My heart broke when my father, who passed away 20 years ago, asked me on his deathbed what he wanted for one last wish.
I was caught between curiosity and fury when my father, who departed 20 years earlier, contacted from his deathbed. Startling revelations emerged from his last wish.
As I was preparing for bed, I received a call from an unknown number and a text that said, “ALICE, THIS IS YOUR DAD.” I’m in the hospital; kindly give me a call. My heart gave out. Dad? following twenty years? I decided to call back out of curiosity.
“Daddy?”
It’s me, Alice. I’m running out of time.
“Why are you phoning right now?”
“I have a question for you, and I need to explain. Just don’t tell your mother, please. He disclosed that my grandfather, believing Dad to be a failure, paid him to vanish. “I took the cash to make sure you had a future.”
“What kept you from returning?”
“I was unable to.” However, I saw from a distance, seeing your volleyball matches and graduation.
My world tipped over. “Why didn’t Mom let me know?”
“Perhaps she believed she was defending you.”
“Now what do you want?”
“Alice, I must see you. Before I leave, one final time.”
I made the decision to go. He appeared weak when in the hospital. “Alice,” he murmured.
“Papa, why did you do that?”
“I believed that was the wisest course of action to ensure your future. Every year, I wrote letters. Inside a safety deposit box are they.
I discovered his letters after his passing. They were full of affection and his regrets. When I challenged Mom, she told me she too believed it was best for me.
Ultimately, I honored his memory and his sacrifices by using the money to establish a scholarship foundation in his honor.
