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“I was a kid.”
He shook his head. “It’s not an excuse. I made so many mistakes.”
“Does Sarah know about me?”
“She told me to do more to get in touch with you, but I was afraid you didn’t want to see me.”
I didn’t know how I would have reacted. It might have been ugly. I built this moment up in my head over the years, but I also never believed he’d come for me. My life wasn’t a fairy tale, no matter what Harrison said. My life was in tatters.
“It’s probably too soon. But would you be open to seeing each other? I’d love to get to know you. I’d love for you to meet my other children, your sister and your brother.”
I loved that he hadn’t said half. The draw of siblings overwhelmed me. I wasn’t alone. I had family. “Maybe.” I didn’t want to make promises. Not until I processed what he was telling me. I needed time.
“Will you at least stay for lunch? I know it’s asking too much, but I’m so happy you’re here.”
At the desperation in his voice, tears spilled over again. “I’m sorry.”
He handed me tissues. “It’s okay. I’m just so thrilled you’re here.”
I dabbed at the tears. “It’s so hard to believe.”
“I’ll tell you every day until you do. I love you. I wanted you to be part of my family. No, youarea part of my family. A very necessary one.”
“Does your wife feel the same way?”
“She’s the one who kept telling me to reach out to you,” he repeated.
He’d said that, but it was so hard to believe. My mom made her out to be this awful person. A woman who’d stolen another man’s wife. “You never cheated on Mom?”
“No. I moved here initially for a job and met Sarah later. I never cheated on anyone, much less your mother.”
He said it with such sincerity I believed him.
“Will you stay?” he asked, reaching out to me again.
I nodded because I was curious. “Can I use your bathroom?”
“It’s down the hall on the right.” I needed to wash my face and blow my nose. I needed a few minutes to reconcile what I thought to be true all my life with what he was telling me.
The obvious sincerity in my father’s expression and voice convinced me. He was hurting too. He missed me. He wanted me.
Harrison was wrong. My mother had lied to keep me tied to her. So I wouldn’t look for my father. She’d made me feel like something was wrong with me when it couldn’t have been farther from the truth.
I had a father and a brother and a sister. I blew my nose and washed my hands and face, smoothing my hair before I left the room.
I found my father in the kitchen, talking softly to Sarah.
She smiled at me. “I’m so happy you’re finally here.”
“Me too.”
It was a lot to process, but I knew I wanted to learn more. I wanted to know everything. I sat in a chair at the small, round table in their kitchen while Sarah and my father prepared lunch. They flitted glances at me every now and then as if they were afraid I’d disappear.
“What do you do for work?” Dad asked, finally sitting across from me.
I couldn’t believe I was sitting here, talking to my father. “I used to work at a medical office, but I just opened my own business. I create wedding invitations.”
A small smile played on his lips. “You’re an artist.”
