Blue skies. Soft sand. Waves crashing.

Me, you and our two year old daughter Delilah were sat on the beach, it was a beautiful day. Even more so because my two beautiful girls were with me.

My wife and my daughter were the only two people in the world to tame the sadistic, monster of a man I am.

If I were the storm, they were the calm following after. If I were the devil himself, they were the two angels able to see good in me.

You were building a sandcastle for Delilah, well, trying to. Delilah was sat beside us watching you build the sandcastle, clapping and giggling. Eventually it toppled over, which reduced our little girl to a blubbering, snotty mess. Of course, my fatherly instincts kicked straight in. The sound of Delilah crying had always tugged at my usually stone cold heart in a way I couldn’t explain.

I could tell by the look on your face that you felt terrible because the sandcastle fell. “Dada will try.” I said, ruffling my daughter’s hair. She was clearly happy about this because the tears stopped and she was clapping and giggling again.

Usually I’m a ruthless dangerous mob boss, in that moment I was a dad determined to put a smile on my daughter’s face with a sandcastle. Half an hour went by and I had managed to make a pretty big sandcastle, I even carved small details into the sand to make it look more like a castle. You looked very impressed with my unknown sandcastle making skills.

Delilah was jumping around in her own excited bubble, she ran towards me and jumped into my arms. “Love you dada.” She said with a big grin on her face.

My jaw slightly dropped. “Did you ju—I love you too, princess.” I replied, holding her close.

My heart almost stopped

My daughter had just told me she loves me for the first time.

She loves me.