Princess Abagail(Darrell Case) Abagail ran into the house. Her mother heard the front door slam. Then feet running up the stairs and another door slam. She came from the kitchen drying her hands on a dish towel.

“Abagail honey, is that you.” Receiving no answer, Ellen climbed the stairs. Before she reached the bedroom door, she heard the sobbing of her 6-year-old daughter. It had been hard for both of them since her husband and Abagail’s daddy died a month ago. Even when he was ill from the treatments and just before the cancer took him, he would set in the easy chair with Abagail on his lap. Sometime he read her a story from the old storybook he had as a child.

But her favorite was one he made up himself. He wrapped those once strong arms around her and told her one he called Princess Abagail.

A young girl walks the street, lost and alone. She is hungry and her clothes are in rags. No one will help her. She has no memory of how she came to be here. Overwhelmed with grief, she sets down on the sidewalk and sobs. It seems as if the entire world is against her. Suddenly a shining Rolls Royce pulls up to the curb right in front of her. The homeless girl watches a chauffeur open the rear door. A man in a regal uniform exits the car.

“Your majesty. I have come to take you home.” He said, bowing before her.

“Me? You want me?” The girl said, her eyes wide, her mouth open.

“Yes, your majesty. You are the long-lost princess.” The man said. Entering the car, Abagail is told a magical tale of the evil witch that banished her from the kingdom. The king and his army fought against the witch and her army. Now the witch and her army are dead and the king victorious.

The little girl had heard the story a hundred times, yet as his voice grew faint, she would snuggle up against her father’s chest and listen. Many times, she fell asleep while her father recounted the story of how Abigail was taken from the street and whisked away to the palace. There she was, clothed in a gold and silk dress. Set at a delicious meal. In the end of the story, Abagail married the handsome prince. And of course they lived happily ever after.

Now Abagail’s mother stood outside the door to her daughter’s bedroom and listened to her weep. Tears came to her eyes as she thought of her husband. Ellen lightly knocked on the door. Then opened it. Her daughter set cross-legged on the bed. She had removed her shoes as her parents taught her. She looked up at her mother, her eyes spilling over with tears. Ellen’s eyes moistened. She usually confined her weeping to her bedroom late at night when her daughter was asleep. She tried to remain strong for Abagail.

“I miss him, mommy. I miss my daddy.” Abagail said. Ellen set down on the bed, wrapping her arms around her daughter. She let her cry. “I know, honey. So do I.” she said, determined not to let her emotions take over. She held her daughter until she slept. Gently, she lay Abagail’s head back on the pillow. Ellen went to her bedroom. Listening to her husband’s voice, Ellen determined what she was going to do. She knew in her heart it was time.

That night after the evening meal, Abagail snuggled up in her father’s chair. Suddenly, she heard his voice. Strong as it was just after he found out he had cancer. Ellen set her voice recorder down beside the little girl. As Abagail listened to her daddy retell the fairy tale, tears came to her eyes, but there was a smile on her face. At the end of the story, she looked up at her mother.

“Mommy, it was just like he was here again.” Abagail said.

“Yes, honey, it was like he was right here with us,” Ellen said, smiling.

That night, in Abagail’s dreams, her father lived again.           

 

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