Short Stories

My Hero

You used to be my hero. I remember when you and mom got separated the first time, I was still a little girl. I always got so excited when it would be your turn to have me for the weekend. Although, all I really remember from those weekends were my grandparents. They would feed me, play with me, watch TV with me. I really only remember being with you when it was time to go to sleep, and you'd be gone before I woke up. Or when we did hang out, it was almost always with your new girlfriend. At least, that's how I remember it, but hey, I couldn't have been more than 4 at the time.

When you and mom got back together you were still my hero. Mom was always the strict one. She had to be, you were still a child at heart. I remember from those days waking up at 6 am on saturdays and watching Spongebob with you in the living room. I only ever remember you reprimanding me when I hid $100 from you and mom.

When we moved back to the US and you had to stay in Mexico you were still my hero. I missed you so much when we were apart. But it was for the better, and you couldn't legally come. You still talked to us, sent us money. I can't quite remember when it all stopped, but one day, it just did. The phone calls became less frequent, you started complaining about how little money you were able to send. It got to the point where I don't remember how long you would go without calling.

I think you stopped being my hero when you forgot my brother's birthday. He waited for your call all day, and it just never came through. I kept hoping that the phone would ring and it would be you on the other end singing happy birthday to him. But you never did.

Or maybe it was when you lied about where you lived for who knows how long. The only reason we found out you were lying was because you tried to be so slick about how you returned the divorce papers. Little did you know, it still showed your current address on them. How could you lie about the state you lived in when you knew full well that you would've gotten to see your son every summer if you had only told the truth.

Or maybe it was when you tried to apologize and reconnect last year. I came back to Mexico for what I assumed was the last time until I finished college. I never intentionally planned to reconnect. You had already lied and forgot the birthday of who I assumed was one of the most important people in your life. But we did reconnect. You apologized about not talking to me all that much. About not fully being there for me. You told me you had formed a relationship with someone new and I had a new baby brother—something you're mom had already told me because she called me at least once a month to check up on us. I had so much I wanted to say to you. So much I wanted to yell at you for. But I couldn't. I was that little girl again that thought her daddy was the best person in the world. You talked to me every day. We saw each other at least once a week. You promised you would be better. But you weren't. Once I was back home, it was like I didn't exist to you anymore. Like I was only your daughter when I was around you, or when it was a major holiday. I didn't answer your text that Valentine's Day. Why should I? When you text me, it's always to wish me a happy this, a merry that. You never asked about how school is. You never asked about what college I was thinking about going to. You still don't even know if I'm even still in school. Why should I bother to answer your text when you won't even bother to ask about what's most important to me?

You don't know this, but I came back to Mexico this year. Since classes are online I thought it'd be a good time to visit my other grandma. I can't be more than a half hour away from where you live right now. But I didn't let you know. I'm not planning on letting you know. I stopped telling you things when I realized you didn't care. Why should I brag about myself to someone who only pretends to be proud to other people and doesn't bother to show me. All I ever wanted was to make you proud. Was for you to call me every once in a while and talk to me for a bit. I wanted my hero back. But he never came. I'm starting to think he never even existed.