Keera [1]

3. Persuasive

Tanner was enjoying a sound sleep in an old, musty car when suddenly he was jolted awake by a loud noise. It was a crow that had hit the back window of the car with a strong blow, he thought. Enough startled him and disrupted his peaceful dream. Tanner often dreamt about his family, and this time it was a wonderful one where his daughters had agreed to go on an adventure to Africa. He couldn't help but wonder if it could be a prediction of the future.

As he rubbed his sleepy eyes and tried to shake off the effects of the sudden noise, Tanner heard a feminine voice calling out,

"Dad?"

He wasn't sure if it was his older daughter Vera or younger daughter Stella because their voices were so similar.

As he turned to look, he saw that it was Vera, who was 15 years old and one year older than her sister.

Vera was standing outside the car, looking in through the window. She waved her hand on the windowpane to clear off the dust that had accumulated on the glass and then brought her face closer to peer inside. Tanner couldn't help but notice her big, beautiful, blue eyes, which shone in the sunlight. He wondered what could have brought her here at this hour and felt a little anxious, but also happy.

"Dad?" She repeated the question because Tanner physically couldn't answer.

Tanner struggled to reach the doorknob of his car with his fingers as he hurried to get out. After finally managing to open the door, he clenched his fist and pushed it while Vera was slowly walking away from the car. The scenery around him was beautiful, with the sun shining down on him and the grass looking green and lush.

As Tanner stepped out of the car, he looked down and noticed that his jeans were ripped and already turning green. Despite this, he was filled with happiness and pure delight as he watched Vera walking towards him. He couldn't wait to run a few more steps after her and hug her as tightly as possible.

As he got closer, he noticed that her thick hair was longer than the last time he had seen her, and it swayed gracefully in the gentle breeze. Her face was still as beautiful as ever, with a touch of innocence but also a hint of maturity. Tanner couldn't help but notice that she hadn't grown much taller, estimating her to be around 5.6 feet (168 cm), not too short but not tall either.

Tanner's heart swelled with pride and joy as he saw his daughter Vera standing before him. He wanted to tell her everything he had been feeling since they last saw each other, but words were not enough. Instead, he approached her and wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. As they held each other, Tanner felt the weight of all his worries and fears lift off his shoulders. He could feel Vera's tears of happiness soaking into his shirt as she closed her eyes.

Tanner held her tightly, reluctant to let go. He could feel her heartbeat against his chest and it filled him with a sense of calm. "Oh, Vera," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "I missed you so much."

Vera pulled back slightly to look up at him with tear-filled eyes. "Everything will be okay now that you're here," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Tanner smiled down at her, his hand gently caressing her back. "I promise, everything will be fine. I'm here now." And with those words, they stood there in each other's arms, father and daughter reunited at last.

"Dad!!" Another voice was heard. This time it sounded way happier, more excited.

As the father and his older daughter stood in front of their house, they shared a long and emotional hug before their attention was drawn towards Seth's house.

It was then that Stella caught sight of them and waved excitedly, her joy at seeing her father evident in every movement of her body. She made her way down the concrete stairs with quick, eager steps, her happiness almost overwhelmed her as she approached her father.