Daddy's Angel

“Click, clack. Click clack.” The sound of Brandon's camera faded into the distance as he took another shot of his daughter playing in the sand. Sophie was Brandon's world, she meant everything to him, more importantly, she was all he had left of her mother Jenna.

“Daddy! I found somefing!” Sophie squealed with bright blue eyes.
Brandon chuckled and went over to see what she had found. He crouched down next to her, a smile on his lips, he was happy to see her playing again.

“What do you have there, baby girl?” He asked softly, putting his hand out. Sophie giggled softly and put a small gold locket on a chain in his hand. Brandon examined the locket, a weary look on his face, he opened the locket, his breath hitching in his throat, it was Jenna's locket she had lost the previous summer.

Brandon sat in the sand, pulling Sophie into his lap, he knew she would be upset when he mentioned Jenna. “This is mommy's locket, sweetie.” He said softly, wiping the sand off of it and showing her the picture inside. It was a picture of Brandon with his hands on Jenna's swollen stomach.

Sophie buried her face in Brandon's shoulder, tears pouring out of her eyes at the mention of Jenna. “I-I miss h-her.” She whimpered, holding onto him as tight as she could.

Brandon frowned and picked her up, rubbing her back and humming softly. “I know baby girl, Daddy misses her too.” He whispered, carrying her back to his car. He buckled her in her car seat, then he took the locket and clasped it around her little neck. He kissed her forehead and got in the front seat, heading home.

The next morning, Sophie woke up and tip toed into Brandon's room, climbing up on his bed and under the covers, poking his face. “Daddy, wake up!” She giggled.

Brandon let out a strangled groan and pulled Sophie into his arms, wrapping his arms around her small frame. “Shh...Sleep with daddy for a little longer, it's only nine in the morning.” He muttered.

Sophie sighed and continued to squirm around in his arms. “Daddy, tell me about mommy.” She whispered. “I forgot what you telled me, tell me again.” She added softly, she was calm now. She hadn't forgotten what he told her, she just loved it when he told her about Jenna.

Brandon sighed and opened his eyes. “Alright.” He said softly. “But after I tell you about mommy, it's bath time and then you have to go to grandma's while daddy's at work.”

Sophie pouted, she hated being away from him, she was such a daddy's girl. “Otay, just tell me about mommy.” She said impatiently.

“Well your mommy and I grew up together, we were friends ever since we were three, just like you.” He said pulling her closer, kissing her forehead.

“We would always play together in the sandbox, we even used to take bubble baths together.” He laughed lightly. “When we were in our first year of high school, we saw each other as more than friends. So I finally got up the courage to ask mommy out on a date and she said yes, making daddy the happiest guy in the world.” He continued, all the memories flashing back in his head.
“Not to long after mommy and I had our first date, I asked her to be my girlfriend and she said yes. I loved your mommy so much, and she loved me too. Mommy would go to all of daddy's soccer games and cheer him on, sometimes I got distracted because she was so pretty.”

Sophie giggled softly. “And daddy was da captain of da team!” She said knowing this from the many stories Brandon told her. Brandon laughed and nodded. “Yes, I was, your remembered! Anyway at the beginning of our senior year, your mommy got really sad and she didn't go to school for a whole week. I was so worried about her, but she didn't want to talk to me, she told me she needed to be alone to think.” Sophie's eyes went wide. “Why was she sad, daddy?”

“Well, at the end of the week, she asked me to come over so we could talk, she told me she was going to have a baby. That baby was you, just like the picture in your locket, when you were in mommy's tummy.” Sophie smiled, her tiny hands wrapping around the locket on her neck.

“Mommy and daddy got married about four months later, and we bought this very apartment that we live in now. Three months after that, a beautiful tiny baby girl was born, and your daddy was awestruck, that baby girl, you...Was so beautiful. You looked so much like your mommy.” Brandon said, almost tearing up at this point.

Sophie giggled and stared up at Brandon with her bright eyes. “But I got daddy's eyes!” She said softly, but excited. “We match!”

Brandon nodded and stood up, taking Sophie into his arms and carrying her downstairs. He put her on the counter, where she always sat while he made breakfast. “About a year after we brought you home, mommy started feeling sick, but the doctors made her better, for a little while anyway. By the time you were two, she was tired and really sick, even though it made us sad, an angel came and took all of mommy's pain away, she went to heaven.” Brandon whispered, turning to look at Sophie who had little tears welling in her eyes.

He wiped her tears and kissed her cheek. “Mommy is always watching over you.” He whispered. “She see's you everyday, and she's so happy that your growing up to be the perfect little angel you are.” He added, picking her up and setting her in a chair at the table, he gave her some cut up apples and peanut butter and sat across from her.

He picked up his phone and called his boss, waiting patiently for someone to answer. Once the call went to voice mail, with a smile on his lips and tug on his heart he left a message. “Hell Mr. Brown, I'm not coming in today, I'm going to take a personal day to spend with my angel.”