You are my Daughter, Anna

Anna sat quietly in the large floral room, her fingers tracing the intricate patterns of the wallpaper that adorned the walls. The room was exquisite, a reflection of the opulence that once defined the household. A magnificent chandelier hung at the entrance, its crystals catching the soft light and casting a warm, almost ethereal glow over the space. Despite the grandeur, there was a comforting familiarity to this room for Anna.

As she sat in one of the plush armchairs, memories of Mr. Idris flooded her mind. He had been gone for some time now.

 Anna remembered how he used to sit across from her, his deep voice filling the space as he spoke to her with warmth and kindness she had rarely known before coming to live with him.

One evening, shortly after Anna had first arrived at the Idris household, she found herself sitting alone in this very room. The sun had just begun to set, casting a golden hue across the walls and making the chandelier sparkle even more brilliantly.

 The room felt enormous to her then, almost overwhelming in its grandeur, and she had felt small and out of place. Despite the softness of the chair beneath her, a knot of anxiety twisted in her stomach. She was unsure of her place in this new world, in this house that felt more like a palace than a home.

It was then that Mr. Idris had entered the room. She had heard his footsteps first, the sound of his shoes tapping lightly against the marble floor. He walked with the confidence and grace of a man who had lived many years, his presence commanding yet gentle. As he stepped into the room, he spotted Anna sitting alone, her small frame almost swallowed by the large armchair.

"Anna," he called softly, his voice like a balm to her anxious heart.

She looked up at him, her eyes wide with uncertainty. "Yes, Mr. Idris?"

He moved toward her, his movements deliberate and unhurried, as if he had all the time in the world just for her. Sitting down in the chair opposite hers, he leaned forward slightly, his expression soft and attentive.

"Do you know how happy I am to have you in my life?" he asked, his voice full of warmth.

Anna blinked in surprise. It was a question she hadn’t expected, and for a moment, she wasn’t sure how to respond. No one had ever told her such a thing before. She had always been the child who was too quiet, too withdrawn, the one who didn’t quite fit in anywhere. The idea that someone could be happy to have her around was foreign to her.

"Really, Mr. Idris?" she asked, her voice small and uncertain.

He nodded, a gentle smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Yes, really. When you came into my life, I wasn’t sure if I could be the father you needed. But every day, you show me what it means to be family. You’ve brought so much joy into this house, and my life. I can’t imagine it without you."

Anna’s heart swelled at his words. She had never thought of herself as someone who could bring joy to others. Her life before coming to the Idris household had been one of survival, of getting by day to day, with no room for joy or happiness. But here, in this beautiful room, with Mr. Idris looking at her with such genuine affection, she began to believe that maybe, just maybe, she could be more than just a survivor.

"But I’m not perfect," she murmured the doubts that had always plagued her finding their way to the surface. "I make mistakes, and sometimes I don’t know what to do or how to act."

Mr. Idris reached out, gently taking her small hand in his. His touch was warm and reassuring, and she felt the tension in her body begin to melt away.

"None of us are perfect, Anna," he said, his voice steady and calm. "We all make mistakes, and that’s okay. What matters is that you have a heart full of love, and that’s something truly special. You are perfect to me, just as you are. You are my daughter, and I am so proud of you."

Tears pricked at the corners of Anna’s eyes, but they weren’t tears of sadness. They were tears of relief, of gratitude, of love. She had spent so much of her life feeling unwanted, unloved, and now, here was this man—this father—telling her that she was perfect just as she was. It was almost too much to take in, but in the best way possible.

"I’m proud to be your daughter," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion as she squeezed his hand.

Mr. Idris smiled a full, warm smile that lit up his entire face. It was a smile that Anna would remember for the rest of her life. "And I’m proud to be your father. No matter what happens, Anna, remember that you are loved, and you always will be. You have brought so much light into my life, and I am so grateful for you every day."

The sincerity in his voice made Anna’s heart swell with emotion. She had longed for a place to belong, for someone to love her unconditionally, and now, in this moment, she knew she had found it. Mr. Idris had given her that gift, and she would cherish it forever.

The two of them sat in silence for a while, the warmth of the evening sun bathing the room in a soft glow. The chandelier above them flickered slightly, catching the light in a way that made the crystals shimmer like stars. It was a perfect moment, one that Anna knew she would carry with her for the rest of her life.