"Hope your going to be late for school" said Naomi hope's mother as she yelled her name from across the living room.
"Am almost done" replied hope while she was coming down the stairs hurriedly so as not to miss the bus.
While she and her mother were saying their goodbyes the school bus arrived and with a loud horn notifying hope.
"I love you mom" said hope as she quickly jumped into the school bus.
Few minutes after the bus left, the door rang"Ding dong" yes am coming said Naomi as she was coming to open the door.
"With a big surprise and shock in Naomi's face she replied the man standing at the door what are you doing here".
The stranger then replied"am here to see my daughter ".
Naomi knew that this day would come but never expected to be so soon. Jeremiah the stranger at the door barged in with an angry tone shouting at Naomi "you took my daughter away from me without telling me where you were going and you're asking me what am doing here
"You had no right to question my decision you left me no choice " said Naomi.
"What are you talking about, I loved you and our child so much " replied Jeremiah.
"Was it the love that you were beating me and didn't want to stop drinking, is it the love your talking about"said Naomi.
"That was in the past, am a changed man now" replied Jeremiah.
"I don't care if you changed or not we don't need you anymore, we survived three years without you and I think we will be better off if you were not in Our lives anymore " said Naomi.
"You can't do this to me, the truth will surely come out one day" said Jeremiah
"Leave now" said angrily by Naomi.
Immediately Jeremiah left Naomi picked up the phone called her sister and said to her "Jane we have a problem Jeremiah is back and he's asking of hope".
Two hours after, Jane landed at Naomi's house and started asking "what happened, did he hurt you, did he try to abuse you or do anything stupid to you" asked Jane.
"No he didn't do any of those things, in fact he looked more calm and gentle than before" replied Naomi.
"Then what's the problem" Jane asked
As Naomi was about answering Jane, hope just badged into the house with a sad and unhappy face and was heading to her room.
"Hope ,Naomi called, what's the problem dear she asked hope while going to her room but there was no reply.
Being concerned about what might have happened to her both Naomi and Jane rushed to her room to inquire more about her awkward behavior but when they got to her room they saw her crying.
"My dear what's the problem, what happened in school today " asked Naomi while consoling her.
"Its bring your father to school day tomorrow and my classmates where making fun of me that I don't have a dad, said hope mom when is dad coming back, doesn't he love us anymore, why did he just leave us". Hope asked her mother while crying.
"I don't know dear, but one day he is going to come back but you have me and your aunt with you" Naomi replied.
After 30 minutes of consoling hope and she finally slept, Naomi and Jane then went to the living room and were discussing about the situation on ground.
"What are you going to tell her now that he is back" asked Jane
"I don't know, I just wished he never came back or looked for us in the first place" Naomi answered.
"What did you expect, he's hope father and he has every right to see he's daughter "Jane said in a more reasonable manner.
"I know and I feel so guilty for not telling hope the truth " Naomi replied in a more calm and gentle tone.
"Look, hope needs her father, every child needs his or her father no matter what he has done" replying to Naomi
With a crying and shaking voice Naomi said "it's just that I feel so sorry for what hope has to pass through and it's all my fault she's having these problems at school, only if i told her the truth all of this wouldn't have been happening to her".
"So what are you going to do" Jane asked.
"Am going to do the right thing by telling her the truth and letting her know that her father has come back" Naomi answered Jane.
"That's the right decision to make" Jane replied Naomi.
The next morning hope has just woken up and with a sleepy and dizzy eyes saw a stranger in the house and was curious as to how a stranger was in the house.
"Mom who's this and why is he in the house" asked hope while still trying to get over her dizziness.
"I want to tell you something but promise me that whatever happens today you will forgive me" said Naomi.
"Of course mom I will always forgive you, your the only one I have" hope replied her mom with a smile.
"This stranger you see here with me in the house is Jeremiah and he is your father " Naomi said.
With a look and stare of surprise and shock , hope replied"what, I don't understand what's going on here"
"I am your father, just like your mother said"Jeremiah replied hope.
"But you said my dad left us and did not want to return " hope said while she was still confused about what was happening.
Naomi replied hope "my dear, your dad never left us in fact I was the one that left because he used to abuse me and i was afraid he was going to do the same to you and he was also a drunker, i now realize my mistakes that's why i am telling you the whole truth, Naomi said trying to make hope understand.
Hope still trying to process the information which she just heard said with a soft voice "so your my father".
"Yes I am and I have been searching for a very long time for you " Jeremiah replied hope.
"Why did you maltreat my mom" hope asked with distrust in her eyes
" I know I haven't been the best husband or father but I was simply a fool which knew nothing about what he was doing, the moment I realized that your mother left with you I was devastated and vowed to change for the better and look for you and your mom" Jeremiah answered hope while looking into her eyes.
Short of words and things to say, hope stood up from her chair and hugged Jeremiah and Said to him "i have forgiven you, let's forget about the past and move on".
With a smile on his face and Naomi's as well, Jeremiah said to hope"thank you for understanding"
After getting to know each other, hope rushed into her room to get dressed for school, while Naomi and Jeremiah were in the living room discussing.
"Hope can you come downstairs you dad and I would like to tell you something "Naomi called out .
"Yes what's it that you guys want to tell me" hope asked with curiosity.
"Your mom and I have been discussing and we seemed it fit that we had some family time in Spain" Jeremiah said.
With joy and excitement written on the face of hope she screamed and hugged Jeremiah and said" it's my first time going to Spain and i would like to make the most out of it, when shall we go".
"Tomorrow" Jeremiah answered
"Tomorrow, Isn't that too quick what about her school" Naomi interrupted.
"No it isn't mom, we are done for semester and I think it's the perfect time" hope said assuring her mom.
"So when you get back from school start Parking immediately, I will come back tomorrow to pick you guys up"Jeremiah told hope.
"I can't wait for tomorrow to reach" hope said with such happiness and joy.
In the heat of the discussion the horn sounded and it was the school bus. "Bye mom and dad,i love you both" hope shouted from across the road while entering the bus.
While in school hope said her goodbyes to all her friends and also the story of how she found her long lost Father. while in school the only thing she could think of was the thought of how tomorrow would be and she said to her self"i cant wait for tomorrow"
The next day being tomorrow, Jeremiah came to the house and picked them up and they all left for the airport. They spent a wonderful time in Spain through out the summer as a family and it was the happiest month of hope's life