Daddy Dearest Read online

  Daddy Dearest

  By Heather

  Published by Heather at Smashwords

  Copyright 2011 Heather

  Table of Contents:

  Chapter 1: The Good News

  Chapter 2: Breakfast with Mom

  Chapter 3: Me and Anthony

  Chapter 4: The Letter

  Chapter 5: The Call

  Chapter 6: The Ultimate Surprise

  Chapter 7: The College World Series 2011

  Chapter 8: Home At Last

  Chapter 1: The Good News

  “Wake up darling” mama said as she shook me and turned on my room light. I sat up, wiping the crud from my eyes. Then I did a quick stretch and yawn before saying “Good morning mama”. “You better hurry up Natali. Your dad called this morning and said you could call him back when you wake up.” I jumped out of bed and ran straight to the phone to call my dad. My dad is in the army and I don’t see him very often, so I talk to him whenever I can, as soon as I can.

  *Ring*Ring* “Hello”. “HEY DADDY! How are you?” “I’m doing fine Natali. I have good news. The leader of my troop said that we will be able to return in a few weeks.” “Oh daddy that’s wonderful! I miss you so much and I can’t wait to see you!” “I miss you too honey. I can’t wait to see your smiling face. Natali, I have to go now but I will call your mother as soon as I can and let her know when I’m coming home.” “Ok daddy. Please be careful and I love you very much” I love you too sweetheart. Bye now” “Bye daddy”. The call was over. The call that I had been waiting for since he left 3 months ago.

  I ran back upstairs to tell mama what daddy had said. I ran into my room and mama was sitting on my bed smiling. “Come here sweetie” she said to me as she held out her hand. I went and sat beside her on my bed. She picked up the picture of my daddy that was sitting on my bed side table. She put her left arm around me. “Darling, isn’t it amazing that he will be coming home, that we will be able to run up to him and give him a hug?” “Yeah mama, I can’t wait” I said staring at the picture of him. “I miss him mama” I said looking up at her. “I miss him too sweetie. I thank God that he will be home again soon.” Then mama shed a single tear, which made me want to cry too but I’m supposed to be the strong one, daddy’s little trooper. At least that’s what dad calls me. I wiped the tear off moms face with my thumb, gave her a kiss on the cheek and said “Don’t worry mama. He will be home very soon.” She looked at me and smiled, then grabbed me and hugged me so hard that I could barely breathe. “Come on Nat, Do you want some breakfast?” “Sure mama, but what about Anthony?” “You know your brother, It’s no telling when he is going to wake up. After all, it’s summer and it’s only ten o’ clock in the morning. Your brother probably won’t be up for a good forty five minutes.” “Mom, he is such a slacker” I say with a huge smile on my face. My stomach starts to rumble. I’m not sure if my stomach is rumbling from being hungry, or from the excitement that I’m going to see my dad soon. I change from my pajamas into my clothes and run down the stairs for breakfast.

  Chapter 2: Breakfast with Mom

  When I got downstairs, A wave of sweet aromas pounded my nose. Mom was cooking bacon, eggs, and grits. After all, we are from South Carolina. I poured two tall glasses of orange juice for mama and me and sat down at the table. When the food was ready, she fixed our plates and came and sat down at the table next to me. We looked to the other side of the table where an empty plate sat right next to where Anthony sits. Mama likes to keep the plate there because she says it is waiting on the table for daddy when he comes home. After dinner every night, she will wash the plate, put it in the drain rack, and set it out again when she and I (and sometimes Anthony if he is up) eat breakfast. In a way, I think it is kind of silly, but I understand why she does it. It is like a memorial of daddy when he is not here. Mama always prays before we eat. “Dear Lord, Please bless this food to our bodies, so that we may serve you. Please help Nathan come home safely, and the other men in the army as well. I say this prayer in your name. Amen. I just looked at her and smiled, for I wasn’t really sure what to say.

  I believe in God. I believe in everything that he has done. But I don’t really understand religion, or the bible. My brother and I share stuff with each other when we can’t tell mom, or don’t think she will understand. My brother is like me. He believes in God, he just doesn’t think or say much about religious stuff. I sit through prayers and church services for the sake of my mom. She is so worried about daddy, and God is the best way to make things happen. I know that God keeps my family and my daddy safe. I pray every night and ask God to keep my daddy safe. My dad has been safe for the past 7 years since he joined the army. I believe in the power of prayer, but I just don’t quite understand everything else.

  After eating breakfast, here came Anthony trotting down the stairs with his pajamas wrinkled and his hair messed up. I went over to him to try to fix his hair but he pulled his head back and looked at me and smiled. “I like it this way” he said with a grin that made him look like he smelled something horrible. He has always been the smart butt of the family. Anthony and I have a history. Even though we are twins, and people think that siblings are supposed to fight, Anthony and I are not like that. We are actually like best friends.

  Chapter 3: Me and Anthony

  My brother and I are almost exactly alike, although we are twins. We don’t look a lot alike, but we think a lot alike. We usually have the same opinion on stuff, we both love baseball, like our dad (the South Carolina Gamecocks and the New York Yankees are our teams), and we love each other. I know I can tell him anything, and he knows he can tell me anything. We may fight sometimes, but it is just because we love each other so much. Sometimes we pick on mom for the outfits she wears. She still has some of her old clothes from the eighty’s. When she wears them around the house, Anthony and I will get together and go up to her and say “Oh My Gosh, It’s Madonna! “Ha Ha very funny you two” she would say to us as she rolled her eyes. Anthony and I are very close. We take the same classes in school so we sometimes help each other with homework. Anthony usually has trouble in history and I usually have trouble in math. I am pretty good at history and Anthony is great at math, so we always help each other out.

  Every time we go out to town, Anthony and I always ask mom to stop by Mcdonalds and get us a strawberry lemonade. To me and Anthony, that is about the greatest thing on earth, next to daddy coming home. We both miss our dad very much. Every week, Anthony and I will sit down together and write daddy a letter. When we are done writing the letter, mom takes us to the post office to mail it to daddy. We have the biggest smiles when we check the mail and there is a new letter from daddy. When daddy isn’t home, that’s one thing that makes life worth living is to get a heartfelt letter from him.

  Chapter 4: The Letter

  It had been about a week, and there was still no call from dad. Mama told me and Anthony that we could write a letter to him. I went to my room and got some paper and my special pen that he had given me before he left for his last assignment. I went downstairs and Anthony was sitting at the table, waiting for me. We always write our letters together. Anthony always makes me do the writing though. I started to write: “Daddy Dearest, (That’s how I start every letter to my dad) I hope you are doing okay. Anthony, Mom, and I miss you very much. We can’t wait to see you when you get home. (But I want to give you the first hug, I’ll fight Anthony for it okay daddy?) Anthony and I just got our report cards in and we made all A’s! Mom hung them on the refrigerator for you to see when you get home. I hope you have a safe trip home.” “Tell him I’ve been keeping up with our team’s baseball scores!” Anthony says much too loud, considering that I’m sitting right next to him. “Daddy, Anthony said that he has been kee
ping up with our team’s baseball scores. I hope that you will be home in time to watch the The College World Series and the Yankees games with us. You know the Gamecocks are going for a back to back CWS win, daddy you can’t miss that! It’s just not baseball without you daddy. Please be careful and we will see you soon. WE LOVE YOU! – Love, Mommy, Anthony, and Natali.” “Okay mommy, I’m done with the letter.” I said as she dried her hands from washing dishes. “Alright then, if you two will get your shoes on we will take them to the post office now.” Anthony and I got our shoes on and we went out the door.

  We only live about ten minutes from the post office. We write daddy a letter once a week. I enjoy writing daddy letters, but I hope there comes a day when I won’t have to write daddy dearest anymore. A day when he will be home safe with us, and won’t have to go back overseas. We arrive at the post office. Every time we first walk in, the room smells of clean paper and packing material. Since we write daddy letters every week and take them to the post office, we know the people that work there really well. “Hey Robbie!” I say as I run up to him and give him a hug. Robbie is nineteen and his parents have been friends with mom and dad for years. “Hey, How’s my favorite army brat?” he says while looking at me with his goofy grin. “I’m fine, and you know I’m not a brat Robbie!” “Yeah, sure” he says as he rolls his eyes. He turns to Anthony and says “ Hey army boy, have you been keeping your sister straight?” “I’ve been trying to Robbie.” He says back. I looked at him with my “you’re going to get it later” face. He’s been trying to keep me straight? I think it’s the other way around…. Anthony isn’t even straight! Although I’m not exactly a perfect line either. “So Robbie, we have another letter to Nathan for you to send” my mother said with a smile. “I’ll take care of that right now for you Mrs. Turner” Robbie said, again with his goofy grin. We got the letter stamped, sealed, and I let Anthony drop it in the mail drop off box, since I wrote it. Once Anthony dropped it in the drop box, we said bye to Robbie, and left for home.

  The next day, mom got a call from daddy. She sounded excited as she was talking. Anthony and I were sitting in the back seat wondering what they were talking about. “Kids, your father has fantastic news for you both!” mama said. Mom handed us the phone from the front seat. I put the phone on speaker so Anthony and I could talk to him at the same time. “Hello?” we both said at the same time. “Hey kids! How are you both?” daddy responded. “ We are fine daddy, but I’m dying to know, what is the good news?” Anthony said in an excited voice. “Kids, I get to come home in four days.” “YAY!” Anthony and I said at the same time. “Daddy I’m so glad and I can’t wait to see you!” I said. “I can’t wait to see you both either darling. I have to go now so I can get everything together. I love you and I will see you all very soon. “Wait daddy, we sent you a letter, it should be there before you leave though.” I said. “Ok darling, I’ll have it when I come home” “ Ok daddy. We love you!” “I love you too sweetie. Bye now” “Bye daddy.”

  Chapter 5: The Call

  It had been eight days since we sent the letter. Seven days since the call from dad. I was upstairs in my room talking to Anthony when the phone rang downstairs. Anthony and I got very quiet. We heard mom talking, but in a low voice. All we heard her say clearly was “Yes I will Nathan. I love you too honey. Bye” Anthony and I ran downstairs to see who it was. “Mama, was that daddy?” Anthony said in a cheerful voice. “Yes sweetie it was.” She said. “Is he ok mama? What did he say?” I asked. “ He said that he was fine.” She paused for a moment. “Darlings, your father said that his assignment had been extended two more weeks, and then he will be able to come home. “Mama I thought he was supposed to be home in a few days.” Anthony said with a sad look. “I know honey. Your father said that he was sorry and he was going to make it up to you both very soon.” “But mom, the College World Series baseball championships start this Friday. We can’t watch the games without dad!” I said gloomily. “I know honey, He mentioned that and said to keep up with the scores for him for when he gets home.” Anthony and I both looked at each other with sad faces. Then our heads slowly looked towards the floor in disappointment. “Hey kids, don’t be sad. He is coming home soon, just not as soon as we planned him to. I have an Idea, Why don’t we go down to the Gamecock baseball stadium tomorrow. Tomorrow the team is having a fun day on the field. There is going to be games, and food, entertainment, and the team will be signing autographs. “No way! Are you serious mama?” Anthony yelled out. “Yep, I told your father about it and he said it was a good idea to take you two.” “Mama I would love to go, but we absolutely have to get the team’s autograph for daddy.” I said with a serious look. “That is a great idea sweetie. Your father will love that.” Anthony and I both smiled. We both hated that dad couldn’t watch the first few games with us, but we were also happy about getting to meet the Gamecock baseball players.

  Chapter 6: The Ultimate Surprise

  The following morning, we all woke up at nine o’ clock to get ready (Which is very unusual for Anthony). We all ate breakfast, packed some essentials such as a camera, some sunblock, and our phones. Mama always totes our “essentials” as she calls them, around in a fanny pack. We got everything together, got in the car, and headed off for the Gamecock baseball field. On our way there, I had to fight Anthony for the music choice. We listen to cds in the car when we go places. “Anthony, you got to listen to what you wanted on our way to the post office, now I want to hear my Lady Gaga music!” “Holy Cow Natali! You listen to her all the time. You blast her music in your room almost non stop!” “So? You can never have too much Lady Gaga!” Anthony rolled his eyes. “Fine then, How about I get to hear one Lady Gaga song, and then you listen to whatever you want the rest of the way. Is that okay?” I asked. “Ok that’s a deal ya big goofball.” Anthony said with his dorky smile. “Is that okay with you mom?” “Yeah I guess so honey, if it’s okay with your brother. But on the way home, I’m listening to MY music.” “Aw Man!” Anthony and I both said at the same time. We know that when mom says “MY music”, she is talking about eighty’s stuff. “Oh come on guys, it’s not so bad” I let you guys listen to what you want most of the time. By the way, after the day we are going to have, I don’t think you guys will care what is playing on the way home. She looked back at us and smiled. Anthony and I knew that she might have something up her sleeve. But we really never thought anymore about it.

  We got to the stadium about eleven-thirty. We got our “essentials” and took a quick restroom break, considering it’s an hour and twenty minute drive to the baseball stadium from our house. We went to the ticket booth and got our wristbands, and then went inside the stadium. The stadium was huge on the outside, but once we walked into it, it looked a whole lot bigger. When we walked in, there was a stage set up at our far right, close to the edge of the stands. On the diamond, the team had a tent set up with some tables under it where you could get their autograph. In between the autograph tent and the stage, there was a stand set up with refreshments, and with picnic tables around the stand. First thing we did, we went and ate lunch. Once we got our food, we sat down at one of the picnic tables to eat. I got a corn dog and fries, the same as Anthony. Mom got a small cheeseburger and Anthony and I shared our fries with her. I always eat my corndog with ketchup, except one time at a water park when I mistook barbeque sauce for ketchup. Anthony is weird with his sauce in my opinion. He mixes ketchup and mustard together with mayonnaise. I think it is disgusting. When we get done eating we start to walk over to the tent to get the players autographs. All of a sudden, the band stops playing, and then, Ray Tanner, the team’s coach came up on stage.

  “Hey everybody” He said into the microphone. “We want to thank all of the people that came out today, and brought their children and I hope ya’ll are all having a great time. Now I have a very special announcement to make, but before I do so, I need to invite a very special family to the stage. He started looking over at me, and Anthony and mom. M
y stomach started to turn and I started to wonder again if this was what mom had up her sleeve. “Everybody give me a big hand in welcoming the Turner family to the stage.” Everybody started yelling and clapping. As we walked up to the stage, I couldn’t help but wonder what was going on, or what was about to happen. “Young lady, tell everybody your name.” Ray Tanner said to me as he passed me a microphone. “Hi everybody, my name is Natali Turner, and this is my brother Anthony, and my mom Janet.” I said feeling very nervous. Who wouldn’t be nervous speaking in front of an audience? Let alone one of the best college baseball teams ever. “And the way I understand it, Your father is in the army, am I right?” Ray Tanner said to me and Anthony. “Yes sir” we responded. And I also understand that you and your brother write your father letters every week. What is it that you always say to him?” “In the beginning of every letter, I always say daddy dearest.” I respond. “Mr. Tanner, How do you know that me and Anthony write my daddy a letter every week and that I have a special thing that I say to him?” “Well little lady, I want you and your brother to do me a huge favor, Look out near the back of the field over there where that sign is.” “What sign? Anthony and I both said at the same time. We looked out to the other side of the field like Mr. Tanner had asked us to. At the other end of the field, there was a person holding up a sign that was too far away to read. The person started walking closer. The closer the person got, the better we could read the sign. The person was almost at the stage when Anthony and I read the sign out loud. “Natali, please take off my mask.” The sign read. The person walked on to the stage. They were dressed in jeans and a white t shirt. The person crouched down beside me. I looked down, and I started to take off the mask. I got the mask off their chin, and I automatically knew who it was. I put my hands over my mouth and started to cry. I then reached over and tore the rest of the mask off, and started balling as I grabbed my daddy around the neck and he lifted me up and squeezed me in the kind of hug that mama gives, the kind of hug where you can’t breathe. I have never been so happy to not be able to breathe in my life. The crowd went crazy. “Oh daddy I can’t believe that you are really home!” I said as Anthony and mom came over to join in the hug. “Natali, I kept my promise.” Dad said. “I hugged you first out of everybody.” He said as he looked into my eyes and I looked into his as I was crying uncontrollably. I grabbed him even harder and didn’t want to let go. I looked over at Anthony as I was hugging daddy. Anthony was practically on top of me giving daddy a hug. Anthony was crying too. Daddy stood up in front of us and wiped the tears from our faces. Then he hugged mama and gave her a kiss. “Welcome home baby.” Mama said. “It is so good to be home darling.” Daddy said looking into mama’s eyes. Then he went over and shook Ray Tanner’s hand. Daddy got a microphone and said “I have some very exciting news.” I talked to my commander, and I am going to be able to retire from the army, so I can be home with my family.” I started crying even harder. I didn’t even care who saw me. I normally don’t like to cry in front of people unless I couldn’t help it. This time I definitely couldn’t help it. My daddy was finally coming home, for good. I looked at him and said “Daddy Dearest, I will never have to write that again, now I can say it to your face whenever I want.” Daddy looked at me and smiled as a tear started to roll down his face. I took my thumb and wiped the tear from his face and smiled at him. “I love you so much Natali” he said as he grabbed me and hugged me again, in the famous death grip hug. “Daddy, now you will be able to watch the College Worlds Series Championship with us!” Anthony said in an excited voice. Just as Anthony said that, Ray Tanner came over with his microphone. “Now Nathan, I have something very special for you, your wife and your kids. I want to welcome ya’ll to come to Omaha to see the College Worlds Series Championship Game on behalf of the South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team.” Daddy’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. Next to coming home to us, that was probably the second greatest thing that daddy had heard that day. Then the Gamecocks baseball team came up on stage, and we got our picture taken with them for The State newspaper. We also got the whole teams autograph. We have it framed in our living room (Dad’s idea). After we had our pictures made, and got our autographs, we headed home. We started packing up the car and I said “Mom, you were right, I don’t care what you play on the way home.” She looked at me and smiled and said “ I knew that you wouldn’t.” “Why, what did ya’ll listen to on the way up here dad said. “Well Natali got to hear a song so guess.” Anthony said. Daddy looked at me and said “Well if Natali picked a song it would have to be Lady Gaga.”Daddy looked at me and winked. “You know me all too well daddy” I said with a huge smile.