Say You Won't Let Go

A Reunion

"I'm going to have to call you back." I say, my eyes not leaving the sign. I walk toward the man whose eyes don't even pass me.

"Wait, why?" Noah asks, his voice shaking. "What's going on—?"

"I said I'd call you back." I reiterate, hanging up on him before he can get another word in. Sometimes, that boy talks too much.

I approach the man. He resembles me somewhat so I'm not afraid he is a stranger. Plus, his sign has my name on it. Except I go by 'Camila' now.

"Really? Karla?" I ask once I'm close enough to the man. He looks at me, surprised. I can definitely see now that he looks like me.

"Yeah, it's my daughter's name." The man, I mean—my father—explains, laughing nervously. "I'm picking her up from the airport."

"Yeah, I know." I roll my eyes, shoving my phone back into my back pocket. "Dad," I cringe at the name. "It's me."

Alejandro's eyes practically pop out of his eyes. "Oh, Karla! I'm sorry, dear. I just didn't recognize you. You've grown up. I can't believe it. You look so different now."

"Thanks," I huff. "I know. I look incredibly different from when I did when I was six; when you left us."

Alejandro sighs, ruffling his hair. "Look, I'm sorry, Karla. But—"

"It's Camila." I cut him off, making sure to keep eye contact to make him uncomfortable.

"What?" He inquires, tilting his head slightly.

"I go by Camila now, Da—" I groan, shaking my head. "Sorry, I just can't call you 'Dad'. Can I call you, Alejandro?"

"Yeah, sure. It's alright." Alejandro nods, seemingly upset. "I understand. I messed up, Kar—Camila. C-can I have a second chance?"

"Is that what this is about?" I spit, blinking slowly. "A second chance? If you really wanted one, you could've moved to Seattle for that instead of making me move."

"Ca—"

"And what about Sofi?" I interrupt him, making his eyes dart away from my eye contact. Wimp. "She was tiny when you left."

Alejandro takes a deep breath, looking up from the ground to face me. "Look, Camila, I've made a lot of mistakes in my life and leaving you and your mother wa—"

"And Sofi." I comment angrily.

"—one of them." He continues, ignoring my add-on. "But what is happening right now does not have anything to do with my second chance. I just hope you can understand."

"Well, I can't really understand what no one is telling me, you see." I retort, raising one eyebrow.

"You're a fighter, aren't you?" Alejandro guesses, tucking his sign behind his armpit.

"Definitely not." I state, meeting my father's eyes with mine again. "I'd rather love than fight any day."

"Then can't you give me a chance, Camila?" He inquires, his eyes sad.

I take a moment to think about this. No matter how resentful I am of this man, I don't really know him enough to judge. Everyone makes their own mistakes. Maybe he is a good guy.

"We'll see." I snap, not wanting him to see the tender side of me yet. Even if he is my father, he just met me.

"Thank you." He exhales loudly, relieved. It surprises me to see how much he wants this. I would of never guessed he could care. "Let me help you with your bags."

"I only have one and I need to go get it." I explain, gazing over at the luggage belt.

"Then let us go get it."