The Rockers Daughter

Meeting

"I'm glad you came," I replied honestly "I really need to hear your side of everything."

He let out a large sigh "Tell me what you do know and we can start from there"

I nodded "Mom told me that you and her had started dating about 18 years ago. And eventually fell in love, but then you started drinking and partying and it got to the point where you were always drunk and couldn't remember where you were or what you were doing. so when she found out she was pregnant she decided she didn't want me to grow up around that kind of stuff so she left without telling you."

Stacee nodded looking at me "Yeah that pretty much sums it up." 

I look at him waiting for him to continue.  "when I first started touring with Arsenal I was really living in the moment. Then I met your mother. She was the most beautiful woman I'd ever met. I began to fall in love with her the more I spent time with her. When we were together I felt complete. When the tour ended I was so happy that I'd be able to spend more time with the woman I loved, but as time went on I started missing life on the road. So I started drinking and kept going, I only stopped when I passed out and once I woke up I'd start drinking again. Your mom tried to get me to stop. She did everything from pouring my alcohol down the drain to checking me into a rehab facility twice but nothing worked. I would go buy more every time she'd pour it out and when she'd check me into a facility I would just check myself out. Then about a week after I checked myself out of rehab the second time I woke up one morning and she was gone."

I sat back and tried to process everything he had just told me. "wow" 

"It took years for me to stop drinking, I didn't actually stop until after I met Connie." He continued.

"so she did leave because of your drinking?" I asked trying to make sense of everything I've learned.

Stacee nodded. "It appears so."

I nodded slowly. "She never told me about the rehab or pouring out all the alcohol."

He looks at the window and nods like he's thanking someone. When I turn to look back at the window I see that Mom and Constance have joined everyone at the window, Mom nodding back at him.

"I didn't just come here to answer your questions, Maya. I do want to get to know you." He told me as he looked away from the window and back at me.

"Really? You want to get to know me? Why?" I asked, before Shawn came into the picture the only father figure I'd ever had was Mr. Matthews. 

"Because you're my daughter. I've already missed so much of your life. Although seeing how much your friends care about you it seems some good came out of it." he said chuckling while gesturing toward the window behind me.

I smiled looking out the window and back at him. "they're pretty worried about me after the last time we did this project. It didn't go very well."

He nodded picking up the red envelope. "So what class is this project for?" he asked curiously "I've never heard of it."

"History, believe it or not," I replied.

"History? What does forgiveness have to do with history?" He asked clearly confused. 

"Mr. Matthews says that it gives us a change our history." I start to explain. "I didn't understand last time. I tried to forgive my ex-step dad for leaving but the more he tried to explain the more I got angry. when I told Mr. Matthews that I couldn't forgive him, he told me that he never expected me to forgive something like that." I didn't even realize that I was telling them everything until I finished talking. 

Stacee listened like I was telling the best story he'd ever heard before responding "That is a lot to forgive."

"Yeah, it is." I said hearing a thud. When I turned around I didn't see Riley. I jumped up and ran in seeing her laying on the floor. "You ok Riles?" I asked. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Stacee walk back in walking over to talk to the other adults. Riley raised her arm giving me a thumbs up as I walked over to help her off the floor.

I pulled her over to where Stacee was standing. "This is Riley. she's my best friend, if you want to get to know me you need to know that she and I are a package deal."I tell him.

Both Stacee and Constance nod smiling. "I think we can handle that. Right, Stacee?" Constance asked.

He nods shaking Riley's hand. "Hi Riley I'm Stacee and this is my wife Connie." 

After everyone was introduced me and my friends sat down to talk before Riley handed me the history homework that I purposely left at school. "We have to do the homeroom homework Maya the teacher is a complete nut job, there is something seriously wrong with him." she scolded me as I took the papers groaning out loud.

"I am right here can hear you just fine." Mr. Matthews tells us as we laugh and all get started on our homework.