“Then I’ll keep saying it until I am.”
I repaired furniture in the mornings, stocked shelves at night, and made deliveries on weekends. Jenna helped with breakfast, Tyler with homework, and the middle kids took turns looking after Molly.
One evening, Molly asked, “Did Mommy leave because I cried too much?”
“Nothing you did made her leave, sweetheart.”
“Even when I was naughty?”
“Especially then.”
For a while I sent Tiffany photos of the kids. She answered less and less, and then not at all.
Years later, Jenna asked, “Why don’t you ever tell Mom what you really think?”
“Because you’ve all been hurt enough.”
“Dad, you should date. You deserve to be happy, too.”
“With seven kids? I’d need to put up a warning sign.”
“Dad!” Jenna laughed.
“I’m kidding. I’m happy right here with you.”
I did try dating a few times. But once women heard I had seven children, they quickly lost interest.
So I focused on work, and the kids found ways to help.
“I’ll photograph your furniture,” Jenna offered.
“And I’ll build you a website,” Tyler added.
“Will that bring customers?”
“Only if your chairs stop looking haunted.”
It worked. Eventually, I opened my own workshop.
I made something special for every birthday. For Molly’s twelfth, I restored an old wooden desk she’d wanted for months.
“Still worried she won’t like it?” Jenna asked.
“She wanted a tablet, too. I couldn’t afford both.”
“Dad, she’s been talking about that desk for weeks. Since when does the price decide how special a gift is?”
I smiled. She had a point.
Molly’s birthday barbecue was wonderful. All seven kids came home, along with her school friends and a few neighbors.
When she unwrapped the desk, she screamed.
“DAD! YOU FINISHED IT!”
“Unless you’d prefer another pair of socks.”
She hugged me so hard I nearly fell backward. “This is better than the tablet!”
“You don’t have to say that.”
“I’m not saying it for you!”
Then someone knocked. I opened the front door.
Tiffany stood on the porch in a cream designer coat and enormous sunglasses. Curtis stood behind her, holding shopping bags.
“Gary! Surprise!”
“How did you know about the party?”
“Jenna posted about it. I thought it was time for a reunion.”
“After ten years?”
“People change.”
“What do you want, Tiffany?”
“To see my daughter. Surely that’s allowed.”
She walked past me. “Goodness, you still have the same furniture!”
“Some of us like keeping things.”
Molly appeared from the kitchen, carrying cake. She froze. “Mom?”
Tiffany smiled. “Hello, sweetheart!”
For several seconds, Molly couldn’t speak.
Then Tiffany hugged her awkwardly. “Look how beautiful you’ve become! You have my eyes.”
“You haven’t seen me since I was two.”
“Well, life gets complicated.”
Curtis wheeled in a shiny new bicycle, and Tiffany handed Molly a wrapped tablet.
“See? Mommy knows what you deserve. I can finally give you what your father couldn’t.”
“Tiffany, enough,” I warned.
Molly glanced at her desk. “Dad made that for me.”
“That’s sweet. But now you have something better.”
Molly’s smile vanished. She pulled out her phone.
“Mom, can I show you something I found online?”
I thought she was about to share a birthday photo. Instead, she opened a secret Tiffany had kept from all of us.
“You have hundreds of thousands of followers?” Molly asked, holding up Tiffany’s Instagram.
“People love my lifestyle, darling.”
“Here you say kids ruin a woman’s freedom.”
“I was speaking generally.”
“And that avoiding responsibility keeps you young.”
“That’s advice for my audience.”
“Do your followers know you have seven children?”
“My personal life is private.”
“Then why are you livestreaming my birthday?”
I turned. Tiffany’s phone was propped against a vase, its camera aimed at the presents. A red LIVE indicator glowed on the screen.
“You’ve been filming us?” I demanded.
“It’s for my followers!”
Molly picked up the phone. “Then they should meet us.”
“Molly, stop!”
“Hi, everyone. I’m Molly. My mom left when I was two. I have six brothers and sisters.”
Comments flooded the screen.
SEVEN CHILDREN?
She told us she had no responsibilities!
“How dare you, you little brat?!” Tiffany screamed.
I had stayed silent for ten years. But the moment she turned on my daughter, I knew it was time.
“Get away from her!” I snapped.
“This is exactly why I left! Seven needy kids and no freedom!”
Curtis grabbed her arm. “My business partners could be watching!”
“Curtis, not now!”
“You’re ruining my reputation!”
I ended the livestream.
“Leave, Tiffany.”
“You taught her this!”
“She’s twelve, and you’re furious because she told everyone you abandoned seven children.”
Jenna stepped up beside me. “Go, Mom.”
