Precious stood behind the doors, shaking. “Oh god… oh god! It’s time… It’s time.” she said as she began to pace but stopped. She couldn’t mess up the dress. “Ok… ok relax. You can do this. You love him. You want to spend the rest of your life with him.” she repeated as the butterflies started having a party in the pit of her stomach. “I can’t do this!” she cried as she turned to leave.

“Where you think you going?” he asked coming through the door she was about to walk out of.

As I look at you now. I feel my heart swell. You look like a true angel, all your missing is your wings. Never in a million years did I think, I would see this vision again. Like Deja’ Vu only this time I’m looking at my daughter and not my soon to be wife.

“Daddy I can’t… I… I’m afraid.” She sighed as she began to breath harder and harder.

“Why are you afraid?” he asked holding her face.

“What if I can’t make him happy? What if… What if I… What if I forget my vows… oh god! Daddy I can’t remember my vows. See this was a bad idea. I shouldn’t have done this.” Precious panicked.

Edward still held her face in his hands. “Hey… Hey… Take a deep breath.” he commanded. She tried to protest but he shook his head. “Slow, deep breaths.” he urged. “Come do it with me.”

She began to do it. He did it with her. In and out. In and out. In and out. With each exhale she started to calm down. Started to feel like she was back on earth and not in space.

“Look at me you can do this… You love him, don’t you?”

“I love him with all my heart.” Precious sighed as her eyes lit up just thinking about her soon to be husband, Mitch.

Edward gave her this look and started laughing. “God your just like your mother. She did this same thing on our wedding day.”

“Really? How you know?” she asked looking into her fathers eyes. She heard so much about her mother. How much she looked like her and how much her mother cared for her family and her life.

“Because I had to talk her down. “

“But your not suppose to see the bride before the wedding.”

“I didn’t see her.” He chuckled as he held her hands. “I was waiting at the alter and they told me she was freaking out. I was determined to get the woman I loved. The woman I knew was my soul mate. So I marched down that aisle and went to the double doors she was behind and talked to her. She said the same thing you just said. Feared about the what if’s and not with what she already done. She already made me happy. Her saying to marry me was the only vow I needed and I know that’s how Mitch feels about you… You saying yes was what made him the happiest man!”

“Daddy what if I can’t love him like mommy loved you?” She asked her eyes welling up.

Edward thumbed away a stranding tear. “I know you can… Because you are your mother in more ways than one. The spirit of your mother lays within you. You have your mother heart and soul.”

“What about you?”

“What about me dear?” he asked chuckling.

She looked down to the floor. “I don’t want to leave you… What about the dynamic duo.” She giggled through her tears.

“You’ll never leave me. You can’t get rid of me that easy.”

“But it’s always been me and you. Everywhere it was Edward and Precious Thompson. I feel like I’m leaving you alone.”

“My angel you worry too much. I’ll be fine.”

“Promise?” Precious raised her hand and put out her pinky.

Letting out a laugh from deep inside he raised his hand and their pinkies connected. “I pinky promise… I love you angel.” Their foreheads touched.

“I love you too…” She said as they budded nose.

After they pulled apart he thought of something. “Turn around.” he said taking something out of his pocket. Precious turned around and he moved her veil to the side as he slipped something around her neck and hooked it. She felt her neck and gasped.

“Mother’s pearls.” she cried turning around, still running her finger over them.

“Something old. Something new to you. Something used, something borrowed.” he spoke looking at her. She was beautiful.

“Daddy!” she whined throwing herself into his arms and crying on his shoulder. “I love you… I love you so much!”

Precious and her husband Mitch are mingling with their guest. I stand in the corner with a glass in my hand and proud smile on my face. “I kept my promise baby… I kept it.” I say looking up at the ceiling. “I hope you know it wasn’t easy.” I chuckle.

There wasn’t a day that went by that Edward didn’t cry himself to sleep. Sometimes he felt there was no end. A few times when Precious was at school, Edward toyed with the gun he always kept hidden under his bed. He wanted to kill himself and end it all.

He never remarried after Angela died. He just couldn’t. Because he knew no matter what, nobody was his sweet Angela. She was a one of a kind love. He knew she was probably up in heaven saying Fool go get her. You know she cute. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Had he remarried he would be marrying somebody that was beneath Angela. She set the bar high and no matter how many women he dated, nobody matched his Angela Matthews Thompson.

Now he stood watching his only child, hug and kiss her husband. He kept that promise. He cared for her. Loved her. Gave her the life his wife wasn’t able to live when she was young. He gave her the world!


“Alright now it’s time for the newlyweds to dance their first dance as husband and wife!” The DJ announced after awhile.

Precious and Mitch stood up and they walked to the dance floor. She caught sight of her father and stopped. “Wait.” she told Mitch putting her hand on his chest.

“What’s wrong?” He asked with concern as he gently took her hand.

“I… I can’t dance with you right now…” she said softly.

Edward was looking at them and was wondering what the hold up was. He saw his daughter looking emotional and he stood up.

“What? Why not?” Mitch asked looking at her.

“I need… I need my…” She looked up and saw her father looking their way. This time he looked at her with this stern, concerned look. The guest began to mumble. Precious stepped away from Mitch and slowly walked toward her father. “I need my father.” she said loud enough for Edward to hear. “Dance with me… Please…” she begged holding her hand out.

“I should be asking you that.” Edward chuckled as he took his daughter’s hand. She looked up at him with hope in her eyes. “Can I have this dance?”

“I would love to.” she whispered.

Edward led his daughter back to the dance floor and he nodded at his son in law. Mitch smiled and went to the DJ booth and told him what song to play. Precious head laid against Edwards chest as his hand went around her waist and his cheek rested at the top of her head. They began to move around slowly. Keeping up with the music as the lights went low.

In her mind there was only her and her father. Nobody else but them were in the room. Soon the music was ignored, because all they needed was each other. Both of them began to cry. Cry because of everything they been through together. Cried because they missed the one person that made this possible.

Cried because through her 25years on this earth, he’d been her hero. Protected her. Loved her. Cared for her.

He cried because unknowingly to her, it was her smile that got him through those days and nights. Those nights that never seemed to end it was her love that got him through and that will continue to get him through. She was his Shero! His reason for living. His light at the end of that dark tunnel. His reason for breathing. She was his purpose. She was his life. She was his Precious angel!

“I love you.” He said as he heard the song fading out and her tears come through his shirt.

Sniffling, she nodded. “I love you too daddy… More than you will ever know.” she cried as the lights began to come on and they pulled apart. “Never forget me.”

“I’ll never forget my baby girl… Never!” he promised kissing her forehead and holding her hand. Mitch walked up to them and Edward smiled at him. “You take good care of her… I mean really good care of her.” he demanded.

“I promise.” Mitch said as Edward gave him his daughter’s hand and patted his back.

Edward smiled at his daughter one last time before he turned and walked off the floor. Holding his eyes. Willing himself not to cry.

I know you were sent to me from above,
I taught you to talk, I taught you to love.
I’ve always been there to comfort you,
But you have been there for me too!

I remember holding you as a child,
You laughed and giggled and always smiled.
I’ve thought of you as my best friend,
On you I know I can always depend.

Even now with your own family,
I know you’ll still have time for me.
On your wedding day, I will remember the years,
I know I will wipe away a few tears.

As we approached your wedding day.
There are so many things I said,
If you ever need me, I will always be there,
After all I’m your father, and I will always care.

I hope that I have made it clear,
That you are my daughter and I love you dear.

A little girl needs Daddy
For many, many things:
Like holding her high off the ground
Where the sunlight sings!
Like being the deep music
That tells her all is right
When she awakens frantic with
The terrors of the night.

Like being the great mountain
That rises in her heart
And shows her how she might get home
When all else falls apart.

Like giving her the love
That is her sea and air,
So diving deep or soaring high
She’ll always find him there.

Daddy I love you. No matter where you go or what you do, I love you! I love you more than the grass loves the water. I love your more than the birds loves the worms. I love you more than I can possibly say. There is nothing out there greater than your love. Your sweet, precious love!

Chance made you my daughter; Love made you my best friend. Let your light shine and let your voice be heard. Let your heart sore. Let your mind wander. I raised to be all you can be. I raised you to be you. I raised you to be, an angel!