Every day I was greeted by the odd little girl across the street, and what I eventually learned made me feel quite cold.
My house is directly across from new neighbors who recently moved into our community. I hardly ever meet my neighbors in person, and I generally don’t feel attached to them.
All I knew was that a woman and her young daughter were the new neighbors.
The girl may have been no older than five when I saw her greeting me from the window one day. She smiled shyly at me, and I smiled back.
I ignored it and continued with my day as usual. When the same incident happened again the next day, I started to believe that she was most likely just looking for attention.
Days went by, and for a month she would joyfully greet me each time I walked by her house, as though she was anticipating my answer. Every time I answered, she would leap with delight.
I reasoned that perhaps this was the way she interacted with everyone.
She was also spotted by my mother, who informed me that every time she saw her, the young girl had a dejected expression on her face and was waiting for someone outside the window.
Only when she spotted me did she appear to grin once more.
I chose to pay her a visit since I was intrigued and curious about her behavior. I was devastated by what I found. I was stunned.
A woman answered the door when I knocked.
Even though I couldn’t recall where I had previously seen her, her glance was very familiar.
Something shifted in her eyes as she turned to face me.
“You… you are.” Her voice faltered a little.
I heard a happy yell from the back of the house before she could finish speaking.
Everything rushed back to me when the young girl ran toward me.
All of the details of that trying time, including the agony and the separation, came flooding back.
After glancing at me, the woman said:
“I… Although I knew you would return eventually, I didn’t anticipate it would be this way.
“You are her father,” she continued. You have a daughter, you know. It’s her.
I never wanted to tell you, but I discovered I was pregnant after we split up.
My heart became constricted.
Everything seemed to be falling apart all around me.
I had a kid who seemed to have been waiting for me all along, even though I had never met her.
