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Samantha
One year later…
This past yearhas been one that I truly never saw coming. After going so long without any contact with my father- he finally reached out to me about ten months ago.
He told me that he had been in Europe for the past couple of years doing some soul-searching. He admitted that during that whole time he basically talked to no one because he just needed time to think and sort out his life.
At first, I was very hesitant to even talk with him and give him the time of day, and so were Asher and Liam. They didn’t want me to get sucked into Alfred’s games and get hurt again.
But at the end of the day- I knew that I needed to just hear him out. When it comes down to it- he’s still my father, and if there is a chance that he has changed and become a good person- well, I need to at least find out.
So, I met with him at a local diner. Asher and Liam stayed outside in a parked car, just in case anything went south, and I needed a quick getaway (or someone to beat him up).
He started off by apologizing to me and admitting that the way he raised me was very wrong. He said that the way he treated not only me, but my mother and my brothers- was not okay.
“There is no excuse for anything that I have said or done to any of you. I am so incredibly sorry for what I’ve done- and even more sorry for how long it took me to say this.”
I was very shocked to hear any of this, as I never expected the words “I’m sorry” to ever come out of my father’s mouth- but I have to admit, it felt really good to hear.
He told me that he regrets the way he has lived his life and that he wished he could do it all over again. I told him that I can never forgive him for the way he treated all of us- but especially me.
He let me know that he completely understood that, but that he wished I would give him a second chance to show me how much he changed.
“Obviously, you don’t owe me a damn thing- and it’s completely understandable if you say no. Everything I have said still stands on its own. Just know that.”
I told him that I would think about it, and then I left the diner.
Asher and Liam were surprised at how fast it went, and I told them that I just needed to get out of there. It was just so odd to see my father like that- to see him vulnerable and admitting to his wrongdoings.
When you’re so used to someone being a certain way- it’s really hard to ever see them differently, no matter what they do to try to redeem themselves. I just needed time to get away and think about everything.
Three weeks after that meeting with him, I reached back out to him and told him he could come over to my house. Asher and Liam were there, but our kids were not- I had them go stay with Asher’s mom for the night.
The four of us sat down and had a real heart-to-heart. My father was surprised to see our relationship thriving, and he had no idea that we were married with kids now. He burst into tears when I showed him their pictures.
“I can’t believe how much I’ve missed out on… all these beautiful grandchildren I have that I didn’t even know about…” he cried.
It actually made me sad to see my father crying, and I realized in that moment that he truly was a changed man. It was still hard to believe, but I knew that I had to accept his new self, or it would all have been for nothing.
Since then, we haven’t become best friends or anything, but things are definitely better. We talk a couple times a month, and he’s met my kids. I definitely don’t see us spending Christmas or Thanksgiving together anytime soon- and especially not Father’s Day- but I’m glad to have him in my life, and my kids love having another grandfather.
Asher and Liam still hate his guts, and I don’t blame them- but they’re at least civil about it. They’re polite to him, and they don’t talk shit about him anymore- they just don’t go golfing together or what Sunday night football together. Which I’m more than okay with. In fact, it’d be weird if they did do that shit.
As for everything else in my life? Well, it’s pretty fucking amazing. I couldn’t be happier with where my life is at with Asher and Liam.
Our kids our fucking beautiful, and way too smart for their own good. I don’t know what I’d do without them.
The three of us are still considering having more- although we’re leaning more towards adoption than conceiving. We never did find out who the biological father of our kids is, and we never will- but adopting would just make our little family even more perfect than it already is.
I truly couldn’t ask for a better outcome when it comes to my life. I got so lucky, and despite how hard things were at times- I wouldn’t change a single thing that happened to me, because it all landed me here.
The one thing my life taught me, is to keep an open mind. Not only with the people in your life- but with the people you might come across in your life. Because you never know what kind of people, or relationships you might find.
But perhaps an even bigger thing my life taught me, was forgiveness.
If it weren’t for forgiveness- I never would have been able to get past the fact that Asher and Liam only asked me out in the first place because my father offered to give them his land if they did.
Liam and Asher never would have been able to get past all of their years of beef with each other, and the three of us wouldn’t have the relationship or the kids that we have today.
And my father would be nothing but a distant memory that I cry myself to sleep thinking about on occasion.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that happiness truly does lie in the unexpected.
