Like Father, Like Daughter : The Story of the Prime Minister and His Daughter

Chapter 2

He went into his room and shed off his tie and blazer and got into his pajamas. He walked into Dani's room as she was counting down from five. She scooted over in her bed and he got down in next to her. "Alright," he sighed, "anything you want to know...ask away."

She didn't hesitate before asking, "Why did mommy have to leave?"  He pulled her close to him and asked, "Why do you think we visit her at the cemetery everyday?" She shyly shrugged, then said, "Annie says that's where she sees her grandpa."

Annie was her best friend in Kindergarten. Carlton took a deep breath and told her, "The cemetery is where people get buried after they die." She let out a soft "oh" as her tiny brain was trying to register this. It then suddenly seemed to hit her. 

"Daddy...mommy's dead?" She asked. He nodded and said, "Yeah, baby, she is." He knew she would have trouble figuring this out. She was only five years old. When she went to the cemetery with him, she was only repeating what he said about missing her because all she knew was that Cassie was gone, but didn't know why or how. 

She started tearing up as she asked, "Why?" Carlton wiped a stray tear of his own. "She got very sick," he gently explained. "The doctors tried to help her feel better, but...she was just too ill. She wanted to stay with us and be a family and she tried so hard. That's something I want you to understand. She fought so hard to stay with us."

He wiped the tears from her cheeks and said, "She adored you. She loved you so much, Dan, she was so proud of you. You were her entire world and she just revolved around you. I don't think she ever loved me the way she loved you and I don't blame her."

Dani looked up at him with her big blue and tear filled eyes. "She's never coming back?" She asked. Carlton let a few tears slip past him as he told her, "No." She immediately started sobbing into his chest as he held her tight. 

He always knew this conversation would come, whether she would figure it out on her own or not. He imagined it being heart breaking no matter what, but to actually feel his heart break from this was a pain he could never describe. 

"Look at me, Dani," he said, gently bringing her head up to look at him. He wiped her tears and nose with his hands, then said, "There are so many things about her you need to know. I can't wait to tell you every last detail about how strong and amazing she was. You can ask Uncle Johnny questions about her, too. But, baby, don't be sad that she's gone because she will always be with you. I feel her everyday right here."

He put his finger where his heart is. Dani put her finger where her heart is. "That's right," he said, "I feel her in my heart. She's in your's, too. She's in your heart, in the car when I drop you off at school, watching your school plays. She will always be here with you."

She nodded, then asked, "Is she here right now?" He put his finger where her heart is and said, "Always." She sniffled and looked like she was about to cry again. "Do you miss her, daddy?" She asked. 

Carlton let out a shaky breath and told her, "Not a day passes where I don't think about her. I just miss her more and more as each day goes on. And you know what? You look so much like her." He grazed his thumb down her nose and under her eyes. 

"Your nose, your eyes...everything about her, I see in you. That's why I know you're not going to have any trouble getting what you want in life because she got everything she asked for. She had to work hard for it and she had to sacrifice some things, but she got it."

Dani smiled and blushed. After a few minutes of making sure tears were completely gone, he asked, "Anymore questions?" She nodded, then asked, "Did she talk like you?" He let out a bellowing laugh and said, "No, she didn't have an accent. Well, she did, but to me. She was born here in Washington, just like you."