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Summer vacations are normally fun. Unfortunately this year, they were boring. Each day we went to the crib because staying home was boring. We played cards, raced, and vandalized unused stores but it rapidly became boring. The worst part of all, it had only been two weeks since school ended, and I could not begin to imagine how draining the next following days would be.
"Why are you all on your phones ? Go outside !" suggested Sky as she witnessed us sitting on the couches, glued to our phones. Izzy was laying upside down, Jordan and Tanisha were napping and Quann and Asad were playing video games. We looked at her and groaned loudly.
"Baby Iz." Izzy looks at the man who called her. " Ace wants you outside, right now." He continues.
"Ouu...Someone's in trouble." says Tyrell.
Isabel gets off the bed and walks towards the hallway. "You wish." She smirks.
"He said Iz, not y'all." comments Skylar as Nate and Tyrell stand up and follow her.
"You did say to go outside." replies Nate. I also stand up followed by Asad, Kyle, and Quann. I shrug as I walk past Sky. She rolls her eyes and walks outside with us. Isabel is standing in front of Ace and next to him is another man. He's dressed like a businessman, has light blue eyes, and blond hair. He's around 5'10ft (1,78m), leaving an obvious gap between him and Ace.
"Have you ever seen this man ?" asked Ace. Isabel shook her head. "His name is..." he twirls his hand trying to recall.
"Ha-Harry Griffiths. I'm your father."
"What ?" muttered Isabel, staring at the man, eyes wide open.
"I was gon' let her know that slowly...This...That was too straightforward." stutters Ace.
"What... I don't have a father...You said my father died, Ace."
"That's what your mother told me..." responds Ace softly. Harry lowers his head.
"I guess Lela didn't want us to meet..."
"How you know Lela ? Ace, did you tell him about her ?" says Isabel in a taunt voice.
"I didn't. He mentioned her and said that he fathered her child..."
"I know it's hard to believe but I wouldn't lie to you...I-I always wanted to meet you. Ever since I found out, I have been on the lookout for you."
"Imma let you two talk. Is-" Ace pauses. "Y'all can talk in the house."
As they enter the house, JJ number 2 and Tanisha exit. "Who's the man with Izzy ?" asks Jordan as he looks back.
"Her "apparent" father." I answer.
Isabel and Harry stayed inside the house for over 15 minutes. It was still quiet which meant that there was no fighting.
"Did my mother tell you my name ?" asks Isabel tonelessly while they walk into the living room.
"No. No, she didn't." He says. They stop walking and face each other.
"Do you still see her ?"
"I haven't seen her in over 12 years. She left me without notice."
Isabel's face lowers and she lets out a slight scoff. "Good to know... I thought she left because of me, glad to know it's a habit." She says. Harry chuckles lightly. "What'd you say was your name again ?" she continues.
"Harry Griffiths. What's yours ?"
"Isabel Gomes."
"Isabel... Just as expected from Lela..." he confesses. They stay in silence for a minute and sit on the living room couches. "I know-" He gets interrupted by Diego who walks into the living room.
"I know you haven't grown up with a dad and you might not even need one after all these years but I was hoping we could still get to know each other. What do you think about that 'Bel ?"
"You're right 'bout that. She don't need no father, she has me." declared Diego placing his right palm on his left chest. Isabel gets up from the couch, followed by Harry.
"I was talking to my daughter."
Diego scoffs and rolls back his eyes. "Baby Iz isn't your daughter foo'. You can't just buzz in here and proclaim what ain't yours. Know your place, old man."
"I'd like to get to know you too, Harry." interrupts Isabel, coming back to the subject. Harry smiles a little while Diego eyes him suspiciously.
"That's wonderful." He exclaims as he inched forward. "I'll come back tomorrow and we can start getting to know each other better." suggests Harry with a large smile. He passes by Diego, purposely bumping his shoulder, and leaves the house, waving back at his daughter as he opens the door.
"You're for real ?" asks Diego.
"I'm giving him a chance..."
Diego walks towards a drawer in the kitchen and pulls out something. He comes back to Isabel and puts it firmly in her hand. "Keep this witchu whenever and wherever you're with this man." He lets go of her hand and she looks down at it. Diego had placed an HK VP9 inside her palm. She held on to it firmly, not lifting her eyes from it. "I taught you how to shoot didn't I ? Use this from now on." he adds.
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Harry Griffith came back the next day as he had said. He greeted everyone and spent a bit of time talking with Ace, Cash, and Sky. He also conversed with us kids before taking his daughter out in his grey LC 500 convertible Lexus. As Isabel gets into the vehicle, Kyle rushes towards the car door.
"Hey !" he says slightly out of breath.
"Hey." responds Isabel avoiding his face with her eyes.
"I hope everything goes well with your pops."
"Yeah..." she smiles slightly, looking down at her knees. Kyle closes the car door and watches as the Lexus drives through the large black gate.
M. Griffith came back the day after, the 12th, the day after that, the 13th, and today the 14th as he still tried to get closer to his biological daughter. He didn't bother greeting anyone and took his daughter out in his grey LC 500 convertible Lexus. "What are we doing today ?" asks Isabel as they drive. She puts her bag in between her legs and fumbles with the things in it.
"I was thinking of something different today, Iz-"
"Don't call me that." interrupts Isabel strictly, letting go of the bag. She fixes Harry in the eye before breaking contact and looking the other way. "Call me Bel, I like it better."
Harry's lip corners turn upwards. "I was hoping you'd like to live with me, Bel. I could reclaim you as my daughter and finally live as father-daughter. My mansion has enough rooms for you. You'll get your own bathroom, your own closet, everything. It'll be an upgrade from your life here..."
"Why would I need an upgrade ?"
"I've seen the living conditions here. I know how people turn out. You have an advantage, look at you."
"I don't know..."
He sighs and they continue driving in silence until the next red light. "I'll drive you there, you'll spend the night and I'll bring you back to your...whatever those people like to call it."
"Those people are my people."
Harry scoffs. "Your people ?"
"Ye. My crew. My friends. My family. My people."
"That's not what they are, darling. Don't associate with them like that."
"Yet, you associated with mom."
"Like you, your mom was different. She wasn't..." He closes his mouth. The red light turns green and they continue riding. Isabel turns her head towards her fathers.
"She wasn't what ?"
"Lela wasn't dirty like the rest of them." He replies. Isabel stays quiet for the rest of the time until they arrive at Harry's mansion. His place is 7,000 square feet (650 sq. meters) colonial home. The grass was perfectly green and cut, the paint of the exterior walls looked fresh, and fancy luxurious cars were parked on the pave way... It was the typical appearance of each residence on the East side of Naire. They got out of the car and a man drove it inside its garage. Harry showed his daughter around the house and showed her a room he- his maids- prepared for her arrival. It had a closet full of brand clothes and brand shoes. The whole room probably costs more than university tuition. They enjoyed a nice warm dinner cooked by the house chef and Harry convinced his daughter to spend the night.
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