You Made It

“DADDY!” I heard a small voice cry. I stood in the kitchen and continued to load the dishwasher. “DADDY!”

Upon the second call, I couldn’t ignore her any longer and walked into the living room. My three year old daughter was playing with her toys and as I walked in the room, she looked up at me with her beaming eyes and smiled.

“Mommy, I want Daddy to come play!” she told me.

“Sorry, sweetie, you know Daddy’s not here, he’ll be home in a couple of hours though and then he’ll play with you lots,” I explained. “And then your friends will be here too for your party.”

“But I want Daddy!” she shouted in her little voice.

This was always the way. Ever since she was born, Holly had been a daddy’s girl through and through. If she started crying, majority of the time, she wouldn’t stop until John sang to her. I couldn’t blame her, his voice always soothed me too so I guess she took after me in someways. Every time I looked at her, I could see so much of John in her and it made me feel as though he was always around, even when he wasn’t. I knew Holly got upset whenever John on tour but I always tried to take her out so she could see him and they could spend some time together. She adored him and there was nothing she loved more than holding her daddy’s hand or being on his shoulders so she was ‘big and tall’, as she always said.

“Sweetie, I know, but daddy can’t play right now because he’s having his picture taken,” I explained. “But he’s going to be back very soon and then you can play and if you’re lucky he might sing too you as well. You like it when he sings, don’t you?” I asked, to which she nodded enthusiastically.

“I love it when Daddy sings to me!” she grinned.

“Me too, baby,” I grinned. “So, how about we get ready for your party and then hopefully Daddy will be here and he can play and sing to you. Would you like that?”

“Yeah!” she giggled.

“OK, mommy’s going to finish in the kitchen, why don’t you find a nice dress to wear for the party?” I asked, and Holly jumped up and ran in the direction of her bedroom.

I went back to the kitchen and began wondering to myself when Holly got so independent and confident. Today was her 3rd birthday party and she had been waiting weeks for it. Ever since we told her she would be having a party and gave out the invites to her friends, which she enjoyed telling John about.

One Month Earlier

“DADDY!” Holly said, waving madly at the screen.

“Hi princess,” John smiled back. “How are my two favorite girls?”

“We’re OK, Daddy, we just read a story,” Holly explained, while I sat behind her smiling.

“Did you? Was it good?”

“Yes, it was very good. There were lots of animals in it, I think my favorite was the rabbit. Or maybe it was the dog,” she continued.

“What was your favorite, Mommy?” he asked.

“Definitely the dog,” I laughed.

John was on tour so we always made sure to arrange Skype’s so that he and Holly could see each other and she knew what he was doing, where he was and why he wasn’t at home. We continued to talk for a while and John told us all about where he was today. Holly always loved hearing the things he’d done and seen and I loved seeing the two of them interact. Of course, I missed John just as much as Holly did, but I think it’s very important for a father and daughter to have spend time together and don’t think John got to do it as much as he liked so I always let him speak to her as much as possible on the video chats so that she got to enjoy seeing him.

“We gave out invitations for my party, Daddy!” she continued.

“Did you?” he smiled back. “Who did you give them to?”

“Everyone!”

“Everyone?! What, everyone in the world?! I don’t think we’ve got enough room to invite all those people,” he laughed,

“No, Daddy, not everyone in the world, everyone that is my friend,” she giggled.

“Oh, does that mean I’m invited? I’m your friend, right?”

“Of course you’re invited!”

“Oh good,” he grinned.

“We’ve invited Jess and Rory and Jordan and Chrissie and Josh and Amy and Lily and Jamie and so many more people!”

“Wow that’s a lot! That’s more friends than I’ve got,” John laughed.

“Daddy I can’t wait! It’s going to be so good!”

----------

John was at a photoshoot early this morning with the rest of the band and said he would be home about 1pm. Holly’s party was due to start at 2pm so it meant I had spent the morning setting up without him. But it was now 1.30 and John wasn’t home, although I had also given him strict instruction to pick up her cake before coming to the party and hoped he hadn’t forgotten and was getting it now and that’s why he was late.

“Lindsay, where do you want the balloons?” my mom asked as she help set up.

“Um, anywhere really,” I told her. “As long as there’s a few out the front so people know where to go and then through the hallway and in the kitchen and living room.”

My mom nodded and walked out to start putting balloons in places. I turned around and noticed Holly looking sad sat on the couch with one of her favourite toys.

“Hey sweetie, what’s wrong?” I asked, as I crouched down at her level.

She didn’t speak, just shook her head.

“Tell me, otherwise Mommy can’t make it better,” I said, softly.

Again she just shook her head.

“Can you tell Lambie what’s wrong?” I asked, indicating to the cuddly lamb from her favourite TV show.

“Maybe,” she quietly.

“OK, why don’t you do that then?”

“I’m sad,” she said.

“Why are you sad?” I asked, putting on a voice for Lambie.

“Cos Daddy’s not here,” she mumbled.

“But he’ll be here soon, and then you’ll have lots of friends here too,” I continued as Lambie and she nodded. “So for now, why don’t you help Mommy?”

She nodded one again and finally looked up at me. I smiled back and held out my hand which she took and walked with me to the kitchen. I picked her up and sat her on the counter top so that she was at a level to help me and a grin spread across her face when she saw who else was there.

“NANNY JENNY!” she shouted when she saw John’s mom.

“Hi beautiful,” Jenny smiled, kissing Holly’s head and she walked about the kitchen. “That’s a very pretty dress you’re wearing. Are you excited for your party?”

Holly thought about it for a few seconds before looking up at Jenny, “Sort of, but I just want to play with Daddy.”

“He’ll be here so beautiful, until then, why don’t you be a big girl and help me take these bowls into the other room?” she suggested.

As Jenny and Holly began leading out of the room, I mouthed a quick ‘thank you’ to Jenny as she was distracting Holly for a few moments. The clock was ticking on and I was beginning to worry about John getting here in time.

Next thing I knew, everything was set up and people began arriving. Still no John.

Then Holly began noticing.

“Mommy!” she said, pulling at my dress. “Mommy, where’s Daddy?”

“He’s coming,” I told her. Truth was I had no idea where he was. “Why don’t you play with Lily for now?”

She walked off but I could tell she wasn’t happy.

Finally, 2.40pm, the front door swung open and a breathless John walked through the door.

“Where have you been?” I asked as soon as I saw him.

“Well, long story-”

“OK, well save it for later,” I cut him off. “You’ve got a daughter in there who’s been asking for you constantly since she woke up this morning.”

“Oh god, I’m so sorry, I’m late,” he began.

“That’s fine, we can talk about it later. You made it though, and that’s the most important thing.”

He smiled, before disappearing into the living room and knew he immediately made someone happy.

“DADDY! YOU’RE HERE!”