I hadn’t heard from Hyacinth, my stepdaughter, in what seemed like forever. So, when she invited me to supper, I thought, “This is it, we’re finally making up.”

I’m Rufus, 50, and my life has been steady—perhaps too steady—which is why any change always leaves me reeling. Hyacinth and I had never clicked, ever since I married her mother, Lilith, when she was a teenager. We both eventually quit trying.

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So, when she called unexpectedly, I was astonished.

“How about dinner?” she inquired, pleasant but distant. I readily consented, hoping for a new beginning.

The restaurant was more luxurious than I was accustomed to. Hyacinth was already present, smiling but tense.

“Hey, Rufus, you made it!” she remarked, nodding toward the seat across from her.

We ordered lobster and steak (her pick, of course), and I tried to direct the conversation toward something substantial.

“It’s been a while. I’ve missed catching up with you,” I said.

“Yeah, it’s been a busy year,” she replied, glancing at her phone.

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Her curt remarks made it plain that she was not ready to open up.
However, it made me wonder what I was doing there.

When the bill arrived, I reflexively reached for it, but Hyacinth leaned over and whispered to the server.

“I’ll be right back,” she remarked before disappearing into the restroom.

Minutes passed. The waiter hovered, and Hyacinth did not return. With a terrible feeling, I paid the ridiculous bill, swallowing my disappointment.

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I heard her just as I got to the exit.

“Rufus!” she shouted. “Wait!”

I turned to see Hyacinth holding a large cake and balloons in her other hand. She was beaming.

“You’re going to be a granddad!”

“Wait… what?” I stammered.

Hyacinth laughed nervously.

“I wanted to surprise you. That’s why I kept sneaking away during dinner. When the chef wasn’t reading my messages, I kept going to look for him!”

The cake said Congratulations, Grandpa! with pink and blue frosting. Soon later, the waiter brought over a bundle of balloons. I felt my chest tighten, not from wrath or disappointment, but from something warm.

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“You did all this for me?” I asked, stunned.
“I know we’ve had our differences,” she said, her voice soft. “But I want you in my life. And in the baby’s life. I’ve been distant, but I’ve grown up. And I’m ready to rebuild. I want our relationship to do better, too.”

I was overcome with emotion. Years of tension and alienation dissipated as I pulled her into an embrace. For the first time, I felt as if I had my daughter back.

“I’m so happy for you!” I whispered, my voice thick.

Hyacinth dried her eyes and laughed.

“I wasn’t sure how you’d react. But I wanted you to know, I’m here now. And I want you in this with me.”

We left the restaurant with cake and balloons, and I felt lighter than I have in years. I wasn’t simply Rufus anymore. I was going to become a grandpa.

“When’s the big day?” I inquired, finally letting the exhilaration set in.

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“Six months,” she said, grinning. “Plenty of time to prepare, Grandpa.”

And with that, we became who we were always meant to be.