Chapter 5

The following weekend at home, things are tense. Several times Zaria tries to tease her father but he isn’t having any of it. It is like a switch has been turned off. Sure, he called her little pet names from time to time. He hugged her when he got home and kissed her forehead. But she wants so much more. Zaria goes to bed and cries in her pillow wondering what it is that she has done wrong to deserve such treatment from the man she absolutely loves and adores.

After a fit of crying, she finally drags herself from the bed and calls her best friend, confiding in her. Yesenia listens and then tells her that it is guilt. That her father is feeling guilty. She explains that her father felt the same way at first. That all of a sudden he wouldn’t even look her in the eye.

“So what did you do?” Zaria asks.

Yesenia giggles. “I made sure that he knew I was okay. I made sure he knew that I wanted him as much as he wanted me.”

The two talk further and when Zaria hangs up the phone, she immediately starts planning. She is going to make sure the man pays attention to her. This weekend may have been a waste, but her mother is going away again soon and the girl will have her chance. Her mother will be leaving next weekend and that will be Zaria’s opportunity to be alone with her father.