Daddy Date

by Michelle Dennis Evans

Her wings clung to her back, flapping but getting her no where. Little Lucy wanted to fly like a butterfly and flutter through the garden. Daddy, said he’d take me out, she pouted Daddy never takes me anywhere. The voice in her head pounded loudly, out weighing her mother calling her in. ‘Lucy,’ Lucy didn’t hear. ‘Lucy!’ still Lucy flapped her wings and looked to the sky. ‘Lucy, Lucy, can you not hear me?’ All Lucy could hear were her own thoughts. If Daddy would only take me out, I know I would be like a butterfly, I could fly and flutter about. ‘Lucy,’ this time her mum grabbed her arm. Lucy jumped. ‘Lucy, please come in a take a bath so you are ready for when Daddy comes home.’ Lucy smiled and thought silently, you mean he’s really going to take me out tonight? She skipped inside, carefully placing her wings on the table and proceeded to the bathroom. Bubbles nearly escaped the bath and when she sat down only her head could be seen. ‘You look like a bubbly butterfly,’ her mum laughed. ‘Really?’ Lucy asked excitedly ‘Like a real butterfly?’ ‘Yes! Now be quick, Daddy will be home soon.’ Lucy washed herself, partly dried herself and skipped back to her wings. ‘Slow down, you need to dry off some more of those drips and get dressed before those wings go back on.’ Obediently Lucy rubbed herself dry, found her prettiest dress and within minutes her wings were back on. Before her mother came back into the room, Lucy was outside dreaming of flying again. ‘Hi honey, what’s for dinner?’ ‘You are taking Lucy out remember?’ ‘No, not tonight, there’s a game on TV.’ ‘But you promised her.’ ‘Nah, not tonight, I’m too tired.’ ‘Look at her Jack,’ Lucy’s mother looked out the window, ‘She’s dressed and ready. You can’t just cancel on her now.’ ‘She’ll be fine; you’ll tell her for me won’t you?’ ‘No.’ ‘She’ll be too tired to go out now, it’s getting late.’ ‘Jack,’ Lucy’s mum said slowly, ‘Look at her.’ Together they looked through the window at their daughter. She was examining the garden, watching closely, there seemed to be a moody sadness over her. ‘You do this all the time,’ Lucy’s mum was near tears, ‘You promise to take her out when you leave for work and than you change your mind.’ Lucy’s mother turned back to the window blinking away her anger. ‘You are right, she is just delightful,’ he said. ‘I didn’t realize it was that important. What daddy wouldn’t want to take his princess out?’ ‘Thank you,’ Lucy’s mum smiled. ‘Are you ready to go Lucy?’ Jack opened the door. Lucy ran and flew into his arms, just as a butterfly would.