Today was like any other normal day in a teenager’s life. I woke up, put a little bit of make -up here and a little make -up there, and then I went to school. I did my work, talked to my friends and now, I am sitting here flipping through channels. The only interesting this that is on is Sex in the City and I have already seen every episode already. It’s been hard trying to find things to do lately. Well you see here my dad was unemployed for a while and now he works. He works a lot, actually leaves at five and comes home at six. We did everything together we worked on homework, talk about his teenage years, threw a ball around and even made dinner for my mom. Well all of that changed. My family yeah, we have a little twist. He’s not my biological dad. He adopted me when I was in the 6th grade and things have always been the same with him. He was there when my family brought me home from the hospital. He’ll always be my dad though. My mom one night had a few too many cocktails and my dad was in a band totally passionate for music, and he left my mom as soon as he heard that she was pregnant with me. The thought of me bringing up my dad would just kill her. Well I got the mail today and I never get mail. It was a letter from some guy named Eric Laff. So I go upstairs and read it. This is what it said.

Dear Heather,


This is your dad, Eric. I know after you read this you will probably just end up throwing it away and you have every right to do so. I am so very sorry that I have missed out on you beautiful life. I had to take the time to get to know me before I got to meet the other half of me. Your mom has told me that she knew that you wanted to get to know me but wouldn’t allow it because of my personal reason. I was an alcoholic sweetie and I hope you never have to know what that is like. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve written and rewritten this letter. I want you to know that not a day goes by that I don’t regret leaving your mom. I have so much guilt and pure agony with myself. That I hope we can meet someday. I have no right to ask this but if I could meet you someday that would be the most incrediable thing. I live in Tucson, Arizona. I want you to know you have three siblings on this side. Your step mother’s name is Charlie. She would be delighted to meet you as well. I can only imagine on how much we look alike and the things we have in common. Sweetie I hope you can find some way to communicate back to me. These are the ways of getting a hold of me:
Number: (434) 323-5678
Email. Laff34@yahoo.com
If you need anything give me a ring or a message.


I can’t help but to have tears in my eyes as I read this. Siblings? I am an only child here so I don’t know what it’s like. The word step mom burns like iodine in someone’s eyes. Yes, it would be nice to know what it’s like but the thought of leaving my family the one that’s in dinky town of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. I just don’t know what to do.


I hear the door slam. Great, mom’s home. I have to tell her. Does she know already, I wonder? Did she tell Larry, my dad?

“Hey mom”, I say.

“Yeah sweatie” she replies.

“I have a question”…

“Okay, shoot” she said

“Why haven’t you told me you’ve been talking to my dad, Eric?”

The room was silent and I knew the words “my dad” stung like alcohol on a open wound.

The whole time during dinner not a single word was passed between mom and I. Did I make her upset? She had no right keeping it from me though. I mean, I only get one chance in my life to meet the man my mom was so crazy about. I am his other half. I went right up to my room after supper. I turned on the TV and watched” Pretty Little Liar”. I showered brushed my hair and teeth, put a braid in like usually and tried lying down. Mom and Dad both usually come in and say good night but not tonight. I heard there door close and it was around 10:00 dad usually goes to be around 8:00 so I knew she had told him. I watched the clock as it ticked and tocked. I looked at the lock and it read 3:00 so I wasn’t going to be getting much sleep. I made the call to Eric. Ring one Mississippi, second ring two Mississippi,
“Hello? “He said for the first time and instant tears.
“Hello”? A second time.
“Dad”? It’s me Heather.
“Heather? Are you okay? What’s wrong? “He replies.
“Is there room for one more in that house of yours?”I ask
“Of course”, he said “Why though? “
“I am on my way. My plane leaves at 6:00 am, so I should be there around 9:00 am. “
Click.

The airplane ride was scary. It was the first ride I had taken by myself. I had the flight attendant asking if I was okay. I mean of course I am okay .Why wouldn’t I be? My hands were only clammy because I was nervous. I got two bags of pretzel and a bottle of coke. We landed and let me tell you, my hear t was pounding outside of my chest as I carried my Taking Back Sunday bag and a sweet shirt I can only imagine what he’ll look like. I went to get off my plane and there he was standing in the gate. He was a unbuttoned plaid shirt with jeans. He was holding a little girls hand and she started running to me saying “sissy, sissy”. My eyes filled with water because I knew this is where I had belonged. My dad looked like a boy version of me with his wavey brown hair.
“Hello squirt” he said
“Hey, Eric “.
“This is Elizabeth your sister “, he replies
“She is a doll.”I got to get my luggage”. I reply
“Well, of course you do” Let’s get it.

Its ten o’clock on a Friday now and I have a lot of missed calls from my mom, Larry, grandma, and friends from school. I might as well call mom. She is probably just freaking out I mean who wouldn’t freak out. Yes, I’m only 16 but that gives them no right to keep something this important away from me. He is my father. Do they not know? We grabbed my luggage and away we went. He has the same vehicle that I do a 2008 jeep. Looks like we have more things in common than what we usually do. We get in the jeep and he has laying in the seat was a “Taking Back Sunday”, CD and I can’t help but to ask him.
“So, ugh what’s your interest in music? “
“Everything from the blues to these guys right here (holding up the CD)” he replies “Why?”
I shown him my bag” Well same here”, I said
“Weird. Well you know, you are my kid” , he says
“Yes, that is so very true”, I say
“So are you hungry?” He asks
“Yea starving actually.”
“What would you like?”We have Mexican, Chinese I Hop?” He says
“I Hop sounds amazing, so if you don’t mind,”
“No, not at all.”

We get there and got a booster for Liz. She reminds me of pictures I’ve seen of me before. She is so very adorable. We get I Hop and I make a trip to the bathroom, to call my mom.
“Honey is that you? Where were you this morning? Dad said he didn’t see you in your bed before he left for work” she said.
“Mom, I am in Tucson, Arizona. I am with my dad,” I say
She didn’t say anything but said “okay” and then she hung up.

I go to our table where Eric, my dad, asked me if everything was okay.
I said yes, than we go on to talking about my Life. My life is very simple I started to tell him and that I love music and that was how my life changed all from a letter.