Pic for 1000 - Butterfly Kisses
This picture coupled with these lyrics inspired the story.
All the precious time
Like the wind, the years go by.
Precious butterfly.
Spread your wings and fly.
She'll change her name today.
She'll make a promise and I'll give her away.
Standing in the bride-room just staring at her.
She asked me what I'm thinking and I said "I'm not
sure-I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl."
She leaned over…gave me butterfly kisses with her mama there,
Sticking little white flowers all up in her hair
"Walk my down the aisle, Daddy-it's just about time."
"Does my wedding gown look pretty, Daddy? Daddy, don't cry!"
Oh, with all that I've done wrong I must have
done something right.
To deserve your love every morning and butterfly
kisses-I couldn't ask God for more, man this is what love is.
I know I gotta let her go, but I'll always remember
every hug in the morning and butterfly kisses.
~ John Michael Montgomery (and other incarnations of said song)
Joey was amazed at the changes in his yard today. Gone was the wicker lawn furniture with faded yellow pads and umbrellas. Gone were the grill and the pool toys. Instead, neat rows of folding chairs had been set up in two sections; a buffet had been set up on one side of the seats and an orchestra had been assembled on the other side. Beside it was a raised platform with a white canopy over it. Flowers and greenery were draped everywhere, transforming his yard into a musical botanical garden. Somewhere in his house was his little girl although he was pretty sure she wasn’t very little anymore.
“You never did know how to knot one of these properly,” Lance chuckled as he expertly tugged Joey’s tie into place.
Joey smiled. “Thanks.” He fingered the edge of his jacket nervously as he glanced around. The yard was filling up rapidly as people began to arrive.
Lance patted his arm. “He’ll do right by her, Joe,” he said in a small attempt to reassure Joey before he disappeared into a sea of formalwear.
It wasn’t long until the orchestra began to warm up and Joey closed his eyes, remembering a day long ago when she was still his little girl. She hadn’t been very old - old enough to think Daddy was silly, but young enough to think that Daddy still walked on water.
He had just spent the afternoon setting up a new stereo. Had just plugged it in, anxious to turn it on and when he’d looked up from his last connection, he found Kelly and Briahna watching him from the doorway. Briahna’s eyes were wide with curiosity. He powered up the stereo, selected a cd and started it, smiling as soft notes of piano and violin filled the air.
Grinning ear to ear, he walked over to where Kelly and Briahna stood and held out his hand. “Briahna Fatone, would you do me the honour of this dance?” he’d asked as he bowed deeply at the waist.
Briahna had giggled in that adorable laugh she had that lit her whole face and made her eyes light up and sparkle. “Daddy!” she’d managed, but she’d held out her hand and stepped away from Kelly.
He’d picked her up, propping her expertly on his hip and smiled as one little arm wrapped around him. He took her free hand in his, folding his fingers around hers. It was only a moment until the next song began, slowly at first, then building. Joey twirled and carried her around the room in time with the music. Carefully, he dipped and swayed with Briahna in his arms and laughed as her long curls brushed the floor. It was then that he decided that a child’s laughter was the most beautiful music he would ever hear.
When the song had faded and the air was quiet again, he hugged Briahna tightly, committing the afternoon to memory. Over Briahna’s shoulder, he could see Kelly still standing in the doorway, a smile splitting her face as she’d wiped quickly at the corner of her eye. Without missing a beat, he’d walked over to Kelly and pulled the three of them into a hug.
The afternoon dancing became a habit for them. Every weekend, no matter what was going on, they’d spend a few hours in the family room dipping and swaying to music. As she’d gotten older, the dances became more complicated and the music began to lean towards what she and her friends were listening to. He didn’t even have the ammunition to argue with her on that one. Every once in a while, Kelly would join them, sometimes dancing to a song or two and sometimes just watching from the doorway. But it was always their time, their moment together.
But now, it was with a shaky hand and even more shaky voice that Joey was giving his daughter away to the man that promised to love her and cherish her. He remembered making the same promise long ago and knew by the look on Jakob’s face that he meant it with everything he had in him.
And now, as the afternoon sun began to set, the music changed tempo into something soft and quiet and Joey recognize the familiar notes of one of the songs they’d danced to the most often. Their song, Briahna had told him over and over again. He’d smiled, knowing the time had come for him to dance with his little girl again.
She was sitting at a table, Jakob proudly at her side, talking animatedly with JC and Chris about the new house JC and Chris had just bought, how they planned to furnish it, smiling and nodding when JC started rambling too much.
Joey approached them with a smile on his face. “I do believe someone owes me a dance,” he said brightly.
Chris made a face and stood up. “Well, if you insist.”
Joey laughed. “As if, Kirkpatrick.” He turned to face Briahna, repeating the words that he’d said once upon a time. “Briahna Weiss, would you do me the honour of this dance?” he asked, bowing deeply. He winced as his back creaked in protest.
Briahna smiled as she slid her hand into his and stood. “Daddy, it would be my honour,” she answered as she led him to the raised dance floor.
They stepped out to the middle of the raised floor and Joey drew her into his arms, holding her close like he did so many other times before. Soon, the music started and they began to drift slowly, dipping and swaying in a familiar dance. All eyes were on the two of them, but in his mind, it was just them as it had always been.
When the last notes of the music had faded away, she smiled as she wrapped her arms tightly around him.
“I will always be your little girl, Daddy,” she said as though she’d read his mind.
~fini