My 5-year-old wants to invite her "real dad" to Father's Day dinner.
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My 5-year-old wants to invite her "real dad" to Father's Day dinner.
“Wow,” I said, and quickly thought about it.
"This is... a big surprise. You know what, sweetheart, shall we play a game? Invite him over for dinner on Sunday. But don't tell Mom. And don't tell him I'm home either. It'll be fun, and our little secret."
"A game?"
“Yes. But it has to remain a secret, Mom can’t tell, okay?” I remembered her.
"Okay! I love games!"
I smiled and leaned forward to kiss her head, but inside I was breaking down.
I went to work while she prepared her equipment that morning. We had pancakes for breakfast. We went to the park. Lily got to choose the centerpiece for dinner at the supermarket—a crooked bouquet of sunflowers. When we got home, Jess was gone.
I told my wife that Lily and I would be out all day doing something fun to celebrate this special day. I also let her know that I would call the babysitter and leave Lily with her while I visited my parents.
She knew that she should not predict my return until much later.
There was a knock at 6:07 PM.
I took a deep breath, opened the door, and almost dropped the serving tray!
Adam.
He was my best friend since college. He was my best man, my fishing buddy, and my daughter's "Uncle Adam".
"Hey... man. Wow, I didn't even know you were home. What a – what a surprise!"
“Danny?!” she said. “What are you doing –?”
I opened the door wider with a smile.
"Come in, buddy! My best friend! We were just about to eat."
His expression was exhausted. Jess looked as if she were about to collapse. I stepped aside and gestured at the table like a game show host.
"The food is warm. I don't want it to get cold."
They followed me inside.
“I told him it would be fun!” she murmured, spooning potatoes onto her plate as if it were Christmas.
Adam sat down stiffly, visibly drenched in sweat. Jess avoided my gaze as she took a seat.
“So,” I began, sitting down opposite him. “Long time no see. Have you been busy?”
“Yes,” he said. “Work was incredibly stressful.”
"Sure. But you're not too busy to come by, are you?"
"What does that mean?" Adam asked.
"Oh, nothing. I just heard you were here. You brought chocolates. We went out to eat together. We spent time together."
Jess jumped in too quickly.
"He only came by once or twice. Lily loves visitors. You know how she is."
"Only once or twice?" I asked.
“Maybe… three times,” he exclaimed. “It wasn’t a big deal.”
"Sure, sure. Nothing special. Just a man visiting his daughter."
The air was thick with tension. Jess's fork froze halfway to her mouth. Adam set down his wine glass with a trembling hand.
"W-What are you talking about?" Jess murmured.
I turned to Lily.
"Hey, darling, who is Adam?"
She said.
"He is my real dad!"
Then there was absolute silence.
“We were going to tell you anyway,” he said quickly. “Eventually.”
"It never felt like the right time," Jess added.
I leaned back, still calm, too calm.
"When would have been the right time?" I asked.
"After I taught her how to ride a bike? After the bedtime stories and the nightmares? Or perhaps at her next birthday party, when you both would have toasted to 'family'?"
Nobody answered.
"Listen, I just wanted to be there for her."
"For your daughter?" I asked.
"Interesting. You mean the child I've been raising for five years? The child who has my name? My eyes? My habits?"
"I didn't want to destroy everything," Jess said.
"I was scared. You loved her so much, and I didn't know how to take that away from you."
“But you already did that,” I said. “You just didn’t admit it.”
"You both have ten minutes. Pack your things. Get out of my house."
Lily's lip trembled.
"Dad?"
"Honey, listen to me. I love you. I'm not going anywhere. You'll always have me, no matter what."
"OK."
I kissed her forehead and turned to Adam and Jessica.
"You already understood me. Ten minutes."
Adam whispered something about regret. Jessica avoided my gaze. I didn't watch them leave. I just held Lily in my arms.
The next day I filed for divorce.
We had a paternity test done a few days later, but honestly, I don't care about the result. She's my daughter. I raised her, held her when she had a fever, danced with her in the kitchen. She belongs to me.
Lily stayed lying next to me in bed last night.
"Papa?" she murmured.
"Yes, baby?"
"I don't want to play this game again."
"Me neither. I'm sorry, my love, you'll never have anything to do with me again."
She looked up at me, her eyes wide open and honest.
"Are you still my real daddy?"
I didn't hesitate.
"That's who I've always been. That's who I'll always be."
She rocked up and down and laid her head on my chest.
His lip trembled.
"Dad?"
"Honey, listen to me. I love you. I'm not going anywhere. You'll always have me, no matter what."
"OK."
I kissed her forehead and turned to Adam and Jessica.
"You already understood me. Ten minutes."
Adam whispered something about regret. Jessica avoided my gaze. I didn't watch them leave. I just held Lily in my arms.
The next day I filed for divorce.
We had a paternity test done a few days later, but honestly, I don't care about the result. She's my daughter. I raised her, held her when she had a fever, danced with her in the kitchen. She belongs to me.
Lily stayed lying next to me in bed last night.
"Papa?" she murmured.
"Yes, baby?"
"I don't want to play this game again."
"Me neither. I'm sorry, my love, you'll never have anything to do with me again."
She looked up at me, her eyes wide open and honest.
"Are you still my real daddy?"
I didn't hesitate.
"That's who I've always been. That's who I'll always be."
She rocked up and down and laid her head on my chest.
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