“I know sweetheart, but this one is extra special and you are my little princess. Go ahead, open it.” He had a grin on his face that was as big as mine as he sat waiting for me to open my gift.
I carefully opened the box and gleaming up at me was the prettiest ring I had ever seen. I flung my arms around him and I think I must have kissed his cheek 20 times. We didn’t have a lot of money but my parents always managed to make my birthdays special.
“Thank you daddy! It’s so pretty!”
He hugged me back and kissed the top of my head. “You’re welcome sweetheart. When you wear that ring I want you to remember that even though I might not be in the same room with you, I will always be in your heart.”
My dad and I had a really special relationship. I know it was different than the one he had with my older brother and sister, I could talk to him about anything and loved being around him. I spent a ton of time with him and I think my mom felt a little left out sometimes, but I loved them both the same. The only time I took my ring off was when I took a bath or shower.
My dad died in a car accident the next year and I didn’t think I would ever be able to get out of bed again. I cried for days. The only thing that helped me get through each day, aside from my mom, brother and sister, was the ring that I clutched tight every time I thought about him.
My mom remarried a really nice man named Jay three years later, and while I had a good relationship with him, I still missed my dad every day. My step-dad told us that he would never try to replace our father but he wanted all of us to know that he loved us and he would be there for us whenever we needed him. He was a grade school science teacher and he didn’t have any kids of his own, but he treated us like we were his own kids.
My mom and step-dad were driving us to the airport that day, the car was all packed and we had just started to drive away when I rubbed my pinkie finger, feeling for my ring, which was something I did mindlessly all the time. I didn’t feel it there and I started to panic. I definitely had to have my dad with me for my first day of college and there was no way I was going to leave without my ring.
“Mom! I forgot my ring, I have to go in and get it!”
My step-dad stopped the car and pulled back into the driveway.
“Okay honey, but hurry, we don’t want to miss our flight.”
I ran to my room and grabbed my ring off of my dresser. As I slipped it on I smiled to myself because I could feel my dad watching me. I hopped down the stairs and locked the door behind me taking a long look at our house. We lived in a small bungalow on the north side of Chicago and while it wasn’t big or fancy, it was perfect to me. I had a lot of good memories in that house of Christmases, birthdays, and my first date. I would miss it but I was excited for what was ahead of me, and so happy that I could feel my dad watching over me. I spun on my heel and trotted off to the car feeling that I now had everything I needed to start this new phase in my life. It was time to close this chapter of my life, leaving thoughts of Seth and Bethany behind, and start fresh and new, and I couldn’t wait.
Chapter Two
I had gotten a full ride to a top university in Massachusetts, and although I was excited to be away from home, I was also a little bit nervous. I had never been that far from home before and I was kind of worried about not having my parents right there if I needed them, but it was time for me to grow up. I was going to make this an incredible time in my life that I would never forget.
When we arrived at my dorm, my adrenaline was flowing as the excitement coursed through my veins. There were tons of people arriving on campus and there was this awesome buzz of energy in the air. My mom and step-dad stayed for a couple of hours and helped me get settled in my room and then it was time for them to head back to the hotel. They were going to fly back home the next day and my mom looked a wreck as she hugged me goodbye. I kept reassuring her that I would call home all the time. She finally let go of me after a couple of minutes and my step-dad kissed me goodbye and put his arm around my mom to comfort her. I was the last one of my siblings leaving for college, my brother and sister had graduated a couple of years before, and the days leading up to it were really difficult for my mom. Even though my dad wasn’t there, I was really happy that my mom wasn’t alone after she dropped me off at college because I don’t think she would have been able to handle it without some sort of support.
When my parents left I sat on my bed for a bit and let it sink in that I was really at college. After a few minutes I started unpacking my stuff, wondering what my roommate was going to be like and hoping that we would get along. My dorm was really busy with students unpacking and goofing off. I was putting some of my clothes in my dresser when I heard someone coming in.
“Hello?” A friendly voice called out and I turned to see a gorgeous bubbly blonde with a huge grin plastered on her face holding a big box. She was about my height, had shoulder length hair and had a really pretty face. Her parents were smiling at me as they helped her carry some of her stuff in.
I smiled back at all of them and quickly helped her carry the box.
“Hi! Oh, let me help you with that.”
“Oh gosh thanks, this thing is so heavy! I’m Katie by the way and these are my parents Kathleen and Tom.”
“Hi, I’m Skylar, but my friends call me Sky. It’s nice to meet all of you.”
“Skylar, where are you from?” Katie’s mom had a sweet smile on her face as she waited for my answer.
“I’m from Chicago. Where are you guys from?”
“We are from a small town in Ohio called Maumee. Wow, Chicago, huh? Do you live in a tall building?” Katie’s eyes sparkled with interest.
I couldn’t help but smile at her. “No, we live in a house in the city.”
“Wow, that must be really cool.” I almost wanted to chuckle because she seemed star struck.
“Sorry to interrupt girls but Katie honey, daddy and I are going to go get the rest of your things from the car.”
“Oh! Let me help you guys.” Before they could protest I walked out of the room first and we all went to the car and grabbed the last of her stuff. “Did you guys drive here? You have so much stuff!”
“No, believe it or not, this is what we were able to bring with us on the plane. Thank goodness for rental cars!”