This heuristic study involving seven coresearchers, which included the author, explores the experiences of women from mother-present/father-absent homes and their ability to form and maintain close female friendships. The heuristic research model was chosen to provide the opportunity to conduct research in a very personalized, collaborative way with my coresearchers. From our first meeting through the creative synthesis, it was vital to use a research model that honored the exploration of feelings with all their associated meanings. Little was found in the literature that paired father absence and women's ability to form close female friendships. The author wanted to discover if other women from mother-present/father-absent homes had challenges forming and maintaining close female friendships. Some of the coresearchers' experiences (our ability to form and maintain close female friendships, the effects from our fathers' absence, and the meaning we ascribed to these experiences) were substantiated by the literature, while others were not. Some information could not be examined because it could not be located in the literature. Six core essence themes (which contained 44 dominant themes) including: the satisfaction of close female friendships, obstacles faced in making close female friends, mother's influence also needs consideration, yearning for Daddy, and father behaving badly are explored in detail. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]