Chapter 6: The Voice I Never Knew
I stared at the phone screen.
My father's name.
A person who had existed only as a blank space in my life.
For seventeen years, I had wondered what it felt like to have a father.
Now he was calling.
And I didn't know if I wanted to answer.
My mother reached for my hand.
"Maya.""
I looked at her.
"Did you know he might call?""
She shook her head quickly.
"No.""
The phone kept ringing.
Dr. Carter watched me carefully.
"You don't have to answer.""
But I did.
I don't know why.
Maybe because some part of me had been waiting for this moment my entire life.
I pressed the button.
"Hello?""
For several seconds, there was only silence.
Then a man's voice.
"Is this Maya?""
My throat tightened.
"Yes.""
Another pause.
"I can't believe I'm finally hearing your voice.""
I looked out the window.
My mother covered her mouth.
The man on the phone breathed shakily.
"My name is Daniel Collins.""
I closed my eyes.
My father's voice.
A stranger's voice.
"Why are you calling me?""
The question came out colder than I intended.
But he didn't get angry.
"I know I don't deserve an easy conversation.""
I said nothing.
"I know I missed birthdays.""
My jaw tightened.
"I know I wasn't there when you learned to walk, when you entered gymnastics, when you won competitions.""
Each word hurt because it was true.
"Then why weren't you there?""
The silence on the other end lasted longer.
Finally, he answered.
"Because I was ashamed.""
I looked down.
My mother closed her eyes.
He continued.
"Not of you.""
His voice broke.
"Of myself.""
I didn't know what to say.
"I was young," he said.
"The doctors told us your life would be difficult. They showed us all the challenges ahead.""
He stopped.
"And I let fear control me.""
I swallowed.
"So you left.""
"Yes.""
The honesty surprised me.
No excuses.
No pretending.
"I made the worst decision of my life.""
I looked at the photograph again.
The baby version of me.
The father I never knew.
"Why come back now?""
His answer was immediate.
"Because I saw your competition video.""
My eyebrows tightened.
"My competition?""
"Everyone is sharing it.""
I looked away.
"The girl without arms who proved everyone wrong.""
I almost laughed.
"That's what people call me?""
"That's what strangers call you.""
His voice softened.
"But I don't see a girl without arms.""
I waited.
"I see my daughter.""
The words hit harder than I expected.
I looked at my mother.
She was crying silently.
Then Daniel said something that changed the conversation completely.
"Maya, there is another reason I need to talk to you.""
My stomach tightened.
"What reason?""
"I found something after your birth.""
"What?""
A long silence followed.
Then he said:
"Something your mother never knew.""
My mother looked up.
I stared at the phone.
"What did you find?""
Daniel's voice lowered.
"Records showing that the doctors who treated you made a mistake.""
The world seemed to stop.
"What kind of mistake?""
He hesitated.
Then whispered:
"The reason you were born without arms may not be what everyone told us.""
I looked at Dr. Carter.
Her face changed.
She knew something.
Something she hadn't said.
My heart started racing.
Because suddenly, this wasn't only about my father.
It wasn't only about my past.
It was about the truth behind the one thing that had shaped my entire life.
May you like
And when Daniel spoke his next words, I realized the biggest challenge I had ever faced wasn't a gymnastics routine.
It was finding out who was responsible for the beginning of my story. :::
