I am the eldest girl in my family, a younger sister and a brother to follow. Since I was a kid, dad seemed to be working all the time. I knew it was hard to support the big family, he was busy and busy all the time, I was not really in the right place to complain, but I wish he could help me finish my science project for one time. I never asked because I was afraid he would say later and I knew later meant after midnight.
What he said to us every day was be careful about this, be careful about that. He would kiss us goodbye when he left for work, but he did not know what we really wanted was to have a father-daughter conversation, I would like to sit down on the bench in the park and talk about the cute guys, popular girls and their stories with him, I would like to see the look on his face, I would like to share with him my grow up pains, but he was not available. He was not good at words, why would mom marry him in the first place, but I never asked her that. I just knew she loved him dearly.
The age of fourteen was a time of rebellion. My dramatically change freaked mom out. We had a fight because she thought make up and high heels were too much for me. I would sneak out and hang out with the friends she forbade me being with. Still, dad did not have enough time for me. He did not utter a word when I shouted at mom. They did not know I was doing that just to get their attention.
To my surprise, dad knocked my door and asked if it was ok to let him in. This was the moment I had been looking for. I was quiet but he came in anyway.
He said there and kissed my forehead. I could not help but take off his glasses and put it on me, I always wanted do this. He smiled and apologized
“Honey, dad loves you more than anything in the world, but we are having financial problems, I have to work hard to pay the bills and you should not know about this. I know how much you want to spend time with me, I want that too. I wish I have enough time to finish the work and take you guys out.”
I no longer felt abandoned, for the first time in my life I knew dad was my role model. He still worked late but I would help him with the file before I went to bed.