I Have A "Daddy", He Loves Me And I Love Him Too

I feel very close to the flood victims in New York. I was a flood victim during Harvey. I lived in an old rental house a block and a half from the bayou. I never went that way and I didn't know. I was 24 with my first job with benefits. I owned my grandmothers 12 year old car, some of her furniture, my clothes and 100 in the bank. I didn't have rental insurance and my car only had liability insurance which I was behind on. I woke up when the water covered the bed, I managed to wade to the front door and outside wade swim to the tree in the front yard and grab and climb into the tree.

Around me there was nothing but water up to the eaves in the house, and across the lawns to the other houses. I didn't see any people. After sun up two guys in a boat rescued me, I was in panties and a t-shirt. They dropped me off at this street and I was taken to a shelter downtown. No phone, no ID. no clothes, wet, filthy, alone, scared. The bathroom was filthy, poop on the floor, I managed to get to a sink and wash my face. I found a place with donated clothes, a shirt, a pair of jeans, a pair of shoes. I kept my panties, I could not wear someone else's panties.

A man loaned me his cell phone, the only adult I knew was my boss. I always seemed to memorized phone numbers and I called him, when he answered I started crying. "Baby where are you? ". Baby, he called me Baby. "Baby, I'm coming, I will tie an American flag to the Tahoe, wait for me outside, at least an hour, but it could be longer, I will be there to get you". I waited outside, the line of cars never ended, people being dropped off and picked up, until I saw the flag. I ran, he saw me and got out and I jumped into his arms. "Baby I've got you", he kissed me and put me in the car.

I live with him and his wife, out in the suburbs where it didn't flood. They bought me clothes and another car, he won't let his girls drive a car he wouldn't drive. I work with him, I guess I'm the special one. He calls me Baby, at work, at the mall, after dinner too. He hugs me in a special way, I hang on his neck and kiss his cheek. I'm attached to him I admit it. I don't deny I've woken up between he and his wife, many, many times. I'm ok, but I don't like being alone, and I sleep like a baby when he holds me. It's not a secret to his family. With what happened this week on the news all the memories came up and I have to be hugged.

One moment I was asleep and the next I was going to drown. I cried in that tree, I prayed for him to save me. I love him, and his wife, I love her too. But I love him, like I've never loved anyone before. I'm his Baby, he's my, you can say it, everyone else does. He's my Daddy, I'm a Daddy's girl. And I sleep in his arms.