They had spent a glorious day together at the fair. The air was alive with the excitement of people laughing and screaming on the rides. The smell of scones and elephant ears and popcorn. The vivid colors of the balloons and the clowns and the brightly lit games. They had eaten and played and laughed all day.
But it was dark now and her legs were tired. As she yawned, her eyes told her that it was past her bedtime. She lifted her arms up to daddy to carry her back to the car. As she laid her head on his shoulder, she could feel herself drifting off to sleep. Through sleepy, half-opened eyes she asked, “Daddy, how much do you love me?” Her father smiled as he grabbed her handful of colorful balloons from her loosening grasp.
“Let me tell you how much,” he said. She lifted her head up to see his face. He took the green balloon from among the others and let it go. “I love you greener than the lights that flashed when you won the game we played,” he said. She watched the balloon float up into the air and she understood the green of his love. The love that made her feel important and special, like a winner.
“And I love you redder than the car we sat in on the ferris wheel” daddy laughed, freeing the red balloon from the bunch. The red balloon glided toward the green one and she understood the red of his love. The love that made her feel excited and invigorated, like a superhero.
Next he took the yellow balloon. “I even love you yellower than the giant slide you rode down.” He let go of the balloon to let it join the others in the air. Now she understood the yellow of his love. The love that made her tummy tickle with fun and giggles, like a clown.
Orange was next. “Little one, I love you oranger than the Icee drink you spilled on your shirt,” he smiled, pointing to the stain. Off went the orange balloon. And she understood the orange of his love. The love that let her taste and try new things, like an adventurer.
Now her favorite color. Pink. “Sweet girl, I love you pinker than the little pig we saw in the barn, drinking from its mama,” he smiled tenderly. The balloon floated gently into the night sky. And she understood the pink of his love. The love that made her feel treasured and adored, like a princess.
And the last balloon remained. It was the balloon that all the others had been attached to. The balloon that made the other balloons look brighter, more vibrant. It was a brown balloon. He had saved the best for last. “Precious one, I love you browner than the chocolate ice cream that is still all over your face,” he said as he kissed off the residue from her cheek. And the brown balloon, the last balloon, drifted away from them to go and join the others. And she understood the brown of his love. The love that was rich and delicious and warm and made her feel hugged and safe, like a treasured friend.
They reached the car, and as he put her in she hugged his neck tightly. “I love you, daddy, ” she said. “With all the colors. And more!” He kissed her and smiled, shutting her door. She gazed up into the sky, her colorful balloons no longer visible. But though she couldn’t see their colors, she could feel them in her heart. Because she knew all the colors of her daddy’s love. And she drifted off to sleep with a chocolate smile on her face.
