The Secret Prince

Chapter Five

Chapter Five:

"If there ever comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart, and I'll stay there forever." ~ Winnie the Pooh

Harry and I have now been in Texas for a day, our flight leaves at ten thirty central time. Harry got to meet my stepfather, who gave him the classic “you see this shot gun? This barrel will be up your ass if you hurt my daughter,” speech. To which Harry replied by saying he would never dare to hurt me; that he loves me too much. Which was totally sweet, I thought only boys in movies said that to the girlfriends’ father but never mind. 

It’s crazy to know that we’ve been going out for only three days now, and we’ve already said those three important words; “I love you”; it feels like we have been going out for months, even years. Looking back, my reasons for not wanting to fall in love seem almost childish; I mean, because of something my father did doesn’t mean that every man is going to do that. I practically let my fear of what happened to my mom happening to me control me and make me not want to believe in love. I was more afraid of finding love than my own mother was; and she remarried such an amazing man who helped my mother with Mitchell a lot. 

This is why I have decided to go and see my biological father; I think that almost seven years of not speaking to him is enough and it’s time to make amends. Harry was so proud of me when I told him earlier this morning that I wanted him to come with me to see my father. 

And here we are now; Harry and I sitting in my mother’s car, which we borrowed, in front of my childhood home where my father still lives; which is a very peculiar feeling for me. Right as soon as we pulled in front of the small one story house everything rushed back to me. The day I learned about my father’s affair, my parents nonstop fighting, having to lock myself in my room and put myself in my closet just so I could study in peace. I do not want to go in at all, but I need to get my closure that I have been missing out on for almost seven years. 

I sighed and pushed open my car door, it’s now or never and if I wait any longer I know I will chicken out immediately and never do what needs to be done. I waited for Harry to get out of the car before grabbing his hand and slowly walking to the front door. Harry reached forward and rang the doorbell, and then we waited. Finally after a couple of minutes of waiting the door opened to reveal an older version of the man I grew up with for fifteen years. 

“Melissa?” He managed to say after a few times of stuttering. 

I smiled sadly, “Hi, dad, long time no see.” 

He stood there for a couple of seconds before reaching forward to pull me into the biggest bone crushing hug I have ever received. After five minutes of us just hugging each other tightly without saying anything and with Harry awkwardly standing to the side we let go of each other. I never knew how much I missed my father. 

I noticed my father staring at Harry trying to figure out who this creature of the male sex was to me; I am going to just assume that my mother had been talking to my father over the past seven years, so he must know that I have never had a boyfriend before. I can just see the wheels in his head turning as he came to this realization; it really did not take a rocket scientist to figure this out. 

I looked at my father to see him still staring at Harry and finally said, “Daddy, this is my boyfriend; Harry.” My dad continued to stare at Harry for a couple of seconds before leaving my side to envelope Harry into a hug while whispering something into his ear. I watched as Harry nodded to whatever it was my father had said to him. 

My father invited Harry and I inside the house; nothing had changed. All of the old picture frames were still sitting on the wall. There was so many from my childhood still on the walls which surprised me because I expected my father to throw them all away because of everything that happened. All the nasty comments shared between my mother and father while I was growing up. They always made sure to never fight when Mitch or I was in the room with them, but when we weren’t around them and in another room it was like World War Three had begun and Mitch and I were Switzerland. 

I lead Harry to the den and we sat down on one of the loveseats my grandmother had given to my father a year or two before our divorce. I saw Harry give me a questioning look as we had passed the living room on our way to the den but I just shook my head in response to Harry; the living room was where I had caught my father and his secretary doing the deed. 

“So what brought you two here?” My father asked cutting to the chase. 

I sighed in response, “I think seven years of me not speaking to you is enough. I’m sorry for ignoring you, daddy. I was just so hurt. I didn’t understand why you would cheat on my mom, or why I was the one to walk in on you and your secretary.” I told him while looking at my lap trying to not release the floodgates. 

I heard my father sigh to what I had said, “I was always away, because of my job, and I guess I just missed your mother too much that I wasn’t thinking with my head, I was thinking with my penis. I’m sorry you had to witness that, you were just a small child; you shouldn’t have seen me doing that. I honestly only had her over just to work, but she had other things in mind and I was too foolish to stop her. But when you walked in I didn’t try to defend myself because I knew that it was time for my other affairs to come out.” 

I nodded in response while still looking at my lap, I felt Harry’s hand rub my thigh, “Okay, I shouldn’t have ignored you and waited seven years for your explanation. I’m so sorry I ignored you daddy. Edward is a great father figure for Mitch and all but I still needed my daddy. Why didn’t you try hard to get me back?”

I saw my father shake as he too became overwhelmed with everything that was being said, “You’re like me; very hard headed. That’s why I always said you’d make a wonderful lawyer or Politician. I knew you’d never listen or let me explain then; I knew you’d eventually come to me and allow me to talk to you. I just had to wait, and here you are; seven years later. I love you, baby girl.”

That was all it took for my eyes to overflow with the tears I was holding in, I shot up from my seat next to Harry and into my father’s arms where we both began to cry. All of these different emotions were so hard for me to handle, I felt extremely overwhelmed. I heard Harry get up from his seat to roam around the house; giving my father and I some time alone, which I was thankful for. 

“I need to thank your man for helping you believe in love, I never knew my actions would affect you so much. I’m so sorry, baby.” He told me while his mouth was muffled by my hair, but I heard every word he said to me 

I sighed, I really needed this. I never realized how badly I needed him. “it’s okay daddy, I forgive you.” I really did, I think I have always forgiven him; I just needed to see him to realize it.

After our reunion we called Harry back into the den where I explained to my father how New York City is and how I have liked living there for the past four years. He told me that he always knew I would go off and live in a large city and that no matter how much he wished he knew I wouldn’t move to Austin. He knew I wanted a city much large than Austin, Texas.

After a quick dinner of pizza with my father, Harry and I returned back to my mother and stepfather's house to get Mitch and then we were on our way back to New York City where Mitch would be spending two weeks with Harry and me in my apartment.