Willow had a great time at her seventh birthday party and loved all of her gifts. Razzel had given her a friendship bracelet she made out of tiny seashells, which she and her mother painted a variety of bright colors. Wyatt gave his sister a box of chocolate truffles, which he ate half of as soon as the box was opened. Grandma Trisha and Grandpa Theo gave Willow a $100 gift certificate to Bobo’s Toy Kingdom, while her parents had given her a thick book containing a collection of children’s poetry, complete with color illustrations. Wyatt thought it was “the most boring gift ever” and begged his parents not to give him the same thing for his birthday. Willow, on the other hand, loved it. Even before she could read, she would spend hours sifting through her books, making up her own stories to go along with the images before her.
When the last guest departed for the evening, Mrs. Krimble volunteered Wyatt to help her clean up in the kitchen. He was less than thrilled.
Only Willow and her father remained in the living room. Roger Krimble observed his daughter from his lounge chair, watching her carefully examine each of her gifts until she decided to devote her full attention to one in particular.
"So," said Mr. Krimble, "you made a new friend today?"
"Yep."
"She seems very nice. A bit shy, but maybe you and Razzel could help bring her out of her shell."
"Yep," repeated Willow, preoccupied with the deluxe Molly Makeover dollhouse Shayla had given her.
"Willow, honey, can you come over here for a minute?"
Willow huffed. She was disappointed that her playtime was being placed on hold, but complied with her father’s request. She ran over to Mr. Krimble and hopped onto his frail lap. He winced, but did not complain.
"What's up, Doc?" said Willow with a smirk. She and her father always watched cartoons together and loved to quote them.
"Did you have fun today, Baby Girl?"
"Yep."
Mr. Krimble smiled. Willow automatically poked his dimples with her index fingers, as she always did when her father smiled. This time, however, his face was so gaunt, it was almost difficult to find the dimples that used to dent into once-plump cheeks.
"Is that all you can say is, ‘yep’?"
Willow smiled playfully and paused for a moment, her index finger now on her chin. "Yep," she giggled out.
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Page 89
Mr. Krimble smiled for a moment, but suddenly appeared quite serious. He had recently decided that he would not hide his inevitable fate from his children. Until now, Mr. and Mrs. Krimble told their children “Daddy is very sick.” But Mr. Krimble wanted Wyatt and Willow to know exactly what to expect. Observing his daughter at play, he decided that she should know what was coming sooner rather than later, as it could happen on any given day, and he did not want his children to be taken by surprise. He wasn’t certain how Wyatt or Willow would react to the news and decided to speak with each of them individually.
"Willow, you know for your next birthday, I ... I may not be here."
"Where you going, Daddy?"
"Daddy has to ... well, Willow, you know when we go to church and the priest talks about Heaven?"
"Uh, huh."
"Well, pretty soon, Daddy’s going to go to Heaven, but the thing is, Honey, when someone goes to heaven, they need to … stay there.”
Willow looked perplexed, her index finger still placed firmly on her chin. Mr. Krimble could see the wheels spinning in his daughter’s mind through her seven-year-old eyes.
"To be with Jesus?" she said.
"Yes, Honey, that’s right, which is why I need you to look after your mother and brother for me. They're going to need someone like you. So while I'm up there, (he pointed upwards) I want you to take care of everyone down here. Can you do that for me, Willow?"
Willow mulled over her father’s request for a moment.
"But, I don't want you to go, Daddy."
"Willow, I ... look, I know it's going to be difficult for you, but sometimes we have to deal with things that are out of our control. Daddy has to go and I’ll feel a lot better knowing that you’re looking after everyone when I’m gone. It’s a huge responsibility I’m giving you, but I know you can handle it. I need you to be strong, Willow. What do you say?"
Willow gazed into her father’s eyes for a moment before giving him her final reply.
"Okay, Daddy. I’ll look after everyone for you. I’m sure it’ll be a long time before you have to leave. I mean my next birthday is soooo far away." Willow hopped off her father’s lap and grabbed the bracelet Razzel had made for her. She gently placed it around her little wrist and examined it closely. She flashed it in front of her father and smiled at him, showing off her new trinkets.
Roger Krimble looked at his daughter and smiled as he fought, with every fiber of his frail being, to restrain his tears.
Next Chapter
When the last guest departed for the evening, Mrs. Krimble volunteered Wyatt to help her clean up in the kitchen. He was less than thrilled.
Only Willow and her father remained in the living room. Roger Krimble observed his daughter from his lounge chair, watching her carefully examine each of her gifts until she decided to devote her full attention to one in particular.
"So," said Mr. Krimble, "you made a new friend today?"
"Yep."
"She seems very nice. A bit shy, but maybe you and Razzel could help bring her out of her shell."
"Yep," repeated Willow, preoccupied with the deluxe Molly Makeover dollhouse Shayla had given her.
"Willow, honey, can you come over here for a minute?"
Willow huffed. She was disappointed that her playtime was being placed on hold, but complied with her father’s request. She ran over to Mr. Krimble and hopped onto his frail lap. He winced, but did not complain.
"What's up, Doc?" said Willow with a smirk. She and her father always watched cartoons together and loved to quote them.
"Did you have fun today, Baby Girl?"
"Yep."
Mr. Krimble smiled. Willow automatically poked his dimples with her index fingers, as she always did when her father smiled. This time, however, his face was so gaunt, it was almost difficult to find the dimples that used to dent into once-plump cheeks.
"Is that all you can say is, ‘yep’?"
Willow smiled playfully and paused for a moment, her index finger now on her chin. "Yep," she giggled out.
___________________________________
Page 89
Mr. Krimble smiled for a moment, but suddenly appeared quite serious. He had recently decided that he would not hide his inevitable fate from his children. Until now, Mr. and Mrs. Krimble told their children “Daddy is very sick.” But Mr. Krimble wanted Wyatt and Willow to know exactly what to expect. Observing his daughter at play, he decided that she should know what was coming sooner rather than later, as it could happen on any given day, and he did not want his children to be taken by surprise. He wasn’t certain how Wyatt or Willow would react to the news and decided to speak with each of them individually.
"Willow, you know for your next birthday, I ... I may not be here."
"Where you going, Daddy?"
"Daddy has to ... well, Willow, you know when we go to church and the priest talks about Heaven?"
"Uh, huh."
"Well, pretty soon, Daddy’s going to go to Heaven, but the thing is, Honey, when someone goes to heaven, they need to … stay there.”
Willow looked perplexed, her index finger still placed firmly on her chin. Mr. Krimble could see the wheels spinning in his daughter’s mind through her seven-year-old eyes.
"To be with Jesus?" she said.
"Yes, Honey, that’s right, which is why I need you to look after your mother and brother for me. They're going to need someone like you. So while I'm up there, (he pointed upwards) I want you to take care of everyone down here. Can you do that for me, Willow?"
Willow mulled over her father’s request for a moment.
"But, I don't want you to go, Daddy."
"Willow, I ... look, I know it's going to be difficult for you, but sometimes we have to deal with things that are out of our control. Daddy has to go and I’ll feel a lot better knowing that you’re looking after everyone when I’m gone. It’s a huge responsibility I’m giving you, but I know you can handle it. I need you to be strong, Willow. What do you say?"
Willow gazed into her father’s eyes for a moment before giving him her final reply.
"Okay, Daddy. I’ll look after everyone for you. I’m sure it’ll be a long time before you have to leave. I mean my next birthday is soooo far away." Willow hopped off her father’s lap and grabbed the bracelet Razzel had made for her. She gently placed it around her little wrist and examined it closely. She flashed it in front of her father and smiled at him, showing off her new trinkets.
Roger Krimble looked at his daughter and smiled as he fought, with every fiber of his frail being, to restrain his tears.
Next Chapter