Ten years later, I pulled over for a hitchhiker, only to see my dad with a little girl by his side.

The scars never faded. Will this new encounter heal them tr deepen the wound?The day my dad left, the world lost its color.

I remember standing in our driveway, watching his car disappear around the corner.

The rubber of his tires on the asphalt made a sound I’ll never forget, like hope being slowly crushed…”Dad!”

I screamed, running after him. “Dad, come back!” But he didn’t. He just… left. No explanation, no goodbye. Just gone. I turned to look at my mom, Crystal. She stood in the doorway, her face brimming with shock and disbelief

“Mom?” I whispered, my voice small and scared. She blinked, seeming to remember I was there.

“Oh, Ellie, come here, baby.”I ran into her arms, burying my face in her shirt. It smelled like home, like safety. But even as she held me, I could feel her shaking. “Why did he go, Mom?”