“Dad… I need help.”
Silence.
Then the sound of wind.
And water.
—
“We just bought the boat, sweetheart.”
His voice was almost… cheerful.
Like I had called at a bad time.
—
“A boat?” I whispered.
—
“Yeah,” he said. “You know, we’ve been planning it for years. Timing’s just… unfortunate.”
—
Unfortunate.
I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood.
—
“The doctor said I could lose my leg.”
—
Another pause.
Longer this time.
—
“You’re young,” he finally said.
“You’ll adapt to a limp.”
—
Something inside me cracked.
Not loudly.
Quietly.
Like glass under pressure.
—
I hung up.
