the doorway of the kitchen and froze.
Her father stood with his arms around Diana, Diana's arms were around his broad shoulders, and their lips were locked in a loving kiss!
Then Cassie noticed something about Cassim's left hand. She looked at it for a moment then realized that he wasn't wearing his wedding ring!
"Daddy!"
Cassim and Diana turned and gasped.
"Cassie, what were you doing spying on us?" Diana asked.
"How could you betray Mommy like that?!"
"Cassie, it's not what you think."
"Yeah right!"
"Cassie, you don't understand."
"I understand perfectly. You love Diana now, not Mommy."
"No. Cassie, that's not true. That will never happen."
"How could you betray Mommy?"
"Cassie, I haven't betrayed her."
"Yes you have!"
"Cassie, this isn't what it looks like. I can explain."
"Explain what? That you've fallen in love again? That you have another woman?"
Cassim froze.
Unknown to Cassie that was what Carina had said to Cassim over five years ago.
"You don't deserve someone like Mommy!"
Cassim flinched visibly! Cassie had struck his most tender spot with a great force!
Cassie ran to her room.
"What are we going to do about this?"
"You are going to do nothing. It's my fault. I should have told her before I came in here. I'll go talk to her."
He entered Cassie's room to see her laying on her bed, crying.
"Cassie." he said softly.
"Go away!"
"Cassie, please. Just let me explain. I'm sorry. I should have told you before I went into the kitchen. Your mother came to me in a dream last night. She told me it was okay to love Diana. She told me that if I loved her enough to marry her, which I haven't come close to even considering. She said that only our marriage would matter in Heaven. She wants me to move on to the future. She wants me to spend as much time of my future as I can married to Diana, of she accepts. I don't know if I will or not."
Cassie sat up, wiped her tears away, and looked at her father.
"Really?"
"Really. Cassie, I would never lie to you. I'm through with lies. I've been through with them for nearly six years. Baby, I love you too much to lie to you."
Cassie smiled. Cassim smiled back and sat down next to her. She cuddled up against him. He put his arm around her.
"Your old man's proud of you. You know that, baby?"
"Yeah. I know."
"Good. Everyday I'm proud of you for different things. I never know what they will be. It all depends."
"What have I done to make you proud of me?"
"There is one thing I'm proud of everyday."
"What's that?"
"You. Just you yourself. I'm proud that your my daughter. You're a miracle child."
"I know. Mommy told me many times."
"I bet she did."
There was a moment of silence.
"I'm proud that I'm your old man. You know that?"
Cassie looked at him in surprise. She shook her head.
"Well, believe it or not, I'm quite proud that I'm your old man."