Forever Yours [Series Two of Bittersweet Disasters]

[38] "I Came To Life When You First Kissed Me..."

♥︎♡♥︎ DEZERAE PARKER ♡♥︎♡

{4:35 pm} "NOW, IT'S TIME FOR FATHER, daughter/mother, son dance," Brett booms into the microphone. "First, we're gonna do the father, daughter dance."

After he says that, sad tears immediately spring to my eyes and start racing down my face as I sigh softly. Standing up, I go up to Brett at the DJ booth and I'm about to tell him that my dad isn't here, when all the lights around us turn off and the spotlight shines on someone standing in the archway. I wipe a tear away as I glance over and cock an eyebrow. It only takes me a second or two to realize that that person standing in the archway is my dad. Instantly, my sad tears turn into happy tears as I kick my high heels off and bolt across the room and launch myself into my dad's arms. "Daddy! What are you doing here?"

"Hi, honey," he answers, lightly brushing his cool hand against my warm cheek. "You looked so beautiful today as you walked down the aisle and married your best friend."

"But-But you just got here, how'd you know how beautiful I looked as I walked down the aisle and married my best friend?" I ask as I give him a puzzled look.

"Because, I was the one that married y'all," Daddy answers. "I got ordained to marry people as a side job."

I give my dad a wide, happy grin as I kiss his cheek. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now, are we gonna have our dance or not?"

I beam happily at him again as he takes my hand and we go into the middle of the dance floor. Brett switches 'Butterfly Kisses' by 'Bob Carlisle' on and we start waltzing along to the song.

As we waltz around the center of the room, I lean into my dad and give him another smile. "I've missed you so much, Daddy," I whisper in a shaky, slightly nervous tone.

"I've missed you too, honey," he replies. "Dez, I just want you to know that I'm now one and fifty percent sobered up. These past five years have been such a struggle for me. But after three years of not getting anywhere with it, I put myself in a rehabilitation clinic and I went there for two years and just six months ago I was released, and like I said I'm now one hundred and fifty percent sober."

"I'm so proud," I respond to my dad as I smile cheerfully at him.

My dad beams at me. "Dezerae, listen, I want to come back and be a part of my children's and grandchildren's lives. I got a full-time job as a Lyft/Uber driver and I'm now living in a three-bedroom, two and a half bath townhome in Dana Point. You don't know this, but I've been watching y'all these past six months. And from what I've examined, Kaiden is such an amazing person and I am so happy for y'all."

"How have you been watching us when I haven't even seen you?" I whisper as I cock an eyebrow at him.

He chuckles softly. "I have my ways."

{4:37 pm} I beam at my dad as I step up on my tiptoes and lightly kiss his cheek. "I would love to have you back in our lives. Devin, KJ, and Baby Parker would absolutely love to get to know their granddad." I try to rush "Baby Parker" out, but my dad catches on and cocks an eyebrow.

"Baby Parker?" he asks, giving me a puzzled look. "There's another one?"

I bite my bottom lip anxiously as I peer behind him and glimpse at Kaiden for a second before I move my tear-stained eyes back to look at my dad. I sigh heavily. "Can you keep a big secret?" I ask, peering up at him.

"Of course," he answers as he peers down at me.

I bite my bottom lip again as I gulp softly. After a second, I release it and sigh. "I'm pregnant," I mutter softly into his ear. "But, please, please, 'please', do not mention anything about it to Kaiden; I still haven't told him yet."