After the phone call I was very upset and questioned my mother over and over.

"Is he my father or no?!" I demanded. She kept replying with many explanations for why he was asking for the paternity test.

She kept feeding me with countless excuses on how he could fake the results of the test. She often avoided the question and answered back with a question on his morality, alleging he was just trying to get out of paying child support. She used the excuse of 'timing'.

"Why would he want to prove you're not his daughter now?" an attempt to imply he was trying to escape the tremendous medical bills my leg had accrued during my hospital stays. "He doesn't want to pay for your leg's operation, Victoria. That's why he is doing this.” she concluded.

"But Mom, We can prove it and rub it in his face! Can't we?" attempting to change her mind. "No, it's just a test. And no test can make him be a good father." She made her point clear. She was right about that. He had never been a good father to me before, why would this test change anything? I had only known him since I was 8 years old. I met him just after my eighth birthday.

I will never forget the day he called.

Let's go back in time
The Day He Called

I was asleep and woke up to the sound of the phone ringing. I woke up and answered the telephone, "Hello."
"Is this Victoria?" a man asked me.
I replied, "Yes it's Victoria. How do you know my name?"
"Because I am your father" the man spoke.
"My father; I don't have a father." I explained.
"Is your mother there?" he asked.
"Yes, but she is sleeping right now."
"I think you should wake her up."
"Okay, but she is going to get mad, she doesn't like to wake up early on Saturday morning."
"Why not?" he asked.
"Because it's her day off."
I put the phone down and shook my mother's shoulder, "Wake up Mom! There is a man on the phone who says he is my father!"
"What! Ask him what his name is!" she sat up.
"What is your name?" I asked the man on the phone.
"Tell your mom it's Vince"
"Mom, He say's his name is Vince."
"Give me the phone!" she yelled out.

I handed my mother the phone and she talked to Vince for quite a while. She talked mostly about me. "Vince, your daughter is beautiful! You should see her!" she bragged taking credit for my looks.

They made plans for me to meet him. They decided to wait a week before the meeting. She handed me the phone and I asked him a million questions.
"What do you look like? Do I have any brothers or sisters?" a few questions I managed to get out in the same breath.
"Where have you been all my life?"
Vince couldn't answer me with a straight-forward answer.
"All in time; We will get to know each other."
"I'll see you next week” and he said goodbye.

I hung up the phone and yelled out, "I have a real father, and he wants to meet me! “ I was full of excitement. I had to wait a whole week before meeting him. The week felt like a year to me. But finally the big day came and there was a knock at the door.

Knock knock on the door and my heart began to beat fast. I was in my bedroom when I heard him knocking. I didn't run to the door right away like I had thought I would. I trembled and my feet froze. "Knock knock knock, anyone home?" Vince called out. My mother came to me and said, "Don't worry. Let’s go meet your father."

My mother opened the door and Vince stepped into the living room. He hugged my mother and she spoke, "Vince this is your daughter", pointing to me. Vince turned around and I ran to him with my tiny arms open wide. I embraced him and cried. It was the first time I had ever touched my father. I held him tightly with my little arms and sobbed. I didn't look at his face. I closed my eyes tight and cried for him.
"Why are you crying?" asked Vince.
I covered my face with my hands and felt ashamed.
He took my hands off my face and smiled at me.
He wiped my tears with his fingers.
I felt like asking him, "Why are YOU NOT crying!" but I didn't say anything.
His first spoken words had already left me feeling stupid and little.
"Anyone feel hungry? Vince asked.

My mom said she would be ready in just a minute. She went into her bedroom and grabbed her purse. I stood there next to Vince quietly not knowing what to say. He didn't speak while we waited. I was uncomfortable. I was afraid I would say something stupid or cry. Mom comes out "Ok let's go!" and we leave.

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