Mark couldn’t believe on how beautiful Lua was. He would never get tired of looking at her, but probably all parents were like that. It didn’t matter that she was growing older, she wasn’t that little baby that need all the care in the world anymore, but she was still his baby girl and he would always protect her. She has your smile, and your beauty, she lights up the day when she walks into the room, it doesn’t matter if she is in a bad mood she stills light up the day. She’s the happiness of his life. Her temper comes from him, he never saw you have a bad temper or throw a tarantum like she was able to do. But truth to be told, he never saw you do so many things. Whenever he discovered a new trait on your daughter he would think at that day in the change room of his university basketball team. He was leaning against his locker and you were sitting on the bench in front of him. He liked to arrive earlier on the game days to concentrate better and not be disturbed. You knew that, that’s why you were there before the other boys from the team arrived. You glowed, he could see the light coming out of you, if you were beautiful before now you looked like a godness. Mark was more than happy to have you disturb his concentration. He was always happy to see you. He could never hide it from anyone. “I can’t stay for the game, but I wanted to tell you in person, I’ll be cheering for you!” Your sweet voice singed in a smile. “But today is the final game of the season! You already didn’t come to any of the games and now you tell me you came all the way here to not watch it?” He asked in disbelief. “I know, I’m been a terrible friend! But I can’t risk to watch the game and have something happen, you know there is no safe place for me to be once you win the game! I can’t risk get hurt, not right now” you said. “Yeah! I know!” He said kneeing down in front of you “I’m sorry! It’s just… My parents came to see the game, and I was hopping we could all celebrate once the game is over" "Of course we can! You’ll just need to pick me up at the dorm!” You smiled and rested his warm hand on your eight months old baby belly. Lua could always recognize her father, it didn’t matter she was an accident from a drunk one night stand while Mark had had another fight and broke up with his on and off girlfriend. He was her father and you always made sure she knew it. His eyes always filled with tears when she moved and he felt it. Even thought it was an accident it was the most beautiful one in his life. You weren’t a girl to go to parties and sleep with many guys, but it was the start of your last year of university and you already studied so much this past three years one party won’t do any bad, you friend had told you, and you believed her. The next day she was crazily hyper, you had spent the night with Mark Tuan, the hottest guy in school. Three months later you and him were having a very serious talk. You were pregnant and the chances were that it was all his, since you didn’t date anyone and had lost your viginity to him. He had accepted it easily, called his parents took you over to his place in LA on the long weekend that happened a few weeks after. They supported you in the decision to keep it. “How’s your relationship?” You asked drying up the tear with your finger tips. “It doesn’t matter actually! I won’t have more time for her once the year ends” He lifted your shirt to kiss your stomach “I’ll be by your side all the time after the game ends”. “Liar! I’m sure she’ll come here once you win and you two will go celebrate it all night” you smiled and caressed his hair away from his face. “I don’t have space for in my life anymore” He insisted with you and looked towards the entrance of the changing room, the boys were coming, the noise was their announcement. “Can you score the final point for us?” You asked him while he helped you up. “I will win the game for you!” He kisses your cheek walking you to the door, when the boys came to view. All boys greeted you and made sure to caress your stomach for good luck, they had always been helpful and lovely with you. Even got into argument upon who would teach your baby how to play basketball and dribble and all other things they did on the game. Mark could never forget that day, he won the game for you, and his baby, you were already asleep once he arrived to pick you up to celebrate. The next day you felt sick and he took you to the hospital. Now five years later he only had Lua. The name came from the Moon, you were fascinated by it, the night sky and the beauty of it. It was just like you, beautiful, mysterious and enchanting. He sat by the side of her bed a little longer, she was exhausted, the birthday party prolonged much more than he expected, but he didn’t mind, seeing the smile on her face while she played with her friends and ran around, jumping on the bouncing castle he had hired for the party. After the kids left at 7, his friends came around and kept her up until 10 almost 11 at night. The boys from the basketball team were still his close friends, filling her with gifts just like the day she was born. Balloons, basketball balls, dolls, clothes, shoes, everything from boyish to very girly and princess like. Caressing her hair, he kissed her forehead, made sure she was well covered up and left her room, leaving the door sightly open to let some light in in case she woke up at night. He walked to his room just a few steps away and turned the light on. The mess down stairs could wait until the next morning. He looked at the always empty side of his bed and saw you, eyes closed, hair a mess and your fair skin displayed for him. Just like in that morning he woke up by your side. Sighing he walked to his bathroom and washed his face before undressing to go to bed. It had been a very long day. It didn’t take him long to fall asleep after getting in bed. “Appa!” Mark shifted and opened his eyes looking at the beautiful five years old sitting by his side on the bed. “Baby? What are you doing awake? Did you have a bad dream?” He asked after realizing it was still dark outside and she should be still asleep. “No!” She shook her head and smiled at him “I needed to tell you, something! I got a gift!” She chipped happily. “I know love! Many, from all your friends and uncles” he shook his head lightly to get rid of his sleep and focus on his daughter. “But this one is a very special one!” He then realized she was holding something. He turned around to tun the night light on. “Omma came to see me when I was sleeping! She said she loves me and that I’m very pretty, she also said I have to be good to appa and that she love you too! She is always protecting us from the skies!” The little one said in a singed voice, just like her mother used to do. “She gave me this too!” She handed her father a plush basketball ball with arms and legs wearing his team shirt. It was the same one he had gotten as birthday gift years ago when you were still pregnant, the difference was that this one has glitter and pink shoes. Jumping out of the bed Mark ran all over the house checking all windows and doors scared someone may had entered his house and was after his daughter. Once he had checked everything, we went back to his room where his daughter was in his bed with the plush toy. He stopped by the door dead on his track when he saw you again. This time you looked different from all the other times he’d seen you, no big belly, just a white summer dress long wavy hair. You kissed Lua’s head after had tucked her in and and winked at her father before disappearing. It took him a moment to recompose himself before walking into his room and back to his bed. Once he laid down by her side he also kissed her head. “I love her too!”