Dandelions

Elle Buckley-Kinard

Edited 7/11/2025

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Elle Buckley-Kinard was pretty sure she was the happiest girl in the whole world. Maybe in the whole universe. She had a Daddy who could cook the best pancakes ever, and a Papa who could fly helicopter — real ones, not toy ones — and once, for her birthday, he'd taken her up in the sky. Her friends still talked about it.

And then there was her Papi. He wasn't really her dad, but he sort of was, because he was Chris's dad, and Chris was her big brother, so that made sense to her. Chris was the best big brother there could ever be. He even lets her pick the movie sometimes.

Life was already perfect, but today it was going to be extra perfect. Because today, her Daddy and Papa were getting married.

She'd spent all morning twirling in her pink dress, the one with the shiny gold flowers that made her feel like a princess. Auntie Maddie said that since she was throwing petals down the aisle, that made her the flower girl, which sounded like a very important job. Chris was the ring bearer, which meant he got to carry the sparkly rings in a velvet box that looked like something out of a treasure chest.

Elle's basket was full of sunflower petals because Daddy said sunflowers were happy flowers. So, when she walked down the aisle, she threw them as high as she could, laughing every time a petal landed on someone's hair.

Her Papi was standing at the front with Uncle Chimney, both in fancy suits that made them look serious but also kind of cool, and Auntie Maddie was right in the middle, smiling the way grown-ups did when they were about to cry from being so happy.

When Elle finished her flower-throwing job, she went to stand next to her Papi. She watched Daddy walk down the aisle with Grandpa Phillip and Grandma Margaret — they both kissed him on the cheek before they sat down. Daddy's smile was so big that it made her want to cheer.

Then everyone turned, and there was Papa. Walking with Grandpops Bobby and Nana Thena. He looked just as happy, and Elle worried that maybe his cheeks were hurting from smiling too much. When Papa reached the front, he took Daddy's hands, and for a second, everyone went quiet.

Elle squeezed Papi's hand, as Auntie Maddie started talking. "They're about to say, 'I do.' Three little letters, two little words. It's the simplest part of the day. But there's nothing simple about the things that will remain unsaid."

Auntie Maddie paused to sniffle a bit, before she collected herself and continued. " 'I do' means, 'I do know I could be hurt, but I'm ready to be healed with you.' It means, 'I do want to try, even when the fear of failure holds me back.' And, 'I do not know the future, but I'm ready to be surprised along the way.' And 'I do' means, 'I do want your love, and I do give you mine, and nothing we do will ever be the same because you and I will be doing it all together.'"

Then Chris stepped forward with the rings, and Elle watched as Daddy and Papa slid them onto each other's fingers. When they kissed, the whole crowd burst into cheers. Everyone was clapping and laughing, and Elle tossed the rest of her petals into the air, caught up in all the excitement. She didn't even care that half of them landed in her hair.

Her Daddy and Papa are married now.

She grabbed Chris's hand and started jumping in place, too happy to stay still, and when her Daddy looked over and waved, she waved back so hard her basket slipped from her fingers.

It didn't matter, because everything was perfect.

By the time they had all moved to the reception and the dinner plates had been cleared, the noise of the room had softened. Conversations turned into quiet laughter, the sound of glasses clinking loud as someone adjusting the volume on the speakers. The day had stretched into night without anyone really noticing.

Evan was the first to move toward the dance floor. He held out his hand, and Elle — still wide-awake long past her bedtime — ran straight to him. Her curls bounced as he lifted her up, spinning her once before setting her down again.

From the table near the edge of the room, Tommy watched, one hand resting around a glass of champagne he still hadn't touched. Evan twirled Elle again, dipped her with mock seriousness, and caught her as she shrieked with delight.

Tommy hadn't stopped smiling all day. His cheeks hurt, but he didn't care. Every time he tried to take it all in — the music, the laughter, the people he loved most in one place — it only hit harder that this was his life now.

Once upon a time, a day like this would've belonged to someone else. He'd have been the one standing off to the side, watching it all unfold, clapping for other people's happiness while quietly convincing himself he didn't need it. Back then, family had felt like something unattainable.

And yet, here he was. A ring on his finger. A daughter who'd started calling him Papa all on her own. And a husband on the dance floor, still beaming like he couldn't quite believe it either.

Tommy let out a long sigh he didn't realize he'd been holding.

Elle spotted him first, her small hand shooting into the air as she called out, "Come dance!" Her voice carried over the music, bright and certain.

Evan turned at the sound, already smiling. "You heard the boss," he said, grinning. "She's not taking no for an answer."

Tommy laughed, setting his glass down and shaking his head. "You two are trouble."

Evan reached for him the second he stepped onto the floor, fingers finding his like it was the most natural thing. "Yeah," he said quietly, close enough for Tommy to feel the warmth of his breath, "but we're your trouble now."

And that was it.

It wasn't the life he'd expected — not even close. It was better.