Off The Record
My Dad Who Left 20 Years Ago Called from His Deathbed for a Final Wish — What He Asked Broke My Heart
I was caught between curiosity and fury when my father, who departed 20 years earlier, contacted me me from his deathbed.
What he disclosed about his abduction rocked my assumptions about him, and his final wish was something I never would have imagined.
I was getting ready for bed when my phone buzzed on the nightstand. The number was unfamiliar, so I let it go to voicemail. Not even a minute later, a text came through: “ALICE, THIS IS YOUR DAD. PLEASE CALL, I AM IN THE HOSPITAL.”
My heart gave out. Dad? Following twenty years? I stared at the message while perched on the edge of my bed. Curiosity overrode my desire to erase it and forget about it. I returned the call to the number.
“Hello?” It was a feeble voice, hardly discernible.
“Dad?”
It’s me, Alice. I’m running out of time.
“Why are you calling now?” My voice was harsher than I intended.
“I need to explain… to ask something of you. But please, don’t tell your mother.”
That same air of secrecy that characterized my early years was there. “What do you want?”
He took a shaky breath. “I left because your grandfather, Harold, paid me to disappear. He hated me, thought I was a failure. He found someone else for your mom, someone better.”
I was hearing things that I couldn’t believe. “Grandfather? Did he do that?”
“Yes. I was struggling back then. Addictions, bad decisions. Your grandfather saw a chance to get rid of me, and I took the money.”
“So you just left us for money?” Anger erupted.
“I realize it sounds terrible. But I used that money to invest and launch a company. Alice, it was all done for you. in order to safeguard your future.”
“Why didn’t you ever come back?”
“Part of the deal. I couldn’t approach you or your mom. But I was there, watching. I saw your graduation, your volleyball games. I was always there, just… from a distance.”
My world seemed to be tilting. “Why didn’t Mom ever tell me?”
“I don’t know. Maybe she didn’t want you to hate him. Or maybe she thought she was protecting you.”
“What do you want now?” My voice trembled as I asked.
“I need to see you, Alice. One last time before I go. I’m at St. Mary’s Hospital.”
I was at a loss for words. Could I really face him after all this?
“Please, Alice. It’s my final request.”
When the phone went dead, I sat there with my phone still in my hand and my mind racing. Shall I leave? How could I possibly respond to him? There was no time to ponder, yet I needed to. He was about to die.
I sat in my kitchen the following morning, staring at my coffee, after calling in ill to work. Must I tell my mother? He’d asked me not to, though.
I gave Jen, my best friend, a call. “Hey, can we talk?”
“Obviously. What’s going on?”
“It’s my dad, that’s what. He gave me a call last night.”
“Your father? The individual who departed?”
“Yes. He wants to visit me since he is dying.”
“Whoa. What are your thoughts about that?”
“I’m not sure. Bewildered and furious. Jen, he told me things. Concerning my grandfather.”
“Like what?”
“That my grandfather paid him to leave. He said he was there at my graduation, my games. But he couldn’t approach us.”
“That is really crazy. How will you proceed?”
“I’m not sure. I’m not sure I can visit him, but he wants me to.”
“Jen was silent for a while. Maybe you ought to leave. Obtain some clarification. Finality.”
“I suppose. However, I’m not sure if I’m prepared to meet him.”
“Don’t take too long, but do take your time. Should he be dying…”
“I am aware. Regards, Jen.”
I hung up and sat back, lost in contemplation. Jen was accurate. Perhaps I really did require closure. I have to stop carrying around these unsolved questions. And I had to see him to see if it was indeed his last hour.
My decision was to visit the hospital. My mind raced back to my early years as I was driving. The happy moments before he went, the anguish and confusion that followed. The questions that lingered, the way Mom never talked about him.
I felt the years and unsolved questions bearing down on me as soon as I entered the hospital room. The eerie beat of the beeping equipment filled the sterile room. My father appeared thinner than I could have ever imagined as he lay in bed. His eyes brightened at seeing me, and a feeble smile appeared on his lips.
“Alice,” he uttered in a scarcely discernible whisper.
“Hi, Dad.” Uncertain of what to say, I stood at the foot of the bed. I was filled with perplexity and anger, but I found it difficult to express them when I saw him in such a vulnerable and angry state.
He said, “You came,” with a look of relief in his eyes.
“I had to. I needed to understand why.”
“I know, and I’m so sorry for everything.” I grasped his trembling hand in mine and felt its delicate, icy flesh.
“Daddy, why did you do that? Why did you leave us and take Grandpa’s money?”
He sighed, a deep, rattling sound. “I thought it was the best way to secure a future for you and your mother. I was a mess, Alice. Addicted, broke. Your grandfather offered me a way out, a chance to give you a better life, even if it meant I couldn’t be part of it.”
“You have no idea how much it pained us. How much did it damage me? My eyes filled with tears. Dad, you missed everything. My whole life, my volleyball matches, and my graduation.”
“Alice, I was there. observing from a distance. Although being apart from you broke my heart, I felt that I was acting appropriately.” He stopped, panting for air. “I made an effort to correct it. I used the money to invest and create something I thought would be helpful to you.”
“Why didn’t you come back when you were better?”
“I couldn’t. Part of the deal was that I had to stay away. But I wrote to you, Alice. Letters, every year. They’re in a safety deposit box. Here.” He handed me a small key. “After I’m gone, open it. You’ll find proof of everything, and the letters.”
I gripped the key with shaking fingers. “Dad, why now? Why are you telling me this information now?”
“Because I can’t leave this world without you knowing the truth, and I’m dying. Alice, you have my undying love. I have loved you forever.”
My eyes welled up with tears as I held his hand. “Dad, I needed you. My father was necessary to me.”
“I apologize for not being present; I know. But when you read those letters, I hope you’ll see why I did what I did.”
The only sound in the room as we sat there silently and held hands was the beeping of the equipment. His breathing grew more difficult after a while. After giving me one final squeeze, he departed.
I had mixed feelings when I got out of the hospital. Sadness, rage, relief, and an odd sense of closure. I went to the bank the following day and used the key to unlock the safety deposit box. I discovered a stack of financial records and a bunch of old letters that were all addressed to me.
I read the letters for hours when I got home. His love, his regrets, and his dreams for my future were all present in each one. He wrote of the company he founded, his protection of me, and his pride in my accomplishments.
My rage had turned to a deep, throbbing melancholy by the time I completed the last letter.
The financial records demonstrated that my father had put in a lot of effort to provide for my future. He left behind a sizable sum of money that may have changed my life. However, it went beyond money. It was about appreciating his decisions, his love, and his sacrifices.
I had to get in touch with my mother. Her side of the tale has to be told. She gave me a sad face when I approached her.
“I knew about the offer,” she admitted. “I didn’t stop it because I thought it was best for you too. I thought you deserved a better life than what your father could give you at that time.”
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
“I wanted to shield you from the truth and allow you to have a pain-free memory of him. Perhaps my decision was incorrect, but I acted on my instincts.”
Her admission provided me with an additional piece of the puzzle, enabling me to comprehend the intricate network of choices that molded my existence.
Ultimately, I made the decision to establish a scholarship fund in my father’s honor using the funds. It seemed like the appropriate way to pay tribute to his legacy and his work. In the same manner that he had tried to help me, it was a way to help others.
I felt calm as I started the scholarship. Even if the past was difficult and confusing, it helped me get to this point. Now that the truth was out, I could go on and respect my mother’s sacrifices as well as my father’s affection.
Now Trending:
- For the Cost of an Iphone He made a House of only 89 Squares, but Wait Until you See Inside
- Homeless Lady Given Free “Ugly” Abandoned Trailer, But Wait Till You See What She Made Of It
- At 90 This Old Man Amazed The World By Building His Own Hobbit House, But Wait Till You See Inside
Please let us know your thoughts and SHARE this story with your Friends and Family!
