All I Ever Wanted

We Finally Meet

Chapter Three

I went through customs and all that crap sweating like a pig, literally. It was a wonder that they didn’t take me in for questioning since I was frantically looking around the place like a drug carrier would.

Calm down, I told myself, I don’t need him to think that I’m nervous about meeting him. I trudged into one of the bathrooms to freshen up. As I looked into the mirror I pulled up my hair into a messy bun then stared at my reflection. You can do this, you can do this. It’s not like he’s some serial killer, he’s your father, a man you once loved. Exactly that was it, he’s a man I once loved, but I didn’t love him anymore. I mean how could I?

I wanted to look like I didn’t care about meeting him, so I pulled up my hood and put a stick of gum into my mouth. Maybe I should chew it like that stewardess, I would look obnoxious and rude. Besides I knew exactly how to do that, Blondie – the stewardess – made sure of it.

Once when I was seven my dad had to go to Chicago for an art deal, it was the first time he ever had to leave us for more than a day. I had missed him like crazy, he was the guy I looked up to in life, the guy who ganged up on my mom with me, the one who tucked me into bed at night. When he came back my mother and I cleaned up the house and made a huge poster that we said we missed and loved him. We still had it but it was in the attic stored away, along with the rest of my father’s belongings. The moment he entered I jumped into his arms and he twirled us around. I remember laughing, a real laugh you know the ones that came from deep down, one that happened rarely these days.

My mom stood there watching us with a tearful smile, he looked at her with a look of love and adoration. We had a group hug and my dad showed me the present he got me. It was a key chain. It wasn’t much but at that time I worshipped my dad so to me it was everything. I still have, I wanted to throw it away but I couldn’t.

Oh my God! I mentally cried, it’s hanging on my back pack! I shifted my bag, so it was in front of me and quickly took it off then placed into the front pocket of my jeans. He didn’t need to see that, I wanted him to know that I hated him, not that I still kept the things he gave me. I didn’t want to give him hope that he could waltz back into my good books again.

Splashing my face with water I stepped out of the bathroom, bracing myself for the worst. As I walked into the place where the departure’s guests waited, I looked around for the familiar mob of blonde hair, one I hadn’t seen in years. It would have a lot easier if there were fewer blondes here but I still couldn’t manage to find him.

A spark of hope along with a spark of hurt panged in my chest. Maybe he forgot? I still felt hurt at that fact, that I was that easy to forget, but then again he had forgotten me all these years, it would be a surprise if he could recognise me.     

Neither of those sparks lasted long because as I headed to the exit I heard an all too familiar voice calling my name, “Nadine? Nadine is that you?” I turned around and came face to face with my dad.

“No it’s Santa Claus,” I muttered sarcastically under my breath. He held out his arms, a grin on his handsome, aging face but I ignored them. His smile faltered and he cleared his throat, trying to get rid of some of the awkwardness in the air.

“Well um… it’s nice to see you again,” he said trying to hide the hurt in his voice. Good, it’s time you took a dose of your own medicine.

I was going to answer to that but I remembered I had to be rude and obnoxious, “Whatever, where’s your car?” I asked in a bored tone, chewing my gum loudly. Blondie would be proud.