Penny kneeled on the seat in the bay window of her lounge. Her elbows were propped up on the back rest of the seat and her chin rested in her hands as she stared outside with virtually unseeing eyes.
She was missing her dad so much and she could see that her mom missed him as well. She didn’t understand the situation. She was only eight years old. Her thoughts thundered in her mind as she grappled with the facts. Daddy was a plastic surgeon and every year, at the end of February he would join something called Doctors and borders or something. Daddy had told her that he was needed in other places and God wanted him to help people who had no doctors near them. Again this was something that seemed strange to her. There were doctors all over -near her home and near her school.
Then something called lock down happened and mommy had told her there was a horrible sickness that could really hurt Granny and Gramps so they all had to stay inside. Mommy also told her that daddy wouldn’t be able to come home just yet because South Africa had closed down and were not allowing people to come in even if their homes were in South Africa.
Every Sunday at 3 o’clock Daddy would come in on the computer and they could chat. It was lovely - almost, but not quite, as if he was actually there. As the days, weeks, months went by she settled into the “at home” routine waiting patiently for three o’clock every Sunday afternoon.
One Sunday as they were talking she heard some loud bangs in the background and she asked “Why are they letting off fireworks Daddy? Is it Diwali?”
“No,” said daddy, “Some people just like big noises.”
But she noticed her mother looked worried as she asked “When are you coming home?”
“Children are getting hurt,” said Daddy. “They have asked us to stay behind and help them.”
And so the days, weeks and months continued to fly by. It was now December and Christmas was close. Penny was sad that her daddy still was not home. Every night she prayed that God would keep daddy safe and would bring him home.
One Saturday night as her mom tucked her in and said goodnight, Penny said “Tomorrow is Sunday and we can talk to Daddy.”
She snuggled up to her bear and her eyes grew heavy and she slept.
As the morning sun crept into her room she lazily stretched and felt a sliver of excitement creep over her. Sunday! We can talk to Daddy. She grabbed her teddy and made her way to the kitchen. She stared, scrunched up her eyes, opened them again and yes he was there, leaning against the counter with a cup of coffee in his hand. Penny launched herself at him screaming “Daddy! You are home! You are here for Christmas!”
Coffee and mug spewed over the kitchen floor as Daddy grabbed her in an almost bear-like hug.
© Vera Alexander
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