Stephanie stopped the car in front of a mansion and I gasped. Sure, we had big houses in New York but this house was beautiful. It looked like one of those houses that you knew when you walked inside it would be lavish with expensive pieces of art on the wall and multiple sitting rooms depending on the day.
“You like it?” she asked noticing my expression.
“Like? How could anyone not! It’s beautiful!” I cried out to her.
I stared at it. Studying it. It was huge with a 5 car garage, a driveway that could fit 30 cars, a beautiful lawn and garden and I could make out a two court tennis court, a pool, and a basketball court in the backyard. I was in awe. There was a huge gate and white picket fence. Even in the dark you knew someone important lived here.
“The perks of being the most wanted college football coach in the country.” Stephanie said as she opened the door to her car but I pulled her back.
“Okay you can tell me now” I said referring back to when she was going to tell me the different types of reactions I should suspect.
She nodded, “There are a few different things that could happen here,” She took a breath “Everything could go great and he’ll ask you to stay and get to know you or he might want nothing do with you. He very well might want this. He might want a DNA test first or he might think it’s just a hoax for money. Whatever happens though, there’s always room for you at my house.” She smiled sympathetically at me. She knew it too. She knew he wouldn’t want me. Everyone knew. I just didn’t want to admit it.
I was about to cry. I never cried but it was going to happen. I had been parentless for so long. Knowing that I was about to meet one of my parents but they could possibly not want me and will most likely turn me away was a different kind of rejection I’ve never faced before. One that nobody would ever want to go through.
Stephanie pulled me in for a quick hug before finally getting out of the car. I slowly followed her as we made our way to the door.
Slow motion could have not been slow enough. If I could ever freeze my life for one moment it would be right now. So I’d never ever ever have to face the truth that was to come and I could go on living an utterly unimportant and irrelevant existence. But life didn’t have remotes like the ones in Click. I couldn’t just rewind and fast-forward. I was going to have to man-up.
We had finally reached the door. I took a deep breath and almost forgot I was holding it in.
“Okay, let’s do this.” I said and Stephanie knocked.
The minute we stood out there in between the knocking and the opening of the door was the longest minute of my life. I looked at my shoes, fixed my hair, and straightened my clothes; made sure my mascara wasn’t smudged, and stood up nice and tall. I wanted him to like me, just to like me.
When I heard voices from inside getting closer and closer, I knew this was really it. The final stage and when the door swung open and there he stood with a smile on his face, I had to look away. He was happy. I was going to ruin that.
Stephanie must have sensed my hesitation because she took the initiative, “Hello I’m Stephanie Parker of Child Services. Do you mind if I ask you a couple questions?” She asked him calmly.
His smile disappeared and confusion showed on his face. “Oh, yes, of course!” He motioned for us to come inside and we followed.
The inside of the house was just as remarkable as the outside and I felt myself immediately drawn to it. There was beautiful paintings and pieces of art on the walls. A huge foyer that had a ginormous chandelier hanging over it and dozens and dozens of candles and flowers. There were also many pictures everywhere. Even though the house was so vast and so open it felt cozy and small like a home should feel. Like nothing I had ever experienced in life.
I had definitely been right about one thing, there were multiple living rooms. He led us to one that had a couch across from two chairs and a glass coffee table that held a candy bowl filled with expensive chocolates.
“Are you William Joseph Carter?” Stephanie asked him.
“I am.” He responded.
“Did you ever live in New York?”
“I… did?” he was more confused now.
“Did you attend Valley Crest North High School and then receive a full scholarship to Berkley on a football scholarship?”
“Yes I did but may I ask you why any of this is relevant? Nobody has brought up my past in almost 15 years!”
He was beyond confused now.
“I do apologize if you are confused I’m just trying to ask create a timeline.” She said and he nodded. “Did you know a Rene Ryan?”
We both froze at this point and I studied him. We had the same hair color, same nose, same teeth, bone structure, and attitude. It was hard not to mistake us for father and daughter. As he deliberated ho w to respond I deliberated whether or not to just leave and forget all about this and let him be.
“Now I really don’t see the relevance in that question at all” he was angry now too. “Please fill me in now or get out of my house”.
”I'm going to take that as a yes and I will tell you as soon as you answer one more question, okay?” she was still so calm.
”Fine” he replied.
“When did your relationship with Ms. Ryan end?”
He didn’t respond for about two minutes. “17 years ago last June. I had graduated high school and was moving on with my life and so we broke up before I left. Now please explain to me why-“
I didn’t let him finish I cut him off. I had too. It all fit together. He had to be my father. My file said my mother was just barely two months pregnant when my father left and I was a month and a half premature when I was born in November. He couldn’t deny the connection if he knew.
It was time. I had to let him know. I could do this. I had to do this. I felt both pairs of eyes on me as I spoke, “Because I’m her daughter, Riley Ryan, and you-“ I stopped.
ITS ABOUT TO GET REAL GOOOOD! NEXT CHAMPTERS GONNA BE JUICY!
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Football Family Finding (Title as of now)
أدب المراهقينOne week after graduating from high school in her small town in New York, Riley Ryan packs up and moves across the country to Los Angeles, California. After 17 years of not knowing who her father is she finally knows. He's Head Coach Joe Carter of t...
