Molly and I became good friends when we were in college. She was full of life, smart, and interesting. Everything changed for her though when she found out she was pregnant with Tanner’s child, the football team captain.
Tanner left her and wouldn’t take blame for what happened. I, on the other hand, offered right away to marry Molly and help raise the child. There wasn’t much going on when we got married, and I was happy to be going to be a dad soon.
As Molly learned how to be a mom, I was there for her through the hard times. When our daughter Amelia was born, I fell deeply in love with her. But Molly had a hard time balancing her need for freedom with her duties as a mom.
One terrible night, Molly broke down and said she felt stuck and wished she hadn’t had Amelia. I tried to comfort her because the words hurt so much. But she was already set on going, so she packed her bags and left us behind.
Amelia’s whole world fell apart when I lost her dad. Even though nights were hard, I stayed strong and devoted myself to our small family. Molly, on the other hand, went back to college and partied and hung out with old friends.
As the years went by, Amelia got stronger. Then Molly suddenly came back and asked to be taken into prison. Tanner was ready to meet Amelia now that she was back with him. I was shocked—this was the man who had left her.
Molly’s lawyers pushed hard during the custody fight, which was very hard. “I only have one father,” Amelia said, pointing at me, and her story was very important. “My mother left me, and I don’t want to live with her.”
The judge agreed with me and gave me full rights. I told Amelia to forgive Molly and get back together with her, and she did. Molly’s return caused a lot of trouble, but my love for Amelia never changed.
I knew I had made the right choice when I saw my daughter. Being a dad wasn’t about genes; it was about being there through all of life’s ups and downs. I would always be there for Amelia.
