All for Giselle

chapter 9

I have been searching for the best way to tell Giselle about her dad. I don't know what her reaction is gonna be. It's 6:15 and I got, give or take, 45 minutes to do the needful before Giovanni arrives. She is dressed and ready, but I haven't exactly told her where we're going.

" mom, where are going to?" She asked inquisitively.

"To dinner." I tell her truthfully.

"Where?"

"At a restaurant, baby" .

"But why?. We can eat here at home." She said. We never ate out. Reason being that she prefers my cooking to restaurants. Not to brag but I make the best meals. And what's better than a homemade dish?.

"Why?. Well that's because today is a special day." I say trying to soften the landing.

"Really?" She asked curiously. I pat my thighs and gesture for her to sit on them. She climbs into my lap and I hold her tightly.

"Remember Mommy's friend?"

"Yeah"

Oh my God. I don't know how to do this. Okay lemme do this another way. How hard is it to tell a 5 year old that her dad who she has never seen up until this week and hasn't been in her life is finally here.

" Mommy's friend is your daddy." I squint my eyes and raise my eyebrows and wait for the questions to come flooding.

"OK."

Ok? Seriously, that is all she's gonna say?.

" Are you cool with it." I ask

"Yes. Kimberly has a dad and so does Hannah and Dylan and Rosa and Jackie and Chris and..."

A knock on the door interrupts her from naming every person in her class who has a dad. She climbs down from my legs and I move to open the door.

"You're early. We agreed on 7 o'clock." I look at my watch. " It's just 6:45."

"OK, so I am fifteen minutes early and hello to you too." He said as he hands me this beautiful bouquet of flowers and extracts a stem as he enters. "For you".

" This is not a date, Giovanni. I don't see the reasons for the flowers." I tell him pointedly.

He ignores me and walks into the house. He sees Giselle and looks at me for confirmation that I have done my job. I nod to confirm that I have indeed done my job and it was a surprisingly easy and smooth one.

He walks to where she was seated and seats next to her.

"Hi, Giselle. You remember me?" For the first time since meeting Giovanni, he looked really uncertain. Somewhat calm. He hands her the stem of flower he took from the bouquet he brought me.

"Thank you. Mommy said you are my daddy. It's cool." She said.

He looked really surprised probably because he taught it was gonna take a lot to make her warm up to him. I taught so too.

"It is?." He asked

"Yeah. You wanna watch Doc Mcstuffins with me?."

"Yes." He said. I could tell that he was really happy but was keeping it on the low key.

Giselle's way of telling you that she is your friend or that she likes you is asking you to watch Doc Mcstuffins which is her all time favourite. I watch her sing along the theme song. I wonder how she reacting on the inside to the fact that she has a dad she just found out about. Her acceptance of the situation is unbelievable. I think it is true what they say " Children have the purest of hearts and live in a world of their own".

I go to the kitchen to put the flowers in a vase. I might as well make something to eat because nothing and no one can distract Giselle from her cartoon, so the dinner Giovanni planned is obviously cancelled.

I can hear Giselle introducing the characters in her cartoon to Giovanni. I just can't help the feeling of uneasiness I have and I can't help but question myself.

Where do we go from here?