The Price of Love

vii

Sydney Michaels
Thursday Evening

Pulling up in east Atlanta, I shut my car off and sat in front of my dads house. I was so excited to see him. It's been too long and I've missed him so much. I jumped out the car and headed up to the door, ringing the bell. It soon opened and there stood a little girl, she had to be at least 4.

"Who are you?" She asked.

I bent down to her size. "I'm Sydney, who are you?"

"Micah."

"Micah, is Henry here?"

"Micah what did I tell you about opening the door?!" A Caucasian woman that looked not too much older than me said.

"Sorry mommy, this is Sydney."

"Sydney? You're Henry's oldest daughter, right?"

Oldest? She meant only right? I nodded. "Yes I am."

"Come in! I'm Rachel, his wife."

Wife?! When did this shit happen?! I was completely shocked but I couldn't show it and be rude. "Wow, congratulations. I talk to my dad everyday and didn't even tell me." I bent back down to Micah. "So you must be my little sister?"

She nodded shyly. She was absolutely adorable and I'm not even sure why my dad hid her from me.

"So where's my dad?" I asked.

"On his way, he had to make a quick run for dinner. Let's go have a seat." She led me into the living room, their wedding picture hung above the fireplace. My dad is fucking married. "So Sydney your dad tells me that you are a fashion consultant?"

"Yeah, I am. How did you and my dad meet? When did you guys even get married?"

"We met about 6 years ago at his shop, we dated for a year and a half, then I got pregnant with Micah. Once I found out that I was pregnant we decided to get married." Her southern accent was so strong.

"I'm just confused as to why I knew nothing about you or your daughter. I didn't even get an invite to the wedding. That's just a little crazy to me, that's all."

I didn't want to come off harsh towards the lady I just felt a little bothered that my dad, somebody that I talk to every day as I mentioned before, started a whole new family SIX YEARS AGO and never mentioned it not once. Isn't that unfair? I still lived in Atlanta 6 years ago and he never mentioned Rachel, not once. They had a huge wedding from the pictures that I'm looking at and he didn't even think to invite his only daughter?!

"I'm so sorry Sydney, we didn't want you to feel left out, your dad just knew that you weren't really fond of coming home so he didn't tell you."

"I would've made an exception for my father but that's okay."

I guess she noticed I was feeling some type of way so she stopped talking and headed into the kitchen.

A few minutes later the front door opened and closed, and my dad soon appeared.

"Sydney!" He was happy but I wasn't anymore.