Flashbacks novel Chapter 5

“I don’t have a father. What is this bullshit?” I asked, almost yelled, at Noah.

His face remained showing no emotion. “According to Mr. Lavins, your father, you’re his daughter.”

“Can you not call him my father? He’s just a sperm donor. Someone who didn’t want to take responsibility for his ‘mistake.’” I made air quotes when saying mistake.

“Ma’am,” Noah said, “that’s not the full story. I believe there’s more to that.”

“Please don’t call me ma’am,” I told him. “I know you know my name since my sperm donor hired you,” I emphasized the “sperm donor” part.

I’ve been living for 23 and in none of those years has my actual father shown up. He missed too many things—he literally missed my whole life. He wasn’t there when I needed him. He wasn’t there at all. He wasn’t there when we had the father and daughter dance at school, nor was he there when I got my first boyfriend.

Yet he has the audacity to just walk right into my life? He’s dead to me.

I didn’t notice tears were trailing down my face until I noticed Noah holding out tissues for me. I took the tissues and wiped my face, slightly embarrassed. “Sorry.”

“No need to apologize. Although I’m not in your position, I know this is hard and complicated. You’re allowed to cry,” he said.

I was silent for a few seconds. “Thank you…Do you know the full story?” I decided to ask. “Do you know why my father’s not here, if he even is my father? Nothing’s adding up to me. My mom and step-dad told me that he didn’t want me and wanted my mom to get an abortion. And when she refused, he just left and never looked back once. It’s…painful knowing your father doesn’t want you nor your mom.”

I might’ve overshared but I didn’t care. He was coming to me telling me my father hired him to watch out for me. Why? I needed answers no matter what the cost was.

“Eleonora, your father was out of town yesterday when I called him to tell him about you being in the hospital. When he heard, he took the first flight he could find to come here so he could make sure you were okay. Right now he’s not here, but he will be here in a moment.