Daddyplier

Chapter 15 ~ Nightmares

I was fifteen. I was leery of the situation because my father was once again leaving. It had been the sixth time he had left that week, and this time, I felt as if he was never coming back. A little five-year-old girl stood in front of him. That looks a whole lot like me when I was little, I thought.

"Where are you going, Daddy?" The little girl said. "I have to leave for a while." He said. I stepped out of the corner, heading toward my "dad". "Where do you think you're going?" I said, stepping in front of him. He looked at me blankly. "You will not break our agreement, our conformity, again."

He walked past me, not answering. He picked up the five-year-old, setting her on the counter. "Listen to me, baby." He said. "Take care of your mommy... " Everything started to kind of fit in its place, like a puzzle forming itself right in front of me. This was me.

"I love you, always remember that." He said. The five-year-old disappeared. "Is this what you call a family?!" I screamed. "Really, is this, what a family is?!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I grew such contempt for him.

"Why, why run?" I asked. My stepdad pushed my real dad and started punching him. Suddenly, my real dad disappeared. My stepdad stood and looked at me. "Its okay, you're safe now.

Go to him. He deserves you and supports you better than I ever did. And Hope, I'm proud of you. One million." Mark was behind me. I woke up screaming. I had sweat and tears running down my face. I grew delirious with depression. I finally realized it was all a dream.

Mark burst through the door. He rushed to me and hugged me. "Nightmare?" He asked. "Its okay, I've got you now." I idolized him for how much he cared for this family. "This is what you call family." He said. I smiled to myself, and a sudden tear rolled from my eye to my cheek.

I had major deja vu. I was consumed by the fact that my Dad may have just told me he was proud of what I was doing. It was then that I realized.

This has happened before. Mark was now doing what my stepdad did before when I had this dream the first time. My Dad evaded my dreams. He told me he was okay. I was okay. It was okay to move on now.

The sadness in me should finally be lightened. I then saw my dad behind Mark. He was smiling at me. He held the hand of my mom's. My mom said, "I'm proud of you Hope." She said. "I love you." "And I love you." My dad added. They disappeared.

"Something wrong Hope?" Mark asked. "No. I'm fine." I said. "I just need a moment. Maybe some water?" I said. "Okay. I will get you water." He said. He got up and left the room. My dad re-appeared. He came and hugged me. I actually felt him there.

Then my mom appeared. She hugged me too. "I love you too." I said. They then slowly faded away.