“Loren, Mr. Renault I am afraid you might be my father?”  Laurie said, hesitantly but with enough conviction to warrant a quick search of my memory.  “What, no child that is impossible, How old are you?”  I asked far too sternly for my own liking.  “I am 23 years old I will be 24 in March.  My mother was in France the summer before I was born.  She had me just after her 16th birthday. I found a letter signed Loren Renault, I was going through some old stuff of my mother’s getting ready for my wedding and then I saw that article in Forbes.  In the article you said “Sculpture is my connection to the universe, it is who I am and what I love.” Tanya said while pulling out a piece of stationary from her purse.   In the note to my mother you said “Tanya you are my connection to this universe, you are who I am and what I love.” Laurie read aloud from the note, my words from 24 years ago.  I was dumbfounded I couldn’t speak I couldn’t think, I had a beautiful baby girl for 23 years and never new.  My love had been gone for 20 years and I never so much had looked for her.  The tears of a man should never fall in public, but a man would never let his daughter not know her own father.  I owed this child my dignity; I stood up and tapped my glass then spoke so everyone in the restaurant could plainly hear.  “Everyone, I have an announcement to make.  This young woman is my lovely daughter, and I am so proud of her I just wanted to share this news with everyone.  She is getting married and I want to wish her the best of luck and the happiest of lives.  I offer you as my companions at this dinner a glass of Champaign and one of Maxim’s fine Cigars.” I nodded to the maitre’d  As people all throughout the restaurant tapped their glasses my daughter stood and allowed me to embrace her for the first time.  Tears ran from my face and joy filled my heart as I wrapped her in my arms and tried to bestow 24 years worth of love in one embrace.