Chelsie propped herself up on one elbow and peered at her daughter with bleary, half open eyes.

“Morning Leilani, what time is it, honey?”

Chelsie pushed herself up and gathered her little girl up in her arms, looking down at her lovingly. She was so much like Mark that sometimes it hurt Chelsie’s heart to look at her. Her curly jet black hair; her dark skin, her soft brown eyes…Leilani was truly her fathers daughter. Chelsie recalled with a fond smile the first time they’d travelled to Hawaii to visit Mark’s family. The officials on the plane demanded all their documents because they didn’t believe a child that looked like Leilani could possibly belong to someone that looked like her.

Leilani scrunched up her nose as she stared at the alarm clock. “The big hand is at the 10 and the little hand is at the 5.”

“Oh.” Chelsie groaned and collapsed back onto the bed. “Honey, it’s too early.”

“But mommy.” Leilani snuggled up to her mother and pushed her face next to hers. “Today is my dance class. My first dance class!”

Chelsie wrapped her arms around her daughter. “I know sweetheart, but no one will be there for a few hours. You need to go back to sleep.”

“I can’t go back to sleep.” Leilani bounced on the bed, tossing pillows and blankets as she did. “Daddy woke me up and told me today was dancing day. Now I’m all ‘cited.”

Chelsie propped herself up again, watching her daughter bounce around the room with glee. Every since she’d been able to talk, she’d told Chelsie about how her daddy talked to her. She didn’t believe it at first. After all, Mark had died before Leilani was even born. But the things Leilani told her were so…real. Some of the things she’d told her…there was no way she could have made them up. For instance, one time Leilani had wanted to try a new cereal for breakfast, saying that daddy told her it was yummy. When Chelsie glanced at the box, she saw that it had been Mark’s favourite. Eventually she had come to believe that Mark was communicating with his daughter somehow. And, even if she maybe didn’t really, truly believe, she still wasn’t going to disagree with her daughter.

“He did, did he? That sounds just like something your dad used to do to me.”

“He would wake you up?” Leilani stopped bouncing.

“To dance, yes, all the time. He didn’t want to sleep if he could dance.” Chelsie replied honestly.

“Why isn’t daddy here, mommy? Why do I only hear him?”

Chelsie’s response caught in her throat. The memories whirled back and slammed into her like a hurricane - the sounds, Mark’s voice…Chelsie choked back a sob. She’d tried to forget that day. To put it behind her and just carry on, raising her daughter as best she could. But every now and then something reminded her and caught her off guard.

“Mommy?”

“Sorry, hun. I was just thinking.” She hugged her daughter tightly, willing the sadness to go away. “You know, I’ve told you about what happened to daddy before. He didn’t want to leave us.”

“I know. He had to go.” Leilani nodded thoughtfully. “He told me he loves me.”

“I know he does, baby. Daddy loves you will all his heart.”

Discussion suddenly over, Leilani hopped off the bed and moved to the door. “I’m going to go play, alright mommy?”

Chelsie laughed lightly and nodded. “Alright, I’ll get out of bed, get dressed and make your breakfast. Since I’m up now!” Chelsie made a funny face as she tossed the covers back.

Leilani giggled, then paused and turned. “Daddy says don’t cry, mommy. He loves you too.”

Chelsie stared,openmouthed, at the now empty doorway in shock, with long unshed tears now brimming in her eyes. She sank back down on the bed, searching the room with her eyes, looking for something…someone…she knew she wouldn’t see. “God damn it, Mark. Why do you have to do this?”