Dumb Father

We got home and started packing. Tabitha came over to me, holding her plushies. She was looking forward to something. This was the only gift her father had given her all these years. I didn't want to let her down, and the plushies did no wrong, so I let Tabitha stuff them into our suitcases.

She smiled, and I did as well. Then, someone came to the door. Tabitha and I raised our heads, surprise filling our eyes.

It must be Timothy.

And then our delight was destroyed. Willow and Nathaniel were right behind them. "Nathaniel's down with a fever, and Willow can't take care of him herself, so I'm letting them stay with us for a while," he explained as he looked at me.

I would probably be crestfallen in the past, but now I knew how important Willow was to Timothy, so I felt nothing. Calmly, I nodded.

Annoyed by my response, Timothy frowned. "You're not objecting?"

I looked at him weirdly. This was his house. He could invite anyone he wanted, so why would I object?

My silence angered him further. "The guest room's lighting is bad, and Nathaniel just went through a traumatic event, so they're staying in the primary bedroom. I'll stay with them tonight as well.

My heart sank. Though I couldn't care less about them anymore, I was still disappointed. 'Are you in that much of a hurry?' I thought. 'Tabitha and I are still here.'

Willow was surprised as well, but then she gave me a smug look. It hurt my heart to say yes, but I did it anyway. I had made up my mind to leave, so whatever he wanted to do, it was none of my business.

Timothy took a deep breath and was about to say something, but Tabitha cried. I turned around only to see Nathaniel trying to snatch Tabitha's precious plushie. He was about to push her down, but I quickly protected her.

Nathaniel fell back down and started throwing a tantrum. "That's Mom's favorite plushie! I want to give it to her!"

Willow chastised, "I'm over that age, Nathaniel. And that's expensive. I don't deserve it!" She could cry the moment she wanted to, and it gained Timothy's sympathy.

He said sternly, "Give Nathaniel the plushie, Tabitha."

Tabitha shivered in fear, but she looked at her plushie and argued quietly, "It's a birthday present from you, Dad. I don't want to give it away. Can I keep it?"

Timothy froze. He obviously didn't remember that plushie, but he didn't think Tabitha would cherish something he gave her on a whim so much.

Willow spoke up, as if she were a perfectly understanding woman. "Don't make this hard for Tabitha, Timothy. It's a precious plushie. Of course, she doesn't want to give it away."

He snapped out of it, and he got sterner with Tabitha. "You're just being petty now, Tabitha. Give the plushie to Nathaniel."

I knew how much Tabitha treasured this gift, and I was about to stop her, but Tabitha gave it away.

She had tears in her eyes, but she apologized, "I'm sorry, Nathaniel. You can have this."

Timothy was happy his daughter was so understanding, and he wanted to pat her head, but she dodged his hand. "I'm tired, Mom. Can you take me to our bedroom?"

I was heartbroken. I knew how much she was suffering. How sad she was.

Timothy seemed to realize he'd been too harsh on his daughter, and he quickly spoke up as if to patch up his mistake. "I'll get you a bigger plushie for your birthday tomorrow."

He thought Tabitha would be delighted, but she didn't even turn back. Quietly, she declined, "I don't like plushies anymore, Dad, but thanks anyway. Nathaniel can have it."

…

That was the first time Tabitha said no to him, and it made him uneasy. He wanted to hold her, but Nathaniel held his leg. When he turned back, I had already taken Tabitha into the guest room.

He had no idea that was the last time he could hold his daughter, and he wasted it.

Decision

I took Tabitha to kindergarten the next day to finish the process of dropping out. We ran into Timothy and Willow at the entrance. They were holding Nathaniel's hands.

Timothy frowned and asked seriously, "Why didn't you wait for me?"

I sneered. He probably didn't remember, but I did ask him to take Tabitha to school while I was sick, and he warned me not to play any tricks that could expose our relationship.

I stopped asking him to take my daughter to school. I never thought he would.

Then, Willow spoke to me like she was Timothy's wife. "Yeah, Yvonne. Why did you take Tabitha to kindy? Timothy drove Nathaniel here in his car. We could've come together."

She was bragging, but neither Tabitha nor I would feel sad about it anymore. I was just about to leave, but the principal, Ms. Lane, came out and simpered at Timothy. "Oh, Mr. Horuson, you're taking Nathaniel to school even though you're so busy. He's lucky to have a father like you."

And she turned to Willow. "Ah, this must be your wife. She's gorgeous. A perfect match for you." She didn't notice the looks on our faces.

Timothy looked at Tabitha and me, panic evident in his eyes, but he didn't correct the principal. Nathaniel happily nodded.

Tabitha pouted and hid behind me, her disappointment obvious.

Then, the principal remembered why she was here, and she smacked her head. "Oh, Ms. Johnson, you can't pull Tabitha out of the kindergarten unless her father also signs this—"

"Ms. Lane!" I tried to stop her, but it was too late.

Timothy looked at me, curious. "You're pulling her out of school?"

Ms. Lane was about to say something, but I stopped her. "Nothing. Tabitha's hurt, so she's pulling out of the talent show."

He didn't suspect anything, so he took the papers. "Where should I sign?"

The principal waved her hands. "Not you, Mr. Horuson. The girl's father."

That struck a nerve, and Timothy snarled, "I'm Tabitha's father. You got a problem with that?"

"What?" The news hit the principal hard.

I had no idea why he would expose our relationship all of a sudden. Pity, perhaps. We didn't need it. I grabbed the papers and turned to Ms. Lane, apologizing, "Sorry, he was just messing around. He's Nathaniel's father. I'm kind of a single mother now. Tabitha has no dad."

Timothy was frustrated, but he couldn't retort, so he held Tabitha's hand. "It's alright, Tabitha. Daddy will sign it for you."

Tabitha shook her head. "You're not my father, Mr. Horuson. I have no father."

That froze him. She pulled his hand away and put her hand in mine, then we left.

From behind, Timothy interrogated, "That's how you teach Tabitha? If I'm not her father, then it's okay if I don't show up at her birthday tonight, is it?"

I couldn't believe he would use that to blackmail me. I was getting furious and ready to argue, but Tabitha held me. "If you're that busy, Mr. Horuson, just keep working."

I looked at Tabitha, shaken. Her eyes were red, but she held back her sobs and kept quiet. I couldn't. I cried and bent over to scoop her up, then I strode off like the wind.

'I will not let you hurt my girl ever again, Timothy,' I thought fiercely.