The truck pulls up beside the rusty gate andscreeches to a stop. She steps out onto the dirt road, outfitted in a pink dressthree sizes too big. Her pigtails whip around her cheeks in the wind, thepigtails her daddy had done for her early that morning while he told her wherethey were going.

Her daddy comes around the truck now, flowers in hand,and picks her up. She rests her head on his shoulder. They pass through the gateinto a green field. The contrast between the green grass and the gray stone slabsshocks her eyes. She is drawn to the flowers scattered across this sea of green.Last year when they'd come she'd asked if she could pick some of those prettyflowers, but her daddy said they belonged to someone else.

Their walktakes them almost to the back corner of this endless sea, to a spot where the sunhas not yet given up hope of reaching. They arrive at their place, and her daddysets her down. Holding her hand, he lays the flowers on the ground.

Hesqueezes her hand tightly and she squeezes right back. She knows he needs herhere. She's not sure why, but she can tell that he is already sad. The silenttears have started their journey down his cheeks, wavering at the end of his noseand eyelashes as if afraid to fall.

He kneels down to hug her. She is usedto these hugs from her daddy. Sometimes, when she is playing, she sees himwatching her, as if remembering a dream. And she smiles at him and he smiles backand reaches out to hug her.

He stands up now, taking tissues from hispocket. Facing the flowers he says one last thing, casting his eyes to theground. She stands respectfully, still holding his hand, while hefinishes.

The green sea seems to have swallowed his truck, for she cannotsee it from where she stands. The walk back is quiet, and she almost falls asleepin her daddy's arms.

As he buckles her into her seat, her mind wanders andshe begins to dream. Her dreams are filled with an endless sea of green, dottedhere and there with flowers. And amidst this vast ocean is her mother.