Coal to Diamond

Celebration?

“We must celebrate this moment!” My grandmother clapped with glee. “She has spoken! My beautiful amazing granddaughter has spoken.” She says as she swings me around before she rest me on her hip.

“Be careful!” The doctor chided watching this display. “She has just woken up from a coma. Be easy on her!”

“I’m sorry.” My grandmother chimed like a child who was caught stealing candy.

I giggled and looked to my father whose face has shifted to sadness as he walks out of the room.

“Daddy left me.” I cried as I reached for the door he left through.

My grandmother hugged me to her chest. “It is alright my darling.” She cooed to me. “He is overwhelmed is all.”

She set me down gently and grabbed my hand leading me to the door. “Let’s go plan a party!”

I grinned ear to ear but in the back of my mind of was full of worry for my dad.

My grandmother pulled out all the stop for the celebration and invited everyone to come join!

I had everything a five year old could want but it couldn’t keep my mind off of my dad’s face as he left that room.

As the evening became I went off in search of my father and was hit by a pungent smell coming from his room. I scrunched my nose but continued on inside.

I was shocked at the scene that laid before me. My father’s room was in shambles. There were bottles littering the floor everywhere. I could hear my father’s sobs from the other side of his bed.

As I came around the corner he was holding my mother’s picture in one hand and a bottle in the other. He finished the last of it and threw it over his bed. I heard it clink as it hit the many others that were already there. I jumped at the sound thereby startling my father from his trance.

“What’s wrong daddy?” I chimed as I came to place myself on his lap. He stunk of alcohol but it did not persuade me from comforting him. He hugged me to his chest with picture still in hand.

“I miss her so much!” He wailed as he cried on my little shoulder. All I could do was pat his back as his cries went from wailing to sniffles to silence.

‘He feel asleep.’ I couldn’t budge from his grip so I made myself comfortable and fell asleep on his lap.

When I awoke I realized that I was no longer in his lap but on my bed. I signed.

‘What is wrong?’ Diamond chirped.

‘I wish my dad wasn’t so lonely’

‘I’m sorry Abby. Hopefully time will help him heal’

‘I hope so. I don’t like seeing him like that.’

I got out of bed and continued on with the rest of my day.