Skinny Minnie

Chapter 10

"Um, whoa."  I blinked a bit then rubbed my sore eyes.  "My what?"

"Dad." The man clarified.

"Come again?"

He sighed.  "Can I please come in?"

"You may enter."  Did I REALLY just say that?

We went to the dining room and sat down at the table.

I grabbed an apple out of my bowl of fresh fruit.

"Want one?" I asked tossing him a pear.

"Thanks."  But he just stared at it.

"So..." I looked at him.  A took a big juicy bite of my apple.

"So." he blinked back.  He put the fruit back.

"Why didn't you ever show up before all this?" I couldn't help but blurt it out.

"Uh, well, I don't know."  He said finally.

"I mean,  why wait so long."

"I had to be sure." His voice stuck on that.

"Of?" I asked softly.

"That you were mine."

"Oh."

He went on. " Your mom had an affair and then found out she was pregnant.  We both thought it was from the other man.  I didn't care, I still loved you like my own.  For five months we planned on names, decorations for your room, everything.  But one night, your mom just left.  I woke up to find all her clothes gone.  I was so empty."  He looked away tears shining on his face.

"Look, i'm sorry.  You don't have to finish."  I felt super uncomfortable.  I toyed with the fruit.

He nodded appreciatively that I understood.

"She sent me a file in the mail.  You were a girl.  A healthy baby girl..."  he broke off.

I took a big gulp of air not realizing that I had been holding my breath.

" After you were born.  She called me saying she looked exactly like me.  She wanted me back.  But I couldn't.  I was so scared.  What if she left again?  She always was one to run.  So was I.  But-"

"Dad."  One word can say so much.

He looked up his face radiant that I actually called him Dad.  It just felt right.

"There's a difference between you and Mom.  YOU came back."  I patted his hand.

"What are you saying?" I could sense his unease.

"Mom left." I said then hurried to silence his words about to be spoken. "Not in the way you think though."

"Then how-"

"She's dead."

Silence hung in the air suffocating me.

I'm not exactly known to be claustrophobic either.

"Are you okay Minnie?"

My words caught in my throat.  The apple dropped from my hand.

"how'd you know my name?" I panicked.

"Relax.  Your Mom and I have talked the last twelve years."  His face darkened a bit. " Though she stopped about two years ago." he said this with a frown.

"Why hasn't she called?' I think he said more to himself than me.

"Dad?" I asked tentatively.

"She needs to call me." he wrapped his arms around his self.

"But dad she's-"

"NO!" he screamed. "Don't say it!  She'll call. I know she will. she always does." his eyes filled with tears and my heart broke for him and me.

I shook my head. "Not this time."  My heart clenched constricting me.

My Father crumpled to the floor.  He threw his hands up and that did me in.

I held his sobbing body awkwardly in my arms as we wailed together.  For the mother I wish I had never known; and the wife he wished he had known more about.

~Twist in the story?  Can anyone guess why her dad was acting funny? anyone? No? poo. well guess anyway!~