A Father's Wish

A Short Story inspired by a Real-life situation

======================== 

"A no is a no and that is final!" I flinched in fear at my father's harsh tone. My vision began to blur as tears started to stream down my cheeks

My father only glared at me, his expression cold with what I thought was hatred. As he started to walk away, my father stopped at the door but didn't look at me as he muttered, "Stop crying. Ten-year-olds don't cry."

I curled up on the floor of my bedroom, crying, as my father closed the door with a slam. I kept on crying, the pain in my chest so strong. I then glanced up at my bedside table and crawled towards it. I then reached up slowly and grabbed a small picture, leaning on the bedside lamp. I pulled the picture towards me and looked at it for the millionth time.

"What would you wish for?"  

There I saw me, smiling so happily as I hugged my teddy bear. Standing nearby was my father, a different man then. He had looked so happy as he looked as if he were laughing in the picture. 

"I would wish for a teddy bear!"

Then there she was, the face that I hadn't seen in a long time, the face that I had always cried to see once more.

"How about you, daddy? What would you wish for?"

There was my mother, smiling at me warmly as she looked at me with love. My father had looked at me with love before but now...none of that remained with the man I once called my father.

"My wish had already come true."

More sobs began to escape from my mouth as I curled up even tighter, keeping the picture close to my heart as I craved to fill the warmth of my mother's arms once more. I could still hear her voice, whispering into my ear.

"Stay strong my little girl. No matter what, we will always love you."

- - -

"But that's so messed up," my best friend, Haley, exclaimed in shock, "I mean, my father's strict but even he let's me out on Christmas parties."

They were currently at the park, sitting on their usual spot on a bench. This was where they had always hanged out after school.

I sighed feeling so guilty, "I'm so sorry I can't come to your Christmas party, Haley, but you know how my dad is. He's a hundred times more strict than both of you parents combined."

"He's just very overprotective for you," Jordan, my other best friend, told me with a reassuring smile though I didn't smile back at him like I usually do.

"Overprotective?" I scoffed, "He doesn't even love me, his own daughter."

Jordan frowned, "I don't think so-"

I was starting to get sick of Jordan trying to reassure me so I cut him off, "Do you know my father?"

"Well, no but-"

"Then stop telling me things are okay when we both know the truth," I retorted. Usually, I wouldn't have gotten this angry with Jordan but my day didn't exactly start in a happy note.

Jordan sighed patiently and I always wondered how he still wasn't angry at me, "I'm not telling you that things would be okay, okay? Or, uh, maybe I should've used another word for that..."

"Yeah, you should've," I told him flatly.

"Look, i'm sure your father loves you," Jordan went on softly that it made my anger boil, "A parent would always love their child no matter what. Even if they act like they don't, they show it in a different way and deep down in their hearts, they do love their child."

"Cut this wise talk, Jordan," I snapped at him, "My father stopped loving me years ago ever since my mother died! That man wasn't the same father I loved before. He's gone just like my mother!"

Before Jordan or Haley could reply, my phone began to rang. I looked at the caller ID but I didn't recognize the number. I hesitated before finally answering phone, "Hello?"

"Hello," a woman answered on the other side of the line, "Is this Mr. Corwin's daughter?"

- - -

I had just burst into the doors of the hospital and was rushing towards the receptionist. People looked up, startled from my sudden outburst. I could hear the footsteps of my friends behind me but I didn't care as I went straight to the receptionist.

"Hi, i'm-"

"Mr. Corwin's daughter," the receptionist finished, nodding as she pointed, "Room 396, that way."

"Thank you," I quickly told her as we rushed to the elevator to where she pointed and pressed the button.

As soon as the door opened, I rushed through the hallways until I found room 396. I quickly opened the door but stopped dead in my tracks as I saw a man on the bed. His eyes were closed and his face was wrinkled. He didn't look peaceful.

"Dad," I exclaimed as I rush to his side, "Dad, i'm here."

At the sound of my voice, my heart skipped with relief as his eyes opened up weakly. There was a glassy look on his eyes as if he was having a hard time keeping them open but when his eyes found mine, some of the strength returned.

"Paige...you're here..."

"Dad, it's okay," I told him, trying to keep my voice from wavering as I kneel at his side, "It's okay dad."

"Paige, before-before I-" He started wheezing and coughing that seemed weak.

"Dad, please rest," I plead but he ignored me...just like how he always did.

"Paige, listen," he whispered in a raspy voice, "Before I...run out of...time. Just know that...that i'm sorry...sorry for everything."

"It's okay dad," I told him, tears forming in my eyes.

"If only...if only I had more...more time..." he took one last breath than everything went still.

- - -

Here lies:

James Corwin

A loving husband and father

16/06/1968 - 24/12/2016

- - -

Today was Christmas, supposedly my favorite day of the year. It still was my favorite, even if my dad had ruined it before. But now, here I was cleaning up my dad's things. I would always remember Christmas as the day my father's death.

As I kept on sorting through my father's stuff, something fell when I had been carrying a stack of books inside a huge cardboard box. I bent down to pick it up only to stop as I realized it was a scrapbook with the words "My Life" on it.

I began flipping through the pages as my eyes began to water. There was my mom and my dad, looking so young and happy together. Then came the part of their wedding, then their honeymoon pictures, then the picture of me when I was born. I kept on flipping through the pages, each page making my eyes even blurrier as memories poured in front of my eyes.

I finally stopped and closed the book, trying to stop the pain from getting me but suddenly, something else fell from the book. I bent down to pick it up and noticed it was a letter.

Dear Paige,

If you're reading this right now, that means that you already knew that I had died from lung cancer. I thought that I would have more time to explain things but it seems that I hadn't so let me explain now.

I'm sorry if I may stirred your thoughts the wrong way but the truth was, I had always loved you. A father would do everything to protect their child, especially if that child is there only child. With your mother gone...I couldn't lose you too so I kept you inside the house, not letting you out on parties and other things. I was just too scared.

Remember that story that me and your mother told you about? The story about the boy who made a wish for Christmas? Remember when your mother asked, "What would you wish for?" And you answered, "I would wish for a teddy bear."

I may have broken your wish on that day.

I suddenly had a flashback as I remembered the day so clearly. A year before my mother's death, they had given me a teddy bear. Then exactly one year after my mother's death, my father had destroyed it out of anger.

"Please dad, please fix it."

"A no is a no and that is final!"

How harshly I had treated you that day. I couldn't forgive myself and i'm sure Clarisse wouldn't have forgiven myself as well.

Remember when you asked me what my wish would be? I answered that it had already came true, to have the perfect family. But when your mother died, that wish had been broken too. I was angry at her, Paige, but I took my anger out on you by breaking your wish as well.

I then realized that it wasn't Clarisse who broke my promise...it had been me all along.

So now, I hope that this Christmas, I would have the chance to say my wish. I wish that I would get a second chance, Paige, I wish that we could start over.

I had failed to be a father and I have failed to make my wish this Christmas. But I hope I wouldn't fail to make your wish. I know that i'm no longer there physically, but please give me another chance, forgive me and go to my old office building.

And know that I had always loved you.

Love,
Dad

- - -

I had just exited the elevator and was walking through the hallways and towards my father's office. I had been there a couple of times before and I had always wanted to be like my father. It was December 25, still the same day only it was nighttime.

I entered my father's office anxiously, the letter still clutched in my hands. I walked in, glancing around until my gaze landed on something on my father's table. I slowly walked forward, my mouth open in shock as I looked at the teddy bear. It looked just like the first one, only newer.

Feeling an ache in my heart, I grabbed the teddy bear and clutched it close to my chest. I finally let go and saw something else on the table. It was an envelope.

I opened the envelope then unfolded one of the letters. I almost dropped it in shock as I realized what it was. It was a scholarship to enter Conflagrant Rose University, the place where I've always wanted to go for university.

That was not all. I unfolded the other letter and saw that it was my father's will. He was handing everything he had own to me. That included her being the new owner of her father's company.

I didn't know what else to do as I stood there for what seemed like hours, still trying to process what had just happened. I then walked towards the window and looked up at the view of skyscrapers filled with lights.

A Christmas wish had indeed been granted. Not only hers but her father's too.

- - -

========================

Dedicated to RiceItsSelf to remind all of us that parents would always love their children. They may not act like it but they show it in ways that we don't understand at times.

========================