"I love you at your darkest."

Janine and Michele came to pick me up for school that morning. Ark and Naila began to bark. Daddy fussed at them both. Ark stopped but Naila kept on barking.

"Naila! No bark!" He snapped.

She stopped. If that was Zasha she would have never of made a peep. Zasha passed away a few months back and Daddy was devastated. Even in her last couple of days, Zasha never left Daddy's side and was there through his panic attacks and drinking spells. I opened to door and Janine hugged me.

"You coming to school?"

"No, I didn't sleep last night and-"

"It's okay, Gracie. You don't have to explain."

"Could you get my work for me?"

"Yes. You two rest up. It doesn't look like either one of you got any sleep."

"I'll text you later, Janine. Tell everyone I said hello."

"Will do."
******
I fixed breakfast and Daddy and I ate in silence. He seemed lost in his own little world again. A car pulled up. It was Jordan and Jack. I let them in.

"Hey, Uncle Jordan. Hey, Jack."

"Hey Gracie, why aren't you at school?" Jordan asked.

"Another panic attack." Daddy said. "Neither one us slept."

"Son, you need to get hold of yourself. It's been years since the war." Jack said.

"I know but-"

"You didn't act like this when you lost Lily and Emma."

That pissed Daddy off. I knew about Lily and Emma. They were my half sisters. Of course, I never met them but I heard of their tragic stories.

"Leave them out of it!" Daddy snapped

"Jack!" Jordan warned.

"You start work tomorrow, son. A test run anyway." Jack said.

"Daddy, can you handle working?"

Since Daddy was diagnosed with PTSD Jordan, Andrew, Amy, and Grant have pitched in to help with house payments and things like that. I work too, but never on a regular basis.

"I don't know, sweetheart. I guess I'll try."

"I want to come with you tomorrow, Daddy. I need to."

"Gracie, you can't let me consume your whole life. You need to go to school and hang out with your friends."

"Nope, I'm going with you and that's finial."

He shook his head but smiled.

"Alright."
*******
Janine had brought my car back after school. She handed me my work and hugged me.

"You missed a fight today. Two of the football jocks went at it at lunch." She said.

"What else?"

"Well there's a party this weekend and we have been invited."

"Janine, I can't leave my dad alone. You know that."

"Gracie, it'll only be for a couple of hours and it'll be good for you."

"I'm really not the partying type and-"

"Lynnie!"

"Okay, okay. I'll see what I can do."

"Gracie, you need to go spend time with your friends." Daddy said.

"Daddy, I-"

"You can't let me consume your life. Go and have fun. I'll be fine. Jordan will be around if I need anything." He said, a smile of his face.

"Okay, Daddy. I'll go but if you need me call me."

"Will do, sweetheart. I'm pretty sure that you'll want something nice to wear so take some money and go shopping."

I smiled at Daddy and took he money.

"Are you sure I can go?"

"Get outta here, Gracie Lynn. I want a text when you get to the mall and when you're on your way home."

"I'll make sure of it, Daddy. I love you."
******
Even through the party wasn't for a few days, Janine liked to prepare early and her number one rule is, no backing out. We pulled into the mall parking lot and I texted Daddy. Janine drug me past the jean section and took me straight to the dresses.

"Janine, you know I don't like dresses." I stated.

"Well you can't go in your t-shirt, jeans, and those black combat boots you always wear." She teased.

With that said she began looking through the dresses. She handed me three different dresses to try on. One was pink and fell just above my knees. The second was blue, strapless, a little low cut for my liking, and fell below my knees. The third was a defiant no. It was black and was very short.

"Must all these dresses be so reviling!" I whined.

"Gracie, open the door and let me see." Janine said. "Which dress is it?"

"The blue one."

"Open up."

The dress hugged my curvy body in all the right places and was a good contrast to my emerald green eyes. I opened to door and met Janine's excited face.

"You look gorgeous! Any guy would swoon over you!"

"Can I take it off now?"

"Yes because it is yours!"

I shook my head and smiled. We made our way back to my house. Naila and Ark were wrestling in the yard and Daddy sat with a beer in his hand watching them. He smiled when we walked up.

"Hey, Sweetheart. What did you buy?"

"Janine, talked me into it."

I took the dress out of the back and held it against my body.

"Like it?" I asked.

He smiled and nodded.

"Love it, Gracie Lynn." He said, pulling me into his lap.

He still saw me as a two year old sometimes and I didn't mind it. He kissed me on the cheek.

"Dinner's ready if you want to eat. Janine you can stay too. If you want." He said.

"That's okay, Mr. Smith. I've gotta get home. I'll see you tomorrow, Gracie." She said.

Daddy and I headed on inside and ate dinner. He seemed at ease for the first time in a long time. I knew that wouldn't last either.