Joel smiled as he watched his little girl caper around in the backyard with her new dog, Lola. The sun shone harshly, yet the child seemed unaware, focused intently on teaching Lola to sit. Lola, who was a scared, anxious puppy, nervously watched and listened as the 4-year-old explained and even demonstrated the trick. Under her loving instruction-and Joel's supervision- the dog managed to get it right on the first try.
Joel cracked a grin as the child hugged Lola and offered her a treat from her pocket, which disappeared with the swipe of a tongue. Yet, he saddened as his mind wandered. To her.
Moriah.
Once upon a time, he'd had a wife. And for 9 years, they'd been together; 3 dating, 6 married. Then, Moriah had been hit with a baby fever, begging and convincing Joel that they should try for a child.
And he'd agreed.
Moriah had gotten pregnant a few months later, and all was well.
Then it happened. Complications came up, putting Moriah's life at risk. Joel still remembered begging Moriah to just get an abortion, that they'd try again later or adopt-but Moriah refused. She carried their child until labor and delivery, when three days later, she'd lost the fight and passed away.
Her death hit Joel like an oncoming train.
But true to what he'd promised, he'd taken care of their daughter, and hid his scars. No one knew he was on the verge of breakdown, not even his friends and family.
And that would be the way things were until he died. That, Joel was certain of.
Still, his heart couldn't help but warm when his daughter jumped into his arms in her excitement, screaming,"I did it, Daddy!" Planting a kiss on her forehead, Joel relaxed.
He was okay.