“Yuh know seh mi good though. Happy fi see me grandchildren, my daughter… and her husband.”
My smile widens.
“We were excited to get here too.”
He laughs, genuinely.
I admire how clean and stable he looks.
“I see you making a lot of changes,” I tell him, impressed. Even the house is clean.
Daddy did all this?
Henry Williams?
Yes, Zara.
No sah. Mi nuh believe it. Him affi have a woman.
“Yuh have a woman, Daddy?” I tease.
He bursts out laughing.
So do I.
It’s been a while since we laughed like this. A blessing to let go of negative energy and make room for peace.
“Mi nuh have no woman. Mi just a try change mi life and mek some things right fi some people but it look like mi too late,” he says, tone dipping.
Hmm…
“Who, Daddy?” I ask, more curious than ever.
“You’re 23 now and it took me that long to finally man up. And now your mother has someone else,” he admits, quiet and reflective.
Ah.
Mommy and I are the “some people” he changed for.
My heart warms.
I hug him longer than I planned to. I remember when it was just the two of us. He messed up, yeah. Mommy really loved him, tried with him but he didn’t get it until it was too late.
He’s right. It’s too late.
“Daddy, I’m sorry,” I whisper when I pull away.
“It’s okay man, it’s good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you too… and see the change. I love it.”
“She’d love it too,” I add, quietly.
He smiles, then stands. “Mi a go play the domino game.”
I nod, watching him disappear into the crowd. I sit quietly, deep in thought. I wonder… could Mommy still love him? I remember her rooting for him on my birthday.
Did that mean anything?
