Mastering the Valley: Completed

Chapter 55: Daddy-Daughter Date

   I look into the full length mirror at myself. The lavender purple vans to match my dress, and the mini purple tiara that dad bought with it the day we got the outfit. The only thing I need to put on my body is the necklace with the purple stone dad bought. I look at the necklace that Hawk gave me and go to take it off. I realize that it hurts to remove this necklace, because it was such a big piece of our relationship. If it wasn't for the necklace they wouldn't have found me, and maybe I could still be missing. I can't take off the necklace... I just can't. I hear a knocking on the door.
   "Your date is here." Mrs LaRusso says.
  "Okay I'm coming." I say, getting one last look at myself. I look like such a child, but it touches my heart that I feel like one too.
  I walk down the stairs and there my dad is. Wearing the ducky tie and the plastic Kings Crown from Chuck-E-Cheese that I won for him. There's no way that the one he is wearing is the original.
  "Dad." I say, walking up to him and hugging him.
"Katie-Kat." my dad says, embracing me.
  When I hug my dad I feel safe, I feel like he knows me more than anyone. He gave me hot soup when I was sick, and watched Rocky and Bullwinkle with me at 3 in the morning when I was scared to go back to sleep after having a nightmare. My dad hasn't always been there, but when he was he was always good to me.
  "Shall we?" my dad says.
"We shall." I respond.
  We go to walk out and I look back at Hawk, he gives me a smile, and I give him one back.
  We walk outside and I see Noah in the front seat.
"What the hell is he doing here?" I ask.
  "He is our valet driver for the evening. This is him paying me back for driving under the influence." he says to me, then he clears his throat. "VALET." my dad yells to Noah. I see him get out of front seat and open the back door.
   "I thought I paid for curtesy conversation." my dad says.
  "You didn't pay for anything." Noah responds.
"Do you want me to inform the police about you driving tipsy?" my dad says. "Or shall I just leave you here while I go to New York?"
  I see Noah put on a fake smile, almost as if it's a mask. "How are you doing this evening ma'am?" he says to me.
  "I'm doing just fine." I say, following with a smirk. "Just fine."
    Both my dad and I get into the backseat of the black SUV.
  "Did you rent this?" I ask.
"Yes I did. And I expect for me to be able to return it without a scratch on it." he says out loud so Noah can hear him.
  "So anyways Katie-Kat. You look lovely today."
"Thank you dad, and I just absolutely adore your ducky tie." I say in a fancy manner.
  "Our reservations are for 7:30." my dad says.
"You didn't have to make reservations, and also, it's 5." I say.
  "I know I didn't but I wanted to. Also, it gives us enough time to go to one of our favorite places." he says.
  "No way dad." I say.
"Yes-way. Valet, please take us to Chuck-E-Cheese."
  Noah chimes in. "Isn't that place for-"
"Dammit boy just drive."
  I laugh. My dad looks to me, "So, how are you and Eli, oh, I mean Hawk doing?"
  "Yeah, that's no longer happening." I say.
"Really? You two look like such a good couple. I really thought it was going to work out."
  "I just realized that I needed some time for myself and to get my priorities straight before I can even begin to think about a relationship."
  "That sounds so responsible Katie-Kat. I'm so proud of you." he says as he puts his arm around me and kisses me on the forehead. After about 15 minutes we finally get to Chuck-E-Cheese.
  "Okay, and we are here." Noah says.
"Okay. You can just drive around the back and wait for us to get out." my dad says.
  "Wait, so I can't go in?" Noah says. 
"Nope. Maybe should've thought about the consequences to your actions before you done some stupid shit." my dad says.
  Noah gets out and walks around to my door and opens the door.
  "Thank you." I say.
  He looks to me and rolls his eyes. "Mhm."
We get in the building and I know we had to do our favorite thing. I look to my dad.
  "Ski-ball?" I say.
"Okay. Sorry princess but you are going down." my dad says, getting the card. "Last one to the machine has to buy the big panda."
  I run to the machine, my dad piddling behind me. I beat him to the machine. "You, my good man, have to buy me a panda."
  "Aw come on. Those are like 20 bucks."
"A deals a deal man, and you lost." I say.
My dad puts on that fake disappointment face. "Well okay I guess." he says, following a laugh. "So what will you name this one?"
"Not sure, but while I'm thinking about it I can BEAT you in Ski-Ball." I say.
"Your on little girl." my dad says.
About 30 minutes pass and my dad beats me in ski-ball. "You better call the restaurant and cancel our reservations because you just got served."
"I don't know what you mean... I clearly let you win."
"Oh okay SUUUUUURE." my dad says.
We get our tickets and go to the counter to look at the prizes.
"Okay so if we put our tickets together we can get the Mystery Prize.. and that sounds like a really good deal." my dad says.
"Okay fine." I say, giving him my tickets.
"We would like the mystery prize." my dad says.
"Okay." The guy says.
"We would also like one of those huge pandas."
"The panda will be 29.99 plus tax."
My dad looks to me. "Rack it up." he says.
We walk outside and my dad calls Noah, then Noah pulls around the corner and opens the door for me to get in. Once me and my dad get in and Noah starts driving I find the perfect name.
"I think we should call him Roger." I say.
"Wow, such a noble name." my dad says.
After we went out to eat Noah drove me to the LaRusso house. My dad gets out and walks me to the door.
"I love you so much, and I'm going to miss you very much." my dad says, hugging me.
"Are you going to leave your truck at the airport?" I ask.
"Yeah I will." he says.
"Okay. I love you dad, be careful."
"I will baby." he says, hugging me.
I just stand at the door and watch my dad go back to the SUV.
  There are moments like tonight that I wish could last forever. I watch the SUV drive away, getting smaller and smaller with every passing second. Watching my dad leave has always been one of the hardest things to take part in. It's hard to see him leave and not know if he's going to come back safely.
  I walk in the house and see him laying in the floor unconscious.
  "Hawk, hello? Are you okay." I say, tapping his shoulder.
  "SOMEONE PLEASE CALL 911." I scream, starting to cry.