I heard my daughter whisper into the phone, “I miss you, Dad” – I buried her father 18 years ago

Suddenly, nothing in my world seemed certain. Not even the sadness I’d been clinging to like a lifeline.

The next morning, after a night spent pacing and imagining the most terrifying scenarios, I met Susie for breakfast.

“Sit down,” I told him.

My daughter hesitated, but she complied.

Teenager sitting at kitchen table | Source: Midjourney
Teenager sitting at kitchen table | Source: Midjourney

“I heard what you said yesterday. Please, honey. No more lies.”

Her shoulders slumped. She stood up without a word and disappeared upstairs.

A few minutes later, she returned with an envelope. She handed it to me and sat down.

I opened it slowly. The writing shocked me.

Envelope on kitchen table | Source: Midjourney

“My name is Charles. If you’re reading this, it’s because I’ve finally found the courage to speak to you. I am your father.”

I swallowed as the letter slowly unfurled.

“I’ve been following your life from afar. I panicked when you were born. I wasn’t ready. My mother helped me disappear. I thought I was doing the right thing. Now I see I was wrong. I’d like to talk to you. If you’d like.”

At the bottom of the page was a phone number.
A Pensive Woman | Source: Midjourney