Irony

“Will you always be with me, Daddy?” She asked, her large innocent eyes staring up at him.
“Always,” He promised solemnly.
“And you’ll always love me?” She pressed, a hint of a smile pulling at her lips.
“Forever and longer,” he told her, picking the small girl up and hugging her close.

David couldn’t help wondering what had happened. Everything had been going so well, or so it had seemed. He’d had a devoted wife, a loving daughter, a pleasant home and decent job. What had possessed him to leave then?
He thought back to a time that seemed long ago. He could remember with distinct shame the jealousy that had possessed him. Every time he’d seen his dear wife with another man he had become enraged beyond reason. Each time she was even a moment late from a meeting he would be completely furious. It was no wonder she’d insisted he get help, not wonder she’d threatened to divorce him.
But his dear, sweet daughter. What had possibly caused him to want to leave her behind? Surely he knew it would never be in the best interest for his dear Tina to be left alone with only her mother for company. So what had made him so angry as to leave?
His friend, he recalled. His friend from work had come home with him and his wife and daughter had been completely enchanted by him. Tina had laughed as she hadn’t in months, his wife had smiled that lovely grin he cherished and it had not been at a remark he made. He had become angry, jealous, downright mean and recalled his exact words with a greater feeling of shame.

“Your friend Louis was charming tonight, David,” She’d said in that lovely melodic voice.
“Charming was he?” David drawled, pretending to be uninterested. “I found him pushy and rather unbearable actually.”
“You needn’t be so hard on him, you invited him home yourself.” She’d scolded, her hands sternly upon her hips.
After a few more attempts at conversation the kitchen was quiet as she cleaned up the dishes spread on the table. He did not make any motion to assist her, simply pretending to read a book while she worked. As she tried to start another conversation it took a turn for the worse, her husband’s face working into a twisted knot of pure anger.
“I’m sick of your disloyalty!” He’d shouted at his astonished wife. “I’ve had it. You and that ungrateful brat can stay with Louis for all I care! You can pick any number of the men who have been salivating over you! I don’t care! I’ve had it!”

David could recall shouting a long string of curse words after them as he’d thrown his clothes into a suitcase and stormed from the house. He could remember distinctly the anguish cast in small Tina’s face as he’d slammed the door behind him.
He hadn’t meant it to be a permanent situation… he had intended to return the next morning with flowers, chocolates, and nothing but apologies for his devoted family. It hadn’t happened though. Instead he’d stealthily followed his wife and daughter, watching them and waiting to see if things were better. He postponed it one day at a time, ignoring calls to his cell phone and continuing his routine of following his family about.
In the end they were better off without him, he was sure of it. Wasn’t it proof this day? The true mark that had he not left, his family would not be so well off.
On the television in front of him David watched a news report on a political rally that had taken place earlier in the day. A slim woman with strawberry blond hair and large blue eyes stood behind a podium, delivering a speech with all of the dignity of a speaker. At the bottom of the screen her name was printed. Tina Ditove… His little Tina.
She had just received her first nomination to be on the ballot to become a senator. In a private interview the newsroom had gathered quotes from the soon to be senator which they were reading aloud on the screen.
“I would like to thank many people for this nomination. My mother, who single handedly raised me when my father abandoned us. My step-father Louis, who was ever so supportive…”
David scowled, moving his finger to the mute button. He felt a cold wave of regret wash over him, suffocating him with amazing strength. Just as he started to press the button however, he froze.
“And lastly, though my mother was adamant in the fact he was not to be thanked, I would like to thank my father. For the short period I remember that he was there, he was my whole world. My sun rose and set simply for him. Though I’ll admit, I was absolutely heartbroken that he left, I’ve always carried a hope that one day he’d walk through that door. It probably made me foolish, probably makes me seem like a nut, but that’s how important family is to me. My father gave me the strength to carry on no matter what happens. He taught me that life wasn’t fair and that you have to fight for what you want. He taught me that promises aren’t always kept, and to be weary of anyone who says otherwise. Despite what happened, I love my father. Both of my father’s, and I am deeply saddened that he is so ashamed of our family still that he won’t contact me for even the briefest time.”
The speech went on to describe her hopes and dreams as a senator but David had stopped listening. He didn’t hear Tina describe her bouncing baby boy who was her pride and joy, didn’t listen as she explained how she’d worked to this goal. All he could think of was that last happy time he’d had with his daughter.

“Will you always be with me, Daddy?” She had asked as her large innocent eyes stared up at him.
“Always,” He promised solemnly.
“And you’ll always love me?” She pressed as a hint of a smile pulled at her lips.
“Forever and longer,” he had told her as he picked the small girl up and hugged her close.

David could feel tears in his eyes as he watched his daughter speak on television. Without really thinking about what he was doing David rose. He grasped the phone robotically. He dialed his old home’s number with shaking fingers, quivering as he listened to the hollow ring.
A woman answered, pleasantly polite in her tone.
“Hello, Tina?” he whispered, clutching the phone to his ear as his heart pounded in his chest.
“Excuse me, but who is this?” The woman asked, trying to hide her surprise.
“This is your father,” David whispered, clutching the phone harder than he meant to. “This is Daddy.”
Not giving the surprised young woman a chance to respond he hurried on, afraid he’d lose his nerve.
“I promised I’d never leave you… I promised I’d always love you. And I do love you Tina, so much. You were better without me, both of you were. You were my sunshine Tina, and now my days are all clouds. But look at yourself; you’re going to be a senator. You’ve got a husband, a family; you’re everything I could have dreamed of and more. I love you Tina, I’m so terribly sorry for the grief I’ve caused. So very, very sorry. I hope that one day, even if not now, but one day you will forgive me.”
David hung up the phone, breathing heavily as he leaned back in his chair. He closed his eyes, a great sense of peace coming over him at last. For once in a very long time, he felt he’d done the right thing.
---------

“Sir, wait, I haven’t got a clue what you’re-“ The woman tried to respond but stopped as she heard the definite click that could only mean he’d hung up.
“Who was that?” A man asked, approaching his wife curiously as the woman stared in confusion at the phone.
“I… I don’t know.” She admitted. “He said ‘this is your father, this is daddy’.”
“Isn’t your father dead?” the man asked, completely perplexed.
“Yes…” the woman agreed softly.
“Must have been a wrong number,” Her husband said with a shrug.
“Yes, it must have been,” She agreed, “Though it’s a shame… He was apologizing. It sounded as though he was apologizing for something he’d done a long time ago. It seemed very important to him. I do hope he gets the right number next time.” The woman said softly. The pair returned to their living room, turning on the news and watching as Tina Ditove finished her speech with a roar of applause.