We Heal Each Other

5

When my dad came into the car I hugged him. I wrapped my arms around his neck. He laughs nervously.

"Thanks, Daddy," I say.

"For what Rory?" My dad asked, confused.

"Just for being my protective father. For being loving." I say emotionally.

"Oh, well. Rory, I'll never stop being protective. You're my daughter. I'll never stop. You know what Aurora...you have been my baby girl since the day you were born.  When they handed you to me right when you were born You laid on my chest and cooed. You sucked your thumb and opened your dark blue eyes you got from me." My dad brushes my cheek. "You'll always  be my baby." My dad says seriously.

I sit in my seat and my dad starts to drive. The drive back is mostly silent. My dad glances at me for a second. When we pulled up home I got out and hugged my dad as he was getting out. His strong arms wrapped around me perfectly. He kissed my forehead and went inside the condo. My dad unlocks the door and I see my mom in her black lacey robe and white slippers. Her dark brown hair is in a messy bun. She cleaned off her makeup. She was putting her sketchbook on the cabinet.

She comes near me and hugs me. I looked at my dad putting the keys and his wallet on the kitchen island. I embraced my mom in a hug back. I watched my dad flop onto the black leather couch. "How was the party? What's the band like in person?" My mom asks excitedly. 

My dad arches his eyebrow up. I sit next to my dad and I tell my parents about the party excitedly. They listened with enthusiasm. When I was done, My dad signaled for my mom to come and sit down. My mom sits down on my dad's lap. She wraps her arms around his neck. My dad clears his throat.

"Rory, Coach called while you were at the party. Well, I have a game next week against the Atlanta Falcons. We would be traveling to Atlanta. I want you there of course but if you have work I get it." My dad says, rubbing my mom's back. 

"Daddy, you should know I'm coming. I'll be there. And with all my Rams gear." I say seriously. "I'll take the week off."

My parents look at each other and then at me. My dad looks at me softly. I get a vibe I don't like. I gulp.  "Aurora Illine Johnson." My dad says seriously.

I gulp. "Yes?"

He chuckles. He cups my cheek. "How did I get the biggest supporter and a beautiful daughter?"

I breathe a sigh of relief. "Oh, my...I thought I was in trouble."

My parents laugh.

"I will. I'll bring all my Rams crap. My foam finger, "Quarterback's Daughter" sweatshirt, my new shirt, my wallet, and of course, my picture of you and I of you winning your first Super Bowl when I was a few months old."

My dad laughs. "The more the merrier I guess."       

I head to the refrigerator and grab a water bottle. I gulp down the water. I throw the water bottle away when I'm done.  My parents stand up and my dad takes the trash out. My mom came towards me and leaned on the counter.

"So, what's Rayven like?" My mom said, raising her eyebrows.

"Oh, Mama, he's amazing. he's a gentleman. He's like Daddy. We danced and before he placed his hands anywhere he asked me first. He's so attractive Mama." I start to blush. "His hair falls perfectly and his doe eyes. I just hope I can remember tonight."

My mom smiles warmly. "You can. You can draw it. I have—I've drawn the important events of my life. They're in my sketchbooks in the art room."

"Can I see them?" I ask, excitedly.

My mom nods. "Yeah. We can—"

Suddenly my dad comes in and locks the door. My dad takes off his leather jacket with his number and places it on a dining room chair. I can see my dad's bicep muscles through his grey shirt. He comes near my mom and wraps his arms around her. My mom wraps her arms around his neck. They look into each other's eyes for a second and then my dad kisses my mom. He kisses her forehead. I admire their marriage. Their love.

I clear my throat. My dad comes to me and wraps his arms around me. I feel the safest when my dad holds me. My dad kisses my forehead.

"Good night, Rory. I love you, baby girl." My dad whispers.

"Good night, Daddy," I whisper. 

My dad brushes my mom's cheek. "I'm going to read, Babe."

My mom nods. My dad went into my parents' room and closed the door. My mom and I went into our art room. I looked at the walls as my mom went for her sketchbook in the bookcase. She took out two sketchbooks. One with my dad's face on it. The other has my face on it.

"Here you go." My mom says, handing me her sketchbooks.

I look through the pages. The first page is my parents' first kiss. I see a beach scene and my dad is dipping my mom. Wow. Super romantic. I go to the second page.  It is of my dad. The name for it says, true love.  My dad.

The man whom I've wrapped my fingers around his. The man who I look so much like. The first guy I've loved. My dad at my age. We look so much alike.

"So this is Daddy at eighteen?" I ask.

"Yes." My mom replies.

I looked through my mom's Hawaii drawings (My parent's honeymoon was in Hawaii). I look at a neatly drawn bird. It's named Camaron's Bird.  Aww, my dad drew this.

"Daddy drew this?" I ask.

"Yes." My mom replied.

Now I know where I get my artistic talent. I put the sketchbook with my dad's face on it aside and opened the one with my face. I turn to the first page. I gasped as a realistic drawing I saw my dad holding me to his chest when I was a baby. The drawing said "Camoran & Aurora...Skin-to-skin contact" 

My dad had his hand on my head. I had my thumb in my mouth and my eyes opened. My mom was very good at capturing life.

"Mama, he told me about this...Daddy told me about this." I say pointing to the drawing. "Daddy told me about this moment in my life."   

 My mom smiles. She puts her hand on my cheek. "You'll always be his baby girl, Aurora. Always. He was so excited. When we took the test--your dad jumped up and down for joy. When we found out you were a girl...your dad...he dropped his smoke stick and picked me up." My mom said.

I head towards my parents' room with my mom's sketchbook. I knock on the door gently and I hear a faint "Come in"  I open the door and my dad is reading over his playbook. I close the door halfway. All I could do was stand there and cry because I felt overwhelmed with my dad's love. As soon as my dad heard me crying he put his playbook down.  He held out his arm as he always does when I'm crying.

"Rory, what's wrong?" He asked sympathetically.

I jumped on the bed and placed the sketchbook in front of my dad. He takes a closer look at it. He looks at me. He held out his arms and I snuggled into them.

"Aurora, like I said earlier tonight, that was the best time of my life."

"Oh, Daddy. It's different from you telling me and seeing it." I say closing my eyes.

My dad chuckles. He rubs my head and I smile. I've always felt safe in my dad's arms. Especially in my variable times.

"Quarterback Dad is here, Rory." My dad said.

I laugh softly. I look at him and he kisses my forehead. I looked at my mom at the end of the door. She was smiling big.

"Daddy?"

"Hmm?" My dad looks at me.

"Can I invite Rayven to the game next week? Pretty please?" I ask batting my eyes.

My dad inhales sharply and smiles so slightly. "I'll get him a ticket baby girl."