"This is the place." I muttered, looking from the address on the piece of paper to the large building.
It was the place indeed, and somewhere in there was my father. I wouldn't deny I was nervous as Hell, but deep inside I had a burning curiosity and excitement. My mother didn't exactly explain what my (potential) father did, but this had to be where he worked. It looked professional enough.
'Here goes nothing.' I thought to myself as I walked across the street and into the building. New York City was crazy, and I was expecting by now she would be kidnapped or murdered, but maybe I was just being paranoid. Somehow, and I thank my survival instincts, I had finally made it to this point.
I somewhat expected the main floor to be there right as I walked in, but it was more complicated than that. It took ten minutes of searching for what at least looked like the main floor. I wasn't completely solid on it at all. Who am I even supposed to ask? What if he wasn't here? What if this was all a huge mistake?
"Take a breath, this will work out." I spoke to myself. Shit, that was a terrible job of convincing, but it was something. I exited the elevator warily, looking amongst the desk workers.
I took another breath, and went up to one of the desks. "Um, excuse me?"
The person at the said desk looked to be a young woman with her brunette hair twisted into a bun, and she didn't exactly look customer friendly, more… annoyed. "Uh, what? This isn't a daycare."
Ouch, okay. Tough skin. "No, no, I know that, bu-"
"So if you know that, then why are you here?" She said accusingly, "I happen to be a hard-working individual who is extremely busy at the moment, so I don't have time for your… brattiness… or whatever kids do."
"Okay, first of all, I'm 16-"
"Not my problem."
"... I'm 16… and I'm looking for someone." I managed to finish my sentence, letting out a breath and trying not to glare at the woman. What a bitch.
"Well, you could've started with that." She rolled her eyes and huffed.
"It's an… Archie? Andrew? Something with an A." Granted I did have to guess because my dear mother didn't take the time to explain or be clear on what his name was before taking that trip to Las Vegas. I knew for sure it started with an A…. 75 percent sure at least.
"Uh, who? Sorry, I don't know any Archie's or Alex's, you should really be more specific."
"I never said Alex! Come on this has to be the place. Anyone whose name starts with an A? There has to be someone?" I was becoming more desperate now.
"Who? Archer?" A new voice entered, and I spun around to see a blonde man with a mustache in a wheelchair. I was silent for a moment before bursting, "Yes! Archie was close enough. Do you know where he is?"
"Mmm, nope. No telling. He shrugged, "And, you are…?"
I held my tongue for a moment, looking between the lady at the desk and the man in the wheelchair. "Uh… Lucy."
"Okay, Lucy, I'm going to be the boring adult for a second but, you I'm pretty sure kids aren't supposed to be here… so."
"No, no. I'm 16, but just uh, where can I find him?" I asked.
"Who?" Another voice asked. Great, great, more people. It was some… nerdy looking man.
"Ugh Cyril, go back to accounting." The woman rolled her eyes and bordely scrolled on the computer.
"Archer." I repeated, "That's his name right? I'm looking for him."
"Why?"
"Because. Uh, he's, we're…" It felt awkward, I didn't know how to properly address him. Sure, he was supposed to be my father but… Ugh I needed to meet him first. "We're related, listen could you please tell me where he is?"
"Well, uh-" The man I now knew as Cyril started to explain before yet another person butted in. Scratch that- people.
"Who?" They consecutively asked. This time it looked to be a man in a laboratory coat and a rounded woman.
I felt like screaming, how did this become so complicated? I just wanted to meet my supposed father and figure it out from there. Wasn't this a workplace as well,
"Archer." The man in the wheelchair explained briefly, looking back at me.
"Oh, probably arguing with his mother or getting alcohol poisoning… or both." The man in the labcoat explained as well. Everyone shrugged, nodded, or verbally agreed with him.
Meanwhile, I, who had not even been in there for 15 minutes, stared at all of them like they were crazy. Oh my God they totally were. "... What?" So my potential father was an alcoholic mommas boy? Okay, maybe I'd be better off with my slightly more sane sounding mother after all. No one else said anything but looked at me.
"Wow, okay, I think I have the wrong building. He must be… somewhere else. Different Archer. Thanks anyway for the… help." I continued speaking, starting to go back the way I came.
"Who?"
"Oh my God." I muttered, turning around to see who the hell it was this time. It was a man with black hair and blue eyes.
"Oh, hey, there he is." The rounded blonde woman told me.
Oh. Well, I might've been more happy to hear that five minutes ago. But, that previous excitement turned regret was now a mushy nervousness as I looked at the man who could very well be my father.
"Uh, yeah, I'm here." He rolled his eyes, taking a sip out of a cup with alchohol inside, "Why… and, who are you?"
I swallowed, speechless at first. I had been practicing what I'd say all of yesterday, but now it seemed to be lost in my mushy head. It was a few more seconds of silence on my part before I could pull myself together.
"My name is Lucy Ko. My mother is Misty Ko. And, I… You're my father. I think." It sped out of my mouth.
Everything was silent for a few moments, and with every second that passed my heart was one second closer to absolutely bursting.
"Wow." He started chuckling. "Okay, good one, you got me. Who orchestrated this? I obviously don't have a daughter. Your timing is off though, it's not even April Fools Day." He continued laughing, even wiping a tear from his eye.
Oh how wrong he was.
To Be Continued