Chapter 8 - A Father's Promise
Down in the garden behind the mansion, the air was crisp and fresh.
Lila was running through the manicured grass, wearing a warm yellow winter coat and boots, chasing a golden retriever puppy that Mrs. Gable had brought from the local shelter. Her bright, musical laughter echoed across the grounds.
I walked down the stone steps of the terrace, watching her.
When Lila saw me, her face lit up with that brilliant smile that could melt stone. She stopped running, patted the puppy on the head, and trotted over to me on her tiny boots.
"Daddy!" she called out.
The word still hit my heart with a wave of intense, overwhelming joy every single time she said it.
I dropped to one knee, letting her run straight into my arms. I lifted her up, holding her against my hip as we walked toward a wooden bench near the cliffside railing overlooking the ocean.
"Are you having fun?" I asked, brushing a stray lock of curly dark hair from her forehead.
"Yes!" Lila giggled. "Mrs. Gable said the puppy’s name is Barnaby! Can we keep him? Please?"
"Of course we can," I smiled. "Barnaby is yours."
Lila hugged my neck tightly, then pulled back, looking at me with her intelligent gray eyes. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her little star-covered notebook.
She opened it to the page with the crayon drawing of the three people.
"Look, Daddy," she said, pointing her small finger at the drawing.
She took a black crayon from her pocket and carefully drew a small heart above the tall man in the black suit, then drew a bright yellow line connecting the man, the mother, and the little girl.
"Now the drawing is finished," Lila declared happily. "Because you aren't standing far away anymore."
I stared at the crude crayon drawing, feeling tears prick the corners of my eyes—something I hadn't experienced since I was a child.
"No, Lila," I whispered, pulling her close, kissing her cheek. "I am never standing far away again."
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Elena walked down the terrace steps, holding two warm cups of cocoa. She walked over to the bench, sitting down beside us, handing a cup to Lila and smiling at me.
Lila rested her head against my chest, watching the white waves crash against the rocks below, safe, warm, and surrounded by the two people who loved her more than life itself.
