Father Daughter Dance

Father Daughter Dance He told her “don't you worry”, but he'd be a little late. He promised when he made it home he would take her on a date. She squealed in her excitement, soon they would be together. She was only ten years old, she said “It feels like it's been forever”. Smiling as he thought of her one thousand miles away. He thinks about the little girl he wishes she could stay. Through the truck stop window the Greyhound bus pulled in. He told her that his ride was there but he'd call her again. The farthest things from his mind were shadows, pain or death. Somehow he missed the whiskey that was on the drivers breath. With happy thoughts of life and love and a date he planned to keep. Quietly he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. Suddenly it all went wrong! He thought he was still dreaming. He heard the sound of bending steel and he heard people screaming. His body pitched right through the air and landed in the grass. With cuts across his face and brow from crashing through the glass. “Dear God my leg is broken!” “Sweet Jesus come save us!” He stood up from the cold damp grass and climbed back on the bus. One by one he saved them all he called them by their names. As he carried the last one out the bus burst into flames. Injured people everywhere yet no one spoke right to him. When he tried to calm their fears they seemed to look right through him. In the distance flashing lights and sirens filled the air. Then he saw five feet from him, his body lying there. It suddenly was all a blur like trying to see through water. Instantly he was right there and standing by his daughter. Searching through her dresser drawers not knowing he was there. She looked through her dresses to see which one to wear. He saw the light that came for him, he sent the light away. He couldn't break his daughters heart so he chose just to stay. A much more precious love than this I doubt a man can find. It didn't break his daughters heart, instead it broke her mind. Eight years slowly made their way she had an understanding mom. Who arranged a father daughter dance the night she went to prom. She danced and twirled the song away all they could do was stare. As she danced more than a glance they all saw her father there. She dances in her room sometimes when she starts feeling bad. They swear she dances all alone but she's dancing with her dad. She talks about the day someday she'll be with him forever. And tells him of the date they had it was better late than never. Edwin C Hofert