‘Daddy, Daddy please don't go.'
‘Come back Daddy, Come back.'

Daniel was walking out the door, he couldn't look back.  Libby could feel the panic again, the desperate sadness she felt whenever he left her. She watched hopelessly as he opened the front door.  Daniel hesitated, one last glance back before he had to leave.

Libby couldn't see clearly though the streams of her tears, but she thought she saw a lonely droplet running down his face.

‘Please Daddy don't go. Take me with you.  I want to go with you.'

The social worker tightened her grip on Libby.  Wriggling and pulling she tried desperately to break free. She just wanted to be with her Daddy.

She tried to hold back the sobs but it was no use. Her body heaved with grief as the front door closed behind him. The social worker relaxed her grip and Libby took advantage running towards the lounge window.  She started to bang hard on the glass as she screamed again.

‘NO NO NO. Daddy come back. I want to be with you. I don't want to see her.'  Her voice was hoarse from screaming and her head thumped.

Libby watched as Daniel climbed into his car. He didn't look back again.

Libby was suffocating. She couldn't breath. Her desperate cries tried to escape but got caught in her throat.  

‘I want my daddy..... I want my daddy'


The lounge door opened and Julia came inside. The sight of her daughter sent a spear through her heart. She hated herself for doing this but she didn't have a choice.

Once the police had been called, it had all gotten very ugly. After the physical abuse the courts had intervened and this was the result. One hourly supervised visit, once a fortnight. The judge had said it was a temporary measure, until the medication has had a chance to work.

Julia walked tentatively towards her sobbing daughter wanting urgently to comfort and calm her. Libby had curled herself up in the corner of the room, where it was safe. Raising her head slightly, she sensed her mothers' approach.

‘I WANT DADDY, I WANT DADDY'  She had found her voice again.


Julia could taste the bile at the back of her throat. She looked into Libby's eyes and searched for forgiveness.  A sign of understanding, there was none.  Instead there was only hatred. Her own daughter hated her and as Julia realised, she didn't blame her?  She had split the family up, it was her fault that there once happy unit had been ripped apart.

‘Look darling; mummy has brought you a present.'

Julia held out the carefully wrapped package, with its pink shiny paper and bright fuchsia bow. Libby made no attempt to move. The package stayed in Julia's outstretched hand.

‘Don't you want to see what mummy has got for you, sweetie.'

‘NO. I WANT MY DADDY.'

Julia looked at the clock on the wall. Daniel had been gone six minutes now. How much longer would Libby be like this?

‘It's OK darling, mummy is here. I've got you something special for you to wear at ballet. I know you like ballet.'

‘I HATE BALLET, AND I HATE YOU. I WANT DADDY.'

The situation seemed hopeless. Julia knew Libby and Daniel had always had a special bond, after all it is Daddys' and their little girls.

Julia tried something else.  Picking up the book that Daniel had left on the table, she went and sat down on the sofa.

‘How about you come and sit next to me darling. I will read you your favourite story.'

Encouraged by the silence Julia began to read. She tried to ignore the sound of soft weeping and carried on with the story. Cinderella was getting dressed for the ball.

‘Libby darling, come here and see how pretty Cinderella looks in her beautiful ball gown.'

Libby had finally stopped crying. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were flushed. She felt hot. She wanted her daddy but she did love to hear all about Cinderella. She was a real princess.

Julia saw her daughter lift her head with interest. She gently stood up and slowly approached her.

‘Let me sit here darling, right next to you and then you can see how pretty Cinderella looks.'

Libby's legs hurt, she needed to stand. Crouching in the corner was giving her pins and needles. She could stretch her legs and then she would be more comfortable.

Was Cinderella in her sparkly pink dress or was it the purple one? Libby sat on the arm of the chair and angled her head so that she could see the book.

Julia read on. Not wanting to push Libby she kept her voice soft and full of enthusiasm for the story. When she had finished she looked over at Libby.

‘That was such a lovely story darling, do you want to open your present now?'

Libby did want to but she wasn't sure. She looked across the room at the present on the table. It did look pretty with is shiny paper and pretty bow. She wondered what was inside.

‘Go on darling, why don't you go and get it? You can bring it over here and we could open it together.'

Libby slowly got up from the chair, she walked towards the table and picked up the gift. Julia watched with relief as Libby tentatively tore at the paper.

Opening the box, Libby looked inside.  There, carefully wrapped in tissue paper was a shiny pair of silver ballet shoes.

‘Try them on sweetheart, see if they fit, I am sure I got your size.'

Libby took off her sandals and put on the shoes. They were perfect. She had never seen silver ballet shoes before. She looked just like Cinderella.

Julia felt her heart explode with a rush of love for her little girl. She fought the urge to pick her up and smother her with cuddles.  She had come a long way and had to be careful. 
It was then that Julia saw the clock again.  One hour had gone in a flash. The social worker had kept a watch on the time.  She looked at Julia and nodded.

‘Darling, mummy has to go now but I will be back very soon. Will you get daddy to take a picture of you in your pretty shoes for me?  I will put it on my mirror at home so that I can look at it everyday.'

Standing up Julia could see though the window, Daniel was already waiting outside in his car. Libby was still pirouetting in her new shoes. As she spun she too could see through the window.

‘Daddy is home, Daddy is home.'