I just came from school when I heard mom calling my name:
'-Sophie, can you come here for one second?'
I climbed the stairs in a hurry.
'-What's up?' I asked taking a seat next to her.
'-My doctor called. He has the results from my tests.' she said and I looked at her nervous then I asked:
'-And? Is everything ok?'
'-Not really. I have a brain tumour.' she said and I gasped.
'-Are you gonna be ok though, right?' I asked a few moments later.
'-It's too late for me to have surgery.' mom said and I started to cry.
'-It's ok honey, we'll be ok.' she said trying to comfort me who at the age of 16 and 6 months I was sobbing next to her. I knew what that meant. A couple more months and she will be gone.
My mom is everything to me. She gave up everything to raise me. She had me when she was 17. She foolishly fell in love with a guy and when he found out about the pregnancy he went away and never called my mom or anything like that. Mom raise me alone, well at first she had my grandparents to help her but when I was 4 they died in a car wreck. And now my mom, my hero is ill.
The next day we went to see her doctor which gave us more bad news.
'-I'm afraid that you have 5 to maybe 6 months to live.' he said and I tried not to cry.
The next months went away really fast. Mom was getting worse each day. She never talked about my dad because I told her not to. I wasn't curious and I hated him for what he did to her.
One day when I came back from one of my friends I found my mom dead on the couch. I kneeled next to her and cried for what it seemed an eternity.
At the funeral I was surrounded by a bunch of our neighbours. From what I know mom didn't had any relatives. I tried not to cry because I knew that wouldn't bring her back. At the end of the funeral her lawyer approached me:
'-Miss Crawford, I'm sorry for your loss. When you feel better can you come at my office? We have some things to discuss.'
I just nodded and walked away. I needed to clear my head so I walked back home even though one of my mom's friends asked me to go and stay with her today. But I couldn't, I needed to face the house and the fear alone. I won't sit around and throw pity parties.
I entered the living room which was filled with silence and took a sit on of the chairs.
'-What now?' I asked out loud like I was waiting for an answer. I don't know how lost I was in my thoughts but soon I fell asleep on that very chair.
***Next day***
Thank school is over and mom was able to see me graduate, I was class's Valedictorian. I was feeling lonely without mom, she was the one who made breakfast each day before going to work, now was up to me to feed myself. Not that I didn't know how to cook but nothing compares to the breakfast mom made.
While I was having breakfast I remembered about the small chat I had with Mr. Robbins and I decided to go by his office this afternoon. But before I called him to let him know. Till was time to go I tried to focus on cleaning the house but I did a poor job since my mind wasn't on the right place.
***Mr. Robbins's office***
'-You may go in now.' his secretary said in a hushed tone.
'-Thank you.' I said and went to his office where I've noticed someone guy there with Mr. Robbins. I didn't want anyone's pity so I asked pretty angry:
'-Who is he and what is he doing here?'
'-Well he's your...father.' Mr. Robbins announced.
'-I don't have a father so please leave.' I said to the guy and then turned to mom's lawyer but before I got a chance to add something the guy said:
'-Sophie, I'm your dad.'
'-No you're not. You're just a sperm donor. A dad would take care of his child and if I'm correct I don't remember you doing that. So don't make me repeat myself and leave.' I said and this time I was pretty pissed.
'-Your mom appointed him to take care of you at least till you're 18.' Mr. Robbins said.
'-Appointed him my ass. I will not stay with this...man.. in the same room for more than 5 minutes so I'd rather go to a foster house.' I said.
'-Mr. Cena I think it would be better to come later after I manage to calm down Mr. Crawford.'
'-Calm down? I'm very calm. I've never been more calm in my entire life.' I said almost shouting.
He left and I took a sit.
'-Was that necessary?' the lawyer asked.
'-What do you think? Now let's get to the point and tell what else mom planned for me because I already know about the sperm donor.'
'-Mr. Crawford I will not tolerate this in my office.' he said raising his voice.
'-Whatever, just get to the point man and you'll get rid of me in no time.'
He started to read my mom's last wishes and among the fact that she wanted me to get along with "my dad" well she also left me the house and some money that I will be able to use after I will turn 18. Great, just fucking great.
'-So what should I do?' he asked.
'-What about you call Social Services because I'm not gonna live with him. No way I'm doing that.' I said shaking my head.
'-I'm afraid that's not an option. In order to call Social Services you have to prove that he's an unfit parent.'
'-That's gonna be easy to prove.'
'-Sophie, just give him a chance.'
'-No. If mom wouldn't have died he wouldn't even be here. He's an ass.'
'-Maybe he's not. But you'll never know if you don't try. Plus as I told you, you don't really have a choice.'
I didn't said anything. So he added:
'-I'll tell him to pick you up tomorrow at 12.'
'-Pick me up? I'm not moving.'
'-You'll have to. He leaves in Massachusetts. Plus he travels a lot.'
'-Why would I move? My whole life is here.'
'-He's a professional wrestler and his work requires travelling.'
'-What the hell is that? Never heard of it.'
He tried explaining what was wrestling but when he realized that I wasn't interested at all he said:
'-You'll have plenty of time to figure out on your own and with his help. I'll send you all the documents tomorrow morning.'
'-Whatever.' I said and headed to the mall to have a meal at a McDonalds since I didn't felt like cooking or doing anything else for the matter.
'-Soph.' I heard my good friend Emma calling my name.
'-Emms, what you're doing here? Weren't you suppose to be in Atlanta?' I asked hugging her.
'-I came when I heard about your mom. I'm sorry I couldn't arrive on time for the funeral.'
'-It's ok.' I said and then I told her about my meeting with the lawyer.
'-You are truly insane.' she said laughing.
'-Maybe but that's not the point.'
'-The point is that you called your dad "sperm donor".
'-He deserved that and a lot more.'
'-Are you gonna go live with him?'
'-Apparently I don't have a choice. But I'm gonna make his life a living hell.'
'-That's my Soph.' Emma said giggling.
At one point in the corner of my eye I saw "my dad" and a colourful bunch of guys taking seats at one of the tables on my right. He didn't noticed me and I was trying not to get noticed so I can listen to his conversation. I was intrigued a bit.
'-You look pretty bummed, man.' one of the guys said.
'-She called me sperm donor.' he said and the others laughed but when he glared them they stopped.
'-Do you blame her? I mean you haven't be around her so what were you expecting?'
'-I don't know but sure as hell this one I didn't expected.'
'-I don't know why but I have the feeling that I'm gonna like this daughter of yours.' another guy said. Emma realized that they were talking about me so she asked:
'-Which one?'
'-The one with grey t-shirt.'
'-You look like him.' I glared her.
'-What? I'm just stating the obvious.' she said raising her hands in defence.
'-Yeah right.'
'-Hope am I suppose to take care of her when she hates me?' I heard him asking his friends.
'-You're gonna have to figure that out all by yourself.'
'-You're my best friend and that's all you've got?'
'-I'm not the one who screwed up so it's up to you.' he answered.
'-I wanna go home. Can't stand this anymore.' I said and Emma nodded.
