My Prince Will Come | Teen Ink

My Prince Will Come MAG

By Anonymous

     Standing on my tiptoes, my new patent leather shoes shimmering in the evening light, I watched eagerly as each of the freshly washed and polished cars pulled up. Daddies and daughters filed out, like little Cinderellas emerging from their daddies’ special pumpkin coaches, and blissfully walked hand in hand to the door of the school. Fathers, clean-cut and dressed to impress, and daughters in new dresses and shiny shoes marched proudly up the steps to the Girl Scouts’ annual Daddy/Daughter Dance.

“I’ll be there,” he had pledged. “I promise.”

I waited impatiently for my Prince Charming. Mommy had helped me get into my new purple dress, which I had chosen because of the lacy ruffles along the bottom. She had pulled up my long, blond hair and made cascading waves of princess curls that flowed softly over my tiny shoulders. In my heart I knew any minute the special car that would turn me into a Cinderella would drive up.

His words raced through my mind and caused a traffic jam of thoughts.

“I love you, Sugar. I’ll be there soon.”

These were words I had heard countless times. After every not-so-promising phone call, the same words punctuated the pointless, false promises with hope.

I waited, and waited ... and waited.

Once the sun went down, no one could see me standing at that window, tear-stained cheeks sticky with those no-longer-perfect curls. I watched as the shadow princesses danced by the brightly lit windows with their daddies who loved them so dearly.

“Mommy,” I asked, my hurt and innocence blending into a whisper-soft plea, “why doesn’t Daddy call or come see me?”

She never answered my childlike questions because she too was trapped by confusion and hurt. What he did affected her as much as it did me. The man she had once cared so much about didn’t seem to love her or the children he fathered. Mom was standing right beside me staring out the picture window waiting for that car. I guess she still believed in fairy tales too.

Why doesn’t Daddy love me? Why doesn’t Daddy care?

The years have done little to answer the questions that haunted those princess-in-waiting years. I have, however, learned to look through pain-marred eyes and somehow get a clear vision of the man who never came.

For some reason, I feel sorrier for him than for my mom and me. For some reason, he is the victim in the tragedy that was our lives. After everything he put my family through, I can’t help but pity him.

Although time has passed, the emptiness and pain has not. In my heart, I still feel like that little girl, tears filling my baby blues, standing expectantly at the window, waiting for my pumpkin coach carrying my Prince Charming who will sweep me off my feet and make me the happiest little girl in the world.

I can’t say what I miss because I can’t miss something I never had. I may have missed the dance, trips to the park, eating ice cream with my daddy, or hearing bedtime stories. Those moments can never return, but what he failed to see is what he missed out on. Unfortunately for him, he missed witnessing his little girl mature into an amazing young woman, and he can never rewind the hands of time. Those moments are lost forever.

For years I watched the cars pull up carrying a lucky little girl and her daddy holding her delicate hand as they walked to the door. For years I waited for that car to pull into my driveway and for my daddy to hold my hand, wavy curls bouncing with every graceful step, as we floated toward the dance. For years I waited ... for the car that never came.



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This article has 21 comments.


i love this so much!

on May. 25 2014 at 11:14 am
MeineFraeulein SILVER, Dubai, Other
8 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." -- Gandalf

This was very touching. I loved how you emphasized your past innocence, like when you mentioned your "tiny shoulders" and "Cinderella curls". A wonderful bittersweet story.

Riley79 BRONZE said...
on Jan. 18 2012 at 8:03 pm
Riley79 BRONZE, Dover, Delaware
2 articles 0 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
“Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.”
-Lao Tzu

That was very well written. Your writing has nice voice.

on Oct. 22 2011 at 8:47 pm
pens-are-mightier-than-swords SILVER, Caledonia, Michigan
8 articles 0 photos 46 comments

Favorite Quote:
"we often put up walls not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down"
~Author Unknown

Beautifully written. Touching, heartbreaking story. I admire your strength!

on Sep. 8 2011 at 10:38 am
AmyyMtz01 BRONZE, Farmers Branch, Texas
2 articles 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Its not about the destination, but the journey."

I can totally relate to this

on Jan. 9 2011 at 8:01 pm
aspiringauthor_ BRONZE, Fairfield, Connecticut
1 article 0 photos 324 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." - MLK Jr.

This article touched me... I have a friend with divorced parents and she misses out on all the "do it with your dad" things because she lives with her mom. 

Charming said...
on Oct. 13 2010 at 2:20 pm
MY parnets arent divorced but my dad has left me once and it hurt.

on Oct. 13 2010 at 2:13 pm
This is a touching story that was easy to understand. It was also sad to hear that because its never happened to me.

lilpeach:)! said...
on Sep. 21 2010 at 3:06 pm
Great story sorry ur dad was a looser and he was a jerk dont waist any more time over him he doesnt deserve ur tears or anything like u said he is the one who missed out on u so umm ya love ya jk dont know ya but maybe i would if i did

quelquel101 said...
on Sep. 21 2010 at 3:04 pm
This is a touching story........ I am sorry about your dad.

on Sep. 21 2010 at 3:04 pm
i didnt read this one i read a different one. but apperently its sad. so not my type of story. 

Zach Effron said...
on Sep. 21 2010 at 3:02 pm
This story is sad and Written well

MadyPaige97 said...
on Sep. 21 2010 at 1:00 pm

Very touching.. haha

 

but seriously


Sami0451 said...
on Sep. 21 2010 at 11:20 am
i loved this story. it almost made me cry but i didn't bcuz we read it in school. i love this story but its really sad. im sorry ur dad was a butt. i too dont see my dad very often but i get to se him.

BaSeBaLl8 said...
on Sep. 21 2010 at 11:19 am

jk no clue who u r

 


BaSeBaLl8 said...
on Sep. 21 2010 at 11:17 am

hello katie

 


BaSeBaLl8 said...
on Sep. 21 2010 at 11:16 am
WHo psted this and i kow ur in our class!!!

ktwilliams21 said...
on Sep. 21 2010 at 11:14 am
lovely.  lovely, lovely, story!

on Jun. 30 2010 at 1:01 pm
addicted2writing SILVER, Chesapeake, Virginia
5 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
Don't break to fit in, bend to stand out.

This is a sad story. I like how you were able to put the many feelings you have on paper while being descriptive as well as creative. Keep up the good work!

Yoyo96 said...
on Jun. 4 2010 at 11:56 am
Yoyo96, Lake Station, Indiana
0 articles 1 photo 30 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Don't frown. You never know who is falling in love with your smile."
"When it hurts to look back, and you're scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there"

Aww this is so sweet, yet sad. At first I thought this would be about waiting for your prince as in a boyfriend, and I was pleasently surprised when I found out that it was not! Great job!