It was already three days since I left Manchester city and I wasn't yet back as I promised Zoey. She was really sad, because she misses me so much. Jasmine was trying her best to distract her with different outings and outdoor games.
The father's day was fast approaching, and everyone at school couldn't stop talking about how they would make their fathers happy on father's day.
After school hours, Zoey and her friends decided to stay back at the school's library. Zoey had nothing in mind to prepare for father's day, so she decided to study while her friends talked about the upcoming father's day. Yvette's father would be returning from United States soon, to celebrate father's day with his family. Yvette was the most excited amongst them.
"Dad would be returning home soon. I can't really wait. He missed it last year because of work but this time, he promised to be around." She said.
"Cool. I have been thinking of what to get for my father on father's day." Mia added.
"Here too." Hannah added.
Zoey acted deaf, pretending not to hear all they were saying. She fixed her eyes on a note before her, trying hard to concentrate and study. They all noticed her silence and decided to speak to her. They could see pains written all over her face. She was burning in sadness, and had no experience of having a father in her life.
"Zoey." Hannah called out her name quietly, while Zoey turned her head towards her direction.
"Are you sad?". Hannah asked.
"No I'm not. Don't bother about me, and have a great time planning ahead." She responded with a shaking voice.
"If you're gonna cry, cry it infront of us." Mia added.
Zoey nodded her head, fixing back her eyes to her note. She really tried her best in hiding those tears infront of her friends. She was tired of crying every year, during father's day. She felt like she wasn't lucky enough, and was learning to accept her fate that way. She waited for her friends to be done with their plans about father's day, before heading back home with them.
After getting home, she freshened up. All dressed up, Zoey made her way to Sebastian's apartment.
Zoey was feeling very down, and since Jasjine wasn't at home, she decided to find accomplice in Sebastian. Sebastian was watching a movie when she arrived. He wondered why her face was looking very pale again. Zoey sat next to him on a couch, dragging the remote on his hand from him. She changed the channel of the movie, switching to her favorite reality tv kiddies show.
"Did you just do that?". He asked confusedly.
"Yeah. Others are planning for father's day, but here I'm watching a movie." She said sadly.
"Is that the reason you're sad?." He asked.
"Yes. I'm fatherless and it's a painful truth." Zoey muttered.
Sebastian felt really bad for her, and wondered why any sane man out there, would abandon such a lively child like Zoey. Sebastian watched her from a corner, continually feeling so bad on her behalf. Zoey wrapped her arms round a couch pillow in her hands. She glued her face to the plasma tv, giggling as she watched the funny moves in the tv show.
"Cute uncle, I don't want those bullies to scorn me on that day as usual. Can you act like my father on that day?". Zoey asked him, still gluing her eyes to the television.
"Me huh?". He asked shocked by her requested.
"Yes you. It's fine if you refuse." She replied him.
"No one will bully you on that day. I'll appear as your father during that day." Sebastian said.
Zoey was very happy that he accepted her offer and she can now plan father's day like other of her friends too. Her friends had already informed her about their visit to a shopping mall during weekends, to shop some gifts for their fathers. She had refused joining them earlier, but now she felt she would equally join them. Zoey hugged Sebastian, and he could see those igniting happiness burning in her tender eyes.
Sebastian gave her a go ahead, to plan the father's day. He promised to have her back and also promised not to disappoint her on that day.
★★Weekend★★
Zoey and her friends were already off to some shopping mall, where they were selecting different kind of gifts to give to their fathers, during father's day.
"What made you change your mind Zoey?." Yvette asked anxiously.
"I'll be celebrating the father's day with my father this time." Zoey revealed, leaving them in shock.
"Huh!!!." They all exclaimed, turning towards her direction.
Zoey stood at akimbo, arranging her hair. They were a bit annoyed she didn't tell them about it earlier. Zoey dragged them to a corner of the mall, trying to explain everything to them. Hannah leaned against a wall, with her arms folded. Mia used Yvette's shoulder as a support to stand.
"Uhm, well, not like father father." Zoey said, getting them more confused.
"What do you mean by that?". Hannah asked.
"It's Cute uncle that would be acting like my father on that day. Atleast, those bullies wouldn't attack me again. I just need your supports." Zoey exposed.
"Oh..oh I get it now. Fine, we will support you." Mia said.
Zoey smiled at her reply, while they all laughed out together. They returned back to where they were shopping some stuffs. Zoey placed her hands on a shopping trolley before her, pushing it towards a showcase of costly wristwatches. They couldn't stop admiring those beautiful wrist watches, placed in those empty showcases. Yvette stood infront of one of those, squinting her eyes to take a closer look at those wrist watches.
"I want one of those for my dad. He loves wrist watches so much." Yvette said, pointing at a silver wrist watch, lying in there.
"I would be getting one for Uncle too. He loves wrist watches too." Zoey chipped in.
Zoey bought a silver wrist watch for Sebastian, and it was very expensive. It wasn't part of her budget, but she wanted to surprise him on that day, because he also agreed to be a father figure to her on father's day. Her friends rounded up with the shopping and they left for a bus stop, that took them to their various destinations.
Getting home, Zoey dropped the gifts inside my bedroom. She met Jasmine at the living room, lazily crossing her legs on a couch, eating a bag of popcorn.
"I've been searching for you since morning."Jasmine said aloud, after catching a glimpse of Zoey.
"Aunt, I went to shop some gifts for my foster dad." Zoey replied.
"Foster what?." Jasmine asked surprisedly, letting out some popcorns in her mouth, fall to the ground.
"Yeah. Uncle Sebastian would be presenting himself as my dad on father's day." She replied.
Jasmine had no clue about all that she was saying. She was really surprised that Zoey, was going to show Sebastian to the whole school, as her father. She could clearly see how fate was bringing a father and his daughter closer than anyone could think. She smirked and decided to wait till I return from my journey, before telling me about it.