“I’m your father.”

 “We know who you are,” Joy said with no joy at all

in her tone.

 “When can we leave?” Rochelle asked.

 “Your mother will be back at seven,” Marvin replied.  “She

needs to do some shopping and run some errands.  We thought it

would be good if you stayed with me for a little while.”

 “Why couldn’t we just stay at home?” Peaches wanted to

know.  “Joy just turned thirteen.  She can watch us now.”

 “Yeah, we can take care of ourselves,” Rochelle said.

 “Don’t you want to spend some time with your dad?”  Marvin

inquired.

 “You’re not our dad,” Joy strongly corrected him.  “You’re

our mother’s ex-husband.”

 “Grandma says you’re a no good piece of nothing,” Rochelle

informed him.  

 “Yeah, Mama said you were in prison,” Peaches blurted out.
 
 “Did you murder somebody?” Rochelle quickly added.

 Marvin sat nervously in a folding chair facing his three

daughters.  His three girls were sitting close together on a

couch covered with a bed sheet.  His chair, the couch, and a bed

in the bedroom were the only furniture items in Marvin’s

newly-acquired, one bedroom apartment. 

 Joy’s anger and the look of confusion in the eyes of

Rochelle and Peaches made Marvin uneasy.  He fumbled with his

huge hands and his legs shook uncontrollably.  He did not know

how to fully explain and totally apologize for his long absence

from their lives. 

 When Marvin went to prison six years ago, Joy was just

seven-years-old.  Rochelle was five-years-old and his baby,

Peaches, was only three.  He was now a total stranger to his own

beautiful daughters.  He stared at them as hard as they were

staring at him.  He was astounded at how three perfect beings

could have emerged from his imperfect soul. 

 Marvin knew his appearance had initially startled the

girls.  He was much taller and muscular than they had imagined.

He knew he did not look the same as his photographs.  The

flawless dark brown skin was now like rugged terrain.  Massive

amounts of hair on his head and face were now shaven away.  A

constant smile had almost evaporated.   Marvin tried to make his

demeanor more pleasing than his looks.  His explanation flowed

out of his mouth almost in a whisper.