For most fathers, my husband included, connecting with our daughters has been one of the most awkward and frustrating things for him.
Not only does he feel lost, but he never knows when it’s appropriate to talk to her about certain subjects. But difficulties of bonding with your children is hard enough, especially as they age, but what if you were you suddenly have a new daughter in your life; one with a developed set of values, morals, expectations, and the normal teenage attitude. I’m pretty sure that if I had a daughter when I married my husband, although he’d love her as much as he loves me, connecting with her and meeting her expectations would be nothing short of intimidating. This is where this story takes an unexpected turn.
In 2007, Jayda was born. Her mother, Janna, who was a single mother raised her alone; until she met Clifton, who the person of interest in this article.
Both Jayda and Clifton vividly remember the first them they met. It was during the dead of winter, after a snow storm had just passed. While Jayda, naturally, being an only child, was shoveling her driveway, Clifton pulled up and asked if she needed any help.
As a first impression, I really can’t think of a better way to set one. How many people can you think of would go the extra mile, let alone try to deal with the anxiety of meeting the daughter of the woman you’re going out with. But with Clifton’s great intuition, he was able to dig himself out of a tricky situation for most.
Janna’s daughter Jayda and Clifton were able to immediately establish a healthy connection the moment they met each other. As Clifton went the extra mile, Janna fell even more deeply love with Clifton after seeing how well Jayda and Clifton got along with each other.
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Even though Clifton would continue to treat Jayda as he would his own biological daughter, in 2013, Jayda finally asked Clifton if he would be okay with her calling him “Daddy.” Then shortly thereafter, he finally felt that they could all be a family together, and that’s when the unthinkable happened…
While dating Janna, Clifton learned of that tragic news of what happened to Janna’s first husband. Having found out that he died of natural causes, When you are going through emotional time, the person beside you is the one you need a support from.
No matter how old you are, losing a father, husband, mother, friend, or whoever it may be, is something no one can prepare for, but Clifton was there along both Janna and Jayda’s side, whenever they needed the support, be it emotionally, or just being there just to have someone to hold onto.
After some time, Clifton decided that they should go on a “family vacation.” They all decided that they wanted to go to Clearwater, Florida for some rest and relaxation. As the three spent more time together, they began to love one another as if blood were no barrier. And that’s when he popped the question.
On the wedding day, Clifton had a huge secret, but he almost couldn’t muster up the strength to reveal it. Only the best man, the pastor, the DJ, and the photographer actually knew what was coming.
After Clifton and Janna said their vows, he asked her to step aside and that’s when he brought Jayda in front of them.
He started his vow for his step-daughter by “I just want you to know that there’s a lot of things that happen in life that you don’t understand.”
And said, “I want you to know that I will always love you and your mommy. I will always protect you.”
He promised that he will teach her everything he learned from his parents. Then, he turned around to get something that Janna and Jayda never thought of.
It is the cutest moment in the wedding. Jayda was surprised to be in front of all the guests and she was more surprised about the present that Clifton, again, went the extra mile to prepare something for her, especially on the day he was to celebrate his official marriage with his wife — But it became the day they truly became family.
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How do you think Clifton is doing as a father? What would you do if you were in his situation? Let us know down below in the comments section!