Shattered By Broken Dreams

Johnny and Riley lay together on their bed after the wedding with their baby sleeping between them.

“She stole the show” Riley smiled as Johnny who was propped on his side looked down at his daughter.

“Yeah and I think she has a little thing for Matt” he laughed.

“Don’t they all?” his wife said raising her eyebrow.

“Hmmm? Did you have a thing for Matt?” he teased.

“Oh no…I like my men short and stumpy” she laughed.

“Hey! I am not stumpy!”

“Shhh you’ll wake her” Riley tried to stifle her laughter.

Johnny got up and lifted his daughter up in his arms and brought her into the adjoining nursery that once belonged to Jonnie. His wife followed behind him and after he laid Dreamer down in her crib he turned to face Riley.

“Jonnie caught the bouquet,” he said as his voice cracked.

“Yeah” she nodded.

“I remember when it was her that was in that crib and now she’s a grown woman with a life all her own.”

Riley put her arms around her husband’s waist. “She’ll be fine”

He nodded kissed his wife. “I should go say goodbye to her before she goes home”

Riley let go and agreed. “She’s downstairs in the kitchen”

“I’ll be right back” he smiled and went downstairs. His daughter was sitting in the kitchen with Lyric and Sydney talking about the vacation that her and Lyric were planning to take at the end of the month.

When Johnny walked in, he walked over to the counter where his daughter sat and leaned on the stool beside her.

“Do you two think I could have a few minutes alone with my daughter?” he asked looking back and forth between Sydney and Lyric.

“Of course” Sydney nodded and nudged her son out of the kitchen. When they were gone Johnny turned back to his daughter.

“What’s the matter dad?” she asked.

“Nothing” he smiled as he looked at her and pulled something out of his pocket. “I wanted to give you something before you left.”

“Ok, what is it?”

He sat down on the stool and thought about how he was going to put the words together to explain the significance of the gift he was about to give her.

On the counter he set a purple velvet box. Jonnie looked down at it and then back to her father. “What is that?”

“Open it” he said

She picked up the box and opened its lid. When she saw the Skeleton Key inside she looked back at her father. “What does it open?” she asked.

“Let me explain” he said taking the box from her. He pulled the key from the box and held it up in his hand.

“This key has had only two owners, Myself and Sydney. I gave it to her on the day of the first birthday she spent with us and two years ago, she gave it back.”

“Why?” Jonnie asked confused.

“Well, you see this key is magical. It can be used for whatever you want, all you have to do is give it back when you are ready to use it. It can unlock whatever you want. It could be something as simple as borrowing the car or something as big as asking me to walk you down the isle”

He took her hand and set the key down inside it and then closed her hand. “What ever you want. All you have to do is give back the key.”

She hugged her father and kissed his cheek. “I don’t know what to say”

“Well, then save your words for when you are ready to give that key back” he winked. “Now, I think your boyfriend is out there waiting for you”

“Thank you, daddy” she smiled and hugged him again.

“Go” he said and ushered her out the door.

When Jonnie walked out of the kitchen, Sydney walked back in a few minutes later.

“Was that the key?” she asked.

“Yep, one of five” he nodded.

“Oh Johnny, I’m so proud of you”

He laughed and stood up “Be proud of me the day she marries your son and I restrain myself from going with them on their honeymoon”

Sydney laughed and so did he even knowing that he had finally let go of Jonnie.