Author's Note: It's sad. I warned you. Really sad.

In my heart.

Day Two-Hundred Fourteen: Hotel Heart by Sharon Kenny

"I saw you in my dream last night, Daddy. You were smiling when you saw me, just like when you got married to Mommy. I know I have pictures of you, but Mommy never told me how white your teeth are. They look like little stars in the sky. Don't you like looking at the stars in the sky? I do. They remind me of you.

"And your eyes! They're so blue! They're like the color of water, or the sky on a really, really sunny day. Now I know where Mommy says I get my eyes from. But your eyes are even better than mine, because they're your eyes. You gave me the shivers when you looked at me and started telling me stories. I love your stories. Did I ever tell you that? I never got the chance to tell you a lot of things.

"Did I surprise you when you saw how much I grew up? I was really, really little the last time you saw me; it was three years ago, when I was three, right? I've gotten a lot taller since the last time you saw me. Maybe I'll grow up to be as big as you! No? Well…I'll probably be as tall as Mommy, right? Mommy says I'm going to have long fingers like her. She likes it when I press my little hand up against her bigger hand. I bet your hand would be huge compared to mine. How many hands of mine do you think you could fit in one of your hands? Probably like ten, at least. And Mommy says I have her long legs. My legs are so long, they're like little trees in the ground! But they're going to get bigger and bigger yet! I'm like a tree. Did Mommy tell you that I'm a tree in the school play? I'm a tree. Do you still talk to Mommy? I hope so. Mommy still talks about you. Sometimes, she has little tears in her eyes when she talks about you. I tell her not to cry. I know you wouldn't want her to cry.

"You know, I think a lot about you. I hope you think about me, too. I think about you all the time. You're in my heart. Did you know that? Mommy says that's not possible when I tell her that, because if you were in my heart, that would be a problem. I think she's just being silly. You're in my heart. You can stay in my heart, though, for as long as you want. My heart is like a little hotel. People come and go from my heart—like this one guy in my class I used to be best friends with, until he turned into a jerk—but you're always going to stay. There's always a place for you in my heart, you know? You're always going to be my daddy. And you're always going to get the best room in my heart hotel, too; it'll never get cold or dark and you'll never be hungry. After you left, there were some days where I was cold and dark and hungry, along with Mommy, but we're better now. I'm never going to let that happen to you. I'm never going to turn my back on you, either. No one is ever going to take your spot.

"I really hope you can hear me clearly because I really miss you. I like to think that you're listening really, really carefully. I never got a chance to say goodbye to you. Sometimes, Mommy says it's better like that, sometimes. I don't think so. I wished I could've seen it coming and we could've cried together. I just wished I had one last chance to do everything that daddies and daughters do together: cry, eat, laugh, smile…I like seeing you smile."

"Jamie!" her mother called. Jamie looked over her shoulder before looking back up at the sky through the wispy branches of the trees.

"I love you," she whispered quietly, so only she could hear it and her father—if he was listening like she hoped he was.

"Jamie, where are you?" Her mom turned the corner and saw her daughter sitting on the ground and looking up at the sky. "What are you doing here, Sweetie?"

"Talking to Daddy," her daughter answered simply. "He was in my dream last night."

Her mother looked a bit concerned. "Oh?"

"Yeah, and he smiled and I saw his eyes. I miss him, Mommy," she said softly.

"I miss him, too."

They sat in silence for a while. Jamie kept wishing in her head.

Please hear me, Daddy, and let me know that you heard me.

Not much after she had hoped and wished for that, there was some rustle among the leaves. Less than a minute later, the little girl began to feel little raindrops on her forehead.

"We should go inside before you catch a cold," her mother concluded as she took Jamie's hand. The little girl just smiled.

"I love you, too, Daddy."

Guest: Really? I don't think that many of my one-shots are sad...and I mean THAT many (I know a lot are, but...I don't know). But I'm glad you liked it and I hope you liked this!

MilaMizz:I wish I'd done something more noir with 211 because if you listen to the song, it's completely jazzy and...ugh I just love the feel. Yeah sometimes I make poor Toby an arse. Damn, Kayson. Oh ew. I'm doing stuff with the Lewis & Clark expedition (my least favorite era in American History tbh). But yeah, glad you liked them!

Sarah:Elephants just seem cool, like super chill. Yeah, I don't like psl either (not really a fan of pumpkin...or spice...or lattes...no). I like Mocha frapps. Yes, please. THIS ONE WAS SADDER sorry just had to say that but yeah hope you liked it and hope I didn't make you cry :)

sarahschneider2012: Thank you!

Guest: Don't you just love that song? I love it. Hope you liked this one!

Tomorrow's one-shot shall be Blindfold Me by Marina and the Diamonds and if I remember correctly, it's very mediocre. -Kayson