While I waited for my father to arrive for about twenty minutes, the father-daughter dance had already started and everyone was dancing. Even the school’s janitor, Mr. Wheeler, took the stage with his niece, feeling like the happiest guy on the planet.
And just when I believed he wasn’t coming, I heard the door creak.
My father, dressed in jeans, his vest, and his normal cap, met my gaze, and I could detect a sense of sadness in his eyes.
“You are late,” I said.
He handed me the rose he had bought for me and explained, “I had to stop by somewhere first.”
“Where?” I inquired, and it took a few seconds for my father to respond, “I just wanted to make sure she won’t stop us from having this night.”
I knew right away that he was talking about mom.
They divorced some years ago and things hadn’t been smooth for neither of us ever since.
“I told her I wasn’t going to miss another father-daughter dance,” my dad said.
We had the most amazing time that night. I even forgot that he wasn’t there on time because I knew he was doing his best to be as present as possible.
When my father was ready to drop me off at home, he turned to me and said, “Honey, there’s something you should know. When I went by mom’s apartment before going to the dance party, she told me she was relocating to St. Louis and would be bringing you with her. But I will not allow it. “Not unless you want to go there yourself.”
I froze. Moving places was not something I desired at the time. My friends, my school, and the teachers I had grown to like were all present.
“Don’t think about that right now. “We’ll see how things go,” my father replied as he stopped by our favorite pizza spot on his way home.
Things heated up over the next few days.
My mother demanded exclusive custody of me, which my father fought in court.
They eventually decided I was mature enough to make my own decisions and choose who to stay with. When I spoke with a guardian ad litem, I stated that my father was not always around, but when he was, he was completely dedicated. Mom meant well, but she didn’t always listen.
Going to St. Louis felt like a big deal at the time, so I chose to stay with my father.
Mom was sad and disappointed, but she finally came to accept my decision. She did relocate, but she returned on weekends.
Today, I’m at college and living on my own. My relationship with both of my parents is healthy. Most importantly, I know they are there for me.
My father has never missed a father-daughter dance since that one.
