Chapter 01
Together Again
A loud thud and the screech of the tires woke me up from my deep slumber. Rubbing my eyes and looking out the window, seeing the plane had just touched down. “I’m finally here, I can’t believe I really came.” I said to myself. The plane landed in Tokyo after a 15 hour flight. “I’m gonna see him again, I wonder if he hates me after what I said to him 8 years ago.” I asked myself. As I waited for my luggage, I couldn’t help but think of the events that happened over the past 8 years.
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My mother who died of a car accident when I was only 5 months old; my mom and dad never married. My dad was just starting college back then and couldn’t take care of me so I was took in by my grandparents; dad’s parents. They raised me with all the love and care in the world. I grew up with hardly seeing my dad as he only came to see me on holidays. But those visits were the best times of my childhood; as he spent every minute with me talking to me, cuddling me, hugging me and listening to all my stories. I always dread the day he would leave back to attend his college; I would beg him to stay with me and cried my heart out every single time. He finally came back into my life for good when he finally finished law school. It was the happiest day of my life when he told me that he was taking me with him and we would move to our own house. It was the best birthday gift i ever received, turning 7 years old in just a couple of days after moving into our new house just outside Boston, a few miles away from my grandparents house. I adored my dad, but I didn’t really knew him since the only times I spent with him were those brief holiday visits when he was still in college so I was afraid of him too. The first few months living with him were hard for both of us, as we adjusted to living with each other, but he was the best dad in my view, he was always there for me, he’d drop anything he was doing when he heard me calling for him; I loved that about him. He showered me with all the love and affection I could ever want in the world.
Until one day, I was 11 years old a week away from my 12th birthday when my dad came home from work with news telling me we were moving to Tokyo because of his job. My dad worked as a corporate lawyer.
“Dad I don’t want to move to Tokyo!” I screamed. “Darling, I won’t force you if you don’t want to go there, but I must go. It’s my job dear.” He replied. “I will give you two weeks to decide darling, but I would really love it if you came with me.” He continued.
My dad gave it all out for my 12th birthday the next week, but I wasn’t happy at all, coz at the back of my mind all I could think about was in a few days my dad would be leaving and living on the other side of the world. I decided to stay in Boston, where I grew up, and live with my uncle and his wife and my cousins while I continued my studies.
The day my dad left I was crying my heart out; as he left for the door the last thing I ever said to him was; “I hate you dad! I don’t ever want to see you again!” He only looked back at me and I saw the deepest sadness in his eyes hearing those words from me. He closed the door and was gone. I cried till there were no more tears coming out of my eyes. I felt like it was the days when he left back for college when I was still little, but this felt more painful than those times.
I really hated my dad for leaving me even though I begged him to stay with me. He emailed and called me every day, but I never replied the emails or take his calls. Eventually the calls stopped and the emails became once a week then once a month then nothing. I hated him even more coz I felt that he really did abandon me. I continued with my studies even with all the heartache I felt, always getting straight A’s and even graduating from high school with honours. I have to admit I was a lil nerdy, guess I got it from my dad, he was really intelligent and you could ask him anything and he’d have an answer.
I started college that fall and eventually met a wonderful guy, or so I thought after a few months of dating he proposed, I was so happy of course I accepted, I was so in love with him. A week before thanksgiving I had the world crumble under my feet when I caught him in bed with no other than my best friend. I ran away crying, my heart breaking into tiny pieces. I called my aunt that day, I grew close to her when she and her husband; my dad’s older brother took me in after dad left. They treated me like I was their own daughter. She asked me come home for thanksgiving and I said yes; as I knew staying on campus with my broken heart would only lead me to sulk in my apartment and feel even more depressed.
On the drive home to Boston to spend thanksgiving at home, I started to think about every man that I ever loved had always left me and break my heart. Then pictures of my dad and all the happy memories I had with him flooded my head, I felt the warm flood of tears running down my cheeks, as I realized that it was me who abandoned him, me who pushed him away. That’s when I decided that I’d do anything to have my dad back into my life, I missed him so much. When I got home the 1st thing I ever said was; “Momma, do you still know what’s dad phone number is?” Momma is what I called my auntie. “Yes dear, let me get my phone. But why do you ask?” she said. “I want to talk to him, I miss dad so much.” I replied.
After giving me dad’s phone number, I immediately called him, on the 6th ring, he finally picked up. “Hello?” a groggy raspy voice coming from the side of the line. “Do you even know what time it is, this better be important!” it finally dawned on me that it was early morning there in Japan. “Hello dad.” as I finally got up the courage to say something. “Lyndie?” was the only thing he said in response. He gave me that nickname when I was 4, it was his term of endearment for me, and he is the only person to ever call my Lyndie. Then I started hearing him crying on the phone. “God I miss you dear! I thought I’d never hear from you again.” He finally said sobbing. I started crying too. “I miss you too daddy!”
“How are you doing dear? I’ve always wanted to call you, but you never take my calls or answered my emails, I thought I’ve lost you.” He said still sobbing. “I’m doing ok dad, just came home for thanksgiving. Daddy can I see you please?” I couldn’t believe those words came out of my mouth. “Of course dear, I would love that, but you know I can’t go back there anytime soon. Would you like to come here to Tokyo?” He replied no longer sobbing, I detected that he was smiling saying those words. “Can I really come? Wouldn’t I be a bother with your work?” I asked. “You would never bother me dear. I love you so much and you know you’re the most important girl in my life. If you want I’ll make reservations for you to leave in a day?” was his reply. “Sure dad, I’d love that” I said.