The Call That Brought Me Back to the Man I Once Called Dad

Memories That Wouldn’t Leave

That night, sleep felt impossible.

Memories surfaced without warning—moments I hadn’t thought about in years. Richard running behind me as I wobbled on my first bike. Richard clapping too loudly at school performances. Richard fixing things around the house with quiet patience.

He was never perfect. But he was there.

By morning, clarity settled in.

I knew what I needed to do.

The Choice

The hospital staff explained the testing process thoroughly. There were risks, recovery time, long-term considerations. Nothing was minimized or rushed.

When the results came back, the doctor looked surprised.

I was a match.

When I told Mark, he exhaled deeply. Relief washed over his face. He didn’t say thank you. But I didn’t need him to.

The decision wasn’t about him.

It was about unfinished love.

Facing Fear

As the surgery date approached, fear finally surfaced fully. I wasn’t brave. I was scared. But beneath the fear was certainty. This was something I could do. Something I needed to do.

As they wheeled me into the operating room, bright lights overhead, I focused on breathing.

I reminded myself that love doesn’t disappear just because time passes without words.

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