The Fate of a Single Father

"Dad! Dad!" A young voice sounded throughout the room but was unheard by the man they were calling. He was laying on a chair, eyes closed, and headphones with music hearable to those not wearing them.

Poking the man, the child once again called for the man, "Dad! Dad!" Still left with no reaction.

Getting up on the chair the child pulls the headphones off and called for the third time, "Dad!"

In shock the man jumped up, "I'm up, I'm up. Did something die or explode?"

The child giggled at their father's reaction before answering him, "No, but I need help with a homework assignment."

The father rubbed his eyes before yawning and answering them, "What is it?"

The child pulled a folded piece of paper out their pocket and handed it over. Unfolding it the father's face was one of tiredness but upon reading the first sentence his green eyes were bright as if he had awoken hours before.

"You need to know how your parents met?"

The child energetically nodded a smile beaming from ear to ear.

The father was at a loss, his eyes lost that brightness they momentarily had. His voice was heavy and slow as he replied, "I need some time to think. Go play with your dolls I'll call when I know the answer."

Once the child left the room he picked up his phone and hesitated while he dialed someone. His face showed nervousness as he mouthed over and over, "Come on pick up. Come on."

"Hello, this is Abbe's father. I'm calling about his most recent homework assignment for English." His voice calm and collected,

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"I don't give a damn!" He shouted.

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Following the phone call, he put on the headphones and calmed his emotions before he called for Abbe. It didn't take long before the sound of rapid footsteps were heard running down the stairs and into the room his father sat. Abbe didn't sit down as he pivoted from one foot to another his excitement was through the roof.

"I'm not going to tell the story till you sit." Abbe's father was smiling despite trying hardest his to sound stern.

Abbe sat down quickly and after, his father nodded and began to tell the story of Abbe's parents.

"We first met at a tutoring event to where I spent more time sleeping than working. They defined your mom as the most beautiful and smartest woman in the city. I was there as required by the school and had no intentions of interacting with anyone. Little did I know she would start poking me with a ruler. I wasn't pleased upon waking up to a rule pushed against my arm and when she saw me open my eyes she hit my arm out from under my chin. My head in response fell without resistance to the desk, I knew I was in big trouble but her response was counter to my expectation, 'Everyone else has left. You plan to be here all night?' I lifted my head and looked around to see everyone had actually gotten up and left me. I shrugged it off and thought nothing of it as it was nothing new."

"If mom was so beautiful why wasn't it love at first sight?" Abbe interrupted.

"You'll understand when you're older, beautiful women are a dime a dozen especially with how the internet is these days. Now, are you going to interrupt again or allow me to finish?"

Abbe did the fake zip the lips and throw away the key before his father nodded and continued.

"I walked out the building alone before making it to a small beaten down one-floor house. I was the only one who lived there. I was the complete opposite of your mother, I was alone in my life while she was forever surrounded by others. Initially, it shouldn't have been possible for us but fate is weird that way. I saved your mom from some evil people and we ended up dating not long after.

We were the classic pig eating swan meat in real life. I was nothing before I was with your mother while she was everything without me. I had to time and time again prove I was worth her hand in marriage but if you ask her parents and family they will still deny me."

"How old were you when you met?" Abbe wondered out loud.

"I was a grad student while your mom was one of the professors I never had. I was in my late twenties and so was your mom."

Abbe thanked his day before he dashed back to his room to write down what he was just told. His father had to constantly retell the story as Abbe didn't get it down correctly but he never had a problem doing so.

"Dad why have I never met mom?"

"How about we go get some ice cream, for a job well done?"

At hearing the prospect of getting ice cream Abbe forgot about his previous question. Abbe ran to the car while his father slowly moved talking to himself, "You doing well out there Rose? Don't worry your son is doing well and is likely to repeat your fate. Who knows me might change the world in ways you couldn't."

His father paused at seeing Abbe smiling his blue eyes absorbing all the light around him and his blonde hair that reminded his father of the sun along with the childlike cuteness his father couldn't help but comment to himself, "He got your looks, if I wasn't sure I might confuse him for a girl some days."

"Come on dad, let's go get ice cream!" Abbe exclaimed in excitement.

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