Waiting

Noelle sat on the windowsill, ever-vigilant to every car that passed the house, always turning around with a wide grin on her face, staring at her mother expectantly.

“Is that him, Mommy?” She inquired with a toothy grin. Her big eyes glittered with hope and only dimmed for a split second when her mother shook her head no. Making a face, the four year old girl turned back around and stared outside once more, watching every motion that was made behind the glass barrier between her and the world outside.

Kat watched her daughter from the arched doorway that split the foyer and living room. She licked her lips and stared at the hopeful child and couldn’t hold back the rising smile to her lips. It gently tugged at the corners before pulling them all the way up. She had just received a text from Matt saying he would be home soon.

“Princess, guess what?” Kat grinned at her daughter, fixing one of her curly, light brown pigtails.

“What?” Noelle craned her head up so she was staring at her mother from her place on the windowsill.

“Daddy’s coming home!” The mother clapped her hands together. The little girl’s eyes grew wide with eagerness as she plopped back down on the windowsill, keeping her big, attentive eyes latched onto the outside world. She felt the excitement bubbling inside of her stomach, making her smile grow even wider.

“Mommy! Mommy! Is that Daddy’s car?” Noelle chirped like a bird, pointing frantically out the window as a black car pulled into the driveway. Squinting her eyes, Kat leaned over her daughter and nodded.

“Yeah! That’s Daddy!” Kat stepped aside to avoid getting run over by the energetic four year old. Noelle all but sprung from her spot at the window, zipping to the foyer where the front door swung open, revealing a smiling Matt. Noticing Noelle instantaneously, he crouched down and spread his large arms wide apart, same grin plastered on his face. Quietly, with bliss, Kat watched from the doorway again, noting that the two shared the same dimpled grin.

“Daddy! Daddy! You’re home!” Noelle squealed, throwing her tiny arms around her father. Matt laughed lowly and picked her up with ease, spinning her in a little circle. This sent her into a frantic fit of giggles, which didn’t cease until he quit twirling her around. “I was waiting for you alllllllllll day!” The sharp voice dragged out the ‘L’ in the word, emphasizing her intense impatience.

To anyone that spent five minutes around Noelle and her father, it was more than evident that she hated being apart from him. And he hated being apart from his precious princess as well.

“Well, I’m here, Princess,” Matt kissed the little girl’s forehead and placed her back down on the floor. However, he remained squatting down so he was eye-to-eye with his daughter. They shared the same smile for a couple moments before Matt spoke again. “Guess what, Princess?”

“What, Daddy, what?” Noelle leaned forward in anticipation.

Matt beamed. “I got you something special.”

“Really?” Noelle squeaked, hands playing with the fabric of her princess dress that she was wearing. The puffy material twisted and crumpled under her tiny hands’ grasp before she released it mercifully, realizing that she was wrinkling the skirt part. “What did ya get me, Daddy?”

“Here,” Matt stood up slowly, disappearing out the front door before coming back with his hands behind his back. Kat watched him with one of her eyebrows raised, arms crossed over her chest. Her brown eyes followed her husband as he kneeled before their spunky, fervent daughter. “I hereby present this tiara to the lovely Princess Noelle.”

Noelle’s eyes grew huge, snapping around and looking at her mother before looking back to her father. He merely grinned crookedly before pulling it out from behind his back, careful to place the pearl and silver princess tiara on her tiny head. As Matt placed it upon her curly-haired head, he could see the loving expression on his wife’s face from the corner of his hazel eyes.

“Wow! Is it really for me, Daddy?” Noelle strained to look up in an attempt to see it on her head.

“All yours, Princess.” He kissed her forehead, which made her giggle and turn on her heels, tugging her mother’s shirt while pointing frantically at the tiara.

Kat leaned down, shocked expression on her face now. “Wow! Daddy got you that, huh?”

Noelle nodded quickly, the tiara shaking gently with the motion.

“Do you like it, Princess?” Matt asked, placing his hands on her shoulders and giving a gentle squeeze of love. Noelle let her mouth hang open as she tilted her head back so she was looking at her father now. She then nodded in an exaggerated fashion, making her parents smile.

“Thank you, Daddy,” Noelle presented another toothy grin. “It’s real pretty.”

“Good. I’m glad you like it, Princess.” He flashed another smile.

Before he could say anything else, the little girl wrapped her tiny hands around one of his, dragging him into the living room so they could play, like they did every day after Matt walked through the front door. Kat’s lips curled into a motherly smile as she leaned her head against the doorframe, watching the two most important people in her life laugh and run around the living room.

Their little princess was so full of life, thriving and growing, with a bright future ahead of her. Meanwhile, Matt encouraged the free spirit with his constant compliments and praise towards the little girl. It was blatant in Kat’s eyes that their daughter would grow up to be a fantastic woman with many talents, someone outgoing with a good head on her shoulders.

The shrill laughter of their four year old daughter filled the house until bedtime rolled around. The entire night had been occupied with play, Matt playing the noble prince that had come to save his beautifully princess from the castle’s highest tower. Kat had just watched with a huge smile spread across her face. It was plain to see that Noelle loved Matt with the kind of intensity only a daughter could possess.

“Princess,” Kat called to her daughter from the top of the stairs. “It’s time for bed!”

“Sh…” Matt murmured, appearing at the base of the stairs, little Noelle still adorned in her princess gown and tiara, asleep in his arms. “She’s asleep.”

Kat’s motherly grin danced onto her lips again. “Well, bring her up so we can change her and get her in her bed.” Matt nodded his head, not speaking as he advanced up the stairs and past Kat, into Noelle’s princess themed room.

“Can you grab me her pajamas?” Matt whispered, passing a glance towards his wife. Nodding, Kat opened the top drawer of their daughter’s dresser, pulling out a little pink night gown with a picture of Sleeping Beauty across the front. “Thanks.” Without another word, Matt quickly changed his daughter, making sure to be gentle with both her and her princess gown in the process.

After both of them kissed her forehead and tucked her in, they exit the room, leaving the door ajar. Kat was the first to enter their bedroom, yawning as she flopped tiredly onto their queen sized bed. Matt took a moment before he came in after, pulling his shirt from his body and joining his wife on the bed.

An awkward silence invaded the room, neither of them breaking it for a long while. However, Matt dared to shatter the quiet first.

“You know,” he started slowly, staring at the ceiling of their bedroom. “There’s a tour that’s coming up, which means I’m going to have to start preparing and shit for that. That means I won’t be home as early, or even at all much.”

Kat nodded, taking in the information. Sighing, she registered the words in her mind as she glanced down at her husband beside her on the bed. His hazel eyes were dull with sorrow and she could tell it was hurting him more to say it than it was hurting her to hear it.

“Noelle’s gonna be heartbroken when she hears this, Matt.” Kat shifted her eyes to his.

“I know, babe,” he propped himself up on one elbow, facing Kat now. “I’m pretty fucking upset I’m going to be leaving my precious princess behind for a bit while I leave to go on tour. That and I’ll be missing you, too.”

Kat nodded, leaning down and giving Matt a gentle kiss on the cheek in attempt to soothe his clear misery. The tone in his voice made her body tremble with sadness, but she sucked it up. She had been through this before, she could do it again. But this time, there was a daughter that she would have to explain it to this time around, which would make it harder.

“Look,” Kat laid down next to Matt. “Tomorrow, I’ll try to explain to our little girl that you won’t be home as often, okay? Until then, we’ll see how things go. She loves you, Matt. I don’t think just because you’re going on tour for a while it’ll change that. She looks up to you in every way possible.”

“I know, I just don’t want to see her sad eyes when I leave and say goodbye.” Matt murmured.

Kat placed her hand carefully on his cheek, calming expression on her angelic face. “Then don’t say goodbye. Say something like see you later. Good?”

Matt shrugged and flopped over onto the bed, exasperated. “We’ll see. It’s just going to be hard. I mean, ever since she was born, I’ve never wanted to be apart from her.”

“I know, sweetheart,” Kat ran her fingers through her hair. “Me, too.”

“I guess we’ll have to wait for this to actually come up later,” Matt yawned while stretching out on the bed. “Fair enough?”

Kat nodded again. “If anything, call home so Noelle can talk to you so you can also explain, okay?” Matt’s eyes shut, but he shook his head yes. Smiling down at her husband with sympathy, Kat placed a hand on the side of his face before laying her lips against his in a soft, good-night kiss. He grinned once she pulled away and cracked one eye open.

“Night, babe.”

“Good-night, Matt.” Kat leaned across her husband’s muscular body and switched the lamp off. It was early for the two to sleep, but she knew it was going to be a long day; a long, tiring day while attempting to settle their daughter that would surely be upset after the news that her father would be leaving for his band’s tour soon…

† † †

Kat hung up the phone that gloomy afternoon, casting her saddened gaze towards the living room, where her daughter remained motionlessly perched on the windowsill, this time clad in a poofy white princess gown, her tiny feet bare, the little sequins on the top part glinting in the dim light seeping through the window. Kat drew in a sharp breath before padding softly across the house and towards her little girl, who didn’t even turn to look away from the scenery outside.

“Hey, princess,” she whispered, taking a seat behind her daughter, arms wrapping around the tiny little body. For a second, Noelle tensed up, letting her head fall back and look up at her. Kat gave a tiny smile to the four year old, who gave a tiny grin back. “Daddy called.”

The little girl’s eyes lit up brightly as she stared intently at her mother. “Is he comin’ home, Mommy? Is he, is he?”

“Well,” Kat frowned. “He said he has to stay late at the studio tonight.” Kat held back the aching pain in her heart as she watched her four year’s body slump forward away from her, disappointment adorning her normally bright, charming face.

“Okay,” Noelle murmured. “But Daddy promise we were gonna play today.”

“I know, princess,” Kat buried her face in her daughter’s curly hair that resembled Matt’s when it was longer. “Daddy said he’s sorry.”

Noelle shrugged her mother off and scooted closer to the window, staring outside with dull interest now in her big, sad eyes. Sighing, Kat gave her a gentle kiss on the head before peeling away from her and plopping onto the couch, snatching up her phone and dialing her sister’s phone number.

Eventually, a woman’s voice answered the phone, “Hello?”

“Veronica, it’s Kat,” she answered her sister, glancing over towards her daughter. “Would you mind coming over for a bit? Matt’s staying at the studio for his new record and I could use some company.”

“Sure thing, sweetheart!” Veronica cleared her throat and there was some shuffling in the background. “I’ll be there soon, okay?”

“Thanks, doll,” Kat grinned. “You’re a lifesaver.”

“Not a problem. See you soon.” Veronica hung up the phone, leaving Kat sitting on the couch staring at the black screen of the TV. For a while, it was just her and her thoughts in that silent room. However, the light tapping on the front door shattered her thoughts, compelling her to stand up and rush to answer it.

“Hey,” Kat grinned, stepping aside to let her sister into the house. “Glad you could make it.”

“So what’s the crisis?” Veronica questioned, wasting no time in jumping to the reason she came.

“You never were one for waiting,” Kat ran her fingers through her hair before grabbing her sister’s wrist and pulling her aside into the kitchen, where they were out of little Noelle’s earshot. “I needed some support because I’m supposed to explain to my daughter that Matt isn’t coming home for a while because he’s going on tour…I don’t exactly know how to take her once I tell her. It’s gonna make her so upset.”

Veronica glanced over her shoulder towards the living room before shifting her eyes back to her sister. “Well, sweetie, I’m here for you. I’m glad you called me so I could come over and help you out.”

“Thanks, Veronica,” Kat gave her sister an exasperated sigh before peeking over her body and catching sight of her little girl. “I might as well get this over and done with.” She stepped around her sister and advanced towards the living room, but her arm was quickly caught.

“Wait,” Veronica whispered, observing her sister’s face very carefully. “Be gentle and remind her that he isn’t going away forever, okay?” Swallowing, Kat nodded her head, her arm now released so she was free to step into the eerily quiet living room. Noelle’s head was leaned up against the window, eyes dim with lack of interest, sleepy expression on her depressed face.

“Hey, princess,” Kat muttered softly, smiling gently as her daughter looked over at her. Seeing those big eyes of hers speckled with grief and disappointment, she couldn’t help but let her own smile falter, feeling her own eyes start to darken and dim as well. “I have something to tell you.”

“Is Daddy coming home?” Noelle’s eyes lit for a split second before fading again as her mother shook her head no.

“No, sweetie,” her mother sighed heavily, playing with her little girl’s hair. “Daddy is actually going on tour.”

“Tour?” She asked.

“That means he’s going to drive all over the place playing his music for everybody, sweetie,” Kat explained delicately, laying a warm hand on her daughter’s face. “He’ll be back before you know it.”

Noelle’s face contorted in pain as Kat reached across and carefully removed the little pearl tiara from her hair. Words escaped the little girl as she watched her mother in pure agony, the little heart inside of her chest sinking and shattering into a thousand pieces.

“But…Daddy said we were supposed ta play today, Mommy…” Noelle sniffled slightly.

“I know, princess,” Kat placed the tiara down and pulled her daughter close to her body so she could listen to her heartbeat. Her hands stroked the locks of hair that decorated her head, trying to calm the little four year old with all of her might. “I know.”

“But…he…he promised, Mommy,” Noelle’s face was red now as the first tears started to slide down her face, breathing shaky and voice trembling. “He was supposed ta be my prince, Mommy.”

“Sh, I know, sweetie,” Kat whispered, holding her daughter close to her, rocking back and forth slowly, trying to ease away the pain. “It’s okay, princess. It’s alright. Sh, sh.” Kat continued to rock gently back and forth, arms wrapped around the daughter that loved her father so much. The pain was so thick in the room, that even Kat could feel the pure sorrow that Noelle was suffering from. Sighing gently, Kat rested her chin on her daughter’s head, hand never stopping in stroking the light brown locks of hair, voice growing quieter and quieter as she tried to shoo the pain away.

It was clear to Kat that her daughter’s heart had just been completely destroyed from the news, obliterated by the broken promise of her prince returning to her. Gradually, Noelle’s crying softened and slowed down, her eyes shutting into a tear-stained sleep. Taking a deep breath, Kat was careful to shift her around in her arms and pick up the sleeping body, stepping out of the living room and up the stairs. She mimicked the actions from the night before, changing her daughter before tucking her in and giving her a soft kiss on the forehead. This time, however, she lingered in the doorway, the tormented expression of heartbreak written all over Noelle’s once angelic face.

Veronica stepped up behind her sister, laying a hand cautiously upon her shoulder, sympathetic expression on her visage.

“I’m sorry you had to watch your daughter like that.” She whispered.

Kat didn’t look away, but just nodded. “Her heart broke like I’ve never seen before. You should’ve seen her face, Veronica…it was as if I had destroyed that little girl’s dreams.” Her sister stepped into the doorway as well, leaning against the opposite side of Kat, passing a tiny glance her sister’s way before resting her eyes on the sleeping Noelle.

“You did what you were supposed to for your little princess.”

Kat sighed. “I just wish my princess could be like Cinderella who she admires so much,” she paused and look at Veronica, “but Matt is her Prince, not some other prince charming out there.”

“You know, you can’t really blame yourself,” Veronica murmured very slowly, thinking about the words before he said them. “In fact, I think someone should sue Disney for planting ideas in little girls’ heads that every girl has a prince and everything ends up Happily Ever After…”

The two stared silently at the little girl who slept with a broken heart. They only prayed that despite this awful heartbreak due to a broken promise, Noelle would grow to find her real prince…but always remember that her Daddy was her true prince that would always come to save the day in spite of not always being there…