I love my daddy

A knight in shining armour

It had been a week since the incident with my mom. She had apologised several times, but I had insisted to the niece not to let me go home with her. I told her the reason, and she had called the police and child protective services. I had known that was my only shot to get what I wanted,’to stay with dad for a little bit. And it had worked. She announced that she and Paul was going on a month long cruise next month, and wanted me to stay at dad’s place. I had been beyond excited and had called him immediately to let him know. His voice sounded so happy when I told him, and he was going to fix my room before I got there . I had called him my night in shining armour when he had visited me in the hospital, and he had laughed at that. The booming, deep laughter had done unspeakable things to me, and I had a hard time getting back from my dark place.

I had been home for five days now, my head was still splitting because of my concussion, and my mom is not happy with me. She said that it was my own fault she slapped me, and she would do it again if I didn’t know my place. Huffing, I get out of bed, hoping this month will go fast so I can leave this hellhole. I grab a quick shower, put on some clean clothes, grab my backpack and head downstairs. I put a frozen pop tart in the toaster, wait for it to be done and I leave. I get in my car and drive for school. Paul had bought it to me when I got back from the hospital. A way for him to buy my silence. It hadn’t worked, of course, and we had a court date set in a week. I was told by the judge to come with them, and I knew exactly what to say.

*

Monday morning, I wake up early. I take a nice, soothing shower and wrap a fluffy, pink towel around my body, and a matching towel around my head. I head for my bedroom and start looking for clothes, not willing to wear the pink summer dress my mom picked out for me last night. I settle on a pair of black jeans, a white singlet and my black leather jacket. I put on a pair of black doc martins, blow dry my hair and place it in a high, cute ponytail. I head downstairs, and my mom’s eyes widen. “No. Absolutely f*****g not. Go change into the dress I found you. That outfit is unacceptable” she says, grabbing my arm and start dragging me towards the bedroom. We’re about halfway there, when suddenly the door hangs open, and two armed police officers enter our home. My mom freeze and grab me closer, but the cops move toward me her. “We have been told to be on the lookout today. We have cameras installed in case you would try anything. So you, ma’am, is going to court in handcuffs and with your own personal escort” one of the officers said as he helped me release the tight grip my mom held on me. Anger seethed through her body, and her face started turning a nasty shade of red. I grabbed my own keys and went to the garage to start it up. Thankfully we had heat in the garage, so it wasn’t freezing inside. I get in and smile. I place the keypad on the panel and pressed the button. Tell me what 16 year old’s had their own Tesla? Maybe the rich ones. I put on my favourite radio station and press the garage door opener, watching the white gate slowly pull up. I start driving when it’s safe, and close it when I exit. I drive down the streets till I get to the local courthouse, find parking and charging, step outside and practically run inside to get out of the cold. My dad smile and hug me when he sees me. “Good morning my lovely daughter” he says to me and I giggle. “Good morning daddy” I say and give him a light peck on the cheek. We enter the court room, and I sit on my designated bench. After a while, the judge looks at me. “Amber. We have now heard from both parents why they are the better one. Now, I would like to hear where you want to stay, and why.” The judge looks at me, and I can’t help but smile. “Your honour. I would like to stay with my father. When I was ten, he left. My mother told me a lie that he had found someone else and didn’t need me anymore, and up until two weeks ago, I believed her. She told me every year that my father gave me cards and presents, and I believed her. Well, it was true, I just never got them. The ones I have that says “love dad,” I watched my mother write the night before my 14th birthday. When she thought I wasn’t watching, she wrapped a present and wrote “from dad” on it. And on my 16th birthday, I met my father again, and he confronted my mother. He had met her on restaurants or cafes around the area to get gifts from him, and then lied, to my face, with my dad there, and said he never gave me anything, hoping he would lie for her like he did before to her parents. And she hit me. On my birthday. I said I wanted to live with dad, and she slapped me so hard I started bleeding. I ran out the door, slipped and hit my head on a dumpster” I explain everything and tears starts swelling again. My mother is fuming with anger, not thinking I would tell the truth. “And this morning, she grabbed my arm very hard, trying to drag me to my bedroom so she could change me into a bubblegum pink dress and probably make my hair into pigtails” I say and scoff. The cops that escorted mom nods, and the judge look serious at my mother. “You are not fit to be a parent. I will give full custody to dad, with visitations with mom, if the child is willing. Court dismissed” she said and slam the hammer on the table. I gasp. I can’t believe it. I turn around and jump into my father’s arms, wrapping my legs around his waist and trying not to think to much about where his hands were resting in the small of by back. “Ready to go home?” Dad asks, his voice is thick with tears, and I nod, not giving my mom a second glance. He carries me outside, and I show him to my car. “I can take the bus if you want. I don’t have a car with me” he offers, and I place my hands in my sides. “Nonsense. Get in. You can tell me where to go so I can put it into the GPS” I say and open the door for him. We slide in, close the door and put on the seatbelts. I type in the address on the Home Screen, turn on the radio and let my dad pick the station as I pull out of the parking lot. I get a text from Paul as I start pulling out, and I read it on my watch before driving on.

Keep the car. It was a gift after all. I didn’t know what she did. She told me it was self defence, and that you were lying. I knew today she was lying. I hope we can still have contact with each other. After all, you are the daughter I never had. -Paul.

I look at the text and smile. I press the emoji button, choose a couple hearts and started driving through the dark streets, going home with my dad for the first time in six years.