In a strange way, I felt as if I were getting part of my father back. The palace and my friends there had been the backdrop of my life with him. And while I could never feel his strong arms around me again or hear his even voice, the part of my life that had included him no longer felt so distant. A chiding voice reminded me that I should be strong enough by now not to care—strong enough to let go—but it wasn’t able to stop the waves of joy that washed over me.
