“But Daddy! You promised!” I cry.

“I’m sorry baby. We can go another time,” Daddy murmured in my ear.

“Why can’t we go to the amusement park today?” I ask forcefully.

Daddy wraps his arms around me and pulls me in tight. In return, I hug him and squeeze. I don’t entirely know why. It feels good though.

As I squeeze tighter, he winces. “Are you hurt, Daddy?”

Daddy shakes his head as he slips on his coat and hat. “Don’t worry, everything’s fine.”

I don’t believe him. As he steps out the door, I grab his wrist. “You’re not okay!” I move his coat out of the way revealing scratches, cuts, and bruises all over his back. “Daddy?” I whisper.

That’s when I notice the inner pockets of his coat. At this point, I just take it right off his shoulders. I dig my fingers into the pockets and come out with laser pointers, lock picks, and wire cutters. I bring myself closer to him, careful of his back this time.

“Tell me.” The firmness in my voice brings him to tears.

“You’re so young… you might just believe it,” Daddy whispers, mainly to himself.

He reaches up to his hat and presses a hidden button. The fabric folded down to reveal a bright orange hat and a mask lowered over his face.

“Don’t be scared,” Daddy whispered into my ear. He cares about me. I can hear it in his voice.

Usually.

Now he’s someone I don’t know. Is this really him? Is this really my dad? Does he really care about me?

Despite Daddy’s words, I am more scared than I have ever been in my life.

I back away from the man I didn’t know, hoping to find myself in the arms of Daddy. The man takes off his mask. He looks like Daddy… and has the same smell as he used to.

But he doesn’t feel like Daddy. “I’m going to be late. See you later, baby.”

I don’t want him to leave. I want him to stay and explain everything. I want him to be Daddy, not some unknown man. I don’t know who he is, but I know his identity.

He’s the Orange Fedora. A superhero who can grapple the highest buildings and fight the toughest criminals.

I never met him. I don’t know him. And now I’m supposed to believe that he’s my own father.

Daddy watches my face and looks into my eyes as I think about him. He can read all my emotions. Finally, I cry. I sit on the couch and cry.

I’m not completely sure why I’m sad. I just know I am.

Daddy comes over and hugs me. Then I realize it is Daddy. And not some superhero. Right now he’s my dad.

He will always be Daddy, and always the Orange Fedora.

I love him either way.