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The first time Daphne Young realised people were unreliable, she was seven years old, right after her mother and father got separated, it was a long and difficult seperation, she would spend every night for three months crying herself to sleep but when it was over, it was over. The judge had given her mum full time custody because of her dad's job but he had promised her that he would see her as much as he could, that he would come every weekend and even a few times of the week if he was free.
Natasha warned her not to get her hopes up but she was seven and when her father spoke she believed him, she believed his every word so when summer rolled up and he promised he would make it for the Fourth of July weekend she believed him.
She and Conrad would count down the days until their dads would get there, count down the hours, the minutes and even the seconds but Conrad's dad showed up and Carlos Swan didn't. Although all their dads were already there, Belly, Steven, Jeremiah and Conrad sat outside on the porch with her, waiting for her dad to arrive. They played games to distract her and get the time to speed up but when the sun went down, they were called in and Carlos hadn't shown up. Natasha had to drag Daphne in, she was kicking and screaming, she didn't want to go, didn't want to let go of the foolish notion that he would be there but she couldn't fight her mom. The next year he made the same promise, they all waited and she got dragged in screaming once again. The screaming and crying stopped at thirteen but they still waited, every god forsaken year but this year she was tired, she knew he wasn't going to be there but at least he said it. At least he didn't get her hopes up for nothing.
Belly still wanted to wait outside though, typical Belly to still believe when everyone else had given up so Daphne amused her for an hour.
They sat outside and played Jenga and talked about things they could remember happening on this very porch and Daphne hated that her dad not showing up was something that happened here too, the summer house was supposed to be a happy place. Almost all her best memories happened on this porch.
Her mom, Laurel and Susannah had taught them to play poker here which taught her how to read when Belly was lying. They would camp out here, spend the night laying on the creaky floor and eat popsicles until everything was sticky. She came out to the moms on this porch, her mom hugged her, Susannah cried and Laurel said she called it when she saw Daphne make her Barbies kiss each other. And speaking of kissing, she had her first kiss on this porch, on this very bench she and Belly were sitting here, she had her first kiss with the same girl about six years ago. Every big and important thing happens on this porch and her dad was ruining it all.
"I think we should head in," Daphne got up, picking up her cereal bowl that had started getting dry due to how long they sat outside but Belly wouldn't budge, said they had to finish their game.
A small part of Daphne was angry, she wasn't sure if she was angry at Belly, herself or her dad, another part of her laughed at the thought of being upset with Belly. "Well if I do this," without thinking Daphne pushed the blocks down, gaining a slap and a laugh from Belly. She picked up a block and threw it at Belly, the girl gasped and picked up a block too but before she could throw it, it fell out of her hand.
"You girls really shouldn't be throwing these blocks so close to the window," when Daphne turned, there he stood, a big smile on his face and a beard too, it was weird seeing him with a beard, it was weirder seeing him here. She planned to scold him if he did show up but now all she could do was jump into his arms and hold him close. "Dad!"
