"I'm going to see my daddy tonight," whispered a very pleased with himself five-year-old Connor, keeping it quiet while his teacher worked on counting with the class. His smile had started that morning and couldn't be contained. While eating his fruit loops, Mom had told him that after school today they would make the 45-minute trip to see his daddy. Not Shane's daddy, not Maria's daddy, HIS daddy. Today.

When it came time for coloring, Connor drew his daddy a picture of a puppy he had seen last week at the park. When Mrs. K walked around, he held it up proudly. "This is for my daddy. He loves puppies, he told me so. He's going to love it. I'm going to see him today! Right after school!"

Mrs. K smiled a tender smile, telling Connor his picture was wonderful. "I'm sure your dad will just love it," she said in her kindest voice.

Connor didn't notice, he was busy drawing dragons and fire in the background of his puppy picture.

During recess, Connor didn't notice that storm clouds were coming. He sat on the swing set telling everyone that sat down about his plans.

"And I'm going to tell him I got an A on my math test. And that I got to hold the turtle first. And that my bean seed is starting to sprout. And that I cleaned my room when Mom asked me to. The first time! She didn't even have to ask five times like last time. And I didn't get a spanking. He's going to be so happy."

He didn't notice the weather, he didn't notice when kids moved on after a sentence or two, and he didn't notice when the recess bell rang.

"Connor, honey, it's time to go back inside!" yelled one of the helpers from her post by the door.

Connor jumped off the swing and raced inside, fast as a jet. He'd have to tell Daddy about that, too.

When the bell rang at the end of the day, Connor told his teacher that he didn't need to get on the bus. "My mom is picking me up today. I don't have to ride the bus. She said she'd come right inside to my classroom to get me. We're going right now to see my daddy," he said as he sat at his desk, feet swinging, waiting not-so-patiently to be picked up.

Mom walked through the door, baby sister Lea on her hip, hair in a messy bun and no make-up on her tired eyes. Mrs. K whispered to Mom and gave her a hug. Connor didn't notice. He was putting his puppy/dragon/fire picture in his backpack for safe keeping.

"Mom! Let's go! We have to get there before dark!" he said as he zipped past her into the hallway.

Mom grabbed his coat and chased after her overly excited child. He took after his father. She sighed.

Mom buckled in rambunctious Connor while he flew imaginary planes over her head. "Look Mom, just like Daddy!" he cried right in her ear, whooshing past her nose as she stood up.

Lea started crying. "Mom why is she crying? Doesn't she know where we're going?"

"No, Connor. She's too little to understand any of this." "Then how is she supposed to remember it?" Mom thought of how to explain this to a child of innocence, but she didn't have the energy. "We'll take pictures and show her when she's older." "Ok. Like maybe next week." Close enough. Mom shut the van door and the trio were off.

Connor reminded Mom as they pulled out of the school parking lot that they needed to bring supper. Mom said she knew.

They stopped and picked up sandwiches to take with to see Daddy. Then they stopped at the flower shop and Mom let Connor pick out the biggest bouquet of flowers. Connor didn't notice when the florist gave them to Mom for free. Or how Mom teared up and couldn't even say thank you.

When they got back in the van, food in sacks and flowers laying on the front seat, Connor told his mom they would be there soon.

"You know what would make it go faster?" asked Mom. "No! What? Can we fly there?!" "Kind of. If you close your eyes and rest a little bit, when you wake up we'll be there!" This sounded like a great idea. Connor was excited but his day of being excited had worn him out. So he shut his eyes. But just for a minute

Mom was opening the van door when he opened them again. "Mom it worked! I shut my eyes and we're here!" he beamed. Mom let Connor out while she unloaded the stroller and packed Lea under a blanket inside of it. Connor grabbed the blanket from the trunk and stuffed it under the stroller. Then he grabbed the bag of sandwiches and his backpack. "Mom, you get the flowers. I'm going to go see MY daddy." "Ok, just look where you're going. Don't trip."

The thunder rolled overhead. Mom grabbed the flowers and an umbrella. Just in case.

When she caught up to Connor, he was sitting on his knees in the grass, busy showing off his puppy/dragon/fire drawing, telling his daddy what color the puppy had been and how the dragon was about to eat him.

Mom laid the blanket over the grass and put Lea on top, giving her a floppy book to keep her entertained for a minute. Then she sat and let her son talk to his daddy.

As Connor was busy talking, he didn't notice the thunder or the fact that it had started to rain. He didn't notice his mom put an umbrella over his head or how she gently laid the flowers down in front of him. He didn't notice her silent tears that flowed almost as freely as the rain or how she cleaned the grass clippings off daddy's gravestone. All he knew was that he missed his daddy and this was his chance to tell him everything he'd been missing since he left them six months ago.