Wade: Look, you can’t fault me for wanting to do things another way.
Clyde: You asked for my help.
Wade: I know, and I appreciate you trying.
Clyde: *sucks teeth angrily*
Wade: We’ll discuss this again later. I was up early, so I think I’ll go upstairs for a nap…if that’s okay with you, Maia.
Maia: Of course, Tami and I are fine.
Clyde: Why would you need a nap? You weren’t the one that just pushed out a baby!
Maia: Father, please!
I don’t need to explain my tiredness to Clyde, so I turn and head upstairs.
Clyde sits down at the counter.
Maia: Father, what’s going on? Why are you being like this?
Clyde: He’s not our kind, Maia girl. He doesn’t see or do things the way we do.
Maia: Maybe that’s a good thing. Didn’t you always say you wanted better for me? I definitely want better for Tami.
Clyde: Yeah, but that doesn’t mean turning your back on where you come from.
Maia: Who said anything about turning my back? Didn’t Wade tell you we’re considering moving to San Sequoia?
Clyde: Yeah, but I tried to hook him up with my guy Charlie to help you two find a place, and he turned his nose up at me.
Maia: Wait, the same Charlie that lost his family after spending everything he had at the bar?
Clyde: There’s more to the story than that. He’s also a disabled vet. He drinks to deal with his issues.
Maia: Didn’t you two fall out once because he stole from you?
Clyde: It was a misunderstanding.
Maia: So you make a thousand excuses for Charlie but offer no understanding towards Wade.
Clyde: See, he’s already influencing you. There will come a time when I won’t even recognize you anymore. I just know it.
Maia: You said yourself that Charlie was a no good that couldn’t be depended on for nothing but bad luck and a bad time. Did you forget about that father?
Clyde: Hmph
Clyde: None of that matters anyway! I’ve tried, but there’s something about Wade that I just don’t like, Maia girl.
Maia: That’s because you choose not to like him. You’ve never even given him a chance. *slight pause* I need to go to the bathroom. Can you watch Tami for me?
Clyde: *grumpy* Of course.
Maia goes upstairs, leaving Clyde to think. He realizes that his daughter is right. He dislikes Wade but can’t put his finger on why. Wade’s not a bad cat, and Clyde can see that he loves his daughter and would probably do anything for her. But there’s just something about him that makes Clyde see red. It takes several minutes before Clyde wonders if it’s because Wade can give his daughter everything he could never provide for her. He should be glad, but it only makes him feel inadequate as a father and a man. Does Maia even need him anymore?
Maia comes back to the kitchen and peeks in on Tambara.
Maia: She’s awake now. Ready to officially meet your granddaughter?
Clyde stands up, feeling bad that he’s let his anger get in the way of enjoying his granddaughter.
Clyde: Yeah, let me get a good look at her.
Maia picks up the baby and holds her out in front of her father.
Maia: Wade has given you this beautiful grandchild; how can you continue to dislike him?
Looking into Tambara’s face transports Clyde back to the day Maia was born. Things were good back then, with plenty of hope for the future. He had just gotten his job at the docks and was making decent money. His wife, Elise, was so happy to have a daughter, ‘a mini me’ is what she called Maia. And Maia was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen – something he and Elise created together. He has always been proud of that.
Clyde: She’s beautiful, just like you are.
Maia: And just like Wade is.
Maia is right. Tambara is the perfect mix of both her parents. Without Wade, she wouldn’t be here.
Clyde begins to feel the bad feelings start to fade.
Clyde: Okay, Maia girl. I’ll try to do better and get to know Wade.
Maia: Good. It’s one thing not to like him, but he’s Tami’s father and the man that I love. Please respect that, or your being here is not going to work.
Clyde wants to be upset, but he recalls a time when he was in Wade’s shoes. It took years for Elise’s father to warm up to him. And the animosity between them caused Elise a lot of stress. Now, here he is, doing the same thing to Maia.
Clyde: I can’t promise that I’ll ever like him. But I’ll try to get to know him.
Maia: That’s all I ask, father.
They sit down at the table.
Maia: Can I ask you something about mother?
Clyde: Of course
Maia: When did things get bad? Was it after I was born?
Clyde gives it some thought before answering.
Clyde: Your mother was mentally at her healthiest right after you were born. And that lasted for several years. Why do you ask?
Maia: I can’t help but worry about me and Tami.
Clyde: I told you once before that you’re nothing like your mother. You didn’t begin to show signs of an emotional imbalance until the day your mother died. You’re going to be okay, and Tami will be too. I promise you have nothing to worry about.
After my nap, I descend the stairs and see Maia and Clyde having a conversation broken up occasionally with laughter. I’m glad his focus isn’t on me anymore.
I walk over to Tambara’s crib and take her into my arms.
Wade: Hey there, Daddy’s girl!
Tambara looks up at me with light grey eyes, like mine, as if she knows what I’m saying. It’s still hard to believe she’s real, so I mentally pinch myself by repeating, I have a daughter. I have a daughter!
The evening winds down. After Clyde is finally asleep on the cot and Maia has fed Tambara, I go to my media center, step in front of the camera, and hit record.
Wade: *in front of the camera* Hey, SimTube, it’s your boy Dub. It’s my baby’s birthday! I’m now the father of a beautiful baby girl. Can you believe it? Me – a girl Dad! I’ve been trying to organize my thoughts on what this privilege means to me, and I’m having trouble convincing myself I’m equipped to be the best I can be for her. I know nothing about being a girl, so I wonder what I can teach and offer her. But I love her with all my heart, so I’ll start with that. I’m lucky to have my daughter’s beautiful mother by my side to help fill the spaces where I fall short.
(Generation 4 Chapter Summaries)
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