Dear Dad,
Firstly, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Can’t believe you are 70, you are so old now! I hope you are having a nice day up there. I have had some time away from writing to you both, and I am sorry, but I am in such a good place right now, so here I am.
This week has been amazing, I got a 1st in one of my University assignments (you probably will not know what that means), but it means I got an A. I know if you was here right now you would be so happy and so proud of me, and probably as a treat, we would be going to the shops or out for dinner. Although, that is not happening today, I have been celebrating my success and celebrating double on your behalf. I went to your new house today and it looked beautiful, it really did. Daniel has done such as good job with it all and I’m so happy to see it looked so pretty. I added a few Christmas essentials which I hope you love, just to get in you in the festive spirit, of course!
The move is finally going ahead as well, after so much trouble with the council, I am finally moving out and becoming a proper adult, and I can’t wait. I know if you was here you would be decorating it and be coming around watching TV every night, but I know you aren’t far away. I am so excited to make it my own and prove to myself that I can do it, even if I’m on my own! I hope you are there to guide me and keep me strong as you know I am scared of the dark and don’t like being on my own.
Daniel and myself have been doing really well recently, and you probably have noticed this too. This year has been life changing for the both of us, in a good way, and both of us are more stable and have a better outlook for the future. Things are going well at University and in other aspects of my life and we seem to be getting on like a brother and sister should. I am just so sad that you couldn’t see this with your own eyes, you would be so shocked, but so happy for us.
How is mum? I hope she is well and everything is going smoothly wherever you are. I wish I knew what you are doing each day and where you are, I literally can’t wait to see you both again, although I am hoping it will be a long time away as I am having such a ball.
I wish you was here and celebrating with me, but although you aren’t, I made sure I did really good things and stayed happy today, which was easy as it was my best friend’s birthday after all.
Do you remember when I always used to give you breakfast in bed on your birthday morning, I would go in the garden in bare feet and get a flower to go with it to make it look posh. I loved doing that, and sometimes I think you loved it just as much. You were my king, and always will be. Your birthday was a blessing to me and I always made sure I did the best for you and I stayed with you the whole day. I always remembered the last birthday I celebrated with you, your 65th. I made you a cake which was so thin, it was a disaster really, but you was grateful for it. I did it for you, and for me, your happiness was, and always will be, the jewel of my eye. I would do anything to see that smile again.
To end, thanks for everything. From changing my nappies when I was little, to having the most awkward conversation about becoming a ‘woman’ as Mum wasn’t around, making sure I was happy with my sexuality (yes, he genuinely thought I was a lesbian) and just giving the most amazing hugs and just being there for me when I needed you most.
You were the best Dad and just the most amazing human being that I have ever met and I am so thankful you ended up being my father.
I love you forever, hope you enjoyed your day.
Your Jojo X