His Prize

 …5 years ago

The building looked similar to ours , the difference were the toys found on the lawn next to the front porch and the dog sleeping beside the front door. Father never let us adopt a pet, he  always told us that they constituted as nuisance, I always wanted a cat , a small pet to love , on our 1^st year anniversary, Brian, my boyfriend then ,got one for me, father wouldn’t just give in. He later had to return it .

I walked anxiously towards the door, the dog lifted its head , barked and laid down back. I made a sigh of relief as I knocked .

No answer. I knocked harder fortunately, a pretty  girl opened.

 “ Hello, can I help you?” She questioned with a smile on her face while I stared at her features.

My heart raced and my  palms became sweaty when I noticed the birthmark at her shoulder blade . I had one , Stan had one. Father always boasted about the natural identification mark , God had somehow bestowed on his lineage.

“Hey, are you alright?” I heard

“Yh “ I whispered.

“I’m looking for a , Mr. Pronto .. um.. Mr.Felix?” I asked , realizing that if my intuition was right he wouldn’t continue with our family’s name.

“Oh! You mean daddy” she answered brightly

“Daddy?” I whispered under my breath, as I felt the tears choke.

She ran up a stairway and left the door opened. I stepped in , taking an appraisal of the living room .

 The portrait was just there, staring at me . It felt like a slap on the face, there was my birth father , standing next to a woman that wasn’t my mother , with a young girl and boy , which I can assume to be the children. That should be mummy, Stan and I.I stared in disbelief, I felt suffocated, the tears I held , rolled slowly down my face. Should I tell mummy?what about Stan?. I thought to myself .

The footsteps brought me out of my train of thoughts. I looked up and there he was. The man I’ve always known as father, staring at me with his new daughter at his side.

“Baby girl, this is Sophia’ he stated

‘Baby girl’ I muttered with a scoff

“Sophia, this is Trisha, my daughter “ he stated with no guilt in his voice or eyes

“We can speak outside “ he continued as he placed his hand at my back directing me towards the door

I shuddered in disgust as I stepped away ,

 “Outside?” I questioned

What’s wrong with inside?” I asked

“ I know why you’re here, Sophia and if you want answers you’ll have to do what I say “ he replied

I stared at him while the thought of telling his new daughter the truth about her father rushed in.

 “Please” he said to me .

I walked outside with my arms folded across my chest I looked at him for my answers

Trust me when I say, I was better of not knowing the truth.

At that point , I realized my father had always been selfish

“ How do you leave a family you started alone, penniless, dejected because you got tired?” I questioned him in anger

“ You wouldn’t understand “ he stated

“Then explain to me” I said

“Explain to me , father “ the word tasted like sand on my tongue

“ I don’t know how else to say this , but I loved you all, I still do, but I just couldn’t stand the sight of you guys. So I left. To start over “ he stated while putting his hands in his pockets

“ You guys?” Mother stood by you, every single night you came home drunk, she understood the financial burden even when we all know it was your fault the company went bankrupt!” I screamed at him.

“ Why? , she needs all the love now, she needs you now the same way she was there for you. Here you are  having fun with your new family meanwhile, mother is very ill,, Stan needs his father and.. .” I stated angrily

 “What about me?” I questioned with tears in my eyes.

“I’m just 17, daddy please , you have to come back home, mummy needs you. We all miss you” I pleaded

“I’m sorry, Sophia” he said

“I can’t, you and your mother will have to figure that out without me. “ he stated

“I wish you well” he continued when I made no response

“Well I don’t, I sincerely hope , nothing works out for you, I hope you keep on repeating the same mistakes over and over again. I hope they do what you did to us , in the most painful way. I hope you die alone, with the same pain I feel now” I spat angrily.

I stormed out, with the feeling of betrayal bartering at my chest ,refusing to look back at the man I once knew as my father while the tears flowed freely with the decision to not tell Stan or mother about my discovery.

Presently..

The clatter of the utensils, drew me out of my thoughts. I wiped the few tears that escaped during my reminiscing.

“Sophia ” Paris screamed in her usual delight as she hugged me from behind.

Paris and I have been best friends for three years. She’s the best thing that’s happened to me for these few years .

“Hi Paris “ I said with a smile on my face

“ Please tell me you aren’t doing a night shift today” she stated with a pout on her face

“ Why would I say that, I need the money “ I said with a sad smile

“ We haven’t gone out in ages, please let’s have fun” she pleaded

Paris..” I began

“Sophie , please . I’m relocating soon. We won’t see as much. I’ll miss you badly. I just need one night for both of us to have fun and make memories. “ she stated

I sighed because she wasn’t lying.

It’s been long we’ve actually had real fun. I’m always in the bakery shop, working. I honestly needed a break.

“ Alright. Just one night doesn’t seem like a bad idea." I said with a grin

She shrieked in delight and looped her arms with mine.

“ You’ll have the best night of your life, I promise “ she said to me with the brightest smile , while I hoped she was right