"Dad. It's mom and she's telling us that we are going to be okay."

Marie shot up from her bed at 6:30 am with a pounding heart and sweaty palms. Marie’s anxiety was overcoming her as today was the five year anniversary of her mother’s death. Mr. Matías was scheduled to leave at 12:00 pm to go back to Colombia.

“Dad wake up. We have to get ready so you don’t miss your flight,” Marie whispered.

Mr. Matías awoke, dressed himself in a finely pressed white button down, navy slacks, and his finest Italian leather dress shoes. He combed back his jet black sprinkled with grey, and neatly shaved his face.

He stepped out of his room and exclaimed in a clear and loud voice, “Marie, we must go out for breakfast. Today we celebrate the life of your mother, and my wife.”

Marie, confused of her father’s  threw on her lilac sundress and hastily followed her father out the door. As they shared a breakfast fit for kings, Mr. Matías revealed to his daughter that he would in fact be staying in the United States and purchasing an apartment in the city and moving her siblings there too. He explained to Marie that he knew he was going to lose her forever if he did not do this and could not physically or psychologically bare the loss of another important woman in his life. He told Marie of the of how one of his deals went wrong and he lost someone a bunch of money and therefore they their vengeance by taking his wife’s life. His voice quivered and she could feel her father’s pent up guilt that had yet to be released in five years. Yesterday Marie thought that she had to end her relationship with her father but now she knew that she needed him in her life.

Hours later still suspended in a state of disbelief, relief and happiness, Marie and her father decided to go to the fair. Fairs were one of Mrs. Matías favorite places. The two wandered around in silence, appearing to be in a trance, moving slowly yet taking everything in. Marie was admiring the colorful flashing lights of the carousel and swaying to soft sounds the distant music of Mr. Rattlebones when suddenly the lights cut out and the carousel stopped.

Amidst everyone’s screams, Marie smiled and turned to her father with a single tear in her eye, “Dad. It’s mom and she's telling us that we are going to be okay.”