When Mariel was born, I had reached the happiest moment in my life. That little face looking up at me, the hand squeezing my fingers. I couldn’t imagine anything better. Jake was home from his last tour of Hawaii and we had our daughter.
Mariel was the best daughter anyone could ask for. She didn’t cry or scream, but would just calmly sit in her crib. She became a daddy’s girl almost instantly. He was the one to share his love of the water. The moment she could walk, he had her in the backyard pool. She was swimming by the age of five.
She loved to be taken to the beach to watch her daddy surf. Jake would let her sit on the board as he paddled aimlessly around the water. She adored him, and wanted to be just like him.
When he came home telling of a surfing contest coming to town, Mariel was more excited then I. For some reason, my heart felt dead in my chest.