Every Breath You Take

43

A goofy little grin stayed on my face. From the moment we said goodbye, the entire car ride home, and even while I kicked off my shoes in the entranceway, it stayed almost as permanently as the little promise thread wrapped around my pinky finger.

Dad peeked into the dark entrance hall, the flashing television light catching the coy little smile on his face, "You have a good time, kiddo?"

Smiling, I walked down to him and wrapped my arms around him, nodding my head, "Yeah, it was really fun." I shuffled my feet a little, debating whether it would be a good idea to bring back old memories with mom's anniversary so close around the corner. But as I looked at dad, that hopeful gleam in his eyes--eyes that had seen years of love and compassion--I realized that maybe showing him this would bring back memories in a good way.

Raising my hand so he could see it, I showed off my left hand to him, a small smile on my face, "I made a little stop on the way first."

"Aww, kiddo!" A smile spread across his lips as he gently held my hand, inspecting the little emerald green thread. I could tell memories of him and mom were playing before him like film because he had this little twinkle in his eyes, a sort of twinkle that not even death could take away. "God, this brings back memories. Your mother used to get the same one--emerald green, just like her eyes. Did Kaden like them?"

I smiled shyly, "Yeah, he liked them a lot." I laughed a little, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear with my other hand, "I had to pull him out of the way of a few people walking by because he'd just stand there, raise his hand to the Sun, and stare at it like a dork."

Dad laughed a little, shaking his head at his quarterback, a guy that my dad seemed more fond of than he would admit. The room went quiet and for a few minutes, it was nice to just stand there with dad, looking at the thread on my finger.

To most, this would've seemed like a waste of time, but not for dad and me. Not when there were so many memories of mom that played before us like film, just because of this little thing wrapped around my finger.

This wasn't a waste for me, not when the thought of that look in Kaden's eyes, the sun illuminating that smile...

"There's a sort of magic to these little threads when they bind two souls to each other with the single power of a promise..." A new sort of twinkle danced in dad's eyes as he looked back at me, my hand still in his hand, "Funny, isn't it?"

Magic, huh? Maybe that's what that moment in the park with Kaden could've been described like--magic.

"I didn't know you believed in magic? You always diss that Ghost Adventure show I watch." I teased.

"That's because those punks are totally behind the mysterious doors being pushed open or those stupid spirit boxes that," Dad made sure to air quote this with his fingers, "Capture mysterious voices speaking incoherently. That last episode was a total fluke, I was trying not to laugh my ass off beside you but of course, my dear daughter was so mesmerized by it." Dad smirked.

He was totally dissing my show!

"You're just a hater!" I scowled, crossing my arms over his chest. "A non-believer!"

"I speak and believe only the truth, kiddo. The hard truth."

"Oh my god," I groaned, cradling my forehead, "You're sounding more and more like the dork I was just with."

Dad grinned, "All you teenagers are dorks but I think he might be the wisest one I've met, the one with the best heart too, or at least, that's what I believe."

I think so too, dad...

"Hey!" I protested, "What about me?!"

Dad rolled his eyes playfully at me, turning his back to me and walking into the kitchen, "I'm not answering that question."