One day he showed up
My father... Or so they told me
I was so happyy🥹 I finally had a dad to take to school events... To show off to my classmates
That'll show them!!
i felt so proud that he showed up
I remember almost filling up my diary talking about my dad and how my classmates would react to me showing up with him 🥹
That weekend he took me to a water park...
He came to pick me up from home that day and I remember how nervous I was
I couldn't even eat anything at home before leaving I felt like I was going to throw up 😂
I felt the knot in my stomach become tighter when I saw him drive in
I didn't really feel safe anymore... I wasn't used to this
but I forced my legs forward to hug him
he smelled like flowers and homemade jollof rice... like he had sprayed on some perfume quickly to cover the food smell
I smiled because oh my God I do that too
I loosened up after that and smiled at him and he smiled back... I didn't notice it then but it looked forced
I remember going into the backseat because I was so used to sitting at the back with my grandmum at the front and my granddad in the driver's seat
He asked me to come to the passenger's seat and I smiled even more.... it was becoming to feel real...
Things were changing... it was really changing
I really had a dad
The drive to the water park was a blur
mostly silence and scattered conversations
It was way too new to have full blown conversations like I had with my grandparents and I couldn't help but fall asleep
when I woke up we were at the park
It was all children running around with their parents and taking pictures
There was still silence but I was happy I was finally with my dad
I knew we were going to have so much fun once we got comfortable.... or so I thought
He finally spoke up
"So ese do you like slides??" I replied quickly
finally something I'm interested in
"Yes but I've not really been on a lot except the one on my school" But in reality I've only been on it once when the other kids weren't around... I didn't feel like I belonged in any group so I played when the others weren't there was which was rare
I remember how he noticed my face changed immediately and cheered me up
"Today we're going to have so much fun on the water slides here"
I clung to it like a gift
Hearing that made me so happy and I was already imagining us having so much fun together forever
We played on the slides and later on we went on to the pools
"Can you swim? " he asked
"Not really but I could try?"
My grandmum would've scolded me for going close to a pool😂
she was so protective of me and didn't want me to try to things like this
I didn't tell him though... I wanted to please him so bad
He said
"I would keep an eye on you"
it was a simple sentence but it melted me
I had built so many versions of him in my head... some softer, some stricter, all carrying pieces of a man I hoped would finally make me feel whole. When I saw him, it felt surreal, like staring at someone I'd known all along but never really met
I felt at peace... Maybe this is actually real
Later on he got us some food and we ate and talked about my school.. My dreams and my plans for the new term in a few weeks
He told me all about his school days and I really felt connected
Like we understood each other...
At this time I didn't know what really happened.... I didn't know the truth..
Behind the smiles and the kind words... The history that would bring the first crack to my little heart..
I believed I had a dad now... Not knowing it was all a ruse