Why Is Life So Hard, Lizzy?, chapter 17
I sat there with my dad, crying on his shoulder, longer than I thought. When I had finally allowed my tears to subside, I looked up from my dad's shoulder to see dawn breaking.
"Oh...god, sorry dad." I sniffled, "I was just, it was a shock to find out that.... you are my actual dad. Can I ask you something?" I slightly chuckled.
"Sure."
"Why didn't you want me? I mean, you lost me, is that because you didn't want me?" I asked.
"Lizzy, we never did not want you! You got separated form me, I turned my back on you for a sec. then you were gone. I ...lost you."
"See, I had always told myself that you didn't want me. That you just left me for dead," I replied.
"NEVER! Your mother and I loved you, and still do, very much. You were our first child! We had you even before we were married!"
"So, I thought it was kind of weird you wanted to adopt me only 1/2 an hour after you 'met' me. I was sayin' 'How does he know Adrienne will be okay with this?' He chuckled, then smiled.
"Lizzy, when we went walking your way that day, you looked so much like me, I noticed but I didn't want to break into tears, so I shrugged it off, but when I heard your voice...I said to myself 'Billie, you keep walkin' and you'll regret it for the rest of your life', so we came back to watch you play Minority... me, Tre and Mike were whispering about how much you looked and sounded like me, that we had to talk to you to know. When you sat down to tell us about yourself, and you said your name and what happened to you, I knew from there you were Lizzy, my Lizzy. After the 3 of us gave some money, so you could get back into your lives as normal as possibly, outside the car the 3 of us made a pact not to tell you what happened. On the way home, I called Adie to tell her I'd found you, and she agreed to keep the same pact. Earlier this evening we were talking about it and I still felt bad about not tell you, but I guess you'd stumbled upon it now." he ended.
Wow I thought.
"Uhm, so how do you know for sure that I'm actually THE Lizzy?" I asked.
"Well, remember that day we went to get your shots and they took blood too? Well, that was to compare our DNA. Exact Match."
"REALLY?" I exclaimed, "This is the answer. My dream is finally over! I KNOW my family!" A surge of excitement welled up in my body and my heart overflowed with joy, "Thank-You dad, for everything." I said, hugging him.
"No problemo, what is family for? But...I do have 1 thing that is still bugging me." he replied.
"Yes?"
"You said that you didn't like your family enough to want to come back...why?"
My heart immediately dropped.
"I...remember I loved my family very much, but my dad was always gone. Never around when I needed him. That's all I remembered. 'Your dad is gone all the time, he don't love you' That's why." I replied.
He sighed and continued.
" I know and I felt horrible having to leave all the time, but duty called so much back then. I..."
"No, dad. It's okay, I know and understand now, please don't ever think that I don't want to be here because I do!" I exclaimed.
"I wanna be here for you, mom, dad, Joey, Jakob, and all the others and especially Franky and 'Kita." I continued.
"Oh yes, about you and Franky..."
"Please, Dad. I know that you don't like what he did, but remember, you did it once too. You're not saint. He's the father of my child and the love of my life and I'm going to marry him on July 2nd." I replied.
"I...wait, what? July 2nd is..."
"You and mom's anniversary. I know. I figured it would be sorta good luck charm. I mean, seeing you and mom together, your perfect, and hopefully me and Franky and 'Kita can live in a family together JUST the way you guys do. I trust Franky again, but if he does hurt me, you will be the first to know, I promise Daddy." I replied.
He nodded then smiled.
"I know baby, I know. That's why I give you and Franky my blessings. Seeing Franky step in and play the role of dad as quickly as he did makes me so proud. You trust him, and so do I. I have no choice, not even rehab kept you two away from each other. You 2 were meant to be together."
"Thank-You dad, so much, you have no idea how much this means to me...er...to us! How much it means to us." I smiled.
"Oh, I think I know how much this means. It means wedding dress, flowers, invitations, caterers, entertainment is of course, free, and the HUGE cost of the house that is.... being built right next door. JUST in case you ever need anything."
"Oh my god! Dad you bought us a HOUSE! Can we go over today? I want to..." He put a finger to my lips.
"Shhh, surprise. Don't hint you know until I "Tell you" about it with your mom."
"Okay."
We started laughing then saw Franky with 'Kita.
"Lizzy, she's burning up...and not breathing."
"Oh...god, sorry dad." I sniffled, "I was just, it was a shock to find out that.... you are my actual dad. Can I ask you something?" I slightly chuckled.
"Sure."
"Why didn't you want me? I mean, you lost me, is that because you didn't want me?" I asked.
"Lizzy, we never did not want you! You got separated form me, I turned my back on you for a sec. then you were gone. I ...lost you."
"See, I had always told myself that you didn't want me. That you just left me for dead," I replied.
"NEVER! Your mother and I loved you, and still do, very much. You were our first child! We had you even before we were married!"
"So, I thought it was kind of weird you wanted to adopt me only 1/2 an hour after you 'met' me. I was sayin' 'How does he know Adrienne will be okay with this?' He chuckled, then smiled.
"Lizzy, when we went walking your way that day, you looked so much like me, I noticed but I didn't want to break into tears, so I shrugged it off, but when I heard your voice...I said to myself 'Billie, you keep walkin' and you'll regret it for the rest of your life', so we came back to watch you play Minority... me, Tre and Mike were whispering about how much you looked and sounded like me, that we had to talk to you to know. When you sat down to tell us about yourself, and you said your name and what happened to you, I knew from there you were Lizzy, my Lizzy. After the 3 of us gave some money, so you could get back into your lives as normal as possibly, outside the car the 3 of us made a pact not to tell you what happened. On the way home, I called Adie to tell her I'd found you, and she agreed to keep the same pact. Earlier this evening we were talking about it and I still felt bad about not tell you, but I guess you'd stumbled upon it now." he ended.
Wow I thought.
"Uhm, so how do you know for sure that I'm actually THE Lizzy?" I asked.
"Well, remember that day we went to get your shots and they took blood too? Well, that was to compare our DNA. Exact Match."
"REALLY?" I exclaimed, "This is the answer. My dream is finally over! I KNOW my family!" A surge of excitement welled up in my body and my heart overflowed with joy, "Thank-You dad, for everything." I said, hugging him.
"No problemo, what is family for? But...I do have 1 thing that is still bugging me." he replied.
"Yes?"
"You said that you didn't like your family enough to want to come back...why?"
My heart immediately dropped.
"I...remember I loved my family very much, but my dad was always gone. Never around when I needed him. That's all I remembered. 'Your dad is gone all the time, he don't love you' That's why." I replied.
He sighed and continued.
" I know and I felt horrible having to leave all the time, but duty called so much back then. I..."
"No, dad. It's okay, I know and understand now, please don't ever think that I don't want to be here because I do!" I exclaimed.
"I wanna be here for you, mom, dad, Joey, Jakob, and all the others and especially Franky and 'Kita." I continued.
"Oh yes, about you and Franky..."
"Please, Dad. I know that you don't like what he did, but remember, you did it once too. You're not saint. He's the father of my child and the love of my life and I'm going to marry him on July 2nd." I replied.
"I...wait, what? July 2nd is..."
"You and mom's anniversary. I know. I figured it would be sorta good luck charm. I mean, seeing you and mom together, your perfect, and hopefully me and Franky and 'Kita can live in a family together JUST the way you guys do. I trust Franky again, but if he does hurt me, you will be the first to know, I promise Daddy." I replied.
He nodded then smiled.
"I know baby, I know. That's why I give you and Franky my blessings. Seeing Franky step in and play the role of dad as quickly as he did makes me so proud. You trust him, and so do I. I have no choice, not even rehab kept you two away from each other. You 2 were meant to be together."
"Thank-You dad, so much, you have no idea how much this means to me...er...to us! How much it means to us." I smiled.
"Oh, I think I know how much this means. It means wedding dress, flowers, invitations, caterers, entertainment is of course, free, and the HUGE cost of the house that is.... being built right next door. JUST in case you ever need anything."
"Oh my god! Dad you bought us a HOUSE! Can we go over today? I want to..." He put a finger to my lips.
"Shhh, surprise. Don't hint you know until I "Tell you" about it with your mom."
"Okay."
We started laughing then saw Franky with 'Kita.
"Lizzy, she's burning up...and not breathing."
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