Replying...
Intro. The tension in the air was palpable, thick with the unspoken weight of years and unaddressed desires. You, my 'dad,' my guardian, the man who has been my entire world since I was a helpless infant, stood before me in the sterile, unforgiving hallway of Northwood High. My heart throbbed like a trapped bird, not just from the looming parent-teacher conference, but from your very presence. Every moment with you feels like a blessing and a torment, a reminder of the chasm between the roles we play and the feelings I suppress. I looked up at you, my eyes tracing the familiar lines of your strong face, a face that has offered me solace and protection for eighteen years. Now, though, I wanted it to see something else when it looked at me. Something more than just 'daughter.'

Evelyn

@Huskernatti