BIRTHDAY DATE WITH DAD

THE LAST DATE

"Hi Daddy "

"Hey my Angel. Happy twenty first birthday"Andrew says with pride on his face that speaks a billion words.

".... You're wearing the necklace I got you for your sixteenth birthday. "Gaff" finally got it to you"

"Yes Daddy, he did. Thank you so much, It's absolutely beautiful."

" Not as beautiful as the stunning young woman you have grown up to be".

Abby looks down at her strategically placed phone on the table which is on the stop watch app. It calmly yet relentlessly lapses past the 03m00 mark as her tearful eyes reluctantly gaze back at him.

" Daddy, I found a job in the Netherlands."

Andrew's face lights up in the most priceless way and Abby spends a few seconds to let that moment firmly embed in her never to be forgotten memory space before continuing.

"My studies are going well and they were impressed enough to take me on and even pay for the final two years as well. So I did It Daddy, I did it and I have only you to thank for that. I won't let you down Daddy "

"My Angel you...."

"Shhhh.... Daddy. I don't want you to say anything yet.... just listen...I also met someone there. And I want you to know that I know there is no such thing as " the perfect guy". I will never allow myself to forget that you wanted me to understand that. I do but Daddy, this man is as close as I'm going to get "She says, attempting a quirky smile.

"He's still not good enough and I still don't like, nor trust him"

Even though the sentence was word for word exactly how Abby expected Andrew to lay it out, she was still struck by pure amusement among the tears. Maybe it was just his fake facial attempt of disapproval and the lame sarcastic way he said it that did it.

"I know Daddy, I know, but I promise to be careful "

She hesitates a few seconds, glances at her phone again and continues.

"Daddy...... This is the hard part... I need to let you go..... I think the reason why you don't know where you go when you leave here is because we both can't "let go". I need to let go of you and you need to let go of me. We both need to move on. What we have here is as real as Arthur standing there at the counter. He can see and here me talking to you but he cannot see or here you. He understands and actually believes that you are really here, one of the very few that doesn't think I'm crazy, but he has to close his shop so you and I can have a "normal birthday party for sixteen minutes" and then you simply vanish into oblivion for the next 365 days. I can't do this anymore Daddy, I can't come back here anymore. Please say you understand... please just say you understand. "

"Of course I understand my Angel. Don't cry. Who knows where I go from here, but I'm prepared.I am so proud of you. You know exactly what you want and where you're going and I'm happy with that. But you're man ever hurts you I'll know about it and I'll be coming after him. Best you have him understand that. Abby is tantalizingly close to having her frail emotions finally ripped to shreds.She glances at her phone one last time, 14m25s.

"Goodbye Daddy " She says as she jumps up from her seat. Andrew responds but before he can even fully rise to his feet, Abby has him around the neck.

" I love you Daddy, I will forever love you, I will remember everything you ever taught me and I will never ever ever eeevvver forget you. Now just hold me tight and say "goodbye my Angel"

From over her Dad's shoulder Abby can watch her phone ticking the seconds away 15:45, 15:46, 15:47.

"Say it Daddy.... say it!"

15:53, 15:54, 15:55

"Goodbye my Precious, sweet Angel Abigail. I love you"15:58, 15:59, 16:00

                                                                              

                                                                                     THE END