Daddy Brought Me Flowers

A short childhood memory.

 

            I am playing outside in the front yard with Kendra. Kendra is my neighbour. Everyone talks about how beautiful Kendra is with her blonde hair and blue eyes. It makes me wish I had blonde hair and blue eyes too, but I don’t. I have brown hair and green eyes.

            It’s sunny out and the grass is soft so I am not wearing any shoes or socks. Kendra throws a ball to me and I drop it. She laughs and I feel sad that I can’t catch a ball like Kendra can.

            I hear my dad’s car come up the gravel driveway. My dad is home early today. Mostly, he only comes home when I am asleep at night and he leaves very early in the morning before I wake up, so I am excited to see him. I run to the car, forgetting about Kendra and the ball.

            My dad steps out of the car with a big bright bouquet of flowers. I stop and frown. My dad chuckles and bends down to hug me.

            “Hey pumpkin. Why the long face?” he asks. I think he means why do I look sad, but I’m not sure so I don’t say anything. I am sad. The flowers are probably for my mom. My dad always brings my mom flowers. She always smiles and kisses him when he gives them to her. It makes me sad, because I want flowers too. Sometimes, I hope that the flowers are for me, but they never are. They are always for my mom. I wonder why I’m not allowed to get flowers. Am I doing something bad?

            My dad kisses the top of my head. “Are you okay, honey? Do you feel sick?” he asks me. I shake my head.

            “No, Daddy,” I answer. He looks at me and I think that he is waiting for me to say something else, so I do. “Are those flowers for Mommy?” I ask. My dad laughs and shakes his head, and that confuses me. I’m not allowed to get flowers, and if they aren’t for Mommy, then who are they for? Andrew? No, Andrew is a baby and he’s a boy. Boys aren’t supposed to get flowers.

            “No pumpkin. They’re for you,” he says and gives me the big bouquet. I can hardly hold it but I don’t care. I was a good girl and my dad had brought me flowers. I run into the house.

            “Mommy! Mommy! Daddy brought me flowers!” I yell. My mom comes into the hall from the kitchen and smiles at me.

            “They’re beautiful, Ashleigh,” she says. “I’m going to get a vase and put them in the kitchen window. Make sure you say thank you to your father when he comes inside.” I don’t want to let go of the flowers at first. They’re mine, but my mom tells me that everyone will be able to see my beautiful flowers if I let her put them in the window so I give her the flowers to put in the vase.

            I can’t wait to tell Kendra that my dad brought me flowers. He must think I’m beautiful like her.

 

Reviews

[Oblivienne]

This was lovely. I always have such difficulty trying to write in a child's tone, but you pulled it off perfectly.

You would've hated me as a child. I was platinum and ocean-blue, and cute as a button with an above-average intelligence. What the hell happened? x'D

[Sagemind]

Aw, that made me smile at the end. What a lovely little story. I must say I find it really easy to get caught up in your writing and forget I'm reading a story.