Morningside Cuesta sandcastles

How many times will these two break my heart? he thought to himself, looking on somewhat helplessly as his daughter accused him. In his nightmares, he always reacted with anger or desperation, but here and now - in the real world - the reassurance and compassion necessary for such things came to him easily.

"Of course you're enough, princess," he said, his voice a bit sharper than he'd meant the words to be in his haste to refute her claim. "Listen to me, Dawn - you're my daughter, and there's nothing you or anyone else could do to make me love you less. I'm never gonna leave you behind, and I'm never gonna chase you away."

He let out a sigh, knowing that Dawn had been burned before, and that too many loved ones had marched out of her life for her to trust him on words alone. Hell, he hardly trusted that she or Akuti would be there in the morning.

"Baby, I know we've both been through the wringer, lately," he said, a bit more softly, now. "My heart aches the same as yours - and I'm sorry I sprung this on you; that wasn't very nice of me - but I need you on this. Because yeah, the kids will be new, but this is still the same old family. We're just addin' people to it. Not because we're not enough for each other, but because I thought it would be good to have more."

Here, he paused, a serious look crossing his features. "I can't do anything to stop this litter from happening - but if it really upsets you, there'll be no more. You're right, Dawn. I should've talked to you."

Perhaps it wasn't the conventional thing, to consult your daughter on such things as wives and future offspring. But he was all Dawn had, and there were days he felt that she was all he had, too. And she was enough. To forfeit future offspring would be a worthy investment in his daughter's sense of security.