Months before Father’s Day arrived, I was already bustling with ideas for what to do. But little did I know that my girlfriend’s brother would get involved, forcing me to stick to my plans no matter what.
I couldn’t stop smiling as I packed the basket. The morning sun streamed through the kitchen window, hitting the strawberry lemonade, my girlfriend’s favorite drink, just right, making it glow pink.
I’d even chilled it overnight. My first Father’s Day was finally here, and I wanted it to be unforgettable. But fate had different plans.
This Sunday was the first time I’d be celebrating Father’s Day as a parent, so I wanted it to be special for me, my girlfriend Hailey, and our seven-month-old baby boy, Max.
I wanted us to spend it as a little family.
That’s how we spent Hailey’s first Mother’s Day: together, just the three of us. I surprised her with breakfast in bed, a dainty gold bracelet engraved with Max’s initials, and a full afternoon at the botanical garden! She cried happy tears and said it was perfect.
So I wanted my Father’s Day to feel the same.
Not a big event, just meaningful. I’d planned a picnic at the park. I packed cheese sandwiches, cut-up bananas, and other soft fruit for Max, her favorite lemon-blueberry muffins, and a nice blanket.
I’d even left early that morning to buy these cute but tiny matching sun hats, one for her, one for Max.
She loves taking photos, and I imagined her laughing as she posed with him under the summer sun.
But the second I walked into the apartment, the air shifted.
Hailey wasn’t only getting ready, she was packing her purse, ready to leave.
I blinked. “Hey… what’s going on?”
“My brother called while you were gone,” she said, like it was nothing.
“Said he needed a favor.”
“What, again?” I set the supplies down, suddenly uneasy.
She looked up at me, avoiding my eyes. “He’s taking his girlfriend out for dessert. Some little patisserie she’s been begging to try.
So he asked if we could babysit Mia.”
I froze. “Wait, so… we’re not going out?”
“I told him we had plans, but he begged,” she mumbled.
“He said it was just a couple of hours. I didn’t want to be rude.”
“Hailey, it’s Father’s Day,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “My first one.”
“I know, I know.
But he really needed this. He’s had a rough week.”
I laughed bitterly. “And what about me?
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