𝔪𝔞𝔡𝔢 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔪𝔢

𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔱𝔴𝔬

daddy's smart and you're the prettiest lady.

"I don't know why you suddenly care," she told her mother, who was surprisingly in her room for the first time in what seemed like a year. She was gathering her things to head on over to her best friend Abby's house so that they could get dressed. It was the day of their senior prom. They had been planning this day since they both walked into the local high school doors their freshman year.

"I just want to know if you are properly prepared for whatever you are about to do." Theresa, her mother, walked fully into her room and took a sit on her bed. Sitting at her desk, Jacey closed Twitter and spun around in her computer chair to face her mother.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, just as confused as she was when her mother first entered her room.

"Let me just cut to the chase. You plan on having sex with that boy tonight?"

"WH--" Jacey's eyes widened. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She knew her mom was blunt, but sometimes, she wished she came with a warning stamp on her forehead. "Wh...wh... WHY, would you think ... even think that? WHAT!?"

By the time she got her words out, her mom was laughing. Jacey raised an eyebrow. "All I'm saying is, I want you to be prepared."

"You have nothing to worry about mom. I'm not planning on doing I'm not ready to do" She told her mother, trying to reassure her. She knew she was still both of her parent's baby girl, no matter how old she was. They made it clear to her at any age, that they just wanted the best for her.

"Did I miss the sex talk?" Her father said from the doorway with something she couldn't make out in his hand.

Jacey lowered her head into her hands, muttering a low, "Oh dear, God." She crossed her legs and sat upright in her chair. "There's no need, Daddy," She told him calmly. "I'm not having sex, at all." Her father smiled. He was proud of the young lady his daughter had become. She was intelligent, she was understanding, and she made the ones around her feel comfortable.

Her mother removed herself from the room, and her father walked in ultimately, taking the spot that was just occupied on Jacey's bed by Theresa.

Glancing around her room, he saw the number of Hello Kitty dolls, toys, and other objects lining the shelves. His eyes landed on the huge Hello Kitty doll in the corner of her room, sitting on a rocking chair. The day the oversized cat made its way into the house replayed in his mind, putting a smile on his face.

"Daddy, I want that!" A seven-year-old, Jacey, screamed into her dad's ear as they walked past the Milk Bottle Toss at the county carnival, where she saw a huge Hello Kitty. Her eyes lit up while she pointed nonstop. "That! Daddy, that one!" She exclaimed.

Her mother and father looked at one another and then proceeded to the booth. "Step right up and see if you have what it takes," the booth worker taunted.

"How much," Christoper King, the little girl's father, asked.

"Two balls for a dollar, 12 for $5," the worker answered.

"And how do I win..."

"THAT ONE!" He was interrupted by Jacey's loud proclamation and bouncing.

"Three consecutive all bottles must be knocked down," the booth worker says.

"Here's a five," her dad said while putting Jacey down and placing a five dollar bill on the counter.

"You can keep the change; I won't need all 12 balls," her dad said arrogantly while preparing to throw.

Thirty minutes later, there was 25 dollars on the counter, Jacey sitting on the ground, and her mother, Theresa, begging for him to give up (along with the line of people behind them). "C'mon man," a man in line called out, "Give someone who can actually throw a chance to win."

"My daddy can throw, you big meanie. Aaaannnndd he's gonna win me that," Jacey stated defending her dad. He was her hero. She knew if there was anything she needed or wanted, her daddy would get it for her. She was Daddy's little princess.

"Honey, maybe that man's right," Theresa whispered. You can just buy a doll like it at Walmart."

"No, my baby girl wants that one," he said while pointing to the giant Hello Kitty. He looks around at the crowd of people, his wife, then Jacey. He couldn't disappoint her. He looked at the booth worker and asked to speak with him. "How much for the Hello doll thinga muh cat?"

"$15 more," the worker replied. "Here," Christopher says, while handing him more money. "Just....just make it seem like I won. For my daughter, ya know."

They walked back over to the booth where the booth worker upholds his side of the deal. When Christopher throws each ball, the worker inconspicuously help the bottles fall. Jacey is now on her feet screaming, "ONE MORE DADDY, ONE MORE!!!!"

He throws the ball with his everything, but his everything wasn't enough, two bottles remained standing. The booth-worker hits the table and the bottles fall. Jacey jumps up and down, then into her father's arms, "I knew you would win it for me!"

"Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed, taking the "School Girl" Hello Kitty doll from the box. She got up from her desk chair and making her way to her dad. She hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek. "I love it!" She refrained from jumping up and down.

"I knew it was one of the only ones you didn't have," he said. Watching her face light up as she opened that box brought him back to the night of the county carnival. It was as if she was 7 again. He wished everything now was like it was back then, when everything was perfect.

"I know exactly where I'm going to put it." She walked over to her bookcase and placed it in an open space. "Ta da!" She waved her arms as if she were a magician and smiled at her father. She thought she didn't show it too much; he was still her hero, and she was still Daddy's little girl.

"I'm happy you like it, Jace." Getting up, he walked over to his now eighteen-year-old daughter. He couldn't believe she had grown up so fast. "Happy Birthday. I hope you have a wonderful time at your prom." His voice cracked, but he caught his tears before they decided to fall. "I love you, baby girl."

He pulled away from their hug and looked at her in those bright blue eyes. "I love you, too, daddy." He kissed her cheek. She smiled before saying, "Ok, I need to finish getting my stuff together, Abby is on her way"

"Right, right." He told her. "Have a good time, but not too much fun if you catch my drift" He chuckled, and she made a face.

She laughed before shaking her head at him, "I won't." He looked at her one last time before he walked out of her room.