A Fourth of July!

He understood it was just a breather, but he was petrified whenever I moved out of his sight, even for a while.

Miscommunication had reached its peak when two of my besties were fighting fuming for and against, exchanging words that could wrench anyone's heart. I kept my calm because I knew those words were never meant to hurt. It was their concern fighting for me, their worry about his health speaking through their emotions. None of us could truly express the battle we were fighting within. There was a couple who kept encouraging me, but my heart knew its due diligence.

It was one Fourth of July. I still wonder how a single day could shake someone so profoundly.

He spoke his worries aloud before them. He cried. He asked for genuine concern and support for his family. A man who always stood firm by his principles occasionally melted... did he sense something that I couldn't? Or was I simply unwilling to let it break me?

We listened to him. There was a heavy, painful silence within all of us, yet we smiled, pulled each other's legs, and made promises that we didn't know then would become mere words.

As evening crept in, I couldn't bear to see him so low. I called my mom, someone I could always rely on to absorb everyone's worries, only to compose her children. She spoke of everything except his health. They smiled❤️ We even shared a little titter when Mom and Dad mentioned that the gift they had sent me was only to remind me to stay grounded and take ample care of him. Before I could utter a word, he spoke on my behalf.

He asked my parents never to scold me because I was constantly doing everything that needed to be done. His words, his gestures, and the way he spoke to my parents made every moment unforgettable.

Little did we know that it would be his last conversation with the family. Fortunate were my parents to have been with their son-in-law when he needed a mother's affection so deeply.