“Yes, Daddy?” I answer. But there’s just silence on the other end. Until, after about two beats, I hear a sharp breath. Even though it’s just a breath, it doesn’t sound like my dad. “Hello?” I ask into the phone. There’s a cough on the other end. This time, I pick up a hint of the voice, and my chest catches as I seem to recognize it. Dread pools in my stomach, thinking that surely it can’t be … “Sorry. I just … I need a minute.”
