Chapter 22

We sat in the living room and Randy warned me that as soon as Mark came back down stairs he was going to go for a drive for about an hour so we could talk privately.

Mark walked down the stairs and Randy stood up with me and gave me a kiss and said, "Just talk…I've got my cell if you want to leave for whatever reason."  I nodded and watched as he left…

I walked around a little and saw the pictures of him and Jessica all over the house…it even smelled like her…

Mark walked over and I said, "You realize you should give her a call and tell her you're sorry for acting like an ass." 

Mark laughed and said, "You sound like your mother when you say that…I got into a fight with my mother when we were first married and your mom said the same exact thing to me." 

I laughed a little.  I walked a little further and into what looked like an office…and saw my mother's picture sitting on the desk…

I could feel the tears sliding down my cheeks.  I said, "What happened with you guys?" 

Mark leaned against the door frame looking at me with his arms crossed over his chest and said, "It wasn't anything huge…we just sort of lost interest in each other…we'd been together since I was 16 and your mother was 15…we just fell out of love with each other…so when we got divorced we both agreed she should have custody of you." 

I said, "But why didn't you come and see me…wasn't you the least bit interested to see what I looked like, who I'd become…if I wanted to see you.  Mom always told me you didn't love me enough to come and see me." 

Mark said, "I set up a few times to come and see you and spend the day with you several times…but you mother flaked on me…and then when I'd call she would say something along the lines of she forgot or fell asleep…after a while I got tired of her forgetting and falling asleep…but I will say one thing…Not a day has passed when I haven't missed you…And I watched you graduate high school."

I turned around and looked at him and said, "You were there?"  Mark nodded and said, "Of course…it was the one thing your mother clued me in on.  So I stood in the back so no one could see me…and I watched you graduate…I was proud of you…and then you graduated college and went to wrestling school and I thought your mother was going to have a fit."

I laughed and said, "True…but then she told me why she was spitting nails about it and I understood…but I wanted to do it, so she left me alone about it."  Mark said, "I know…and I'm sorry about not being there when she died…I didn't even find out about it until 3 months later…I wish I could've been there for you…I can't imagine what ya went through darlin'."

At that moment I realized I missed out on a life with my father just as he missed out on a life with me because of my mother…she had been the one all these years keeping me from him…and him from me…

I walked over and suddenly threw myself into Mark's arms as I cried harder…he held me and rubbed my back and told me everything was going to be okay…he said he was sorry about a million times and so did I…he kissed the top of my head a few zillion times and after I calmed…I stepped by and Mark said, "So what is this about Randy wanting to marry you?"

I laughed and showed him the ring Randy gave me…Mark said, "Well…Do you love him?"  I nodded and said, "Yes…I do…but listen I'm not going to get married unless you agree to give me away." 

Mark could feel his chest get tight and he said, "I'd be honored darlin'."  His heart nearly broke when he saw a fresh batch of tears rise in his daughter's eyes as she hugged him again…something he's waited 21 years to feel.

Mark had his daughter back.

Lena had her father finally.