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? What do I get?”
Her eyes flashed. “Are you seriously jealous of a baby?”
“No,” I said, fists clenching. “I’m upset that your brother gets to hijack our day and you let him.”
“You’re being dramatic.”
I stepped back. “You know he doesn’t like me. He probably did this on purpose.”
She glared. “Oh, come on! That’s paranoid.”
But I knew better. From the start, her brother, Derek, looked down on me, smirking whenever I mentioned my job as a plumber, once even asking Hailey within earshot, “So, when’s he planning on getting a real career?”
He made backhanded compliments like “Well, at least he’s handy around the house,” and never once acknowledged my efforts as a father. At family gatherings, he’d talk over me, ignore my input, and always find a reason to steer conversations toward his accomplishments.
Derek never included me in group photos or holiday plans unless Hailey insisted, and even then, he made me feel like a tagalong. The few times I tried to make peace, he shrugged me off or gave one-word answers.
Eventually, I stopped trying altogether. Hailey and Derek only spoke when he needed something, a last-minute babysitter, help moving furniture, or an emergency loan. He’d never call just to check in. Once, he even showed up at our apartment unannounced, tossed Mia into Hailey’s arms, and left before she could say no!
He treated his sister’s kindness like a resource, something to tap into whenever his own life got inconvenient. To him, I was just an obstacle in his way. He never liked me, and the feeling was mutual.
I glanced at the picnic basket, then at Max, who was gurgling in his bouncer. My heart sank. “Forget it,” I muttered, grabbing my keys. “I’ll take Max on the picnic. You two enjoy your dessert day.”
“Wait, are you serious?” she called as I lifted Max gently into his carrier. “You’re just going to leave?”
“I planned this for us,” I said. “But clearly, I’m the only one who cared.”
She huffed and puffed but didn’t stop me. I assumed she’d drive off to her brother’s place and spend the holiday babysitting his kid, instead of making memories with me and Max.
I was hurt but refused to let them deter me. After all, the day was about me, too.
At the park, the sun was high. I laid out the blanket and set Max down. He squirmed in excitement, his tiny legs kicking at the fresh air. I put the hat on him and chuckled. “Looking good, little man!”
As I fed him bits of banana, he looked up, eyes shining. “Dada!”
I froze.
“What?” I whispered.
He beamed. “Dada!”
My heart nearly exploded. I laughed, stunned, grabbing my phone. “Say it again, Max!”
“Dada!”
I was so thrilled when I managed to catch it all on video, nearly tearing up! My son’s first word. On Father’s Day!
But in an instant, the moment soured as I realized, once again, that Hailey wasn’t there. Max made a gurgling sound, bringing me back to the moment, our moment, and I smiled again. I couldn’t help it! My son had the most amazing effect on me.
By early evening, I returned home. Hailey was sprawled on the couch. She looked exhausted; probably the perks of looking after a seven-month-old child full-time, and then a toddler for a day.
She sat up when she saw me, and the bags under her eyes proved that the day had taken its toll on her.
“You’re back early.”
“I guess dessert didn’t last long,” I said, unloading Max’s things.
She didn’t reply.
“I took a video,” I said, pulling out my phone. “You might want to see it.”
She hesitated, then watched. As Max said “Dada” again and again, I saw her face fall. Her hand went to her mouth.
“Oh my God,” she whispered.
“Yep, you missed it.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “I… I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
“You weren’t there,” I replied, shrugging.
I was trying to look unbothered and disinterested, but inside, I was hurt by the rejection on such an important day. Hailey knew what fatherhood meant to me, especially since I never knew my own.
“I didn’t think I’d miss something like this.” She sounded hollow.
“You didn’t think,” I said. “You just went along with what Derek wanted.”
She looked down, guilt painting her features.
Later that night, while I was putting Max to bed, I overheard her on the phone. Her voice was tight.
“Derek, where were you really? Don’t lie… No, I don’t believe you. I called the patisserie when you took forever to come and weren’t answering my calls. No, don’t interrupt me! They said they never saw you. So where were you?”
A pause.
Her voice cracked. “You told me it was for dessert. You used me. Again!”
I came out to find her curled on the edge of the couch, the phone on the floor. She didn’t look up.
“Are you okay?” I asked softly.
She nodded.
“Derek’s been seeing someone else behind Molly’s back. He needed time away and used Mia as cover.”
Silence fell between us.
“I hurt you,” she said. “I see that now. I was blind.”
I didn’t speak.
“I should’ve put you first,” she said. “I should’ve been there when Max said his first word. I’ll never get that moment back.”
I sat beside her. “Neither will I. But you still matter to me.”
She leaned into me, her voice trembling. “I want to fix this.”
“Then start by setting boundaries. Derek doesn’t get to come first anymore.”
She nodded firmly. “He won’t.”
Hailey looked down, twisting her fingers nervously. “I guess I’ve always felt responsible for him,” she said quietly. “Our parents weren’t really around when we were kids. I practically raised him. So when he asks for something, it’s like… I can’t say no. I feel like I owe it to him, even when I know it’s unfair to you. It’s a habit I never learned how to break, until now.”
The next day, she surprised me with a framed still from the video of Max saying “Dada.” She’d printed it at the store while I was at work. Beneath it, she’d written: “Your first Father’s Day. The day our son found his words and I found my clarity.”
I smiled.
“You didn’t have to,” I said.
“I wanted to,” she whispered. “Because you deserved more than what I gave you. And I’m going to spend every day making that up to you. Happy Father’s Day, my love!”
