Yasmeen Owens
Jun 24, 2025
We’re walking through the crowded areas, where people are walking their dogs, and their tails are wagging happily in the distance through the park. My daughter and I. I’m holding her small, precious hand that I’m afraid to let go in fear that I might lose her forever, in my giant hand. She eats an ice cream cone, and the remnants are slowly dripping down her face. I peer up to look at the clear blue sky, with no fluffy clouds in sight, hearing the birds singing happily and the tree branches bending in the wind.
Once we finally reach our destination, the park playground is filled with bright blue slides and pebble grounds with a massive amount of children running in all kinds of directions, screaming their little heads off. I scan my surroundings to look for a place to sit; I look down at my daughter as she grins ear to ear with the bright white smile she inherited from her mother and not me.
Due to the sugar affecting her energy levels right now, my wife is going to kill me later for letting our child have sugar so early. We reach the worn-down wooden bench, and I see the paint chip away and sunspot damage faded into it; I grab a napkin from my pocket and wipe Amelia’s face to clean up the mess she made.
“Daddy, can I go play now?” she asked me.
I nod as she jumps off the bench, and the stone pebbles crinkle underneath her small footstep. She manages to befriend other kids on the playground as their laughter fills the air. I relax on the bench as the sun's ray warms my skin. Hoping that Amelia gets tired from playing with the other kids and that she won’t put up much of a fight when it comes to nap time.
I look up at Amelia, who’s wearing a blue-puma shirt, navy jean shorts, with white and purple sneakers, as she yells in the excitement of playing tag with the children.
“Be careful, Amelia,” I said. “I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“Okay, Daddy,” she responded.
Amelia climbs up the metal stairs as she reaches the top of the slide. She calls out to me.
“Daddy, look at me,” she said.
“I’m looking, sweetheart.”
“Here I go...wee,” she said.
As she slides down the slide in a flash, time begins to wind down, and the sun starts its descent, painting the once crystal blue sky in shades of purple. I see Amelia walking back to me, letting out a small yawn. I pick her up, and she rests her head on my shoulder as we walk down the dirt path, heading home for the day. Tomorrow, a new adventure awaits us. The sun descends and casts an amber hue over us as we stroll down this quiet road.
