A Father's Love

“I don’t give a damn, Melanie. I don’t want that boy around you.” Derek Harris was not a violent man, but when it came to his daughter, he would kill anyone that did her wrong.

“But Daddy, I love him.” She whispered, begging her father to understand. She loved Ricky and she knew what he had done was bad, but it was her own fault.

“Mel, it’s not right. He doesn’t love you. He’s controlling you, baby.” He said, trying to get his child to see the wrong in her situation.

“Daddy, please.” She begged, wanting to prove him wrong, no matter how wrong she knew it was.

“I said ‘No’, Melanie. Now go to your room.” He said, turning back to his paperwork on his desk.

He heard her huff and the tap of her shoe as she made her way to the door.

“I hate you.” And he heard the door slam shut.

He felt his heart shatter at the words spoken from his sweet daughter’s mouth. Melanie’s mother had passed away several years ago from Ovarian Cancer, and it had been him on his own with a seven-year old. Though it had been hard and very trying at times, they had made it through.

Melanie had begun to rebel in the last few months when she had met her first boyfriend, Ricky. His sweet, innocent child had gone from respectable and responsible, to a wild demon child that he couldn’t handle. He was pretty sure Ricky was controlling his daughter, making her do things she knew were wrong. He had seen the bruises, and cuts on her arms. It had broken his heart, and he had tried to stop the relationship, but Melanie had promised it wasn’t serious. It broke his heart to see her in so much pain, but she wouldn’t let him help.

Glancing at the photo of his late wife on the wall, he smiled sadly.

“Where has our sweet girl gone, Gretch? What has he done to her?” He asked, his voice cracking. He rubbed his forehead, feeling the headache coming. He slipped his glasses of and turned back to the screen of his computer. He saved all his hard work and shut the computer down, knowing it was time to turn in.

He made his way down the stairs and walked into the kitchen, wanting to get some Tylenol before he tried to sleep. He swallowed the medicine and set his glass of water in the sick, wanting to make his way to bed. On his way up, he stopped by his daughters’ room. He knew she was angry, but he had never gone to bed without telling her he loved her.

“Mel, I know you’re angry, but I can see what he’s doing to you. I can help you baby, I know you know what he does is wrong. Just let me help, baby. Daddy’s here, baby girl, and I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.” He said, wanting her to see that it was best for her.

When he had stood there for a good five minutes he sighed and glanced at the door before trying once more.

“Goodnight Mel. I love you.” He said, hoping she would reply. When none came, he slowly made his way to his room down the hall.

He thought he could reach her, try to help her. He could only pray that she knew what to do, because she wouldn’t let him help her. When he reached his room, her took a shower and put his pajamas on and climbed into bed, wanting the ache in his head to go away.
Minutes later, he felt his eyes start to droop and his thoughts ran wild. So many things running through his head that he couldn’t understand. He thought he had the answers for everything, but he was proved wrong.

When Derek was right on the edge of sleep, he heard the creak of the door opening. He lay still, not knowing if it was Melanie or a robber. When he heard the pitter patter of Melanie’s feet crossing the cold wood floor, his heart started beating again, but he kept his eyes closed. The other side of the bed dipped in as she climbed onto her fathers’ bed. He didn’t know why she was here, but it must be very important to her.

“Daddy?” She whispered, not knowing if she really wanted to wake him up. He decided to play along and kept his eyes closed.

Melanie made up her mind and poked his shoulder, trying again.

“Daddy, wake up. I need to talk to you.” Derek slowly opened his eyes and made it out that he had been sleeping.

“What wrong Mel?” He asked, seeing the tear tracks on her cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” She said. “I don’t hate you, I love you daddy.”

Derek wrapped his daughter in his arms and held her tight. She was just like him and trapped her emotions inside until it was too much to take. He understood what was happening.

She was finally breaking down.

He kissed her forehead.

“I know baby. People say things they don’t mean when they’re mad. I do it too. It’s not a crime, sweetheart.” He said, keeping her hugged close.

“I just-I just. I don’t know what to do anymore, Daddy. Ricky hits me when I do something wrong, and says it’s my own fault. That’s not right, is it daddy?” She asked, looking up at him with her clear, troubled baby blue eyes.

In that moment, Derek had never known such pain. His heart was in pieces for his daughter. She was so troubled, she didn’t know what love between a man and a woman was, and this boy had ruined her teenage crush.

“No, baby, that’s not right at all. He should have never hit you. If anyone is wrong, it’s him. You are an angel. My angel.” He said, rubbing the tears from her eyes.

She looked down and grabbed his hand.

“I want to be normal, daddy. I want it back to the way it was before. Before Ricky ruined me.” She whispered, her eyes tormented.

“You can do it baby, and I’ll be right here helping you.” He said, holding tight to her.

She climbed into the bed with her father and he wrapped his arms around her.

“It’ll be okay, Mel. He can’t hurt you anymore. Not with Daddy here.”