Work Text:
Opening up the small plastic photo album that must've been bought last minute, is a picture of him sitting next to a little girl. It's a grainy photo of the two of them. He's scooping up the girl close to him, squishing the twos face together as they smile wide eyed into the camera. They seem to be sitting in a booth at a diner, based on the red and white stripped theme behind them.
the girl has two blond braids with bangs held up with two bobby-pins. He remembers her complaining about her bangs all the time but they were too cute to cut yet so they settled on a morning routine of always putting in her pins. Even going so far as making it a fun hobby to find all the different pins they could find at the thrift store. Maybelle had one with a ladybug on the end that she loved so much she put it on almost every day. The frog one was a close second of course.
Maybelle had so much joy in her eyes he almost sobbed at the sight. If only he could reach through the photo and hold her in his arms as the photo suggests. He would give anything to give her just, one, more hug. To scoop her up in his arms and squeeze her so tight that she couldn't fly away. Grace held the photo close to his head as he closed his eyes as he remembered the daughter he poured all his love into.
breathing a heavy breath almost getting caught in his chest as he flipped to the next photo in the album. This was all he had left of her, just the memories he could remember. How sad is that? Not being able to remember your daughter, your daughter! Another tear rolled down his face.
Maybelle's curled up in this one, tucked in her space themed quilt they had bought at a local artist fair. She had smiled so bright when she saw it that she practically begged him to buy it for her (how could he say no? It's literally space themed). She's hugging her prized stuffed fox, one of the first things he bought her after she was born. Sue him, he wanted to buy her the cute fox to match him. She loved that thing fierce, always taking it everywhere she went.
He remembers the one time they had lost, " Mr. Fox," as she so dutifully called him, at the park. They looked high and low and almost didn't find him. Luckily for them, a nearby parent had seen them looking for him and had found it for them. Maybelle was so happy she almost cried as she hugged Mr. Fox so tight he probably couldn't breathe (if he had lungs I suppose).
Every little thing he could remember about her almost made his heart break. It was the little things that really tugged at his chest.
He so badly wanted to run his hands through her hair and smile down at her as she dozed off into wonderland. Her hair always had curles in it from all the braids she wore. He could almost feel the soft hair getting interrupted by a small knot that he would brush out carefully. Maybelle loved when they would sit together at the tv as he played with her hair. She fell asleep everytime.
Tears were fully falling down his face at this point, there was no stopping them anytime soon. The next photo had Maybelle sitting at their table with Mac and cheese all over her face. She was a bit younger in this one, must've only recently gotten her hands on silverware.
She had one noodle sticking out of her mouth as the rest was either in her bowl or on the surrounding table. She had the biggest grin on her face, smilling at the camera. He must've taken this photo.
The very last one he can stomach handling today was a baby photo. A small little Maybelle is in a bear themed outfit as she giggles into her fathers face. He's leaning down to meet her as they both smile, happy as can be.
She looks so happy. He looks so happy.
Grace began to sob as he curls into a ball with the photo album held close to his chest, keeping it there as if to immortalize the love he held for his sweet daughter. He'll never see his May again.