A Father Claimed

I was raised by my mother, a single parent who never revealed the identity of my father.

For years, that part of my life remained a mystery until her final moments.

With her last breath, she asked me to find him.

I shared this with my best friend, who had never known her own parents. With tears in her eyes, she confided in me that she longed for a father, too.

She tried to manipulate me, suggesting I work as a housekeeper for my father so she could claim him as her own.

Soft-hearted, I agreed to the plan.