Father, drop my recompense right away, lease my room out, toss all my garments through the window, take my television, sound system, iPhone, iPod, and laptop,» my girl shouted as she went into the parlor.
If it’s not too much trouble, take my whole gems assortment to Money Converters or the Salvation Armed force.
From that point on, you can sell my new car, take my house key, and kick me out. Then, disown me and never speak to me again. Oh, and don’t forget to write me out of your will and give my share to my brother.” She didn’t exactly say it like that, but it certainly felt that way.
What she actually said was, “Dad, this is my new boyfriend.”
It was just an introduction, but to her father, it may as well have been a declaration of rebellion. The weight of those simple words seemed to carry far more meaning than they were meant to. To him, they represented a shift, a crossing of an invisible line that marked the end of her being “daddy’s little girl” and the beginning of a new chapter that he wasn’t sure he was ready for.
He had always been protective, sometimes overly so, and introducing someone new into her life felt, to him, like she was pulling away. His mind raced with all the potential outcomes, none of which he was prepared for. Would this boyfriend replace him as the most important man in her life? Would she stop relying on him for advice, for comfort, for guidance?
Of course, none of this was said out loud. She simply introduced her new boyfriend with a smile, and he responded with a polite greeting, hiding the swirl of emotions behind his words. He knew deep down that she was growing up, and this moment was inevitable. But in his heart, he wished he could hold onto the past just a little longer, where she was his little girl and he was the center of her world.