Chapter 17 — Hello, Dad
Chapter 17 — Hello, Dad
Grace stopped a few feet in front of Richard.
Neither of them spoke.
The breeze carried the scent of the lake through the quiet morning, while Scout sat beside Khloe as if he, too, understood this was an important moment.
Richard couldn't stop staring.
The little girl from the photographs was standing right in front of him.
She had grown taller.
Her dark hair was pulled into a ponytail.
Her blue eyes—his eyes—studied him with innocent curiosity.
Richard's voice barely worked.
"Hi..."
Grace smiled politely.
"Hi."
Another silence followed.
Finally, Grace asked the question she had been thinking about for weeks.
"Are you really my dad?"
Richard nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"I am."
She tilted her head.
"You look different from the pictures Mom showed me."
Richard chuckled softly.
"I've gotten a little older."
Grace giggled.
"I guess everybody does."
The sound of her laughter made Richard's eyes fill with tears.
For years he had imagined this conversation.
Nothing he imagined came close to the real thing.
Khloe and Harrison watched from the porch.
Neither wanted to interrupt.
Evelyn quietly carried lemonade onto the patio and whispered,
"They're doing fine."
Khloe smiled.
"They're both nervous."
"So are you."
Khloe laughed.
"You're right."
Grace looked down at the fishing rod leaning against the dock.
"Do you know how to fish?"
Richard smiled.
"I used to."
"Used to?"
"I haven't had much chance lately."
Grace picked up the extra fishing rod Harrison had brought.
"Uncle Harry says fishing teaches patience."
She handed the rod to Richard.
"Want to try?"
Richard accepted it carefully.
"I'd love to."
For the next hour, they sat side by side on the dock.
Most of the conversation wasn't about the past.
Grace talked about school.
Her favorite books.
The golden retriever named Scout.
How Uncle Harry always burned hamburgers.
Richard laughed harder than he had in years.
"You really call him Uncle Harry?"
Grace nodded.
"He says only Mom gets to call him Harry."
Richard smiled.
"That sounds like him."
Eventually, Grace grew quiet.
She looked out across the lake.
"Can I ask something?"
"You can ask me anything."
She hesitated.
"Why did you go away?"
Richard took a slow breath.
He had promised himself that if this day ever came...
He would tell the truth.
"I made very bad decisions."
"I lied."
"I hurt people."
"Especially your mom."
Grace listened carefully.
"Were you scared?"
Richard looked surprised.
"Very."
"Even before prison?"
He nodded.
"I was scared of admitting I was wrong."
Grace thought about that.
"My teacher says telling the truth is harder than telling a lie."
Richard smiled sadly.
"Your teacher is very wise."
Grace reached into her backpack.
"I made something."
She unfolded a sheet of construction paper.
It showed three stick figures standing beside a lake.
One figure wore a blue dress.
One wore a suit.
The third held a fishing pole.
Across the top she had written:
My Family Is Still Growing.
Richard stared at the drawing.
"It's beautiful."
Grace shrugged.
"I know we're not a regular family."
She looked up at him.
"But Mom says families don't have to be perfect."
"They just have to keep loving each other."
Richard looked toward Khloe.
She smiled gently from the porch.
He quietly whispered,
"Your mom is right."
Around lunchtime, Harrison walked down to the dock carrying a picnic basket.
"I figured everyone might be hungry."
Grace clapped excitedly.
"Did you burn the burgers again?"
Harrison pretended to look offended.
"I improved."
Grace laughed.
"We'll see."
Even Richard smiled.
The four adults and one little girl sat together beneath a large oak tree overlooking the lake.
The conversation remained simple.
School.
Books.
The weather.
Scout chasing squirrels.
No one mentioned courtrooms.
No one mentioned prison.
For one afternoon...
They allowed Grace to simply enjoy having everyone together.
As the sun began to lower, Richard stood.
"I should go."
Grace looked disappointed.
"So soon?"
"I have work tomorrow."
"You work?"
Richard nodded.
"I fix things at a community center."
Grace's eyes brightened.
"I like fixing things."
"Really?"
She nodded proudly.
"I fixed my bike chain last month."
Richard laughed.
"Then maybe..."
He hesitated, looking at Khloe.
"If it's okay with your mom..."
"...next time we could fix something together."
Grace immediately looked toward Khloe.
Khloe smiled.
"I think that would be nice."
Grace beamed.
"Really?"
Khloe nodded.
"As long as your homework is finished first."
Grace groaned dramatically.
"Mom..."
Everyone laughed.
Before leaving, Richard knelt to Grace's height.
"I have something for you."
He reached into his backpack and carefully removed a small wooden box.
"I've been saving these."
Grace opened it slowly.
Inside were dozens of neatly folded letters.
Each envelope had a date.
Age One
Age Two
First Day of Kindergarten
Your Sixth Birthday
Christmas
Age Nine
Grace looked at him with wide eyes.
"You wrote all these?"
Richard nodded.
"One every birthday."
"And every Christmas."
"I didn't know if you'd ever want them."
"So I kept them safe."
Grace gently picked up the very first letter.
"You wrote to me when I was a baby?"
"Every year."
She hugged the box tightly against her chest.
"I want to read them."
Richard smiled.
"You can."
"When you're ready."
As Richard walked toward his truck, Grace suddenly called out.
"Wait!"
He turned around.
She ran across the yard until she reached him.
For a brief second, she looked uncertain.
Then she wrapped her arms around him.
The hug lasted only a few seconds.
But for Richard...
It healed something that had been broken for nearly a decade.
When Grace stepped back, she smiled shyly.
"Bye..."
She hesitated.
Then, for the very first time, she said the word he had dreamed of hearing.
"Bye, Dad."
Richard closed his eyes.
One tear escaped down his cheek.
"Goodbye, sweetheart."
"I'll see you soon."
He climbed into his truck and drove away slowly.
Grace stood waving until the truck disappeared around the bend.
Khloe slipped an arm around her daughter's shoulders.
"How do you feel?"
Grace looked at the wooden box in her hands.
Then toward the empty road.
"I think..."
She smiled softly.
"...I just found a missing piece of my story."
Khloe kissed the top of her head.
And beside them, Harrison watched the sunset over the lake.
For the first time since the day his sister fell on those courthouse steps...
May you like
He finally believed the future no longer belonged to pain.
It belonged to hope.
