"What? Why are you looking at me like that? I know I said it was going to be my last one, but for your information, I skipped breakfast and it's almost eleven, ok?" I try to argue, but I'm smiling inwardly.

Knowing I won't be able to tell him no, I stare at my Labrador and sigh. "Fine, you can have the last cookie yourself." I pet the top of his head and finish my coffee.

I've had Bear since I was fifteen, and he is a cookie lover. He was a gift from my dad, who said I needed a warrior to fight all the boys who wanted to date me, and he's been my best friend and companion ever since.

 My father has never really been a strict father, but he has always enjoyed pretending he is. So, every time we look into Bear's soft eyes, we joke about how terrible Bear's plans to protect my honor have gone. 

Me and my dad have always had a playful relationship.

Well, I mean, that is until he got sick two years ago. We still like to annoy each other, but now more and more often all I hear is that I need to live my life, and not waste it here taking care of a sick man.

Sighing, I look at my dad sitting in his recliner on the balcony. That's been his routine for almost two years. Wake up. Have some tea. Look at the sea.

I know depression will get to you sometimes once you discover you have cancer, but damn it, if it doesn't make my heart hurt every time I look at him like that.

Shaking my head, I make my way to the balcony and hug him from behind. "Hey, would you like something to eat? You only had some tea when you woke up."

Giving me one of his so frequent sad smiles, he shakes his head.

"Please dad, you need to eat," I insist.

"I'll have something later," he says, turning his attention back to the sea. Today he seems more focused than sad and I wonder what else I can do to help him.

"I could make you a sandwich before I leave to work..." I try once more.

Looking at me in the eyes, he takes some time to answer, and I just know I won't like what he has to say.

"Baby girl-" he starts, and I immediately interrupt him.

"Please dad, don't!" I'm tired of having this conversation over and over again.

"Please, just listen to me." He raises two fingers as if to silence me. "You know you are the most precious thing I have in my life, and I couldn't be prouder of you, right?" he asks as tears start filling my eyes.

"You are the best daughter a father could have. You're so compassionate, so generous, and so selfless. You gave up your life, a great job opportunity... And for what? To be here waiting tables and taking care of your old man?"

I swallow at his harsh words, force a smile, and attempt to joke, "You are not that old."

He smiles one of his true smiles this time, and they've been so rare lately, my heart instantly warms. "You've always been so full of life, Livy. Even as a little baby."

He sighs and continues, "I thought I wouldn't be able to raise you by myself, you know? After your mother died, I was so sad. And then I would think: How the heck can I raise a baby girl by myself? But then you would smile at me. For no reason at all you... you would just look at me with a smile on your face, and I was a goner. I just knew that everything would be okay as long as I had your smiles." His eyes water, and my heart breaks.

I smile sadly at his words because talking about my mom always brings me this bittersweet feeling. My mom died from a car accident when I was eight months old and dad never remarried. Being an accountant, he used to work long hours and spend most of his free time with me.

Of course, he would go on dates, but it was never anything serious. According to him, one woman was enough to drive him crazy. Now, deep inside, I think he just never got over mom's death, and no one could really understand how much we wish she was still alive.

Charles Smith had really worked hard and was the best father I could ever have. All he really demanded from me were good grades; he said that education was the best inheritance he could ever leave to me.

And he was right. I finished high school with honors and got full scholarships to three excellent colleges. I decided to leave the city to study English Literature and spread my wings and I couldn't be happier with my choices.

I graduated about two years ago and everything was going according to plan. I was renting a two-bedroom apartment with my college roommate Leah and had a good job lined up at a big publishing house.

Until one phone call changed everything.

I was having a drink with some friends when Mary, my dad's neighbor, called saying he had passed out and was admitted to the hospital. That night was a blur, and all I remember was booking a flight and praying during the entire trip back home.

He was at the hospital for a week and all kinds of exams had been done. But then I heard the news that was going to change my life forever. My father had cancer and there was nothing I could do.

I look from him to the ocean. "I know where you are going with this, but you know I'm not changing my mind. You're stuck with me here."

He touches my hair and sighs. We've been having this conversation for some time now. "Baby girl, your life is not here taking care of a dying man!"

"You are not dying!" I say angrily, blinking fast. I refuse to cry. Not over this.

He's not dying, damn it!

"I'm not responding to the treatments, Livy." He looks into my eyes.

"Dad..." I hold his gaze. "You know I still can have access to Nana's trust fund, and we'll have the money for that new treatment in Europe Dr. Lucas was talking about, right?"

He looks at me for a long time. "I'm tired, baby girl."

"Please, dad, just..."

He blinks fast. "I don't want you wasting your life here taking care of me. You are a brilliant young woman. You should be out there living your dreams."

"Dad, I can't lose you. You need to be optimistic too... You need to fight." I beg, hating the defeat in his eyes.

He sighs and looks back at the sea. He's always had a hard time saying no to me, and although deep inside I know it's selfish of me to demand something like that from him, I can't help it. He has to fight. He has to live.

"You know you have to be married to have access to the money, right? Otherwise, you'll only be able to have it when you are thirty-two. And from where I see it, there's not even a prospect of a boyfriend?" He raises his eyebrows as if he has won this round.

Well, here's the thing about my grandma in a nutshell. She was my mother's mother and believed a woman was not able to take care of herself and needed a man by her side. So, unless I find one soon, I can't have access to the money she left to me until I'm thirty-two. Too many years ahead.

"Let me deal with this, okay?" I pet his hand and take a deep breath. "Thanks for the ego boost; I know I'm great and all that." I smile, wiggling my eyebrows up and down, but the truth is my heart is breaking. I have no idea what I'm going to do.

"Right." He gives me a reluctant chuckle.

"You always know how to make me feel special." I wink at him and kiss his cheek.

"You're impossible." He shakes his head, and I know he is trying to keep a straight face.

"And you love me," I say while standing up.

"More than anything, baby girl." He sighs and once again turns his attention to the sea.

I'm not sure about how I'm going to get the money for his treatment, but I am going to do something. He's the only family I have left and the best father a person could ever asked for. But above all, he is one of the good guys, one of the best human beings out there.

There's no way I'm watching him die right in front of my eyes.

_____

A/N: Thanks so much for reading! 

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- Celeste