Friends Only

[rubyredstained]

Today is the twentieth anniversary of my father's death, and I spent it at my friends' wedding. I can't think of a better way to spend a day, mind you. Flynn and Quinn epitomise love in a way rarely seen outside of epic romances that are always disappointing for their fictional nature.

I don't miss my father for the very simple reason that I never knew him. When I was old enough to know I didn't have a dad and maybe that was a little strange, I had Ben. He was dating my mother, and his children became my siblings. When my mother and Ben split, it was amicable and they remained friends. Ben remained that constant fatherly figure in my life. I went to him when I scraped my knees and when I needed money for the tube or a bite to eat. Though that makes it sound like I didn't have those things when I did. It was just a kid thing. 'I spent all my money on lollies and now I can't get any real food and home is far away, can I also have money for the tube'.

Today isn't a day I grieve for a man I lost, though I do know he was a good man and I wish I had known him. Today is a day I am grateful I didn't lack for anything growing up. I did not have my father, but I had my Dad.




Ben, when he dated my mother. Check out his mane! Rawr!


Photobombing my photo right before the camera went off, so I look confused.


And Ben at his best. Me, playing a little makeshift concert at Mariposa (my cafe) on the ukulele while he looks on, proud as anything, not caring that I am utterly ridiculous.

Everyone should be as lucky as I am.

Comments

[hereprophetslie.livejournal.com]

Hahaha! Oh, Dad.

He is wonderful though, isn't he? Despite his mane of wonders.

You are too, sweet Serenity.

[thatoldgeek.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's just not fair. I have no revenge against that sort of thing.

Although, in all gooey seriousness, all of you kids have meant the world to me. Keep on making me a proud daddy figure, Serenity. I know you will.

[thetimewehave.livejournal.com]

You're one lucky pup. I cannot get over that hair :D And that's a mighty pumpkin!

I'm glad you're surrounded by love and gooeyness.

[empress-tasha.livejournal.com]

I get what you mean, a lot of it, anyway. I was well old enough to understand and to mourn when my parents were killed, but the awesome father figure thing... yeah, I have that. It sounds like your Ben is a lot like my Peter. He even took me in despite the fact that I wasn't a good person in the past, and I'd hurt people he loved. He saw the good in me, recognised the changes, and made himself a part of my life that can never be replaced now.

Like you said, he's not my father, but he's definitely my Dad now. I love the way Ben looks at you. That says it all.

[in-spectre-mors.livejournal.com]

One of the greatest things I've learnt in my life is that family isn't necessarily about blood. What I have with the Littletons, and particularly relevant here, with Lavinia, certainly proves that. I'm so, so glad that despite that fact that your father died when you were so young, you had so many wonderful people stepping up to be parents to you. I absolutely agree - everyone should be so lucky. The world would be so much a better place for it.

Besides, anyone who can photobomb like that with their adult daughter is clearly awesome.

[chase-dragons.livejournal.com]

I think Quinn has read too much Greek stuff to have a romance that was anything other than epic ;)

And to all that stuff you said, amen. Ben sounds like a fucking brilliant guy. Hell, all you gotta do is check out the old school hair. Rockin'!