My little baby is a woman.
When I look at her, I can hardly believe she's the little girl who I used to point out the constellations to on clear nights; the little girl who would point to the stars and say, "Daddy, I'm going there one day."
She is going there. And because of her, I am too.
But that doesn't matter, not really. I always knew she would accomplish her dreams. That's the kind of girl my Sammy is, ambitious and willing to work for it.
I love her so much.
Even before my wife died, Sam took care of me more than anyone. Anna was always too busy with her work to make sure I ate meals regularly, slept enough, and to generally keep me from burning out. So Sam did that.
And then, after Anna died, ad we all, essentially... parted ways... I missed her. I missed Mark too, of course, but not in the same way. I never realized how much I depended on her until I didn't, anymore.
And then when I saw her in Washington, to get a medal, I was so proud. My little girl, following in my footsteps...
And I had such good news for her, too! I had got her into NASA, into the space program. I had gotten her one step closer to her lifelong dream. I thought maybe that would make up for the things that I had said. Or at least put her on the path to forgiveness. I would never admit it, not to myself, not to her, but it had been my fault.
She refused. I didn't know why, at the time, and her rejecting that... It felt like she was rejecting me.
It felt like my little girl didn't love me anymore.
And then, the way I told her about my cancer... it was unforgivable. I suppose I thought that she wouldn't care much. Or, if she did, she would be hurt, like she had hurt me. But that's justification. It was inexcusable.
Sam was the one who saved my life. Selmac did the actual, physical healing, but Sam was the one who convinced me to heal.
But even then, she was my baby girl.
But now...
Now, I see her with him. There's nothing... overt... there, but the way they implicitly trust each other, the way they look at each other with love in the depths of their eyes...
They're in love. Neither of them have acted on it, and I'm not sure they even know it... But they are. I can tell.
Sam will never act on it, if she ever figures it out. She's too like me... She'll pretend there's nothing to act on.
So let's just hope that Jack has more sense than my daughter, and he won't let something as stupid and senseless as regulations get in the way of true love. He didn't get to where he is today by following all the rules. I know I didn't.
So I watch them watching each other, and reflect on how my baby has grown up. She's in love... and so is he... I just hope they'll figure it out eventually.
After all... I wouldn't mind a few more grandchildren.
The End.
Story Notes: I have no life. I know. Just read, and then tell me what you think. Please. Feedback is my friend
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