“Chloe, we have to pack it up, sweetheart. It’s almost time for lunch and then my friend Ryan is coming to visit us, remember?” I look down into her sparkling blue eyes and see the big clouds of disappointment starting to move over them.

“But, but, Daddy, it’s my special princess tea party.” She pouts and her crown slides sideways on her wispy, red curls.

“I know, honey.” I can’t help but smile at the adorably frowny face she’s putting on. I remember what this place looked like only a year ago. Back then, I was using this entire room for storage. Mostly I had my old military gear in here, stuffed in around an old treadmill I never used and a bunch of tools I had collected over the years.

I remember distinctly the gripping terror of bringing Chloe home for the first time. The realization that washed over me as I walked her into the house and realized I didn’t know the first thing about being a father. My house was about as far from child-proof as you could get. With a fridge full of beer and leftover takeout food, I didn’t even know what to feed her.

I tilt my head and smile as I gaze over the small bed I put together for her covered in a My Little Pony blanket. Her toy box is overflowing with toys and her costume rack is almost buried in every kind of princess dress you can imagine. I remember changing the electrical sockets around the bottom half of the wall to the child-safe ones that are in there now. The learning curve was steep, but making this house a home for Chloe was worth it.

She saved my life.

“All right, how about this? I’ll have a tea party with you, but only for fifteen minutes, got it? Then it’s time to tidy up and get on with the rest of the day. Understand?”

Chloe nods enthusiastically as she bounces around the room overjoyed that she doesn’t have to cut her princess party short.

“Okay, okay! You can wear this crown.” She rushes across the floor and tugs a sparkly, pink plastic tiara from a pile and rushes back over to me.

I sigh and lift it up, placing it delicately on my head. I’m glad Ryan isn’t going to be here for a few hours. This is an image I could live without him seeing.

“Oh, Daddy! You look so bee-you-tiful.” Chloe claps her hands together as she grabs my hand and leads me to the foam mat on her floor.

Spread out in front of me is a half circle of stuffed animals and her tea set has been carefully placed in the center of the action. “Do I sit here?”

She sports a big, toothy grin as she leads me to my spot and nods. I ease down onto the floor and marvel at how effortlessly she flops down beside me.

“You can be Princess Sophia,” she exclaims and shakily picks up the teapot from the floor. “Hold up your cup, Daddy. I am giving you some tea,” she explains.

“I mean, can’t I even be a prince or something? How about Prince Jackson? I think that’s got a nice ring to it.” I hold up my tiny, flower encrusted mug.

“No, you are Princess Sophia. I am Princess Belle.” She pouts as she helps me get this straight.

“Okay, fine.” I sigh. “Princess Belle, can I have some tea, please?” I hold out my cup and watch as she pretends to pour me some of the imaginary liquid. The small tiara on my head stays in place as I sip at the air, slurping loudly while Chloe squeals happily.

Honestly, when she laughs like that, I would gladly be a princess any day. Just hearing her giggle makes it all worth it.

“Daddy, we forgot cheers.”

“We forgot what?” I can see that I messed up the rules in her pretend world somehow as she scrunches up her nose.

“Cheers. Do this.” She lifts up her tea cup gingerly. I follow her lead and she smashes her mug into mine with enough force that if there was real tea in there it would be all over the floor.

“Cheers!” she squeals.

“Okay, cheers, honey.” I shake my head and try not to laugh.

Tap-tapitty-tap-tap.

“Who’s that?” Chloe’s eyes go wide.

Tap-tap.

I’m not entirely sure, but I stand up to go find out. My daughter is hot on my heels as I walk down the stairs to the front door. As I circle my hand around the knob, I remember I’m still wearing a crown and I try to tug it free from my hair as I swing the door open. I didn’t realize when I put it on that it had a little prickly comb on the bottom, so the tiara digs into my hair and hangs off the side of my head as Ryan’s familiar face stares in disbelief.

“Well, don’t you look pretty.” Ryan smiles smugly and I pull on the plastic until it’s freed from the tangled mess it made of my hair.

“Thank you,” Chloe answers in a sing-song, not knowing that the ‘compliment’ was meant for me.

“You’re early.” I lift up my daughter and step back, letting Ryan inside.

“And I’m so glad I was. It would’ve been a real shame to miss that.” He laughs.

“Nice ride.” I glance out at the gleaming Harley, shimmering like unbridled freedom itself in my driveway.

“Thanks, man, I love it. It’s been nice to see the country on her.” He smiles wistfully at his hog.

“I bet.” I remember when I drove my own bike out on the open roads a lifetime ago. That was before Chloe came into my life and I traded in my Honda Rebel for nursery furnishings. Sometimes I miss it, but as my daughter likes to say ‘no trade backs!’

“Let’s stop talking, Daddy,” Chloe helpfully suggests like she always does when she’s bored with the conversation. She turns her attention to one of the men I consider a brother, my fellow SEAL Ryan. “I have a great idea.”

“Oh, what’s that?” he answers her cheerfully.

“How about we all play princesses?” She giggles and Ryan gives me a look. If I know my little girl, and I do, she’ll have us all throwing back imaginary teas like frat boys with beer.

“Come on in, man.” I lead Ryan into the house. “Make yourself at home.”