
07/01/2025
He arrived late to the daddy-daughter dance—but what he said when he walked in left me speechless
I’d been waiting by the folding chairs for nearly twenty minutes.
Every other girl had someone with her—dads in ties and boots, beaming with pride as they lifted their daughters like princesses. Even Mr. Wheeler, the school janitor, was dancing with his niece like it was the best night ever.
But my dad wasn’t there.
I kept glancing at the door—the big one with the old brass handle that stuck a little when you pulled it. I was trying hard not to cry, especially since I’d done my hair all by myself and didn’t want my curls to fall.
Then, just when I started to think he might not come at all—
The door creaked open.
He walked in, wearing jeans, his vest, and the same hat he always wore to work. He scanned the room until he found me, and I saw a look in his eyes.
Regret. And something else I couldn’t quite figure out.
I slowly walked over. “You’re late,” I said, my voice softer than I intended.
He bent down slightly and held out a single white rose. “I had to make a quick stop first.”
“Where?” I asked.
He didn’t answer right away.
Instead, he leaned in and whispered, “I had to make sure she wouldn’t ruin our night.”
I still held the rose when it hit me—⬇️
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