Came Home Too Early

My mother passed away about 2 years ago. The cancer took her quickly but it was a very sad event and it devastated all of my very small family. She had always been the center of our lives and now she was gone.

It took many of us by surprise that she went before my dad. She died in her late 50s and my father was just topping 90. He isn’t in the best of health but he doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.

No, you didn’t read that wrong. There is a 34 year age gap between my parents. My parents married late in my dad’s life. He was in his early 50s and my mom was a freshman in college. Since my dad was a professor and I was born about 7 months after they got married, it’s pretty obvious how that happened.

I grew up an only child in a wonderful home. My parents fought. A lot. But everyone’s parents fought. They stuck through the rough patches and still seemed to love each other.

Shortly before my mother’s death, I discovered that my father had at least 2 affairs during their marriage. I was a small child and looking back, I can piece together memories of their biggest fights. I spoke to my mom about it before she got too sick and she confirmed that he had a couple “mis-steps” but that he “grew out of it.”

Following somewhat in his footsteps, I married rather late and only had one child as well. My daughter Allison was born 16 years ago and, tragically, her mother didn’t survive a terrible infection she contracted during her c-section. After a generous settlement over a wrongful death lawsuit, Allie and I never worried much for material things. I was a 38 year old single father about to raise a daughter on my own.

We did fairly well for the most part. Once she hit puberty, she didn’t like me as much as before. I guess that’s normal. It’s not that we didn’t get along, it’s just that she had an attitude a lot.

Fortunately, it didn’t stop her from being a good kid. She continues to get good grades and is a star athlete. She is an All-State runner, amazing striker in soccer and excels at volleyball. She has never really been one to go out with friends. She has a few good friends but for the most part is a lone soul. Anyone that meets her can’t help but to enjoy her company but she enjoys being on her own a lot.

To say that I didn’t notice my daughter physically transforming into a woman would be a lie.