Melvin Porter stood outside his little girls room door. He had been standing there for almost ten minutes now and he was still hesitant to go inside.

He lightly tapped on the door and waited patiently for a reply.

Two seconds. Nothing.
Ten seconds. Nothing.
Twenty seconds. Nothing.
Silence.

He tapped a little harder this time.

Again, silence. Where was his daughter?

“Elizabeth. Are you in there?”

He waited again. Yet there was no reply.

Slowly Melvin opened the door and looked inside.

There she was. His little girl. Curled up on the bed. Eyes shut. Fast asleep.

He walked inside the room and over to the bed where his daughter slept. He stared at her, amazed at the beautiful woman she had grown into.

He stepped closer to the bed and leaned over to lightly kiss Bette’s forehead.

“I love you darling.”

He silently made his way out of the room and quietly shut the door behind him. He stood there once again outside his daughters door and a single tear ran down his cheek as thoughts flooded his mind.

‘I love you sweetheart. But how am I going to tell you? After all you’ve been through. How can I tell you that you are going to loose me too.’

He wiped away the tear and walked down the hall.

‘She has to know before she leaves. I have to tell her today.’

***

TBC