Daddy

My darling Doodlebug,

I met your Daddy 'on the line' as Granny M would say. We chatted on email for a few weeks then went on a date for lunch at Benihanas in Picadilly, followed by a visit to the Royal Academy for their Maya exhibition. Daddy told me he'd be easy to spot because he had a backpack that made him look like French exchange student. I'd have known him any where though! I remember very little about the date: I remember Daddy bought me a book as a gift; I remember running into a uni friend of Daddy's and his pregnant girlfriend and having a very awkward conversation with them before they left us to it; I remember heading to the bar in Waterstone's afterwards because we didn't stop talking; I remember being a little bit gutted when it was over (Daddy had to go to a concert and I had arranged a meal with my best friend so I had an excuse to leave if it turned out to be awful. Note to self: always have a back-up plan.) I remember not being sure whether he liked me or not because Daddy, then as now, is quite a hard man to read. Julia and Granny M will tell you, as they did on our wedding day, that I did nothing but talk about him. They will tell you I was sure that he was 'The One'. I don't remember. What I remember is the sick feeling in my tummy waiting for him to call or email; the not knowing whether I would ever hear from him again.

Fortunately Daddy is not a typical man: Granny and Grandpa bought him up to have excellent manners, and he called me the very next morning. Phew! I was heading to France to work for the Christmas period, but we kept in touch via text the whole time. In fact, when I fell very ill, it was daddy who helped keep up my spirits. The job took an odd detour via San Francisco, so that I ended up being on my own on New Year's Eve thousands of miles from home, but it didn't matter. Because when I got back to the UK, I was going to see him again. It snowed on our second date, at the Oxo tower, but I don't remember being cold, because daddy held my hand all the way back to Waterloo station. And, whilst we were sitting having a drink in the Hole In The Wall pub opposite (again, we didn't want the date to end) he kissed me. And that was that. It's not the most glamorous or romantic setting for a first kiss, but I guarantee that it didn't make it any less special.

I got to see him lots after that- we went for dinners and friend's parties. And I never came across anyone who had a bad word to say about the man I had fallen in love with. He's very special. He's thoughful and caring and compassionate. He does his very best to understand me though I suspect he's fighting a losing battle. He's my best friend and I love him with all my heart. And he's your daddy.

All my love,

Mamma
xxx