My Reason to Smile

Chapter One

"Hello, Love" I heard my father greet Mum, who was cooking dinner.

I jumped up from where I was in the small living room, to meet him.

"Daddy!" I called, running as fast as my seven year old legs could carry me to my father's arms.

He smiled and scooped me up, kissing my cheek. "And how is my lovely?" He asked, his face inches from mine.

 "Happy now that you're home!" I said, then kissed his nose.

He smiled and set me down. "Mummy tells me your little brother is being stinky today." He said, waving his hand in front of his nose and making a face.

I nodded. "Tyler's always stinky, Daddy." I, too made a face.

 "Little brothers can be that way." He walked over to Mum and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'm goin ta go take a shower, then I'll be down to help."

 She turned her head slightly and kissed his cheek. "Dinner'll be ready when you come down."

He kissed her lips and jogged upstairs.

  I plopped down on the opposite side of the kitchen, leaning up against the cupboards. "You and Daddy love each other very much, don't you?" I asked.

She looked over her shoulder at me. "Yes, we do, Julie. You're too smart for your own good, you know that?" She asked, turning back to the sauce she was stirring.

 "I know I'm smart. I alwedy know all my multiplication tables up to six, and I can spell really well, and I know how to help Daddy with his cars. I know the difference between a Philips and a regular sqrew driver too."

 She looked at me and smiled. "You're a Daddy's girl."

 "Jules?!"  Dad called from upstairs.

I didn't say anything, just ran up the stairs to look for him. He was in my room with an engraved wooden box in his hands.

 "What, Daddy?" I asked, walking up to him.

 "I have a present for you." He smiled and handed me the box.

As I took it, he started talking. "Your birthday's tomorrow, and I work late, so I won't be able to give you your presents, and I wanted to give you this one."

 I carefully flipped the lock, and tilted the lid back, to reveal a silver necklace, a ring, and a picture of some kind.

 I walked over and sat on my narrow bed and took the items out, one by one.

I pulled out the necklace first.

 It was identical to the one Daddy always wore, a thick silver chain with a small angel wing, a chunk of onyx, and a smaller, dull chunk of an emerald, a small chunk of a white-ish rock, and a chunk of what looked to me like an opal.

 I looked up. "Daddy, this is yours."

  "I know sweetie, but I want you to have it. The emerald is your birthstone, and the onyx because that's your favorite. The moonstone because that's your Mummy's birthstone, and the opal for your little brother. And the angel wing to keep you all safe." He took it out of my hands and put it around my neck, pullling my blonde hair out from underneath it.

  I looked at it, hanging low on my chest. "What if I break it, Daddy?" I asked, looking back at him.

"It's been down in the mines since the day I married your mother; you won't be able to break it."