Chapter 3

The next day I set out to my father’s place just to find him laughing and smiling and playing with the little innocent children of his and his new wife. Seeing them made me realize that if someone can leave and move on, not looking back, why can’t my mother, Lucas and I do the same. I wanted to turn back and go home but I gathered all the bits and pieces of courage I had left and rung the doorbell. Only to find that his new wife Bella opened and asked “Hello Miss, how can I help you?” All I could respond was “I’m here to ‘see my father Mr. Cory Hunter.” She let me in clueless not knowing what I was saying.

I went straight ahead to where my father was and I requested to talk to him alone. He looked very surprised yet happy to see me. I told him “That our last visit was me listening to what you had to say to defend why you left and this time I want you to listen. You will stay out of my mother’s life, Lucas’ and mine. I forgive you, but don’t think just because I have, you can come in my life and act all fatherly to me and Lucas. Mom has been both a father and a mother to both of us and we don’t need you. My family needs to move on from the pain you have caused my mother. I am forgiving you, so that I can come to peace with myself and my feelings.” Those were the last things I ever said to my father.

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Right after that I went back home feeling so much relief, like a huge weight has been lifted from my chest. This time I entered home with a smile for the first time in a long time. As soon as I entered I found Josh on the couch playing a video game with my brother and I was surprised but filled with more joy when I saw him. He had noticed that I was just looking in his direction smiling from ear to ear and he dashed to me at the speed of lightning and picked me up while hugging me. I was shook from the greeting I got. At that moment I assumed that my mother had filled him in on my whereabouts and what I had gone to do.

Before I could say anything or ask what’s happening he immediately handed me a teddy bear and asked me to pull the string that was attached to the back of the bear. When I did the teddy bear recited “I love you Maya” and when I turn to Josh he repeats it a thousand times, at that moment I felt the wave of positive energy flow throughout my body and I said it back and all I wanted to do was jump into his arms and stay there forever. He also came bearing two letters, one mine and one is his from the college we both applied to together. We both excitedly but nervously opened the letter. There were a few moments of silence in the room, my mother and brother crossing their fingers waiting for one of us to say something. I went first squealing “I got in!” My mom and brother came running to hug me and congratulate me. We all turned to Josh, from his tense face expression my heart kept skipping beats waiting to hear something. He then began smiling, all of us confused and he then told us he also got in.

We all then began to celebrate, later that evening we went to dinner with both our families and there was laughter and love and happiness.