Mystery Dad

Sarah was mostly brought up by her Mother. She visited her Dad every summer .

Summer 2000

Sarah turn 12 years old. Sarah’s Aunt Leola picked her up from the airport, as usual . “How is Chicago this days?” Auntie Leola asked . “ Same Old things, nothing new, still the Windy City.” Sarah answered in one breath . “ You staying with me this summer.” Aunt Leola told Sarah. “ Pops never let me stay at his house, in fact I never been to Pops’ house. Why is that, Auntie Leola?” Sarah asked. ”You have to ask him that.” Sarah aunt responded.

Sarah started thinking of all the Summers, she mostly spent with her Auntie, since she was little. Sarah aunt alway bring her to the beach . Sarah loves going to South Carolina. She loves shopping with her Auntie in the Mall. Sarah enjoys chillin with her auntie and being able to talk about everything except about Sarah’s Dad. Sarah wonder what’s the big secret.

Summer 2005

Sarah was dressed up in a beautiful flora pink dress with high heels.” Mom, why do I have to dress up to go to my Dad’s? Sarah questioned her mom. “ Your dad gets upset when you are not dressed properly. He will be picking you up at the airport.” Sarah’s mother told her. “ Mom what does my father do for a living. He always drives brand new Cadillacs and he always dressed in expensive clothes? “Sarah asked her mother. “ I sorry ,hon. You have to ask your dad about that.” Replied Sarah’s mother.

While waiting for her Dad to pick her up at the Charleston International Airport, “ What’s the secret that her Dad is keeping? “ thought Sarah. “ I am going to have the courage to asked my pops, what he does for a living and where he lives?”

Sarah’s dad, Gibbs, finally arrived to pick her up. “ Sorry , I am late. It was traffic.” Gibbs told his daughter. Gibbs does not seem excited to see his daughter. Gibbs looked preoccupied.”You will be staying with your Aunt Leola.” Gibbs told his daughter. “ Pops why can’t I stay with you? I never ever went to your house?” Sarah begged her dad.

“ I can’t take you to my house it’s under repair, right now.” Gibbs told his daughter.

“ Can we drive by your house at least, Pops?”, Sarah persisted in asking.

“ I can’t take you there and that’s the end of that.” Gibbs informed his daughter.

Sarah fell silent with sadness.

“ I will pick you up at 2 pm tomorrow from your Auntie’s house, Ok.” Gibbs told Sarah without expecting any respond.

Sarah got drop off at her Auntie’s an hour later from being pick up from the airport.

Sarah Auntie Leola live in an old beautiful house surrounded by lots of flowers . Sarah Auntie Leola used to be a model . Auntie Leola husband was Uncle Rich. They don’t have any children of their own. They been married over 25 years. Sarah ‘s Uncle Rich was always watching sports on TV when he was home from work. Uncle Rich was a salesman at a car dealership. Sarah seat and watch TV with her Uncle Rich and talk about the game they are watching. Sarah ‘s Aunt don’t watch sports. Sarah auntie was either in the kitchen or in her garden outside.

It’s 2 o’ clock and Sarah’s dad had not arrived to pick her up yet.

Gibbs finally arrived at two forty-five in the afternoon wearing an expensive red sport jumpsuit with matching sneakers. Sarah dad was 6’2”.

Gibbs spend a few minutes to say hello to Sarah ‘s aunt and uncle. Uncle Rich does not seem to like Sarah’s father. He just grunt answers to Gibbs. Uncle Rich, just tolerate Sarah ‘s dad for his wife seek. Gibbs was Leola’s younger brother.

Sarah was so excited to spend sometime with her father. Maybe this time she might get more answers about her dad. Gibbs picked Sarah up in a gold Cadillac Escalade fully loaded. Sarah waited for her dad to hug her but he did not. He just stared and went to the driver seat of his SUV. Sarah was not impressed, she just wanted to know her Dad better.

Gibbs used the On star feature not because he don’t know his way around. Gibbs just like to used it. “We are going to a horse betting site. If it was November or March , I would take you to our local race horse track.” Sarah did not care where her dad take her, she was just happy to spend time with him. Sarah have no idea about horse betting.

They got to the off track betting site and Gibbs just give his daughter a sheet of paper with horses names on them. Sarah had no idea what to do with the paper. “ Here, take a pick on a horse, and We will bet on them. “Sarah dad told her. Sarah really did not care if she win or not, she just want to be around her dad and know him some more. Sarah pick a horse and her father told her,” That’s ain't fast horse.” Gibbs went to talk to the other guys there betting. Sarah just watch the TV screen with horses running on a track. Sarah was staring at the TV screen blankly very disappointed her dad rather talk to the other people.

Finally, two hours later , Gibbs took his daughter to Burger King. Sarah was slightly overweight in her book, so she stay away from fast food. Sarah asked her pops if they can eat somewhere else?

Gibbs did not budge on his choice of Burger King fast food. Sarah try to nibble on her whopper to show her pops she was eating but he was not happy about it.

“ Let me take you back to your Auntie’s .” Gibbs told his daughter.

Sarah was quiet until, they were driving for 15 minutes. “Pops can I ask you something.” Sarah asked her Pops. “Ask away but I will not promise I can give you an answer.” Pops what do you do for a living?” Sarah asked.”I own a meat Market in a small town. A couple of hours from your auntie’s house.”

“Why could you not tell me , when I asked you this same question before.” Sarah asked.

I did not own it before , I just cutting the meat for the owner at the time. I made a lot of money then but I made more money now owning the business. The owner retired and sold the place to me at a decent price, I could afford.” Gibbs answered his daughter.

“Do you have anymore questions .” Gibbs asked.

Sarah asked her dad where do he live but he still did not tell her.

Sarah was dropped off at her Auntie after 7 pm. Gibbs did not hug his daughter.” I will pick you up Saturday and take you to the airport. “ Gibbs told Sarah.

“ Are you sure? I can take the taxi ?” Sarah asked.

“I will take you to the airport.” Gibbs said.

They said their goodbyes and Gibbs drove off.

Sarah sat on her Auntie's Swing that was on the porch.

Sarah thought about her day with her father. Her Father will always remain a mystery. She was happy , she spend a longer time with her Father. She found out a few new things about him today.

Maybe someday more mysteries will be discovered by Sarah about her father . She was grateful she found two new things about her father.

(Thank you for reading. Would you read Chapter 2 to this story?)