Elizabeth Fern

CHAPTER 38

I noticed that AJ was shifting uncomfortably in her seat. Alex noticed this too. It struck me.

The way AJ looked right now reminded me of Lizzie. My sweet Lizzie. I wanted to break down, punch a wall, and cry out everything I feel inside. I miss her so bad. I always wish that this was only a bad dream that I would soon wake up from. It wasn’t, and I know that.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a bunch of yellow roses blossoming. Yellow roses…Lizzie’s favourite flower. Those were the flowers I gave her during her 16th birthday. I bitterly  recalled that fateful night. My first…and last dance with my daughter.

I took a shower before changing into my favourite blue tuxedo. I was busy the whole day, preparing for Lizzie’s birthday party which she knew nothing about. I wanted to surprise her to make up for grounding her, and pretty much everything else.Dealing with a teenage girl is hard enough, dealing with a pregnant teenage girl…is another story.

Over the months, I avoided to make conversation with her. I just don’t know what to say to her. The last thing I want to do is lash out on her. As time passed, I slowly accepted the fact that my daughter’s having a baby which was due to come out really soon.

I sat down to polish my brown leather shoes, then I realized, it was my first time to sit since 8 in the morning. I asked her friend AJ to gather her other friends to help make our backyard presentable with all the decorations. I asked my buddies to help me with the food too. I grilled my signature barbeque ribs, marinated with a special sauce. I asked Alex to drive Lizzie around town while we do our necessary preparations. When she arrived home, I asked AJ to slip her into a dress. Showtime.

Slow music played as Lizzie emerged from inside the house and out to our backyard. She looked beautiful under the spotlight. Her lilac colored dress flowed elegantly above her knee. I almost forgot the large bulge on her stomach. My soon to be grandchild. She looked stunning, nevertheless. One by one, the boys gave her a red rose and danced with her. Alex was her first dance. She moved so gracefully with the music and I was just mesmerized by her. I was her last rose. I gave her the yellow rose and kissed her cheek. She was teary-eyed as we dance, and I was too. Even if we didn’t speak a word as we danced, I felt like I knew what she was thinking, and she felt everything I was feeling. At that moment, I was one with my daughter. I never felt this close to her. Suddenly she stopped and looked at me, horror-struck.

“My water broke Papa”.