“Papa i’m scared”, I whisper, trying to close my eyes afraid of the monsters under my bed. “It will be okay sweetie”, he whispers back.

“Papa i’m scared”, I whisper, about to push off of the slide in the playground. “It will be okay sweetie”, he whispers back.

“Papa i’m scared”, I whisper, seeing Ersaila in the Little Mermaid appear on the screen. “It will be okay sweetie”, he whispers back.

“Papa i’m scared”, I whisper, the day before first grade. “It will be okay sweetie”, he whispers back.

“Papa i’m scared”, I whisper, about to graduate elementary school, starting middle school. “It will be okay sweetie”, he whispers back.

“Papa i’m scared”, I whisper, about to try out for a volleyball team for the first time. “It will be okay sweetie”, he whispers back.

“Papa i’m scared”, I whisper, starting my first day of 8th grade. “It will be okay sweetie”, he whispers back.

“Papa i’m scared”, I whisper, about to begin my senior year. What I would give to hear your voice whisper, “It will be okay sweetie”, one more time.