Dear Elizabeth

Monsters: Daddy's Little Girl

Dear Daddy,

I love you so much, Dad,

I hate to admit that you were once a monster in disguise,

All those times you came home,

Completely drunk, and lacking self-control,

Those memories were suppose to fade,

But they didn't, they have chosen to stay,

There's a certain confrontation I remember, an event my mind replays almost every day,

I don't think I have ever seen an image that can compare to that pain,

We were in the living room, it was night time,

You were drunk, it wasn't a surprise,

While eating dinner, you kept arguing with mom,

You would say the lowest things to bring her down,

How could you, Dad?

Why?

How could you have sent your own son to get your gun,

The gun that would make Mom permanently gone?

Why would you give him such instructions?

To go grab your gun,

You said you were going to kill Mom,

Like that would end the problems and all,

But my brother didn't listen, he disobeyed,

So Mom was who you punished instead,

We were your kids, Dad,

We watched as you threw her on the living room floor, grabbed her by her hair, and started to drag,

You dragged her across the living room,

We were kids, we didn't know what to do...

I remember so many things about you, Dad,

And I hate that most of them are bad,

You were my hero,

My shield,

But the alcohol betrayed you,

To reality, it closed your eyes,

You were too blind to see,

I was hurting, I just wanted to leave,

I wanted you to help me, I wanted to help you,

No alcohol, Dad, just love,

And us,

I miss you so much,

I miss the closeness there was,

I remember snuggling into your side

When we would watch Tom & Jerry, and the UFC fights,

You would take me everywhere you went,

Such lovely memories aren't something to dread,

I love you, Daddy,

And I forgive you,

You never left me, you're still by my side,

Yes, you made mistakes that scarred me for life,

But you've always been there,

To make me laugh, to let me hug you, to simply care,

And to me, that means everything.

Your little girl,

Elizabeth

A/N: If you or anyone you know is living through domestic violence, don't hold back. There is help out there. It's never too late to break the cycle.

The following numbers are of hotlines with people ready to listen and help you:

1800621HOPE

1800799SAFE

18005001119