This is the story of Cye Mouri, his loving wife Nathalie, and his daughter Faith. It is a story of life and love, and how one can go on with life, even through suffering. With the help of our Creator, we can live on even in an unfair life, and cherish the good and bad times that occur while we spend our limited time on Earth. The moral is to cherish life and all it has to offer. Now...the story will unfold...

I wiped the sleep from my eyes. Wow! The day was beautiful and I turned off my radio, which was playing full blast in my ears. I hopped downstairs, holding my cuddly blue blanket in my hands that I had had ever since I could remember. Downstairs my Uncle Rowen sat drinking tea. I jumped into his lap. "Hello Uncle Rowen." I said in an innocent voice I used in the mornings so he wouldn’t push me off. He smirked at me. "Hello, Cye Jr." He teased. "Why do you call me that?" I asked putting my tiny hands on my hips. "You just look so much like your daddy, that’s all." Rowen said. He messed up my light brown hair that I had got from mommy and I crinkled my nose at him. He laughed. Then Aunt Michelle came through the door and I ran to give her a big hug...though I was only up to her waist. Michelle laughed and hugged me back. She handed me a cinnamon roll on a plate. "Thank you." I said and sat down at the table that I couldn’t reach up to get to my roll and as I struggled, I heard my daddy call down to me. "Faith? Is my little munchkin up yet?" he asked. I yelled out, "Daddy!!!!!!" and I ran into his arms and he pulled me into them for a tight hug and he kissed me on my cheek. I giggled as he tickled me and I laughed so hard that I cried.

Michelle and Rowen watched on as their 10 year old daughter, Hannah, came out and grabbed a cinnamon roll and slumped into a chair. "I’ve gotta say, that she might have her mother’s hair and gender, but the rest is all Cye! Look at that face and those eyes! I swear!" Daddy smirked at me and picked me up again, cradling me in his arms. "I think she looks just like Nat. Besides, it doesn’t matter what she looks like, I’ll love er’ anyway, cause she’ll always be my little munchkin." He stated to Michelle’s remark. He then put me down. "Well...I’ve gotta get to work. I’ll see you when I get home, okay? And remember I love you. Tell your mommy that I love her too, wont you?" he asked. "Of course!" I said. With that, he left.

He came home that night tired. But he was never too tired to give his two favorite girls in the world hugs.

That night, I had a nightmare. I woke up sweaty and crying. I peeked into mommy and daddy’s room. "Mommy? Daddy?" I whispered. No answer. "Mommy!!!!!!!" I yelled. They both jumped and got tangled under the covers for about a minute and when they finally got free after much screaming, Mommy yelled out. "Huh? What’s wrong sweetheart?" she asked. I put on my pitiful voice. "I had a bad dream." I said, making my eyes water up. Daddy sighed. "Okay, come on in." he said and I dug my way between them. I smiled. "Okay, now let’s get some sleep." Mommy said.

I woke up with Mommy still sleeping and Daddy was in the bathroom shaving. I crept up behind him and then suddenly jumped at him and he yelled. I let go and he turned to me, showing me a big bloody gash on his chin. He was raising an eyebrow at me. "There had better be a good reason why you did that, love." he began. "Eh Heh...sorry?" I tried. Mommy came in and looked blankly up at him. "Isn’t that going to be attractive at today’s meeting! Eh Nat?" he asked Mommy. She smiled back softly. "She’s only eight. Give her a break." she told him. "Well...it was funny only the first time she did it." he said. "Aw...don’t be that way about it, hun." she said and kissed him sweetly. "Eww! That’s yucky!" I said, covering my eyes. Daddy smirked at me as he let go of her and he picked me up. The fresh smell of shaving cream hit my nose and I sneezed in his face. "Darling, what did I tell you? No shaving cream around Faith, dear. The doctor says that she’s allergic to it. "Yeah, okay." Daddy replied and gave a mischievous grin to me. "So, you don’t like kisses eh, munchkin?" he asked. He tried to kiss me but I just smiled, giggled, and tried to dodge. He kept muttering "Ewww," trying to impersonate my high pitched voice. Then when I looked back at him for one second and thought that I was safe, he smiled and stole a kiss. "I can’t wait till you get your first kiss! I’ll be standing by to say ‘ew’ for you!" he said smiling. I laughed. "Boys have cooties!" I said. "Awwwwww! You don’t mean that, do you?" asked Daddy. I thought about that a second. "Except Daddy!" I said finally, putting me tiny hands on his cheeks. "That’s my girl! Give me a kiss!" he said in a baby voice. And I kissed his nose. He smiled. "Your Daddy’s girl forever." He said, and I hugged him...

I had my earphones on and I was listening to Toyama’s top radio station, 103.5. "Take off the headphones, dear. Time to go." Mom said. I sighed. "Okay mom! I’m coming." I said. I got into the car. Dad had on some weird music. "Who is that?" I asked in a tone that told him I didn’t like it. "It’s Kid Rock." He said turning it down. I complained. "It’s really bad." I said putting on my headphones again and Dad pulled them off of me. "Well...what station do you listen to?" he asked. " 103.5!!!" I jumped. He quickly adjusted it. Mom complained as I sang along to the song. "Cye, you are so soft on that girl." "She’s my baby." Dad said. "So am I." Mom pouted. "Well, if the music becomes intolerable I’ll change it back." he resolved. I smirked to myself. What type of music on this station could be intolerable? That was when the next song played. I slumped about 3 feet into my seat. I wanted to cover my face when I saw Dad’s face at the words of the song. At once he turned the other station back on. He just stared at me questioningly for a second using the mirror. I felt like I wanted to die.

I stood outside with my first date, Xavier. "Well, I guess I’ll go now." I said. He grabbed me back though. "Wait Faith." He said. "What is it?" I asked. "I—I just wanted to give you this." He said and he gave me a kiss. When he let go, he acted as though it had never happened. Sheepishly, he had muttered, " Well...see you on Monday." He said and gave an irresistible smile and drove off in his car. I stood there speechlessly staring down to road for about 3 minutes. Then when reality hit me, I was way past happy. I ran into the house with a smile on my face. Dad smiled and chuckled at me under his breath. Uncle Ryo and Aunt Kate, who noticed I was back, and seeing the dreamy look on my face said, "Good first date, I’m guessing." I sighed and went up to my room. About two minutes after I had crashed on my bed, Dad had came in. He sat down on my bed. I hardly noticed him. He put a hand in front of my face. "Yoohoo? Anyone home?" he asked. I just smiled. He chuckled. "I saw that..." he said. "What ever do you mean?" I asked. "Don’t pretend like it never ‘appened." He said with a mischievous grin. "How could I pretend it never happened?" I asked. "Remember Faith? Eww! That’s disgusting. Boys have cooties!" he said. "Not Xavier." I said and my mind wandered again. Dad patted my shoulder. "Have fun, love." He said and left with a grin...

My mom tied the dress from the back. "You look so pretty!" she said crying. It was my wedding day. I was still waiting for my dad to get here. "Your Dad will be a little late. He’s going to get the bouquet for you." Mom said.

He wasn’t here yet. I was getting worried. That’s when I heard a knock at the door. My face had lightened. I opened the door. It wasn’t my dad though. It was a man I had never seen in my life. "Your father has been in an accident. He sent me to get you." he said and I heard one of my friends say, "But the Wedding start’s in two minutes!" but I ignored her. Dad was more important.

I arrived at the hospital. The nurse led us to the room. When she opened the door, I found his eyes and I choked up. My Dad smiled at me. He didn’t even look like my dad anymore. He raised one of his hands to me and handed me a bouquet. "I got it for you, love." he said. He gave a weak smile. Half of the rose petals had fallen off and I almost cried. He had tried so hard to get there in time. "Daddy..." I tried and I hugged him. He drew in a deep shallow breath. "I love you, daddy." I said. Through the tangled mess that the car accident had left him in, he smiled at me and his eyes widened. Those eyes gave away that it really was him. It was him! I cried tears of joy. "Don’t cry, love. I’ll make it to the wedding. God, you look so damn pretty." he said and stroked my face. He stroked the tears away and kissed them away with his tender lips that he had used to kiss away ‘boo-boos’ and had spoken to me so lovingly all my life. Then he took his hands off my face. "Uh...I need to go to sleep now." he told her. "O-o-okay." I said. "Give your dad a kiss...won’t you?......munchkin?" he asked. I gave him a sweet kiss and as he let go he smiled up at me and closed his eyes. "Dad?" I asked. No answer. "Daddy?" I tried. I shook him. "Daddy?!?!" I tried again. Nothing. "NURSE!!!" I yelled. They came in. After about 5 minutes they delivered the news. Dad was dead. My soul died at that moment. I was choking up. My dad, Cye, was dead. He died bringing me flowers. He died trying to be with me. Mom cried the most I think, but inside I was torn apart the most. My whole life was shredded apart when he died. No more kisses or huggs....no more him. Some how...I continued on with the wedding that day. It was the way he would have wanted it. I know. And now...I think back, and I realize that he had always had my best interests in mind. He had always done things for my good. Like the time he had warned me not to get on the motorcycle with that wild dude I used to date. I remembered waking up in the hospital bed with my dad’s "I told you so," look on his face. Now I’d like to say one thing to my dad. I love you too...from your little munchkin...Faith...