Page 57 of A Minute Past Midnight

“I know.”

He lowered his head and rubbed his hand down his face. “I wanted things to be easier for you.”

“I know, Daddy, and they have been.” When he looked back at me, his eyes were glassy. “But this is my life.I need to live it the way I see fit, and I’m not asking you to agree with every decision I make. I’m asking you to love me through them.”

His shoulders slowly relaxed. “I will always love you,” he said.

A tear slipped down my cheek. “And I want you to be here for me. Both of y’all,” I whispered. “For me and your grandchild. I want my baby to know their grandparents.”

His disappointment was still there. I could see it. But so was his love.

Daddy reached across the space between us and took my hand. “I may not understand every choice you make, and I may not always agree with them.But you’re right. You’re grown now and this is your life.” My breath caught, and he squeezed my hand. “And as disappointed as I may be, I’m not going to abandon you because you chose to live it differently from what I wanted for you.”

I finally allowed myself to break. I moved around the table and into his arms, crying against his chest like I had when I was a little girl. Only this time, I wasn’t asking him to save me.

I was asking him to let me go.

Through the disappointment, the fear, the shock of becoming a grandfather before he was ready, he held me tighter.

“I’ll be here,” he whispered against my hair. “For you and my grandbaby.”

For the first time in a long time, I felt like my father finally understood.

I wasn’t leaving him behind. I was simply growing into the woman I was meant to become.

“Thank you, Daddy,” I said, pulling back some to look up at him. “I just need you to do one last thing for me.”

“What's that?”

“Apologize to Samir. I didn't deserve that and neither did he. He's a good man, Daddy. Everything he’s done for me gave me power to have control of my life.”

He sighed heavily, paused for a bit, then nodded. “You're right. How long have you known him, Ana?”

“Daddy, please don't do that.”

“Fine. I just know a street nigga when I see one. I'm not blind, but I'll let you make your own decisions.”

“Are you still mad at me?”

“I was never mad at you. Just disappointed in the way you went about leaving. You're right, though. I should have supported you no matter what you decided to do.”

“Me too,” my mom added. “Like I told you before, I am sorry for everything, and as your mother, I should have been there.” She walked up to me and smiled wide through her glassy eyes. “I'm about to be a grandma!” She yelled excitedly. I laughed and fell into her arms.

“I love you, Mama. I'm going to need you now more than ever.”

“And you shall have me. Since you seem comfortable here, we’ll work out a schedule once the baby is born.”

“I’d like that.” I took my phone off the table and called Samir inside. It took him a minute, but he finally returned and stood by my side.

Daddy cleared his throat and looked Samir in the eyes.

“We got off on the wrong foot. I allowed my emotions to get the best of me, and I shouldn't have. For that, I'd like to apologize, since you knocked my daughter up, and we'll be family whether we like it or not.”

Samir just stared at him for a moment before extending his hand to him. Daddy took it.

“It's all good. Just know that my heart is good. I was raised by two strong women who showed me the value of having long-lasting relationships. I'd never do anything to hurt your daughter and never will. Whatever it is that she needs, I'll make sure she’s always taken care of.”

Daddy gave a curt nod, then looked at me. “Will you show us where we’ll be sleeping? It's been a long day, and I need to rest before our flight back home tomorrow.”