Me and all the Magcon guys were sitting in the hotel lobby just chilling out for awhile. We were all on our phones just chatting about nothing, tired from our flight. Cameron was sitting next to me, resting his head on my shoulder, staring at his phone. My phone started to ring with an unknown number. I frowned and stared at my phone. "Who's that?" Cameron asked. "I'm not sure." I said, shrugging. I answered it anyways. "Hello?" I asked. "Hey baby girl." I heard on the other line. "Oh my God, Dad!" I practically yelled and sobbed at the same time. I jumped up and ran a few feet away from where we were all sitting so it was quieter. All the guys looked at me but I just turned my back.
"Dad, I haven't heard from you in so long! Like a whole 2 years!" I cried. I couldn't stop sobbing but I was smiling like crazy. My dad has been in the army for 8 years and I haven't seen him since. My mother died when I was young so when he left I was pretty much on my own. I lived with my grandparents but we never really got along. Cameron came over and looked at me quizzically at my mixed emotion. "I know baby girl, I've missed you so much." He said. His voice sounded deep and a little tired but he seemed ecstatic to be talking to me. "I missed you too, Dad. So much you do not understand." I said. "How are you? How is everything going?" He asked. "Everything is great! I'm doing so good. I'm doing good." I said. I was nodding my head even though he couldn't see me. Cameron was rubbing my back now, soothingly. I could tell all the eyes were still on me.
"How were you able to call me?" I asked. "Well honey, I've got something to tell you." He said and my smile faded. I was expecting the worse. Did he get injured? Was he kicked out? Was he ill? "Is everything okay?" I asked, hesitantly. "Well, you tell me." He said. I frowned and cocked my head to the side. "What do you mean?" I asked. "Look over at the front door." He said. I was so confused but I looked at the front door of the hotel anyways. Everything went weak. My knees felt like jelly. My mouth gaped open. The tears streamed down my face like never before. I dropped my phone and ran as fast as I could. There, standing there, was my dad. His head was shaven to the required hair-do. He had his camouflage uniform. He had many muscles that I've never seen on him before and he had the same big smile that I did. He definitely looked older, different than when I last saw him when I was 11 years old.
I didn't stop running until I saw him and when I reached him, I jumped into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist, feeling like a kid again. I hugged him so tightly that my arms hurt and he did the same. "Oh my God, Dad, I can't believe it's you!" I sobbed into his shoulder. He didn't cry at first but then I could feel and hear him sobbing too. "You're so grown up, baby girl! Look at you!" He managed to say through his tears. I couldn't control my crying. I didn't want to let go. But I got down and looked at his face. His handsome face that I haven't seen in 8 years. He smiled at me and wiped the tears off my face, but they were only replaced with more. "Wow, look how beautiful you are." He said, distraught. I laughed and looked down.
"Dad, I have people you need to meet. There is a guy who has been taking care of me for the past year. His name is Cameron. He's hear for a convention that him and his friends run. It's called Magcon and we go different places and he meets fans and Dad, he's amazing, you have to meet him." I said, talking fast. He nodded his head and I walked him toward Cameron. What he did surprised me next. He hugged Cameron almost as tightly as he hugged me and whispered, "Thank you for taking care of my daughter, Cameron." I watched in awe and smiled. "No problem, sir." Cameron said when they pulled away. "Don't call me sir. Cameron, just call me dad." Me and Cameron smiled widely and I was so glad that my dad approved. "I don't even know what to say right now. This is such a great surprise." I said, wiping the rest of my tears away. "Well, first, you can introduce me to all your friends." He said, gesturing to the guys who were pretty much all in tears too.
I introduced him to everyone and they all shook his hand. Cameron had come over to me and hugged me as everyone was talking to him. "Hey, why don't you take your dad somewhere to eat or something." He whispered. I nodded my head. "Hey, Dad? Let's go get something to eat." I said. He nodded his head and said goodbye to everyone.
We ended up just going to a fast food restaurant but he was fine with that since he hasn't had some in awhile. I asked the question that I've been trying to avoid but had to ask. "So, when do you have to go back?" I asked. He stared at me for awhile before looking down. "Well. In two days. I'm sorry sweetie." He said and I nodded sadly, trying to hold back the tears that were burning my eyes. "I understand." I said. He reached out to take my hand. "I know this is hard. I'm sure it's hard not having any parents around and I know you never got along with your grandparents but I'm so close to getting a higher position." He said, staring into my eyes. "But won't that mean that I won't see you for even longer?" I asked. He was silent. "Honey, quitting now will just hurt me. I'll come back with no money and no house." He answered. "So, basically, you're never coming home?" I whispered. He was silent again. "Please don't be mad." He said. "I'm not mad it's just, it's really hard without you, Dad. I've been depending on one person and honestly if things don't work out with him, I don't know what I'm going to do with my life. I mean, I have a house and everything but emotionally, I'll have nothing. Dad, what am I supposed to do when you're gone forever? I really don't want to think about that but I just- I don't know." I said. "You have a house?" He asked. "Yeah, I moved out last year. Right when I graduated." I said. "I'm sorry I missed your graduation." He said. I just nodded, not having any words. "Will I ever see you again after you leave in two days?" I asked. "I'm sure you will." he said.
