Chapter 10 - What My Father Knew
Dad stayed close without becoming controlling.
That mattered.
He never said:
I told you so.
Even though he had.
Years earlier, he had questioned Ryan's temper.
I defended Ryan.
Dad backed away because I asked him to.
Now I finally asked:
“Why didn't you push harder?”
Dad considered.
“Because you're my daughter, not my property.”
The answer made me cry.
“I thought if I forced you to choose, Ryan would use that to isolate you further.”
“He did anyway.”
“I know.”
“Do you regret it?”
“Every day.”
Then Dad added:
“But loving an adult child sometimes means leaving a door unlocked instead of dragging them through it.”
That stayed with me.
May you like
He had kept the door unlocked.
On my birthday, I finally walked through.
