Marine's Daughter

"So you're dad told you he was in California but he was actually in Arizona?" Kim asked as she drove us to the store in Jared's van.

"Yep, before I could ask him anything he quickly hung up."

"Well, at least he is coming back today." she smiled.

"I know. I'm super excited to see him." I bounced in the seat. As we pulled into the parking lot, Kim pulled into a parking spot and we climbed out. I grabbed my crutches and we made out way into the store. "What were we supposed to get again? I totally forgot." I laughed as she got a shopping cart.

"Uh...uh-oh." she replied looking at me. "We'd better text Sam and Emily." She pulled out her phone to text them so I sat on the bench next to us. "Alright, I have the list now. So let's shop." she said a few minutes later. We made our way through the store filling the cart up with everything we needed. "So things are going good now with you and Jake?"

"Yeah. Back to normal." I smiled.

"How in the world did that happen? You were beyond pissed at him now you're lovey dovey." her brows pulling together as she racked her brain trying to figure it out. I told her about the dream and how he made me breakfast and everything. "That is so sweet. If I was as mad at Jared as you were at Jake and he did something like that for me...I'd forgive him in a heartbeat too." she smiled. As we stopped to choose the meats I moved the crutches from my armpits. "You ok?" she asked looking at me as I rubbed them.

"Yeah, pits just hurt from these damned things." I snickered.

"Well we're pretty much done, lets check out and head home." she smiled. We headed to the check out line and loaded everything into the van after. As we pulled up into the driveway there was a new vehicle I have never seen before parked in it. "Wonder who that is?" Kim asked.

"No idea." I unbuckled my seatbelt as the guys came out to help. "Hey. Whose here?" I asked Jake before giving him a quick kiss.

"You'll see." he smirked before helping me inside. As we made our way into the house, a familiar voice rang in my ears.

"OH MY GOSH!!! DAD! I wasn't expecting you to be here until six." I smiled as he came over to give me a hug.

"I came back early." he smiled.

"Well I'm glad, is that your ride?" I asked pointing to the amazing vehicle.

"No, it's yours."

"Wait...mine? What?" I asked.

"I obviously let it slip that I wasn't in California. I was in Arizona...with your Uncle Levi." he quietly said. As his answer swam around in my head I gasped.

"Is...is tha-? Is that mom's...van?" I asked in shock. He smiled and nodded his head. My crutches fell to the ground and I turned to walk out onto the porch only to hiss in pain. "OW!" I yelled jumping on my not injured leg. Jake handed me the crutches and I rushed out to the Volkswagon Bus that once belonged to my mom. I made my way down the steps and toward the driver side. I saw everyone standing near by watching me. I opened the driver side door and climbed in. "I can't believe this." I smiled. The passenger side opened and Dad climbed in.

"So...what do you think?" he asked. I grabbed ahold of the steering wheel and looked around.

"She sat in this very seat, touched this steering wheel, used this viso-" I paused as I lowered the visor only to have something fall into my lap. I picked the small square object up and flipped it over. It was a picture...of my mom. She was standing in front of it smiling. On the back read 'Patricia's first car' I flipped it back over to look at the picture. I looked just like her. Same hair color, same smile, same nose, same everything. Well except the ear and eyes, I have my dad's eyes and ears. It was like looking at a picture of myself.

"Olivia? What is that?" dad asked. I handed him the picture while looking at everything. I have dreamt about this vehicle being mine, but the last I had heard it wasn't running at all. Now...it truely is mine. Everything about it was new except the radio. It was the original. I looked to see if the keys were in the ignition and smiled when they were. I placed my hands on the key and turned it. As soon as it started the radio clicked on and the cassette turned on.

'Is this thing working? Gosh I hope so or else this is just a waste of time but if it working...hi baby girl." I froze as I heard my mom's voice playing over the speakers. The sliding door opened as everyone came closer. I looked over at my dad who looked just as shocked as I did. "It's me...um your mom. Duh, obviously it's me. Haha. Anyways...I'm making this tape for you in case anything happens to me and I can't be there as you grow up. If you're listening to this then...you obviously know that I'm sadly...not there. Kevin, you can wipe that shocked look off your face because I know it's there. It's there isn't it baby girl? Large eyes, open mouth, flared nostrils? Of course it is...knock it off, you know you look like a pug when you do that face." she said with a laugh. I looked toward my dad and laughed. Even though she wasn't here, she knew him so well. Everyone laughed as they looked at him, even he laughed. "Anyways...um I gave this tape to Levi for safe keeping along with a picture. I don't know if you found it already but if not, it's right above your head. I told him to place these things in their proper spots before you got this beauty. Now, I have to say...happy eightenth birthday and happy congraduation honey. I am so proud of you. I know that I'm not there to celebrate with you in person but I'm still here. Knowing your father this gift is probably WAY over due. Am I right? Of course I am. When you were younger, you were always playing in it. Saying that it would be yours one day, you were going to go to the moon in it and even travel to Neverland to rescue Peter Pan and Tinkerbell from Captain Hooks meanie ways. You made us promise you that we would give it to you when you were old enough to drive. Now I don't know if you still want to go to the moon but I pray you know that you can't get there in this." I couldn't help but laugh and blush at the same time. I felt a warm hand on mine and I looked at Jake who smiled. "Do you remember that song we used to sing when you, your father and I would go on picnics together?"

"Oh no...please don't sing it." I quietly begged getting a laugh from everyone.

"you're my honey bunch, sugar plum, pumy-umpy-umpkin, you're my sweetie pie. you're my cuppy cake, gum drop shnokum shnokum shmore, the apple of my eye. And I love you so and i want you to know, that i'll always be right here. and i love to sing sweet songs for you because you are so dear." As she sang tears started to fall from my eyes and i heard my dad sniffle. There were very few occasions where my dad cry...now was one of them. I reached over and grabbed his hand. "Oh wow...i told myself i wouldn't cry but now look at me. *sighs* the reason why I brought up the song is because I am always right beside you through everything. Through all the accomplishments, the failures, the loves, the heartbreaks, the boyfriends, and more. Even though you can't see me, hear me or feel me just know that I am. Just close your eyes and think of me and you will see me. I will even be there in the future. When you get married, when you have kids, when you get into your first first with your daughter or your husband. I may not be there to give you advice in person so here is my advice. Don't be afraid to take chances. Life is about choices wether they are the right ones or the wrong ones. Take a few wrong turns every now and then...if you do, learn from that, take a chance with it. Make the wrong choice into something write.Now love...well I can talk forever about that but I'll cut it short. If there is a boy in your life right now that you love...don't be afraid of wearing your heart on your sleeve. In order to find true happiness with love, you're gonna have to deal with the ups and downs of getting your heartbroken. Love with everything you have, unless he is into some illegal stuff then in that case...run. Also, when you finally find Mr. Right...don't be afraid to put everything you have to the test. If he is the one you truely want to spend the rest of your life with then you'll make it through the worst of times. Also...you're father better approve of him because if he doesn't then I don't. I know that he would never let you spend your life with a psychotic, drug dealing abusive boy...he better treat you right. If he is in fact listening to this with you...you better treat my little girl right or I will hunt you down and haunt your ass...oops, pardon my french." Everyone laughed as we looked toward Jake who was smirking. "Now...*sighs* marriage, if you listen to everything I have just talked about everything will be fine...until you have kids, that's when it get tricky. When you have kids and they grow up...let them branch out to be who they wanna be unless its a druggy or alcoholic or criminal. Don't be hesitant to let them express who they are. Don't try to be their best friend but don't distance yourself from them. Be involved. Let them know that they can trust you. Also...when you have a little girl, name her Lilah Rose. I don't know if you remember it but Lilah was the name of your best friend when you were five. The two of you were like sisters and she passed away from pnemonia. Before she got sick you told her that you were going to name your first daughter Lilah and she was going to name her Olivia May. Gosh the two of you were so cute. Man, I really hope this is recording." I heard messing with the recorder and a door open.

"Mommy, what are you doing?" a little voice asked in the background of the tape.

"I'm talking to future you. Come here." I heard moving and a squeal. That was me. I looked to my dad and he was smiling. "Do you wanna say hi to future you?" My mother asked.

"Hi future me. Mommy, why are you talking to future me?" I asked.

"Just in case som-" the tape clicked and ejected from the tape player. I quickly grabbed it and flipped it over before pushing it back in. "Blasted tape ended. Sorry, had to flip it over. Where was I? Oh yeah...I"

"Honey?" I heard my dad yelling quietly in the background.

"DADDY!!!" I yelled. My little footsteps faded into the background as I ran off.

"I'll be there in a few minutes. Ugh lost my train of thought...where was I?" she remained quiet for a minute before she spoke again. "I have no idea, if you're anything like me in the future...good luck with the attention spane. Sorry. Anyways, I love you sweetie. Sorry I can't be there in person for you but I'm just a thought away. Live your life to the fullest because in a split second everything could change. Also take good care of my pride and joy. This vehicle was there through everything. Well you are my pride and joy too but you know what I mean. *sighs* I hope you never have to hear this tape but if you just heard all that...I'm going to end this tape with this...You are always going to be my little girl no matter what happens, where you are, no matter how old you are. I love you baby girl." I listened as she made a kissing sound and sat it back down. "Bye baby girl." The tape ended and shut off. Everything was quiet as I was surrounded by quietness. Nobody said a single word, made a single noise, not even a single motion. All was quiet for a few minutes.

"I...remember that. I remember walking into the room she was in and talking. It was either my seventh or eighth birthday and you just got back from the store with a giant pinata." I quietly said.

"Your mom sounds like she was cool." Kim smiled.

"She was...she was the most amazing person I know. Olivia is exactly like her when she was her age." my dad said smiling at me. "When she first got this...her leg was broken in three places, just like yours." he smirked.

"Guess your more like her than you thought." Jake said. I looked at him and smiled.

"She is exactly like her mom, attitude and all."

"So dad...I have a question. Do you approve?" I asked looking at him. He looked at Jake and sighed.

"Yes, I approve and so would your mom." I smiled and turned to give Jake a kiss. "Ok, enough with all this heavy stuff...why don't you take her for a spin."

"Can everyone fit in here?" I asked looking behind the driver seat.

"Yes, you kids go for a ride. Us adults will get dinner started." He climbed out joining Sam and Emily by the porch.

"SHOT GUN!!" Kim yelled. She climbed in while the guys filled up the back seats. Once the doors were closed we waved bye and I pulled out of the drive way. As we cruised around the streets of La Push we were laughing and smiling. Enjoying the wind in my hair as I drove mine and my mom's beauty. We eventually made our way back to Sam and Emily's just as the food was finishing up. Jake helped me out of the van and into the house. As we walked in I saw Billy talking to my dad.

"That was the best drive ever. Thank you so much dad. It's one of the best gifts I've ever gotten." I smiled giving him a hug.

"You're welcome kiddo. Just make sure to let me know when you're gonna go to Neverland." he teased.

"That is a road trip I would LOVE to go on!!" Kim yelled from the living room.The rest of the day was spent listening to my dad talk about my mom and Billy talking about Jake's mom, Sarah. I loved listening to the stories they told us. Then they some how ended up talking about the two of us when we were younger. Let's just say, I was hiding behind a pillow most of the night. I was mortified but it was nice remembering little me. Jake and I ended up going to his house to watch a couple movies and I stayed the night.