Michael doesn’t want his dad to miss his graduation to take Tommy to the zoo. He wants to teach Matt a lesson. Michael finally fights back after being ignored for years. He plans to reveal his father by planning a graduation dinner, but things don’t go as planned.
It was hard to see my friends hug their families on graduation day because my dad, Henry, had died. It should have been one of the best days of my life.
I was ten years old when my parents split up. Dad started a new life with Sandra’s young son Tommy.
I wanted the best for my dad, so it was good. It was his fault. Because he and Mom were no longer compatible, no matter how hard they tried. For me, they couldn’t live together unless they were apart.
But after Dad and Sandra got back together, he began a new part of his life that seemed to include everyone but me.
At first, things weren’t too bad, but as they got closer, my dad became more involved in Tommy’s life. He missed a lot of important events in my life as a child, like my birthday, science fair wins, and soccer championships.
I would say that Tommy was away because of something connected to him, like a school play, a baseball game, or just a day trip. This made me either happy or sad when he wasn’t there.
My dad and I had lunch at a diner a week before the graduation. Even though he was very busy, he kept trying to do this.
“I’ll be at your graduation, Michael,” my dad said. “I’ll be in a suit and tie and sitting in the first row with your mum.” I love you, and this is a big moment in your life. Of course, I’ll be there.
“Dad, are you sure?” I tried to look cool, but when I asked him, the truth was that I was glad to have him there. I slurped my milkshake.
He replied, “Yes, Mike.” “I’ll be there!”
So, when he left me after lunch, I took a chance and hoped that this could be a sign of good things to come in our relationship. Sitting in my room, I hoped for the best.
Of course, that wasn’t true.
The call he made a few hours before the ceremony, though, made him sound unsure.
He said, “To Michael, I’m sorry.” Tommy needs me today, though. This school year has been very hard for him, and today is the lion show at the zoo. That’s why he needs it. There must be something making him happy.
My dad didn’t make me feel good. I could see that he needed to help Tommy and cheer him up. I didn’t like that it cost me, though. that if my dad was with Tommy, he wouldn’t be with me.
It hurt even more that he wasn’t there for the graduation ceremony. As my friends’ families came up to them, dads rubbed their boys’ backs and hugged them, and moms kissed their daughters on the forehead.
But this time, I promised myself I would use my pain for good.
I lied and told Dad, Sandra, and Tommy that the dinner I planned over the weekend was a celebration of my graduation.
“Mom, are you sure it’s okay to have dinner at home?” I asked my mom a question while she was doing the laundry the night before the meal.
She answered, “Yes.” “Honey,” “I already have everything I need to make dinner because I went grocery shopping today.”
At first, having dinner at home was nice, but I didn’t want my mom to get involved since I had something else planned.
I wasn’t sure what my dad would say, but he was usually a smart guy.
When my mom hosted, she always went out of her way to make sure everything was perfect. The evening was planned, and the table outside was beautifully arranged.
At the heart of it all, though, was my plan to make Dad pay for his choices one day.
I got up to give my speech while dinner was being made. Mom served breadsticks and caprese salad with the main course.
“Everyone has moments that change their lives,” I said, keeping my voice firm even though my hands were shaking a little. “These times make us who we are, and the people who stand by our sides during these times can shape our relationships.”
When I looked at my dad, he seemed to sense that something was off. He had a strong grip on his whisky glass.
I went on to talk about the important events in my life, each story skillfully crafted to show how lonely I felt.
“As I took the award for first place at the science fair, I looked around for my dad.” But where he was meant to stand, there was nothing there.
My mum smiled at me from where she was sitting. She had no idea I was going to do this, but she has always told me to say what I think and let go of my feelings. especially now that they are divorced.
“I’ve always wanted my dad’s respect and company,” I said, my voice getting a little rough. “But I’ve learned that it might be too much to ask for approval from someone who is so often absent.”
He should be able to tell how deeply I was talking by the way my eyes met his.
My dad’s face went flat.
He said, “I’ve missed more than moments, Michael.” “I’ve missed a childhood with my son.”
Sandra didn’t like where she was sitting, so she kept her arm around Tommy, who looked like he’d rather be somewhere else.
Sandy told him, “Listen, maybe you two just need to spend some time together.” I know that Tommy has taken a lot of time away from your dad. Tommy isn’t to blame, though! Michael, he’s already younger than you.
As he ate a breadstick, my dad said, “Honey, Michael’s not saying that it’s Tommy’s fault.”
He is telling me that I should have chosen a better way to divide the time. need to do important things for both of them.
My mom walked to the kitchen to get a cake for dessert after I nodded.
“I’m so proud of you, Michael,” she said as she kissed me on the head.
My dad looked bad, so I did something. I had set that as my end goal. It turned out, though, that what I said had really annoyed him. He already looked like he was feeling bad about things.
And my words helped him understand it better by showing him that he wasn’t the only one who didn’t like things the way they were.
The next weekend, my dad came to get me.
Michael, get your things together. “We’re going to spend some time in the woods.”
He planned a lovely weekend away for the two of us, where we would spend time together and get to know each other better by being outside. He planned to show me how to fish and name the stars.
He said, “It’s going to be great.” “This is what we need.”
When we finally got to the cabin he had booked, I felt better. It looked like my dad was determined to try with me. That was great because I wanted to make things right with him before I went to college.
I really hope he doesn’t let me down again.
In that case, how would you have reacted?
