better version ; fletcher

dad

"you shouldn't do this!" cari yells as i rush around my room trying to make sure i am ready in time. it's the next day, i've somehow had to process everything that i heard yesterday about my dad. and i've come to the decision that i'm going to see him. visiting at the prison starts in 45 minutes.

i'm so scared, but i don't want to go my whole life not knowing what my real father even looks like. "i need to know him" i say, making sure i have everything i need.

"it's dangerous emilia" she yells, following me as i exit my room and walk to the living room. alex watches us, confused to what's going on. "i don't care cari" i tell her, leaning down to tie my shoelace.

"i care though" she says, bringing both of her hands to the side of my neck. "well stop caring then!" i snap, looking at her. she frowns her eyebrows and shakes her head. "we both know i can't do that, all them little drunk moments we had where we pretended like it was nothing. well they weren't nothing to me." she exclaims.

i sigh. "cari whatever we have, or whatever you think we have needs to stop. okay? i cant do it" i say to her. i walk past her and head out of the door, jumping into my taxi as soon as i get outside.

he drives the 20 minute journey to the jail, in a part of new york i have never seen before. after a while the car pulls up outside a massive building, security and barbed fences outside of it. i pay the driver and stand in the parking lot, looking around at the intimidating place.

after composing myself and taking a deep breath i head towards one of the entrances. one i get inside there is a desk with a woman stood behind. "hi how can i help you?" she asks.

"i've come to visit danny taylor" i say, she nods and types his name into the computer finding where he is. "and you are?" she asks.

"his daughter" i say reluctantly, taking a big gulp.

"ok, security will search you and then take you around" she says, a man appears, leading the way through the building. he checks my bag and does a thorough search of my body before giving me the thumbs up to go in. "he's sat there, first seat on the right" the guy says, opening the door.

as i walk past all the tables, i see people in handcuffs all around, seeing the people they love.
i lay my eyes on the stranger i now know as my dad. i stop in my tracks a couple of steps away from him. he has the same hair colour, the same green eyes as me. the same couple of freckles on his cheeks. his beard short and neat.

i take a deep breath and take a seat. he looks up and meets my eyes. a frown falls upon his face, obviously having no idea who i am. "hi... erm i'm emilia" i say. the frown on his face softens and turns more into shock, and i swear i see his eyes tear up.

"my daughter?" he questions and i nod slowly. that's when he starts crying, putting his head in my hands. "i never thought i'd ever get to see you again, my little girl" he says to me.

"i didn't even know you existed until yesterday" i explain to him nervously. but he just nods, fiddling with his fingers.

"that's completely my fault. when i was 16 i got involved in stupid crimes. but what i didn't know is that once i was in it, it's so hard to get out again. after your mom and i had you, i tried so hard to stop and to leave, but they wouldn't let me. until one day i literally begged them. they told me that if i did one last job for them that i'd be free after that and my name would be cleared. so i did it, but to my luck i got caught by the police. i could of names those other guys but i didn't want anything to do with them anymore. my plan was to get out and start fresh, including finding you again" he explains to me.

"when do you get out?" i ask him, a smile coming onto his face every single time he looks at me.

"in 7 days" he says, i nod. an inmate walks in and sits on the table a couple metres from us, sitting across from a guy. "susan!" my dad explains happily to the woman. "look, it's my daughter. the one i was always talking about" he adds.

the lady looks at us both and smiles, "i'm so happy for you danny, you both look like twins" she says. he turns back to me and holds out his hands, questioning if it's ok for him to hold onto mine. i hesitate at first but i somehow weirdly trust him.

"i know you don't know me and you possibly may hate me. but when i get out of here, can we start fresh. i want to be in your life, i want to know my daughter. you can come and meet my wife and we can walk around new york together, anything you like. i just want to be the best father to you that i possibly can be, to make up for all of these years" he says to me.

"ok we can do that. but erm my mom doesn't know that i know about you yet" i tell him. he rubs his thumb up and down my hand gently.

"i'll sort that out, you don't need to worry about anything. i imagine you've been stressed and anxious these past two days but i'll sort everything out now, i owe that too you" he says.

i smile and look around the room thinking to myself.

"so what do you want to know about me?" i ask grinning.

"everything" he tells me.