A disabled girl who finds herself without a date for prom is surprised when her father takes her to the dance. The reward he receives the next day in recognition of his love for his daughter transforms their lives.
“Molly, look! Your father is here!” someone at the funeral said to the 17-year-old girl who was wailing in front of her mother Daisy’s coffin.
Molly’s father, Danny, and her mother had divorced ten years ago. Since then, Molly had heard nothing but terrible things about her father, like that he was a “drunkard” and other things of the sort.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Although Molly feels no bitterness toward Danny, she does miss their father-daughter relationship. But after her mother’s funeral, things were about to change…
“My darling!” Danny said, hugging her before placing a wreath on his ex-wife’s coffin.
“Sir, is that truck yours? It’s blocking half the parking lot. Would you mind moving it?” a guest asked Danny, who was a truck driver.
“Yes, this is my truck. Give me a second. I’m here to talk to my daughter. I hope you understand. Thank you!”
Danny was thrilled to meet Molly. The only connection he had with her all these years was the child support he paid for her. Daisy never allowed him to see Molly because she feared he would become a bad influence.
After the funeral, Danny packed up all of Molly’s things and told her they were going to live with him.
“A package? Who sent it?” he wondered. The card read: “For Father of the Year.”
“But why? I can’t leave this house. Mom and I lived here. It’s filled with our memories.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Molly frowns because Danny won’t listen. He knew he couldn’t leave his daughter alone, especially considering she often used a wheelchair when she didn’t need crutches. Due to an underlying condition she developed in her left leg at the age of six, Molly limped.
Two days later, Molly moved in with her father. Although the house was small and untidy, it comforted her and made her feel loved and included.
Danny struggled with doing things for Molly. Since he hadn’t seen her grow up, he didn’t know how to tackle most things, like braiding her hair. He learned how to do it by watching videos online. But that’s not all.
He cleared out his bedroom so Molly had a nice sleeping space. He even bought a new, soft bed so she could rest well. Danny did everything he could to make his daughter feel at home, but if there was one thing he kept secret, it was her constant disappearance at night.
Molly had no idea where her father went in the evenings after falling asleep. She could only assume he was hanging out with his friends at the pub, as her mother had often told her.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
A few days later, Molly got off the school bus and walked into their house crying. She realized the door was locked. There was a note hidden behind a plant. “The keys are under the pot. I’ll be back soon. See you soon!” – Dad.
Molly scowled and remembered her mother telling her about her father’s “weird” evening habits. She frowned at the thought of her father going out drinking at four in the afternoon.
Hours passed, but Danny didn’t come home. Molly made herself some pasta and left some for her dad. Then she lay on her bed crying.
“If only I were normal. I would have found a date for prom.”
It turned out that Molly’s teacher had informed them about their upcoming prom. All of her classmates had found prom dates, except for Molly. No one wanted to take her. She thought, who would want to dance with someone who couldn’t get up?
Molly cried so loudly that Danny heard her as soon as he got home.
“What happened, darling? Why are you crying?”
Molly told him about the prom. “I don’t have a date. I even asked a few boys if one of them would at least dance with me at prom, but they refused and laughed. I don’t want to go to prom, Daddy! I want to be alone! Good night!”
Molly turned her back on Danny and pretended to be asleep, tears soaking her pillow.
Danny couldn’t leave his daughter in distress. The next day, he bought Molly a beautiful dress for prom. And on the day of prom, Molly got a huge surprise that brought tears to her eyes. Her father took her to prom.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
The final year students and their parents were milling around outside the hall when the shrill roar of an engine caught their attention.
Danny jumped out of the truck. He placed a wheelchair on the lawn and helped Molly out. He pushed the wheelchair across the red carpet as the audience watched in amazement.
Danny entered the dance floor with his daughter to the sound of the music. He picked up Molly and carried her in a circle, synchronizing with the melodious music. For a moment, Molly forgot she had a disability and laughed heartily as her father continued to swing her in his arms.
“My dad is my superhero. I love him more than anything. I feel blessed and proud to say I’m his daughter,” Molly told her friends after the dance.
Meanwhile, Danny became the star. All the parents gathered around him to congratulate and applaud him. Danny then talked a little about himself and his daughter, little realizing that this evening would soon change their lives.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
Danny and Molly returned home happy. Danny then put Molly to sleep in her room and silently slipped out of the house.
It turned out that Danny had a second job as a caregiver at a local nursing home. In addition to his part-time day job as a truck driver, he worked overtime to save money for his daughter’s treatment. When Molly’s disability was diagnosed years ago, many told Danny and Daisy she would never walk.
But a doctor assured them he would cure the girl and restore her ability to walk. So Danny stopped partying in pubs with his friends and started working two jobs.
Daisy misunderstood him and thought he was wasting his time at the pub. Danny tried to explain it to her, but she never trusted him. His constant doubts and heated arguments led to their separation soon after. Danny never cared, as he was solely focused on saving money for Molly’s operation and worked hard for the next few years.
Danny suffered every time he remembered his past. Even that evening, as he drove to work, he couldn’t forget the terrible things his ex-wife had said to him. He finished his shift and went home, unprepared for the surprise that awaited him and Molly.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
That morning, when he came home from work, Danny had a sweet surprise when he found a package in his mailbox.
“A package? Who sent it?” he wondered. The card read: “For Father of the Year!”
Inside, Danny found a check for $10,000 and another note:
“Dear Danny, we hope this improves your daughter’s life. Good luck with her surgery, and we hope you get to spend more time with her in the evenings. Best wishes, your classmates!”
Danny realized that the parents he had met the night before were behind all this. He shed tears of joy and shared the good news with Molly.
“Really?! My God, Dad… This is amazing!” She laughed and cried on his shoulders.
With the money Danny had saved and the $10,000 check, Molly underwent surgery. It was successful, and little by little, she was able to walk without crutches.
Meanwhile, Danny quit his second job to spend more time with his daughter. She had won a scholarship to study architecture in another state and was due to leave in three months.
Danny wanted to make the most of the time he had with Molly. He taught her to cook, dance, ride a bike, and even run. He simply wanted his daughter to lead a normal life and never go back to the days when she used a wheelchair and crutches.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
What can we learn from this story?
- There is no love stronger in the world than that of a parent. Danny went the extra mile to help his daughter walk. He worked two jobs to save money for her surgery and even took her to prom even though she didn’t have a date.
- A father is always a hero to his children. Even when everyone told Danny that his daughter would never walk again, he didn’t lose hope and worked hard to make her walk again. He was her true superhero and her inspiration for life.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
Read also: For my 18th birthday, my mother gave me a broom and told me I would end up cleaning the streets – karma had the last word
This story is inspired by the daily lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to real names or places is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; it might just change someone’s life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.
Để lại một phản hồi