It started as a little habit.

She’d finish her snack, wipe her hands on that same flowery dress, and wander over to the door like it was part of her schedule. No TV, no toys—just the door.

Sometimes she’d sit cross-legged on the mat.
Sometimes she’d stand with her nose pressed to the glass, whispering little updates like,
“Daddy, it rained today,”
or
“I saved you the blue jellybean.”

At first, we thought it was cute.
Then it turned into a ritual.
Rain or shine, weekday or weekend, she was there.
Waiting.

And he always made it worth it. Every single time, the second that door opened, she lit up like it was Christmas morning. He’d scoop her up, kiss her forehead, and say,
“Thanks for keeping the house safe, Lieutenant.”

Today, though…

The door stayed shut.

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She waited like always.
Cross-legged. Dress wrinkled. Hair messy. Hands gripping the edge of the welcome mat like it was her anchor.

I tried to coax her away.
“Sweetheart, let’s go read. Or color. Or maybe go outside for a bit?”

She shook her head.
“Not yet. He might still come. Maybe he’s stuck in traffic.”

She said it like she had the whole thing figured out—like grown-ups get stuck in traffic all the time.
I nodded.
Because I couldn’t say the truth.

Two months ago, we buried him.

A drunk driver. Wrong side of the highway. Three seconds. Gone.

She knows he’s in heaven. We talk about it.
But what no one tells you about kids is that grief doesn’t follow a straight line.
It loops. Rewinds. Pretends.
Waits.

She stayed by the door until the sun dipped below the trees.

Then she stood, walked over to me, and quietly asked,
“Do they have doors in heaven?”

I swallowed a lump in my throat.
“Maybe they do, baby. Maybe Daddy’s standing by his door too.”

She nodded like that made perfect sense.

Then she did something that nearly broke me in half—
She walked back to the door, pressed her tiny hand against the glass, and whispered:

“It’s okay if you’re late, Daddy. I’ll wait tomorrow too.”

She’s asleep now, curled up in his old hoodie.
And I’m sitting here with a cup of cold tea and a shattered heart.

Grief doesn’t care how old you are.
But neither does love.

Because somehow, even in her pain, our little girl still believes.

Still hopes.

Still waits.