The Promise of Change - By Rebecca Heflin Page 0,65
was just a silly flight of fantasy that would soon pass. I never considered that you might be serious.”
Sarah could hear his heart beat reassuringly where her head rested on his chest. She felt so secure in her daddy’s arms. There was only one other pair of arms which made her feel so protected, cherished.
“Okay. Then I think you should do it.”
“Really?” She sat up in surprise. “But, Daddy, I don’t want to disappoint you.”
The Admiral, brow creased in worry, sat back, pushing her away so he could look directly into her eyes. “Disappoint me? Baby, you could never disappoint me. Your mother and I were always the proudest parents on the planet.
“You and Becca turned out better than any parent could have hoped for. I’d like to believe I had something to do with it, but it was all your mother’s doing.”
“But I thought . . .” She looked down, picking at the frayed hem of her old cut-off shorts.
“Thought what?”
“When I said I wanted to be a writer, when I gave up teaching, got divorced, didn’t get Ken’s old job . . . that I’d disappointed you.”
“Baby, I’ve never been disappointed in you. I’ve only been disappointed for you. And afraid.”
“Afraid?” She looked up, confused.
“I only wanted you to have a good, steady career, something that would always provide you with stability.” He took her hand in his calloused one. “Your heart is so easily broken and becoming a writer, and staying successful is fraught with so many disappointments that are completely out of your control. Failure has never been an option for you.”
Thinking of Alex’s challenge, she said, “A wise man once pointed out that not having tried is the equivalent of failure.”
The Admiral considered this a moment. “That is wise. Who said that? Churchill? Kennedy?”
She chuckled. “No, Fraser.” At his puzzled look, she said, “Oh, never mind.”
Her father’s face grew serious again. “I’m so sorry. I never knew that I’d effectively crushed your dreams. The only thing your mother and I ever wanted for you and your sister is your happiness. In career, in love, in life.”
“Oh, Daddy.” Sarah leaned over and kissed his weathered cheek. “I love you.”
He cleared the tears from his throat, giving her a gruff “I love you” in return. “While you’ve always been cautious, you’ve never been afraid. Don’t let fear of the unknown get in the way of your dreams. Sometimes the reward is worth the risk.” He chuckled.
“What’s so funny?”
“Oh, I was just remembering when I tried to teach you to ride your bike. You were adamant that I not hold on to your seat, wanting to do it all on your own. You always were a stubborn little thing when it came to accepting help. What you never knew was that I was no more than a breath away, ready to grab you if you started to go down.”
Sarah smiled at the memory.
“You know, too much self-reliance can often be mistaken for stubborn pride. Remember, baby, we all need help from time-to-time. There’s no shame in asking, and no shame in relying on those around you once in a while.”
They sat quietly as the birds settled in for the night, Venus rose on the horizon, and the sky turned from dusky violet to black. Fireflies flickered like little sparks.
“Well, no point in putting it off,” he said suddenly, slapping his thighs. “What is right to be done cannot be done too soon.”
“You just quoted Jane Austen,” she said in astonishment.
“I did? Well, what do you know?” He grinned at her obvious approval. “So, tell me, what’s this book of yours about?”
She looked dubious, “Really? Are you sure you want to hear about it?”
“Of course.”
Seated at the breakfast table, Sarah stared in bored fascination at a squirrel sitting on the windowsill tearing apart a sweet gum ball to get to the seeds inside. After a couple of minutes, the little tree rat hopped away, apparently exhausting the supply of seeds, taking her excuse to procrastinate with it.
She couldn’t postpone this any longer. It was time to put words to paper, or rather pixels to screen. She would never know if she could really write, if she didn’t start writing. There was no other way.
Grabbing her cup of tea and the yellowed, dog-eared manuscript, she sat down at her desk and began to write.
Chapter 3
Summer passed into fall, such as it was in Florida. The flora remained green, the air continued heavy and warm, necessitating the steady hum of air