Sometimes You Just Need Your Daddy

When I swung the door open the girls' faces were pinched and they didn't rush past me the way they usually do. The air hung empty in the space where their usual chatter should be as I ushered them in off the porch. Isabelle went straight to the bathroom, shut the door and locked it behind her. Calli took her lunch pail out and sat at the kitchen table eating her left-overs as a snack. I waited awhile, giving Isabelle her space. Sometimes her storm clouds just have to be waited out. The very act of getting the umbrella or offering her a poncho could bring on a tornado.

But when it so many long moments had ticked but that I couldn't stand it anymore I went and stood outside the door, imagining I could feel her torment through the wood. "Isabelle? Are you alright? Do you have a tummy ache or something?"

"No!"

"You sound upset, honey. May I come in?"

"No!"

The silence stretched out. I wondered what she was doing, sitting on the can? Perched on the edge of the tub? Hands on the sides of the sink staring into the mirror? No, I decided she was just on the other side of the door and I leaned into my side with my entire body thinking she might know where I was too.

"Well…… when you're ready, I'm here. We could talk about it or I could just hold you and we could not talk about it."

Nothing.

"Okay, Isabelle?"

"Ughehehehe!" She's always prickly when she's upset, pushes me away. I wandered away to wait her out at the kitchen table with Thatcher and Calli. I wanted to ask Calli what was going on but knew that would be a betrayal from both of us that would clam Isabelle up for days.

Finally she came out, her face pink and puffy bringing out the blue of her teary eyes. She pulled long blonde hairs off and away from the stickiness of her sad face and took a deep breath before the story spilled out.

"Dane was punching and hitting me in the car and he called me names!" My arms went up to reach for her but she groaned and pulled away. Just then we heard Tim's key in the door, he was home early from work.

"Daddy! Tim! Daddy-daddy!" They all cheered as his tall frame crossed the threshold and entered.  Right away Isabelle told him "Daddy! Dane was punching and hitting me and calling me names!" She said stiff and fast.

I stared at Tim, nervous about what he would say, wanting him to just scoop her up right away wondering if he could see how much she needed a hug that she couldn't take for fear it would just hurt more knowing that no matter who loves you or how much the world just sucks.

Without a moments hesitation he responded "You want me to beat him up for you?"

I shot warning glances, cut off motions with my hands but they were in tune with one another, ignoring me.

She stood there a moment, perhaps savoring the ability to decide the boys fate, then she shook her head.

"Yeah, that probably wouldn't be the right thing, would it?" Tim shook his head along with her and scooped her up. They wandered past me to the kitchen fussing about snacks, laughing and playful, her spagetti noddle arm wrapped around his neck tight.






Sometimes you just need your Daddy. Father's Day is this Sunday. Just a little reminder, I know Dad's don't make us remember the way mom's do. I'm going to try and keep posting daddy stories up til the big day. Sorry this one is so messy, I wrote with the kids around me, tugging and whining...craaaazzzy! *grin*