When Amy spotted her father on the beach with a much younger woman, she couldn’t believe her eyes as he was supposed to be on a business trip in New York. But the truth her mother revealed after seeing the photo left Amy reeling.
The sun was shining bright, and the waves crashed softly against the shore. The smell of saltwater filled the air as people laughed and played all around. I was excited to finally have a break from school.
My best friend, Lisa, and I had decided to spend the weekend at the beach. It felt good to be away from classes and exams, just enjoying the sand between our toes.
“Let’s find a good spot before it gets too crowded,” Lisa said, scanning the area with her hand shielding her eyes.
I nodded, looking around. That’s when I saw him. My heart skipped a beat. “No way,” I muttered under my breath.
What?” Lisa asked, looking confused.
“That’s my dad,” I whispered, pointing toward a familiar figure near the water.
Lisa squinted. “Are you sure? I thought he was on a business trip in New York.”
“Yeah, that’s what he told me,” I said, my stomach twisting into knots. “He said he’d be gone for the whole week.”But there he was, my dad, in casual shorts and a T-shirt. And he wasn’t alone. A young woman was with him. She was laughing at something he said, her blonde hair shining in the sun. She looked way younger than him, younger than me even
Growing up, I had always been close to my dad. He was the one who taught me how to ride a bike, helped me with my math homework, and never missed a single one of my soccer games.
My mom and dad had a good relationship, or at least that’s what I thought. They argued sometimes, but they always made up.I remember one time, when I was about twelve, they had a huge fight. I thought they might split up. Mom stayed with Aunt Karen for a week. Dad was quiet and sad the whole time. I was so scared, but when she came back, everything seemed fine again. They hugged and laughed, and I thought everything would always be okay after that.
When I went away to college, I missed them both, but I kept in touch all the time. Dad and I talked almost every day. That’s why seeing him here, with someone who wasn’t my mom, was so shocking. I felt like my world was spinning.
“Maybe it’s not what you think,” Lisa said carefully, pulling me out of my thoughts.next page…
