As Zion and I pull up to the restaurant my heart starts to race and my palms get sweaty.
"You need me to come in?" He puts the car in park.
"No I'm good." I grab my purse from the floor and get out the car.
"Venus even if he is your dad it's ok you didn't need him then you don't need him now." I reassure myself before walking in.
In the back I see him sitting with a cup of coffee.
"I'm glad you said we could meet."
He gets up to hug me but I decline.
"First of all what's your name?" I ask.
"Mark." I nod.
"What hospital was I born at?"
Let the interrogation begin.
"Atlanta medical."
"Your mom cussed out half the nursing staff cause you wouldn't come out. You have a birth mark on your right foot and you have a beauty mark behind your left ear."
I sit in awe as he tells me all these things about me.
"I had a picture from when I was born. That's where I've seen you from." I connect the dots.
"I had on a red sweater and your mom was holding you. Man I was so happy." He reminisces.
"Why now? Why come now that I don't need a father?"
"I tried to meet you for so long your mother wanted to be a bitch and not let me because of what we had going on."
"Don't talk bad about my mother she was there. Although she could have done better she still was at every game, every doctors appointment, and every sickness."
"I heard about her death I'm sorry."
"So you knew my mother died and still didn't reach out? That would have been the time I needed you the most. I had no one. I was taken in and adopted my my best friends parents."
"You don't know how bad I wanted to."
"What stopped you?"
"I didn't think you would have wanted to hear from me."
"Venus I'm here now please let me try I want to be there for you and Malani."
"I don't need you. You see that guy in the car over there?"
I point to Zion.
"He showed me how I'm supposed to be treated. Although he did stuff that I know he's not proud of he was there. He opened the doors and held me in his arms when I found out my mom died, he was there while you were building a new family."
"Venus I want to put the effort in now I want Malani to know her grandpa and I want to teach her how to fix cars and take her to the park. I want to do all the stuff I didn't do with you."
I tear up. I want to say it was because I am mad but it's a mixture of mad and sad but also relief.
"I would also like to build a relationship with you if you want?"
His eyes look hopeful.
"I have a sister?"
"Two, Lexie and Callie. You met Lexie she's 15 Callie is 12."
"Do they know who I am?"
"No but they do know that I have another kid."
"Look it was nice meeting you and all but I have to go but give me your number."
We swap phones.
"Bye." I say grabbing my stuff.
"Bye sweetheart."
Walking back to the car so much was going through my mind.
"So how did it go is he your dad?" Zion smiles.
A overwhelming wave of emotion takes over me and I bursts into tears.
"Hey woah is it something I said I'm sorry V." He hugs me.
"He's my dad. And I have sisters and he wants to be there and he wants to build a relationship with me." I wipe away some tears.
"That's good right?"
"It just makes me wonder why my mom kept him from me he seems genuine."
"Well you know I love you right?"
"I know."
