It Takes Someone Special to be a Dad
E-mails
I sighed and stretched my arms above my head with a yawn. My eyes scanned the writing in front of me and satisfaction spread from my fingers throughout the rest of my body. I cracked my knuckles, feeling the joints crack and the pressure being relieved, as Max jabbed a finger into my ribs and I brought my arms down with a giggle.
“Please, dudes, we’re in school!” Louise moaned on my left side.
“Blame Max.”
“Blame Holly for being my gorgeous girlfriend.” He answered and poked his tongue out at me.
“Alright, love birds, keep it down.” Our teacher called across the class.
We rang out our apologies in the usual way and watched as she rolled her eyes.
“Have you finished it, then?” Louise asked. I nodded and yawned again. God, I needed coffee.
“See what you think…” I mumbled and rubbed my eyes. Louise frowned as her eyes flicked across the computer screen in front of me and Max had his tongue poked out slightly as he read.
“You sound desperate.”
“Max! Holly, ignore him, you sound like a daughter who hasn’t seen her dad for 16 years.” Louise replied, shooting Max an evil look. He grinned back.
“Thanks, that really helps guys.” I said sarcastically and moved the mouse so the pointed hovered over the ‘Send’ button. My eyes scanned it once more and I blocked out the sounds of Max and Louise arguing.
‘Dear Gerard,
I honestly don’t know where to start. 16 years is a long time to be away from someone. It’s especially hard when you haven’t seen that person since you were just a month old and you don’t remember anything about them.
My mom told me everything, by the way. I’m trying not to judge you, and I need to hear your side of the story before I do actually make my final judgement. I’m not going to say what I think, at the moment, because it might influence the reply you give me. If you even reply at all.
What my mom told me could have just been a load of lies, and you might not want anything to do with me. I honestly hope that isn’t the case, because I want to know you.
The only things I know about you, is that your name is Gerard, we have the same eyes and that my middle name if that of your grandma.
I really hope you reply,
From Holly Elena Howard.’
I sighed again and felt my finger reach the mouse and click. Max and Louise looked at me as they heard the click.
“See, I told you she would have sent it no matter what I said!” Max yelled excitedly.
I laughed as the teacher scolded Max. Secretly, I agreed with him. Before I had even begun to type, I knew I was going to send it.
Gerard’s P.O.V
I sighed and laid my head backwards with the laptop buzzing happily on my lap.
“Welcome, Gerard,” the voice said from the computer, “you have 3 unread messages.”
I frowned and looked back at the screen. Two of the e-mails were the usual e-newsletters my brother had signed me up for unknowingly. The other was from an unknown address. I knew you shouldn’t open them; it might have contained a virus.
My annoyance with my brother messing around with my e-mail address caused me to smirk and open the new message anyway. It would serve him right if it was a virus. I could wing it and tell him I thought it was another thing he had signed me up for.
I hoped it was, just to see the look on his face. I sighed as it loaded on the screen. It wasn’t.
I scrolled my way through the e-mail, not reading any of the writing, and my jaw dropped as I read the name.
‘Holly Elena Howard’.
It was her; my daughter.
“Please, dudes, we’re in school!” Louise moaned on my left side.
“Blame Max.”
“Blame Holly for being my gorgeous girlfriend.” He answered and poked his tongue out at me.
“Alright, love birds, keep it down.” Our teacher called across the class.
We rang out our apologies in the usual way and watched as she rolled her eyes.
“Have you finished it, then?” Louise asked. I nodded and yawned again. God, I needed coffee.
“See what you think…” I mumbled and rubbed my eyes. Louise frowned as her eyes flicked across the computer screen in front of me and Max had his tongue poked out slightly as he read.
“You sound desperate.”
“Max! Holly, ignore him, you sound like a daughter who hasn’t seen her dad for 16 years.” Louise replied, shooting Max an evil look. He grinned back.
“Thanks, that really helps guys.” I said sarcastically and moved the mouse so the pointed hovered over the ‘Send’ button. My eyes scanned it once more and I blocked out the sounds of Max and Louise arguing.
‘Dear Gerard,
I honestly don’t know where to start. 16 years is a long time to be away from someone. It’s especially hard when you haven’t seen that person since you were just a month old and you don’t remember anything about them.
My mom told me everything, by the way. I’m trying not to judge you, and I need to hear your side of the story before I do actually make my final judgement. I’m not going to say what I think, at the moment, because it might influence the reply you give me. If you even reply at all.
What my mom told me could have just been a load of lies, and you might not want anything to do with me. I honestly hope that isn’t the case, because I want to know you.
The only things I know about you, is that your name is Gerard, we have the same eyes and that my middle name if that of your grandma.
I really hope you reply,
From Holly Elena Howard.’
I sighed again and felt my finger reach the mouse and click. Max and Louise looked at me as they heard the click.
“See, I told you she would have sent it no matter what I said!” Max yelled excitedly.
I laughed as the teacher scolded Max. Secretly, I agreed with him. Before I had even begun to type, I knew I was going to send it.
Gerard’s P.O.V
I sighed and laid my head backwards with the laptop buzzing happily on my lap.
“Welcome, Gerard,” the voice said from the computer, “you have 3 unread messages.”
I frowned and looked back at the screen. Two of the e-mails were the usual e-newsletters my brother had signed me up for unknowingly. The other was from an unknown address. I knew you shouldn’t open them; it might have contained a virus.
My annoyance with my brother messing around with my e-mail address caused me to smirk and open the new message anyway. It would serve him right if it was a virus. I could wing it and tell him I thought it was another thing he had signed me up for.
I hoped it was, just to see the look on his face. I sighed as it loaded on the screen. It wasn’t.
I scrolled my way through the e-mail, not reading any of the writing, and my jaw dropped as I read the name.
‘Holly Elena Howard’.
It was her; my daughter.