“Are you alright, son?” he asks, his voice hoarse and not at all commanding like it usually is. I nod. “Yeah. I’m okay.” My dad breaks down then, a heavy sob rising from his chest as tears pour freely from his eyes. His shoulders shudder and he clamps a fist over his mouth, trying to contain the emotion. I lift my weak arms in invitation and he accepts, falling into the hug with a pained cry. It’s… strange. I can’t remember the last time we did this. Probably when I was just a kid. But, it feels damn good. Like something I’ve been waiting for for years, like something I needed. It’s as if a
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