• Dawn approached. I see her in her window watching the sunrise; she had called me at around midnight crying. “Sam, I need you.” She had quit sobbing enough to tell me. Immediately I got up out of bed and drove to her house. She had met me out on her driveway arms crossed and a blank look on her face. “ Jazzy? What happened?” I asked, her shirt full of blood. “Daddy…daddy… couldn’t stop him… I tried. Sam really I tried.” I had pieced the story together her father had committed suicide. I let myself down and held her. Now she was sobbing uncontrollably, she was scared.

    I drove her down to the beach, bought her breakfast and watched her wolf it down. Jazmin had a habit to eat when she was upset. I listened to what she had to say. I held her when she cried. Rocking her back and forth until she was asleep. I can’t take her home now. She was only eighteen when she lost everything, her father, her boyfriend, and her money gone. An hour passed she started to kick and scream in her sleep finally she let herself wake up. “Where am I?” She had asked. “Babe, we’re at my beach house.” After that she had remembered. “Daddy?” Her eyes glistening with moisture remained on me. She started to cry. I ran up to her and held her close.

    “Jaz? It’s going to be okay. I promise.” I whispered. Then I did the unimaginable. I told her I loved her. “Sam, I love you.” Passion rang strong within her voice. Months later we had continued to date. Jazmin continued in group therapy to get over her father’s death. While I continue to fall in a world filled with liquor. I had begun to drink again. Heavier and heavier before I fell in love with Jazzy. Ego told me I could handle the booze. I had joined “AA” meetings after I fell in love.

    After I picked Jazzy up form group therapy we decided to go to the daily double a drive-in not too farm from group. I held her close as I got the movie snacks. I let her go to the car before me as I went on to get drinks. Two guys were flirting with her and I could tell that they were drunk. “Get off me!” Jazzy screamed out. They saw me and laid off of Jazzy one flicked out a switchblade. Jazzy looked scared. Punches were thrown, kicks were tossed. A crowd started to come over. I felt the switchblade dig deep in my back. Blood spilled everywhere, my life flashed before my eyes. I knew at that point I wasn’t going to make it. Jazzy held me in her lap and cried. I hated to lose her even after all these years. Then like the wind I had gone to a better place in a better time. I’m sorry.