Turnover

5.

"It was the scariest day of my life, you were so tiny, I thought I'd break you. You took one look at me, held my finger and then hollered, screamed so loud that I got so scared I nearly dropped you."

Kwasi Bledsoe smiled as he told his daughter the story of the first time he held her. Kesi laughed just imagining it, in the 5 years she'd known him they'd grown a closer relationship than she ever had with her mother.

Her dad was in legal trouble most of her early life so her mother took her away from him and never talked about him until Kesi was in sixth grade and having a bit of a rebellious episode, she got up in the wrong crowd and ended up being caught by police. Her mother grew sick of it , called her dad and the next day had her on a plane to North Carolina to live with him in Kinston.

In the time he was absent from his daughter's life, Kwasi got straight , his record got expunged and he went back to school with the help of a sponsor and now he was a successful lawyer who loved his only child immensely.

He wished he'd been there from the start but as he looked at Kesi , sitting across from him smiling , he couldn't be any more proud or grateful. His baby girl had turned out to be amazing despite his mistakes, it was because of her that he decided to change his life so he could hopefully be in hers one day and now he was all she had.

Her relationship with her mother had suffered, Kesi never talked to him much but he could see it in her eyes Kesi resented and missed Cassandra. She'd practically vanished from Kesi's life besides calling randomly at least once a month and sending birthday and Christmas gifts.

Her focus was on her family, she'd married Kesi's older brother Kasim's father and they had a tight bond , one Kesi didn't fit into. She didn't even try.

"How's school going? Work load not too much for you right?"

He queried , genuinely concerned for his child and she shook her head.

"I can handle it , it'll be fine. I'm applying for an internship next summer with a law firm on Wall Street and a publishing house, hopefully I get one."

"I'm sure you will , still undecided on a career."

Kesi nodded at this.

"I want to be everything to be honest , I wasn't given one talent , why can't I develop them all?"

Kwasi chuckled while Kesi smiled bashfully.

"Because despite what you think and I've lead you to believe , you're not superwoman baby girl."

The waiter brought out her father's change and they both got up after her dad placed the tip on the table. They walked out to his BMW and he opened her door for her. Before she stepped in he hugged her and kissed her forehead.

"Whatever you do, I believe in you."

She smiled and leaned into him.

"Thanks dad."

She hopped into the car and he closed the door before getting in on the passenger side and pulling off to drop her at her dorm. During the ride they talked some more and Kesi decided to pry into her father's love life.

"Are you seeing anyone Dad?"

Kwasi raised an eyebrow before shaking his head, a ghost of a smile on his face.

"Not right now Kesi, I'm too busy."

"C'mon dad , I hate to think that you're lonely in Tennessee."

"I'm not Kesi , I work in a firm with other people you know."

She made a face at him and he couldn't help but to laugh and give up the charade. She wasn't a little girl anymore.

"I was seeing this doctor, Amelia, but I don't know. I don't want to get too serious until you meet her."