Page 109 of Hot Four Teacher
Her tears start to flow again. “I asked him about the camping trip again, and he said he’d have to make sure no one else in the house had any plans. I just got so mad. I freaked out on him.”
“Well, I bet that was fun.”
“I asked him to go in the other room with me, so the kids wouldn’t hear, and I just started telling him how I thought all of this was bullshit. Why can he be their dad, but he’s never been mine? It’s not fair. I’ve always been understanding, but I’m sick of it. Oh, and then, he tried blaming you in a roundabout way.”
“Me?” I gasp. “How is any of this my fault?”
“He says that you and I have such a strong bond that he didn’t want to come in and do anything to mess with that. He’s just trying to do something–anything–to make himself feel better.”
My blood boils even hotter. I can’t believe he said those things to her.
“Then, he told me that I’ve never seemed all that interested in him and he thinks that the only time I come around is when I want something from him.”
“What?” My voice is a little louder than I intended.
“I never wanted anything from him except for him to act like a real father. That’s it. He’s the one who always wants to go shopping.”
“Sweetie, he always offered to take you shopping, so he wouldn’t have to do the real dad stuff–the hard dad stuff.”
I’ve never been one to badmouth her dad in front of her. In fact, I’ve always shielded her quite a bit from his bullshit. But he opened up a whole new can of worms when he tried blaming Eve. Blame me all you want; I don’t give a shit, but don’t you dare put any of this on Eve.
She turns to look at me, wiping a tear from her eyes. “I just don’t get why he’s never wanted to bemydad.”
The one single tear turns into many as she starts to sob. I grab a pillow and put it onto my lap, so she has a place to put her head.
Watching my daughter so heartbroken is enough to have tears welling up in my own eyes.
“You listen to me, beautiful girl,” I begin. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. You are so incredible and smart and just an amazing person. If he can’t see that, then he’s the one who is missing you.”
“You know what sucks the most, Mom?”
“What, sweetheart?” I ask as I stroke her hair.
“When I stormed out, he didn’t even follow me. He just let me go and didn’t even care.”
“I’m so sorry, Eve.”
There are very few things in my life that hurt me more than watching my daughter cry. I’ve heldher while she’s cried over boys before, but there’s something different about it being her father who is doing the hurting. I used to have to comfort her in regards to Danny, but it was when she was little. Either way, it’s equally devastating.
***
An hour later, Eve calmed down and fell asleep. She’s now snoring softly on the other end of the couch. I told her I was going to run to the store to get stuff for a big breakfast in the morning.
So, I grab my keys and head out as quietly as possible. The moment I hit the road, though, I know I have to make another stop first.
On the way, I tell my Bluetooth speakers in the car to call Dane. It only takes a moment for him to answer.
“Hey, baby. You okay? Is Eve okay?”
“She’s okay except disappointed by her father…again.”
“What happened?”
I tell him the whole story, and the more I talk, the angrier I get. I can’t believe Danny would do this.
Dane listens to me vent and then says, “I’m sorry Eve has to deal with that. She’s a great kid who deserves a dad who will stand in her corner.”
“I’m just so angry, and I don’t understand how he could treat her like this. But I’m about to get some answers.”
