Page 21 of Saving Little Lina: Part Two

Squeezing my hand, he led me out of the car and up to Dean’s apartment door. My mind raced with nervous thoughts.What if he rejects me? What will I do?But then, I turned to see Daddy standing beside me, his eyes brimming with love and support. His presence was like a lighthouse guiding me through a stormy sea, promising safety and comfort, regardless of the tumultuous waves. Having him with me changed everything. The fear of rejection was still there, but it was no longer paralyzing. With Daddy by my side, I knew I could face whatever lay beyond that door.

Taking a deep breath, I knocked. The door opened seconds later. There he was, the father I had longed to meet. His features were kind, yet marked by the passage of time.

"Are you… Dean?" I asked, my voice shaky.

He nodded, a look of curiosity on his face.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I stammered out, "I'm Lina, your daughter." The words felt surreal, a confession that held the weight of years of longing and wonder.

Dean's expression shifted from confusion to shock as he processed my words. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice a mix of surprise and caution.

I showed him the photo of my mother when she was younger. As he looked at it, I saw the gears turning in his head, and then the dawning realization of what I meant.

Dean took a step back, his hand going to his mouth as he absorbed the news. "I had no idea," he began, his voice thick with emotion. "All these years... Your mother... she never told me."

His face was a mixture of surprise, regret, and a tinge of sadness. His eyes, now mirroring mine, held a story of their own, a life that was just beginning to unfold.

"I'm glad you came looking for me," he said, his voice quivering slightly with emotion. "I had no idea you existed. This is... a lot to process, but I'm glad you're here."

Hearing those words, the acceptance I had been craving, I couldn't hold back my tears any longer. They streamed down my face, a mix of relief and years of pent-up emotions. I was so scared that he would reject me, that he would ask me to leave and never show him my face again.

He stepped forward and enveloped me in a hug, his embrace hesitant at first but growing firmer. "I'm here now," he said, his voice warm and comforting as he gently patted my back. "I'm sorry for all the years we lost."

When we finally broke the hug, I introduced Hank as my boyfriend. They shook hands, and Dean welcomed us into his apartment with a nod.

As I took in my surroundings, I couldn't help but notice Dean's striking features – the same as the ones my mother had described. He was indeed exceptionally handsome, and I realized I had inherited quite a few of my features from him.

He also had a noticeable limp as he moved around. Curiosity got the better of me, and I asked him about it. He explained that he had been in a terrible car accident a few years ago, one that had nearly cost him his leg.

"That sounds so painful," I said with genuine concern. "I'm just glad you're okay now."

The apartment was small and cluttered, not really suitable for more than one person. The untidiness was apparent, with items strewn about haphazardly.

Dean gave a weak smile and apologized for the mess. "I wasn't expecting company," he said, a hint of embarrassment in his tone.

"Don't worry about it. You should see my room sometimes. I think we have a competition going here for the messiest space."

My eyes then fell on several framed photographs, but none of them featured anyone else. Eagerly, I asked, "Do I have any half-siblings?"

It was something I had always dreamed of – being part of a larger family, a network of support for when life showed its challenging side.

He sighed, a look of regret crossing his face as he quietly said, "In the library of my years, I see now that I was a collectorof first editions of futures that I never read past the prologue. I held onto the belief that life was a book to be edited, not realizing each page was penned in permanent ink. I drafted plans for a family in the margins of my days, always assuming there'd be more pages, not seeing the end of the chapter creeping closer with each sunset. I mistook the horizon as a promise of endless time, but horizons, I've learned, are just the limits of our sight. Now, with the horizon behind me and the story of what I could’ve had gathering dust, I face the silent rooms that were meant to ring with the laughter of children and the gentle chaos of a shared life. At fifty-one, I find myself an author mourned by his own characters, those phantoms of a family that might have been, in a book that is bound and closed.”

His words left me speechless. It looked like he had given up his cushy job with benefits to pursue his passion for writing.

“And so, Lina, I want to tell you, don't make the same mistake. When life offers you something special, don't put it off. Don't wait for the perfect moment. It might never come. Seize the opportunities you're given and cherish them. Build the life you want now, not later.”

Despite the initial joy of meeting, there was a poignant undertone to our conversation now, a realization of the years and experiences we had missed out on.

As I sat there, absorbing Dean's words about missed opportunities, I couldn't help but draw parallels to my own life. His reflections on what could have been made me think about my love for Daddy. "It's funny," I mused aloud, "how we sometimes don't realize what we have until it's almost too late. I found that with Hank. I never knew I could be so happy until I let myself love him."

Dean looked at me, his eyes reflecting a lifetime of experiences. "It's great that you found that happiness. I guess I always thought there'd be more time."

I tried to comfort him. "You have a daughter now. Me. And I think we have a lot of catching up to do. But it's never too late to find love, you know."

He sighed, a tinge of sadness in his voice. "I'm not sure nice things are in the cards for me anymore. Sometimes, for some people, it's just too late."

His words stirred a mix of sadness and determination in me. I couldn't accept that it was too late for him to find happiness.

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