The sun was shining brightly when I came out of the school gates. The leaves on the trees were whispering in the light wind, and the world around me seemed so ordinary, but emotions were bubbling inside me. The time spent in the classroom dragged on slowly. I was already heading to the bus stop when I noticed a familiar car–our family car. My heart started beating faster. "Mom must have decided to pick me up," I thought hopefully. I came closer, opened the doors, and sat in the back seat, preparing to hug my mom. But instead of a sweet look and warm words, I saw him– Dad. My father, Nikolai, was a military man, and his work always took up our time. We saw each other rarely, and each of his returns was a celebration. He was sitting at the wheel, his uniform neatly fitting his shoulders, and on his face was the smile I had been waiting for for so long. -Did you miss me, Princess? –he said, and in his voice there was the tenderness that I loved so much. I couldn't help but smile. It was as if all the expectations, all the minutes spent apart, had disappeared into thin air. –Dad! -I exclaimed, and the next moment his arms wrapped around me like a warm blanket on a cool evening. I could smell his cologne and cleanliness, which was always so soothing. -I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner, -he said as I rocked in the backseat with joy, as if I were still a little girl. –The service was hard, I couldn't finish earlier.