Christmas evening...[narrative]
Angela came downstairs from putting her Christmas gifts away. Gran was in bed, asleep, and Dad was downstairs, watching the Led Zeppelin DVD she'd gotten for him for Christmas. She came over next to him and curled up beside him on the sofa. He put his arm around her shoulders, and she put her head on his chest. He kissed the top of her head. "Perfect present, sweetheart, thank you."
"I was hoping you'd like it." Angela's dad had only been home five days, and she and he were still dancing around each other carefully.
They sat for a little while, just watching Led Zeppelin and being together.
"You grew up while I was away," Charles said softly. "I couldn't believe the change. I almost...I almost didn't recognize you."
Angela didn't say anything, but chewed on her lip. She shrugged, a little uncomfortably.
"I'm sorry you had to do it so fast, baby. But you took care of my mother when I wasn't here to do it, you dealt with this...house..." He couldn't believe that it hadn't changed at all from when he lived here as a kid. "You must have been so freaked out by it. Not that we've exactly lived in palaces..."
"It was okay," Angela said quietly. She didn't want him to feel bad! It wasn't his fault...
"Still...I should have made more sure that she was stable. I shouldn't have left you so alone."
"Please don't," she whimpered. It wasn't fair, him blaming himself. He's been through so much and now he's home and Angela just wants them to be happy.
"Ssh, baby, it isn't your fault. But it needs to be said, sweetheart. I don't want you to feel responsible for this anymore. You let me take care of things."
She nodded, chewing on her lip. And then, in a small voice: "But...did I do a good job?"
"Sweetie, you did a fantastic job. But now it's your turn to just be a kid. And now we can be father and daughter again. Okay?"
She smiled and said, "Okay."
Charles chuckled and gave her a squeeze. "Merry Christmas, baby girl."
"I was hoping you'd like it." Angela's dad had only been home five days, and she and he were still dancing around each other carefully.
They sat for a little while, just watching Led Zeppelin and being together.
"You grew up while I was away," Charles said softly. "I couldn't believe the change. I almost...I almost didn't recognize you."
Angela didn't say anything, but chewed on her lip. She shrugged, a little uncomfortably.
"I'm sorry you had to do it so fast, baby. But you took care of my mother when I wasn't here to do it, you dealt with this...house..." He couldn't believe that it hadn't changed at all from when he lived here as a kid. "You must have been so freaked out by it. Not that we've exactly lived in palaces..."
"It was okay," Angela said quietly. She didn't want him to feel bad! It wasn't his fault...
"Still...I should have made more sure that she was stable. I shouldn't have left you so alone."
"Please don't," she whimpered. It wasn't fair, him blaming himself. He's been through so much and now he's home and Angela just wants them to be happy.
"Ssh, baby, it isn't your fault. But it needs to be said, sweetheart. I don't want you to feel responsible for this anymore. You let me take care of things."
She nodded, chewing on her lip. And then, in a small voice: "But...did I do a good job?"
"Sweetie, you did a fantastic job. But now it's your turn to just be a kid. And now we can be father and daughter again. Okay?"
She smiled and said, "Okay."
Charles chuckled and gave her a squeeze. "Merry Christmas, baby girl."