The Day My Daughter Fired Her Father
Xavier Galvan's first love, Winter Singleton, happens to return to the country on the same day our daughter, Tina Galvan, is diagnosed with a heart condition.
I wait helplessly with my five-year-old Tina at the hospital for her results. Meanwhile, Xavier drives to the airport to pick up Winter and her son, Ian Becker, just so that he can feel like he has a father to pick them up.
I sign the surgery consent form alone while sitting by Tina's hospital bed. Meanwhile, Xavier takes Winter shopping at the mall and even picks out a birthday present for his newly-appointed "godson".
On the day of Tina's surgery, just before she's wheeled into the theater, she grabs Xavier's sleeve tightly, refusing to let go.
"I'm scared, Daddy. Can you please stay here with Mommy and wait for me?"
He agrees. However, a split moment later, Winter calls him.
"Xav? Ian's looking for his 'daddy' everywhere at the birthday party. Can you please come over?"
Xavier doesn't even hesitate as he pries Tina's fingers, one by one, from his sleeve, and says, "It's just a small surgery, Tina. There's nothing to be afraid of.
"Winter needs Daddy now, but I'll be back soon afterward, okay?"
Then, Xavier turns to leave.
Tina doesn't cry.
However, the first thing she does after coming back out of the surgery is to refer to him by a different address.
"I don't want Uncle Xavier as my daddy anymore, Mommy."