The grassy hills seemed to sway in cool breeze, and the sun sparkled down onto us, engulfing us in its warm comfort. I looked to my left and stared at her. My beautiful daughter, in her white dress that flowed around her body as she ran towards her Daddy, screaming and laughing, as little girls do. I swept her up off the ground and spun her around in a warm embrace, smelling the sweet flowers that were decorated in her long blonde hair.

“Daddy!” she cried, her face radiating joy and excitement. “You’re here Daddy!”

I looked into her innocent blue eyes and smiled. “I guess so honey.” I sat her back down onto the grassy hill and we walked hand-in-hand to the near-by shade tree.
When we arrived, she lay down on the ground and asked me to join her. I carefully squatted down onto the soft grass next to her, and relaxed as we looked at the lushes’ clouds passing in the light blue sky. I looked at Emily lying beside me and she smiled when she noticed I was watching.
“Daddy, I never want this day to end!” She proclaimed as her attention shifted back toward the sky.
“Neither do I honey.” I replied as I moved my hand to stroke her hair.
“Daddy, I missed you a lot.” She sighed as she looked back towards me.
“I missed you too Em,” I choked out as a tear started to form.
“Daddy, why are you here though?” She asked.
“Well honey, Daddy was in a very bad car accident, and didn’t make it, but now, I can be here with you.” I said soothingly.
“But Daddy, what about Mommy? You have to be with her.” She said.
“Mommy, is very strong, and will be okay. But now, I have to be here with you.” I stated, still tearing up as my little girl looked at me.
“No you don’t Daddy. I am fine here. I have been fine here for three years. But Mommy needs you now. You have to go back to her, and be with her.” She declared knowingly.
“But I can’t go back now.” I responded, wiping the tears from my face.
“Yes you can Daddy. It’s not time for you to come here yet.” She pressed.
“Then why didn’t you stay with us?” I begged, now weeping as I spoke. “Why didn’t you stay? It wasn’t your time to go!”
“Daddy, I was sick, and I had to go because it was my time. You will know in your heart when it is truly time to go.” She spoke, now getting up off the ground.
I too stood up before replying. “Well, I guess your right sweetie. But I promise we’ll be together again someday. Okay?” I said softly, as I bent down to hug her once more.
“I love you Daddy, and tell Mommy I love her too. I’ll see you later.” She said, still in my arms.
“We’ll be together forever someday sweet heart.” I promised in a whisper, for my throat was too knotted up to speak any louder. At last I released her from the hug.
Emily smiled at me once more, and then turned away and walked away from me into the grassy hills beyond, and slowly, things around me started to fade away.
There was a loud noise. It was a high pitched wailing sound that I registered as an ambulance. I slowly cracked my eyes open and saw the paramedics above me.
“Stay with us sir!” They pleaded as the ambulance rushed through traffic with me inside.
One of the paramedics raised two metal squares from my chest and I recognized them as those shockers that they used to get people’s hearts to pump again.
“We got a pulse!” The man with the shock machine proclaimed.
The other paramedic looked at me and smiled. “You gave us a scare for a minute sir.”
I tried to smile, but it was hard with the oxygen mask over my face. I closed my eyes again and drifted into sleep. The next time I opened my eyes was in the hospital, where my wife stood by my bed side and was wiping the tears from her face.
“Oh honey, I was so scared!” She wept. “They said your heart stopped and you were dead for a few minutes!”
I reached out for her hand, and pulled her closer before whispering to her.
“I saw Emily, and she said that now wasn’t the right time.”

The doctors told me that it was just a hallucination, but I know that I saw my little girl that day. And I will see her again.