Mrs. Latall
Honors English I
7 September 2014
Lily
*1999*
*1999*
"You can't catch me, daddy!" Lily shouted from across the field. It was filled with daisies and
smelled of home. Patrick ran after her in a playful manner, as Lily ran through the sea of daisies, and
stumbled over the little stones in the dirt trying to turn his straight path into a windy one.
"I'm gonna get you..." he whispered in response to her small, adorable little laugh. She giggled
softly and ducked down into the the tall grass and dancing flowers. "Where did my pretty little Lily
go?" he said jokingly, "Well, I guess I'll just have to leave her out here...alone...in the dark..." he saw
her jump out a little, "with all the coyotes...and the bears..." then he heard the giggle again. She was
so cute. "...and the spiders..." she walked up to him slowly and slipped her tiny hand into Patrick's.
"I got you, daddy," she said with a grin, "I keep you safe now." Patrick reached for her other hand and hoisted her up onto his shoulders. One of Lily's favorite places to be. Whenever she was on her father's shoulders, the felt as if she could pet the painted clouds with her fingertips.
Patrick had long hair, but not too long. Just long enough for little Lily to braid and play with. She braided it and told him that his hair needed to be longer, but he just laughed, and she did too. She looked around and saw the beautiful sunset and the soft silent trees and looked down at his hair again.
"I love you, daddy."
He smiled then said, "And I love you, my Lily."
It was growing dark now. Just dark enough to see the little dancing lights sweeping above the tall green grass and the endless sea of daisies. She was amazed every time she saw this, though it wasn't often much anymore.
"Daddy?" she began to ask, "How come we can only see the baby stars at night?"
Patrick smiled. Then he had to think of a believable answer to tell a 7 year-old girl.
"Lily, my love, those baby stars are only seen by the people with beautiful minds," he said, "and the people with beautiful minds are only seen by the blind."
"Do I have a beautiful mind?" she asked calmly.
"Yes," he replied, "I believe so."
Patrick lifted Lily off of his shoulders and set her on the small blanket laid atop of the stones by the creek. He noticed Lily's face grow an uncertain expression.
"What is it, Lil? What's wrong?"
She tried to keep her eyes from watering when she asked, "Does Mommy have a beautiful mind too?"
Patrick's heart broke for her. Right there in the middle of everything. It broke for her. He remembered having her mother Lilah around, and he remembered how much she loved Lily and him. He thought about all the funny pictures of Lily and Lilah on the computer in his office. He tried to forget the arguments, and disagreements they had had. They were never bad. Never. He loved Lilah more than anything, and it broke his heart to know that he had never told Lily what had really happened to her mother. So he thought about it and said, "Yes, my love. Mommy does have a beautiful mind."
She smiled because she thought that since he had said "have" that she must be okay, and that she would be coming home soon.
"When is Mommy coming home?" she asked finally as she stared out over the creek and the meadow.
"Lil, there is something I need to tell you..."
"I got you, daddy," she said with a grin, "I keep you safe now." Patrick reached for her other hand and hoisted her up onto his shoulders. One of Lily's favorite places to be. Whenever she was on her father's shoulders, the felt as if she could pet the painted clouds with her fingertips.
Patrick had long hair, but not too long. Just long enough for little Lily to braid and play with. She braided it and told him that his hair needed to be longer, but he just laughed, and she did too. She looked around and saw the beautiful sunset and the soft silent trees and looked down at his hair again.
"I love you, daddy."
He smiled then said, "And I love you, my Lily."
It was growing dark now. Just dark enough to see the little dancing lights sweeping above the tall green grass and the endless sea of daisies. She was amazed every time she saw this, though it wasn't often much anymore.
"Daddy?" she began to ask, "How come we can only see the baby stars at night?"
Patrick smiled. Then he had to think of a believable answer to tell a 7 year-old girl.
"Lily, my love, those baby stars are only seen by the people with beautiful minds," he said, "and the people with beautiful minds are only seen by the blind."
"Do I have a beautiful mind?" she asked calmly.
"Yes," he replied, "I believe so."
Patrick lifted Lily off of his shoulders and set her on the small blanket laid atop of the stones by the creek. He noticed Lily's face grow an uncertain expression.
"What is it, Lil? What's wrong?"
She tried to keep her eyes from watering when she asked, "Does Mommy have a beautiful mind too?"
Patrick's heart broke for her. Right there in the middle of everything. It broke for her. He remembered having her mother Lilah around, and he remembered how much she loved Lily and him. He thought about all the funny pictures of Lily and Lilah on the computer in his office. He tried to forget the arguments, and disagreements they had had. They were never bad. Never. He loved Lilah more than anything, and it broke his heart to know that he had never told Lily what had really happened to her mother. So he thought about it and said, "Yes, my love. Mommy does have a beautiful mind."
She smiled because she thought that since he had said "have" that she must be okay, and that she would be coming home soon.
"When is Mommy coming home?" she asked finally as she stared out over the creek and the meadow.
"Lil, there is something I need to tell you..."
*2015*
Lily awoke in her bed and thought about her mother and the dream she had awoken from. She tried so hard to remember who Lilah was to her. She knew that she loved her mother, and she knew that that love was unconditional, even though she didn't know her as well as her father did. She could never dwell on this for very long, because the thought of losing the only mother she would ever have or ever want was absolutely horrific. Why would she just disappear?
She slipped away the purple quilted covers Grandma had made for her, and sat up to look at her black socks as they met the floor. She shuffled to the kitchen, which consisted of the smell of apples and daisies, and began to make the pot of coffee for her father. She heard steps start from the living room and a tired sounding, "Good Morning, Lovely."
Lily smiled and replied back in the same sleepy language, "Morning, daddy."
"Lil, you don't need to do that," he said motioning towards the pot of coffee, "I'll get it, I was planning on making breakfast."
She didn't want this to be a day that wasn't normal. It was her birthday, and Patrick knew that she didn't ever want to make a fuss out of a simple little birthday.
"Daddy, you promised that today was going to be a normal day," she said miserably, "a normal day."
"Okay," he said getting the point, "a normal day it is then." He grabbed the pot of coffee and poured it into the Sea-hawks mug he had set aside on the counter. Steam was escaping the top of the cup as Lily reached into the freezer and grabbed a couple of ice cubes to put into his cup of happiness.
"So, how was work yesterday?" Lily asked. She laid a coaster on the table and set the mug down in his regular spot.
"It was pretty good," he took a sip of the sugarless liquid he thought was the key to happiness, "I sold 2 paintings yesterday, and started on a new project. It was a pretty good day."
"Good," she sat in her spot with a cup of tea directly in front of him. "I'm glad that you have a job that you love, Dad. I know Grandma doesn't really approve of your job, but I'm glad you're doing what you want to do." He smiled a little.
"I want you to get a job someday that you love. There isn't a life worth living, that isn't worth living." She had to think about his fatherly statements, and try to make sense of them.
"I will, I will," she said. "I completely agree, I want to make something of myself, and have a job that isn't work. I want a job that is fun. I want a job that is a dream to be a part of." she smiled.
"I love you, dad" she said to fill the empty space with the true words that are never said too much.
Patrick smiled, "I love you too, Lil,"He looked at the clock and noticed it was edging closer to the bus's arrival time.
"I better go get ready for school," she said dismissively.
"Daddy, you promised that today was going to be a normal day," she said miserably, "a normal day."
"Okay," he said getting the point, "a normal day it is then." He grabbed the pot of coffee and poured it into the Sea-hawks mug he had set aside on the counter. Steam was escaping the top of the cup as Lily reached into the freezer and grabbed a couple of ice cubes to put into his cup of happiness.
"So, how was work yesterday?" Lily asked. She laid a coaster on the table and set the mug down in his regular spot.
"It was pretty good," he took a sip of the sugarless liquid he thought was the key to happiness, "I sold 2 paintings yesterday, and started on a new project. It was a pretty good day."
"Good," she sat in her spot with a cup of tea directly in front of him. "I'm glad that you have a job that you love, Dad. I know Grandma doesn't really approve of your job, but I'm glad you're doing what you want to do." He smiled a little.
"I want you to get a job someday that you love. There isn't a life worth living, that isn't worth living." She had to think about his fatherly statements, and try to make sense of them.
"I will, I will," she said. "I completely agree, I want to make something of myself, and have a job that isn't work. I want a job that is fun. I want a job that is a dream to be a part of." she smiled.
"I love you, dad" she said to fill the empty space with the true words that are never said too much.
Patrick smiled, "I love you too, Lil,"He looked at the clock and noticed it was edging closer to the bus's arrival time.
"I better go get ready for school," she said dismissively.
*At School*
Lily thought to herself what this birthday would've meant to her, had her mom been here to celebrate it with her. Derek, Lily's friend, always spent his birthdays with both of his loving parents. She wished that she had her mother with her too.
It was nearing 7th period, and the day was almost over. It looks like she had made it a full day without any unwanted birthday attention. But then, something strange happened...
"....we need Lily Mae to the main office for just a moment..." the intercom announced over the class.
"...will she be back?" Mrs. Ostin asked.
"We aren't quite sure, she has a visitor here."
"Okay," Mrs. Ostin said, "she'll be right there."
She had no idea what was going on. Her heart was racing a mile a minute. She knew Patrick wouldn't stop by, she was getting ready to come over to his work after school, anyway. It couldn't be Grandma, she was busy in Buffalo today. Who was it?, she thought, No....this can't be happening. Who...?
"Hi, Lily," a lady said from across the waiting room. She didn't know why, but her eyes wanted to cry, and flood right there. She knew her. But, how could it be her the person she had thought. Is it possible that the person Lily had been longing to see was here right in front of her? If so, why would she just show up today? Why on her fifteenth birthday?
"Hi," Lily replied awkwardly. Her voice was shaking, and hard to control.
"Do you know who I am?" the woman asked.
"I think so, but I don't know."
The woman reached into her purse and pulled out a golden locket with a picture of Patrick and her mother holding a baby girl in their arms. They looked so happy. She knew her assumption was correct. This woman right here...was her mother.
"Mom?" she said. These words sounded foreign and new to her. She felt as though they had never escaped her mouth before.
"Yes, my flower." Her eyes started to tear up as she called Lily her flower. "I've missed you."
"I"ve missed you too." She looked at her and got a feeling that her mother showed up for herself, not for Lily. So she was angry.
"Why are you..."she started to say.
"....I can explain, Lily," she interrupted.
"Go ahead."
"I was given a job that required me to go away for a really long time. They didn't give me any contact to any family or friends. I'm so sorry that I have missed so much of your life, my lovely. You are my world and I've spent all these years trying to get out of the contract I got myself into."
A tear escaped from Lily's eye and rolled down her face.
She continued, "...you don't have too if you don't feel comfortable, sweetheart..." a few tears escaped her eyes as well, "...but I haven't been hugged in a very long time. Would you mind-"
Lily threw herself into her mother's arms.
"I love you," Lily whispered, "I told him you'd come back."
"Hi," Lily replied awkwardly. Her voice was shaking, and hard to control.
"Do you know who I am?" the woman asked.
"I think so, but I don't know."
The woman reached into her purse and pulled out a golden locket with a picture of Patrick and her mother holding a baby girl in their arms. They looked so happy. She knew her assumption was correct. This woman right here...was her mother.
"Mom?" she said. These words sounded foreign and new to her. She felt as though they had never escaped her mouth before.
"Yes, my flower." Her eyes started to tear up as she called Lily her flower. "I've missed you."
"I"ve missed you too." She looked at her and got a feeling that her mother showed up for herself, not for Lily. So she was angry.
"Why are you..."she started to say.
"....I can explain, Lily," she interrupted.
"Go ahead."
"I was given a job that required me to go away for a really long time. They didn't give me any contact to any family or friends. I'm so sorry that I have missed so much of your life, my lovely. You are my world and I've spent all these years trying to get out of the contract I got myself into."
A tear escaped from Lily's eye and rolled down her face.
She continued, "...you don't have too if you don't feel comfortable, sweetheart..." a few tears escaped her eyes as well, "...but I haven't been hugged in a very long time. Would you mind-"
Lily threw herself into her mother's arms.
"I love you," Lily whispered, "I told him you'd come back."
*After Everything Was Forgiven*
Lily and her mother came home that night, and Patrick had seen Lilah for the first time in 8 years. It was like a dream for him to see her again. Lilah missed him. Lilah loved him.
Her father had planned a special party for her, and she had received the best gift anybody could ask for. A mother. All was well from this moment on, when everyone was forgiven, and all were missed.
The words I love you replayed over and over in Lily's head, she was so happy, and she thought of these words as she slipped into her dreams that night.
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