"Are we going to the beach now, Daddy?" Those two big cow eyes blinked up at me. My daughter Millie's excitement nearly bubbling out of her as she stood there, barely, more bouncing than standing , honestly.
I softly ruffled her dark brown hair with a chuckle. "Yes, Millie, we are finally going to the beach.
"YEEEEESSSSSSS!" My little girl squealed with delight and tackled me with a hug. I softly hugged her back. The sweet aroma of her lilac shampoo rising to my nose as I rubbed her back.
It had been a couple years since we lost Henrietta, my wife and Millie's mother. Henrietta had loved the beach. She had grown up at it, found her husband at it, gotten married at it...The beach had just been her life. It had been exactly two years to the day since Millie and I had been last to the beach. After Henrietta died in the car crash back the last time...It took so long to get mentally prepared to return.
"Will we see Mermaids, Daddy?" Millie butted into my thoughts.
I chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "Maybe, honey...Though I doubt it."
My little princess frowned at that. The little frown actually looking quite cute upon her little soft face. "And why not?" She demanded...So much of her mother's spirit.
"Because Mermaids are shy creatures who get easily scared of people." I smiled at her softly.
Millie's features grew pensive as she thought this over. She then nodded some. "Was Mommy a Mermaid?" She then asked with wide brown eyes.
It took me a moment to conjure up an answer for that. "Eh...Maybe?" I shrugged. "I don't really know, Millie...If she was, she never once showed me her lovely tail." I smiled at her, though a bit sadly.
"Oh..." She sounded so disappointed. She climbed down from my lap and stood there next to me. "Are there plants in the water, Daddy?" She asked. "Like ones monsters live in?" She asked with her cow eyes growing large again.
I laughed now. "I don't remember there being any monsters at the beach, honey."
"Are you sure?!" She demanded and grabbed onto my leg. "I don't want you to be eaten."
"Oh? You think a beach monster would try to snack upon your daddy?"
Milkie nodded and then stuck her little chest out. "But I'll protect you!"
It was so nice, seeing just how manly my daughter thought I was that she felt she would need to protect me. Okay, sure, I'm a computer programmer. I may not be the strongest, or the most bold...Or good at sports...But I can fix a computer code with nothing but my brain, fingers, and a rubber duck—His name is Larry, by the way. A very nice fellow, Millie and him have tea parties fairly often.
"Mhm...That's very brave of you, Millie." I smiled and ruffled her hair again. She just giggled and hugged my leg. From there I somehow waddled her to the car and got her situated in her car-seat, listening to her bubble on in her excitement of going to the beach.
But...Millie and I never made it to the beach.
There...There was a car. It ran the light and t-boned us good. I remember the sirens. Being able to barely know what was going on, looking at the back seat to see my little angel not moving and bleeding. The panic rose in my throat, but I wasn't able to do anything. I was wedged in. The next thing I remember is the hospital. I awoke to an empty room and immediately sat up—regretted it greatly, but sat up nonetheless. "Millie?" I asked into the dark. There was no reply.
Not long later, a doctor came in and said I was alright to go, just had a minor something or other, I don't remember. It wasn't important. "Where's Millie? Where's my little girl?" I demanded, looking at the doctor.
He for a moment just looked at me in silence before clearing his throat. "Intensive care." He said. "She didn't come out as lucky as you, I'm sorry, Mr. Hendershot."
The news hit me like that car had hit us—hard and without remorse. I slowly leaned back some onto the headboard of the bed. "My poor baby girl..." I whispered, tears coming to my eyes as I could only think of Henrietta and that accident, too. I looked up at the doctor again and swallowed, nearly chocking on my emotion. "Is she...Is she going to make it?"
"It's unknown yet, Mr. Hendershot...But we will give you a call in a few hours when you may visit."
Visit? They weren't even going to let me in to see my baby girl? My little hurt angel? My Millie? No, instead one of the nurses suggested I go take a walk around the nearby beach. I was tempted to tell her just where she could put her suggestion, but then I thought about Millie...And Henrietta.
Millie would want me to go to the beach and bring her back a souvenir. I had already decided on just what I was going to get her, too. A nice and leafy seaplant. She'd love it...And maybe help her feel better, too. So, that was what I set out to do. I marched down to the beach and found a lifeguard, just because I wanted to see where the best seaplants for my Millie might be.
"Sir? Are there any sea plants in this ocean?" I asked.
The lifeguard turned towards me with the weirdest look. "No, sir. This ocean is famous for its clear, clean water."
I nodded at that...It took a moment before what he said really hit me and I started to cry. I had failed my little Millie. There weren't any sea plants for me to bring back to her. I fell upon my knees in the sand and sobbed. The full events of the day, finally catching up to me and I just couldn't handle it. The lifeguard most likely thought I was a lunatic. Sure, fine, whatever. Maybe if he lost his wife in a car accident and as a daughter who might be dying from one too he'd understand my misery. I'm not sure for how long I stayed knelt there sobbing, but my phone started ringing.
"Mr. Hendershot. Your daughter has pulled through her surgeries wonderfully. You may come see her now."
I felt a weight lift from me. My little girl was going to be okay...My little girl was going to be OKAY! I felt like running around and screaming with joy—but I'm sure much to the appreciation of the other beach goers, I contained myself. I instead grabbed up the prettiest shell I could find near me and ran back to the hospital and straight to her room.
"Millie?" I silently asked as I opened the door and stepped inside. The room was so dark and silent. Too dark and silent to be the room of my Millie. That in itself was terrifiying.
"Da-Daddy?" Finally was the silent, pained response I was hoping for.
I quickly came to her bed side and got her tiny hand and held it up to my lips and kissed it. "It's okay, Millie, honey...You're going to be okay. Daddy's here now. Daddy's not going anywhere."
A small smile faintly inched across her face. I kissed her delicate cheek and struggled to keep myself under control while in front of her. If she could be brave and protect me from all those imaginary sea monsters...Then I could be brave for her and be here for her in her time of need. My poor baby girl...
I reached into my pocket and drew out the little shell and pressed it into her hand. "It was the prettiest shell I saw on the beach for you, baby." I said softly and stroked her hair. "When you're all better again, we can both go and see if we can't find a mermaid. How does that sound, Millie?"
Millie smiled at me. "I'd like that Daddy..."
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