Person Behind Those Smiles (ONE SHOT)

This story is written by my sister, Jewel. All credits to her.

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"If I could get
One final walk,
One final chance,
One final dance with him..."

        Back when everything's normal, my father and I weren't close because I am closer to my mother than him.

        When I was a child, I used to think that my father is so big, his slippers are as big as boat, and he's a giant but sometimes I would sleep next to him so that when insomia strikes me, I could wrestle him to wake him up and play with me... I could still clearly remember those happy times with him.

        Whenever we went to malls or markets, he would put me in the cart and we'll pretend that we're in an airplane. I used to idolize ballerinas back then, that's why he bought me costumes of ballerinas but I'm too fat to fit in. My father thought of a way so he can make me happy. He played a music in the radio, a music that was danced by ballerinas then suddenly, he began to twirl and dance like a ballerina. I never thought he would do that to make me laugh and smile.
        I would say that for me, he's my perfect ideal father. I never saw him cry or even got angry. I thought that he is too jolly and optimistic to get sad. But the day came when I saw my father behind his smiles...

        Our world that was onced filled with laughter was now replaced by silent sobs. His smiles that was onced so genuine was now planted with those forced smiles. I can feel it... his loneliness in his heart.

        He hugged me and bid his goodbye...

        While he's away, working hard for his family, he didn't know what was happening. His family he knew was all gone. The family that was filled with love and smiles were all gone.

        And now his back with us, trying to pick and put up those fragments and pieces of our family. Smiling like the old days but now deep inside, he's smiling for his children...

I wish I could travel back in time...

To have have a dance with my father that was onced filled with love and laughter...

And now...

I know,..

The person behind those smiles...