The Clichés of Trinity Academy

¶Fifteen

"Mommy, why isn't daddy back yet?" asked a seven year old me. Mommy looked out of the window and she looked sad.
"Daddy's coming baby coming girl, he's coming," my mommy had said.
I looked at Isaac who was in a corner reading a book, he was nine and he claimed he was smarter than me so he was always reading books to prove he was smart.
I stood up and went to mommy's side since Isaac didn't care and held her hand.
"Let's wait for daddy together mommy," I said.
My mommy smiled at me and she looked a little bit better.
"Daddy's coming home," mommy said. "Daddy's coming home,"she said repeatedly looking out the window.

Daddy didn't come home that night.

***

I couldn't believe my eyes. He still looked exactly the same. Tall, dark skinned and the brightest pink lips.

My skin crawled because he looked all too familiar.

"Good afternoon young girl," he said with a voice that lacked any familiarity whatsoever. My own father doesn't even recognize me.

I pried my eyes off him and turned to the principal, hoping the shock wasn't apparent on my features.

"Sir you sent for me," I said.

"Yes I did Adaeze," said the principal. I noticed my father stiffen on his chair at the mention of my name. So he remembers my name, but not my face. He doesn't recognize me, how will he when he left us for all these years.

"This is Mr. Ijeomah, he recently enrolled his daughter Charity in our school, she'll be resuming tomorrow and she's going to be in your class," continued the principal.

I didn't even know what piece of information to process first. The fact that my father is enrolling a daughter my around my age or the fact that the daughter is resuming this late.

"I've gotten good reports from your teachers about your academics so I'd like for you to ensure Miss. Charity will be comfortable, is that understood?" he asked. I nodded, feeling very light headed.

My father; it felt weird calling him that, looked at me again with a small smile. "My Charity is a very...what's the word...sensitive girl, please I apologize in advance for any brash things she does," he said. I stared at him, internally urging him to recognise me, but it was like looking into the eyes of a stranger.  He didn't know me. In his eyes I was probably just a girl bearing the same name as the daughter he left nine years ago.

He calls her his Charity. My father has a daughter my age. My age. Did he cheat on my mom before they got married? Did he always have a daughter during the times he called me his favourite child?
I needed to sit down.

"You can leave now Adaeze," said the principal.

***

I somehow managed to walk back to class without breaking down but I still felt lightheaded. Nothing was making sense at the moment.

Entering the class, I noticed our physics teacher, Mr. Efe, was already writing on the board. I quickly greeted him and made my way to my seat aware that all eyes were on me.
Our class girls were whispering as I sat down but I was too distracted to focus on what they were saying. It didn't even matter, because they couldn't possibly guess what was going on.