It was a hot summer day and Shrek was outside sunbathing. The triplets were playing in a paddling pool of mud. Fiona then gave him something. It was a letter. "I wonder who it's from." Shrek said as he opened it.
Dear SonAs you know in a few month's time it'll be Winter but also Hannukah so I figured I'd come visit you and your… family over the festive season. I know I'll be respectful no matter what you've done so far with your life.
Sincerely Yourd
Dad.
It read. Shrek was in a cold sweat. This was the very man who'd been terrible to him his whole child hood and made him want to run away. "Maybe he won't come. But I'm wrong. He'll disapprove of Fiona and try to hurt the babies. I can't risk that." He told himself as Snowgre joined him. "What's up? You look like a hunter killed Fiona." He asked him. "It's worse. Can you keep a secret? Dad's coming for a visit for Hannukah… only we don't celebrate it, we celebrate Christmas. What am I going to do?" Shrek replied. Snowgre understood. "He's not coming for a few months right? So just relax, then when we enter Winter, then we'll worry." he reassured him.
Fiona noticed Shrek was tense in bed that night. "Is everything okay?" she asked gently tickling his ears. That always made him laugh when she did that. "Alright I'll tell you. My Dad's visiting the swamp in Winter for Hannukah but I'm scared. He made my whole child hood a nightmare and made me the way I am today. I... just don't want him to go aggro at you or try to eat the triplets." he told her. "Don't worry. Maybe he's changed since you were a kid. I'll help you any way I can. We're a family and we're all in this together." Fiona told him as they kissed. "Thanks honey I feel less tense." he said. But he had revisited his child hood in his sleep. Fiona saw him shudder as she woke up the next morning. "Please stop hating me for who I am! I'm not you and I never will be Dad!" he said in his sleep.
Later he came into the kitchen sluggish. He was wearing a night shirt, boxers , socks and a night cap. He looked tired but smiled as he smelt fried eggs as he sat down at the table. "How did you sleep? Were you going through bad dreams last night?" Fiona asked him. "No I... was just remembering my child hood and early teens. I'm sorry if I scared you." he answered drinking coffee. On his island Merlin was teaching therapy to an ogre that had washed up on the island a few years ago. It was Shrek's father Ambrisa. He was teaching Ambrisa to be calm and to cage his anger inside by being mellow and through self help. Ambrisa looked like an older version of Shrek in his fifties. He had brown eyes with silver hair.
He noticed a look in Ambrisa's eyes of self remorse. "It's just I feel bad... for pushing my son away like that twenty five years ago. I wish I can tell him I'm sorry when I go visit him for Hanukah. I know he'll be mad at me and not want to talk to me." he told Merlin. Merlin understood. "I'm sure Shrek will understand when you visit. Besides you're making good progess in therapy." Merlin replied. Months passed until Winter came. Shrek was nervous as he and Fiona were getting ready for his father to arrive. It was late at night when he did and when thunder cracked through the sky. The triplets were crying because the thunder storm waa freaking them out. "It'll be okay. Daddy and I are here." Fiona reassured them as she heard a knock on the door. She answered it and Ambrisa walked in. "You must be our father in law from Shrek's side of the family." she said letting him come inside.
Shrek was in bed waiting for her. He was unaware his father was here. Snowgre was lying in bed listening to music on his MP3 player. Fiona then made Ambrisa a bed on the couch. "Where's the Hannukah decorations?" he asked softly. "We haven't put them up yet." Fiona replied as she walked back into her and Shrek's room. Before she fell asleep, she had a plan in her head about what to do...