The Gift (On Hold)

Chapter Six

i jumped down my fire poll, smiling.

"Happy birthday Alex!" Dad shouted hugging me, he then spun me around like a kid again. i laughed. 

"Dad im fourteen! dont treat me like a kid!" i smiled and he stopped spinning me. 

"So you don't want to be spun around?" he asked with a smile.

"no... i do!" i replied putting my arms in the air. he smiled and spun me around again. 

then the phone rang.

"hold on Hun i think its the fire department." he made his way to the phone.

"But Dad... i thought you quit?" my eyes filled with tears.

"not yet, but i will trust me." He reassured me. 

he picked up the phone. "Hello?" pause, "No Jane sorry i cant make it sorry" pause, "yeah... its her birthday." pause, "thanks for understanding, bye" then he hung up.

"so?" i asked he smiled at me 

"i quit. now its time to get your cake." i smiled and we walked out the door.

~~~~~~~~~At The Store~~~~~~~~~

"now pick one Alex." Dad smiled letting me chose one of the many cakes he ordered. 

"Dad! why did you order so many!" i asked shocked. 

"because you get to chose... and they don't need to know that i ordered all these." the winked at me. i smiled. 

"i want the one that says Happy Birtday You, with the red and black designs. i pointed at it. he smiled, i knew you would like that one.

he walked up to the counter and bought it. then we went down the ice-cream section/

"i want the... Rocky road ice-cream!" i smiled then saw the vanilla. "No wait! the vanilla! no... Rocky road! No wait!" Dad laughed at me

"lets get both." he replied grabbing both. i smiled. we walked in silence for a wile. 

"Dad... are you going to die?" i asked clutching the ice-cream 

"What do you mean?" he asked, his smile faiding. 

"From the Leukemia... are you going to die soon? is that why we went to the amusement part yesterday?" i asked looking at my feet. 

"No Hun... i went because i love you..." he looked off into the distance. 

"Dad...whats wrong? did the hospital call you?" i asked starting to get worried. 

"They did Hun.... but its nothing." he replied. i stopped. 

"Dad... what is it? i need to know!"  i shouted. he stopped. 

"its just... they told me that i may not make it... that the Leukemia is taking over, that i may die in a few years..." he replied, tears filled my eyes and i dropped the ice-cream.

"No! Dad i cant lose you!" i shouted crying.

"Sh Sh Shhh its ok... not anytime soon. they said that that is a worse case scenario! they think they can heal me! but for now we don't know for sure... so lets not be sad... come on lets go celebrate your birthday." he hugged me and we made our way to the car.

~~~~~~~~Back At Home~~~~~~

Dad sang the happy birthday song and we ate cake, the cake was half chocolate and half vanilla the taste was sweet on my tongue then we began consuming the ice-cream. Then we were on to the present. Dad had got me many things but the last think i opened was something i had wanted for years. i tore open the paper, revealing a familiar box, i opened it slowly, confused, then i saw something that made me stop and stare. It was my moms Prom dress, the black and white laces cascaded down the dress, a beautiful patters was sewn on. 

"Dad! I- I dont know what to say!" i wipped tears from my eyes he smiled sweetly. " im going to go were it!" i replied jumping up and running into the bathroom. 

i slipped the dress on and began messing with the ties, it began getting hotter, 

"Dad! Can you turn up the AC?!" i yelled, he didn't answer. 'hmm ok..." i thought and after a few more minutes i finally finished tying it, it was now really hot. 

"Dad?" i yelled and touched the door knob to open it, it burned my hand. i backed up and kicked the door down. behind the door was a roaring fire. 

"Dad?!" i yelled, the fire surrounding me. Dad didn't answer, "Dad!" i yelled looking for him, the fire traveled closer to me, it burned my arms, luckily not my dress. "DAD!" i scream covering my arms. Black smoke surrounded me. "Daddy! Daddy were are you!" i shouted trying to make my way to the kitchen. my lungs burned as the thick black smoke entered them. "Dad!" i coughed and fell to my knees covering my throat, my eyes burned. "Dad..." my vision began going in and out of focus. then arms rapped around me and heaved me out of the house. i breathed in a breath of fresh air. 

"Alex? Alex are you ok!" asked an unfammilar voice. my eyes finally foucued,

"Dad?" i asked blinking a couple of times.

"No Hun its Ann..." then i realised something, i sat up fast. 

"MY DADS STILL IN THERE!" i shouted my voice sounding raspy. 

"What do you mean Alex? You dad is with the firefighters... he got a call this morning." she smoothed my hair back, 

"NO! he stayed home with me!" i shouted. her eyes widened. 

"Frank there's still someone in there!" she shouted, the ambulance tried to take me away but i refused, then i saw them pull Dad out of the fire. he was covered in soot, his chest barley raising i ran to him. 

"Dad!" i cryed holding his head in my chest, "Daddy dont leave me!" i sobbed, his eyes opened, they were red with black soot coating them. 

"Alex... Your so pretty... you mom would be proud..." then his chest stopped moving, his head fell limp, his body limp. i brought his face to mine. put my forehead to his, and cried. 

why dose this always happen to me?