As she grew, that little girl found her soul in music. Her talent, as her being, grew and blossomed into a thing of beauty. When her hands graced a piano it came to life. The people around her loved to sit and listen as the music poured forth. She attended many recitals, but was never convinced of her talent.

"You're never gonna make it." The smell of alcohol overwhelmed her. "You're too unstable. No good."

It would always be like this. But then he was gone--wiped out as if he had never existed. The only mark he left were the scars on the heart and soul of his little girl. And as they lowered him in the ground, a soft whisper floated gently past the few bowed heads.

"I love you, Daddy. I promise I'll love you forever."

Time passed and the young woman buried herself more and more into her music. Friends urged her to audition for a place in a major musical that was to rehearse in that city. It took a long time to finally convince her that her talent was worthy so great an aspiration. She had to be escorted to the audition, but could not be accompanied inside as it was open only to the musicians.

She slowly mounted the stairs and entered; the building. Applications were handed out just inside the door. She took one, walked over to an empty table, and sat down. The young woman fidgeted a bit before she picked up the pen. She filled out the application and went over to stand in line and await her turn. As she slowly looked around, the feelings of self doubt started in her stomach and quickly grew to encompass her entire being. Sweat broke out on her forehead, and her hands began to shake. The application paper rattled noisily in her hand causing many of the other occupants in the room to turn and look at her. Oh God, she thought, what am I doing here. I can't do this.

The door closed behind her with a barely audible click, and the application paper floated gently towards the street. Even in death the man had to power to close the door and leave the frightened little girl, who was now contained inside the woman, once more alone in the dark. And yet again those words echoed in the recesses of her mind.

“"I love you Daddy. I promise I'll love you forever.”

Patty Herriot is a Metis and mother of two. She is in her third year of the Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.