ALL SHE EVER WANTED
Susan grew up in a big house, too big for a girl like her. People outside always talked about how lucky she was, they said she had everything being a rich man’s daughter. Her mother died when she was still small, too small to remember her well. Death took her mother early and left her with her father.
Her father was very rich, everybody knew him. He had cars and companies. When people talked about him, they would say ‘he’s a hardworking and great man’.
To everyone outside, he’s a successful man and great father. But to her, he was just a successful man. He was always busy and didn’t have time for her. He was either on the phone or in meetings.
Every year on her birthdays, he bought teddy bears that were bigger than her. But none of these toys was what she wanted. Maybe he thought if he filled her room with toys, she would be fine.
Susan grew up with nannies who did everything for her. They dressed her, they fed her, they brushed her hair and even took her to school. Some were nice and some were not so nice. But even the nicest nanny could not be a mother and not a father either, they were just paid to take care of her...
She never had breakfast or dinner with him. Anytime he came back from work, she would stand by the door to greet him, but he would just walk straight past her and go into his office.
He would not come out until late night and by that time, she would already be asleep. He did not have time for her.
Sometimes she would write notes and pictures and left them on his desk. Telling him about her day and how much she missed him, but she never got any reply.
Her birthdays were always big, there were balloons, cakes, magicians, everything. But he was never at her birthdays. Every day after school, she would stand by the school gate and watch children being picked up by their parents. They would hug and carry them. While she stood there waiting for the driver or the nanny. She wanted what they had.
One day, her class organized a Parents’ Day event, every child were to bring their parent. They would sing songs and read poems. Susan had begged her teacher to inform her father and she did, sending him a message. She was so happy and so excited about that day. She practiced all the songs and poems repeatedly, over and over again.
The day came, the school was full. She saw different parents who came together with their children. She prayed in her mind that her father would show up, even if he decides to stay for only a few minutes.
But he had sent her nanny instead. She wanted her father, wanted him to act like the other parents who were there for their child did.
When she got home, she went to her room and cried her eyes out into her. He never cared about her. ‘Why couldn’t he be like other fathers? Why was his work more important than me?’
One afternoon, her body started feeling heavy, the nannies said it was just fever. They called the doctor, they gave her medicine but it didn’t stop. And she was taken to the hospital.
And for the first time, her father visited her. His face was pale as he rushed over. He stayed at the hospital with her. He would touch her forehead, his hands were so warm. He did not leave her side. His phone was off and he didn’t go for any meetings. It was just him and her. She remembered waking up at night as seeing his hand holding hers tightly.
“Please don’t leave me too. Please, you’re all I have.” Then she realized he did care about her. When she got better, he changed.
He started having breakfast with her, asking her about her day. And would hug her whenever he saw her waiting at the door. He began to tell her stories about her mother, and even sang her lullabies to sleep.
Everything changed. He accompanied her to school and back. He attended any parent meetings organized by the school. He took her to school and brought her back. He was always there.