Ribbons

epilogue

17 years later...

"Daddy catch me!" the persistent six year old jumps into my arms. Giggles erupt from her lips, as she grabs a hold of my shirt and then wrapping her arms around my neck. She tends to have a really tight grip and her hold starts to get uncomfortable.

"Jane," I laugh lightly and overreact. "Can't. Breathe."

"Sowwy daddy," she slurs and hugs me closer. I kiss her on her forehead and place her on the ground.

She starts to jump around the room dancing freely, singing some sort of gibberish. I smile when I see that oh so familiar blue ribbon tied in her curly blonde hair.

"Did you have a cookie?" I raise my eyebrow noticing her crazy, energetic state.

"Nooo," she starts to laugh and tries to run away. I pick her up by her sides and begin to tickle her. She laughs even harder begging me to stop. "I stole the cookie! I lied!"

I stop tickling her and she grins widely at me.

"Jane? Jane come here, I need to take you to your playdate with Mary," Elle, my wife, enters the living room. Her eyes were tired but a smile was spread across her face. Jane may be a handful, but she's one of the best things that has ever happened to us.

"Okay mommy!" she races over to Elle and jumps into her arms. Then out of no where she begins to laugh again, and her body began to become limp because she was laughing so hard. Elle looks at me skeptically, an amused smirk painted on her lips.

"She stole a cookie, I didn't give it to her," I shrug my shoulders making my way towards her. I place a kiss on her lips and she smiles wider.

"We should go to that new Italian restaurant after we drop off Jane," Elle suggests.

"Yeah, okay let me just grab my jacket and we'll go," I say heading upstairs. Finding my jacket, we go into the car and drive to Mary's house.

"What are you and Mary going to do?" Elle asks looking in the mirror. Jane is jumping up and down in her seat sucking on her thumb.

"Bake cookies!" she squeals.

"Don't eat too much, you'll have a tummy ache," Elle warns her and Jane slumps into her seat and pouts slightly.

"Daddy, daddy!" she calls my name her tone a little more excited.

"Yes sweetheart," I answer.

"Tell me the story again, the one about the princess and the ribbons," she begs.

My heart drops for a moment, and there's silence in the air.

Elle takes one hand off the steering wheel and grabs mine tightly. She gives me a reassuring smile and then focuses back on the road.

"Okay," I inhale a deep breath. It's been nineteen years and some days it seems like she left just yesterday. "There was once a beautiful princess, who loved ribbons. She had different colors of ribbons and different patterns. She wore them in her hair and on her wrists and hung them in her room. She gave her kingdom color and light with these ribbons and she changed peoples lives by just simply talking to them. This princess was selfless and cared about others before ourselves. She hated seeing anybody sad so she would give apart of her to the sky. She did this so when the people who were sad looked up at the sky, they would see light and beauty. Before the night was completely dark, but after the princess there were twinkling lights now known as stars. Soon the princess decided to dance among the stars to make everybody happy. So when people missed loved ones or felt sad, they looked at the sky and in the dark sky were stars. This gave people hope because even in darkness there will always be a little light. It might be just a little, but the little can do a lot. "

"Doesn't she miss her family daddy?" Jane asks interrupting, but I didn't care.

"She does, but she cared more about their happiness than anything," My voice gets caught in my throat.

"Is that why you like the stars so much?" Jane always asks the same questions after the story, and I wonder why. Does she want a different answer?

"Yeah, I one time knew the princess.And from time to time I look up at the sky because I miss her dearly," I speak truthfully. Elle rubs her thumb against my hand.

"What does dearly mean," she cocks her head and furrows her eyebrows.

"It means a lot, a whole lot," I explain.

"What was the princess' name daddy?" She jumps topics. This question was new.

"Her name was Jane. Just like yours," I look back at her and I see her smile widen.

"I have the princess' name!?" she starts to get really excited.

"Yes princess," I wink at her. "Also, that ribbon that you love so much, the one that is in your hair. That belonged to her."

Her hands fly back to her ponytail and she rubs the ribbon in between her fingertips. Her smile is even wider.
The car pulls to a stop at Mary's house.

"Okay Jane let's get to your playdate," Elle unbuckles Jane from her booster seat and holds her hand. She walks her up to the door and waits until she gets in the house. Then she comes back to me.

"Is today?" she starts and I nod solemnly.

"Nineteen years since she..." I pause. "Left."

Elle wraps her arms around me comfortingly and she kisses my hair.
"She's among the stars Parker don't worry. She hasn't left, she will always be here."

"I love you," I whisper to her and kiss her softly.

On the radio, the 1975 began to play which was odd because we were listening to a country station. I didn't care how the Robbers were playing, but I sit back in my seat grasping Elle's hand, and I look up at the ceiling.
"This ones for you Jane."

-

this concludes "Ribbons" by overattatched