Ryder’s 18th birthday was supposed to be special, but his father’s absence left him disappointed. He felt devastated upon learning that his father had chosen a fishing trip with friends over him. What happened next made Ryder rethink everything.
I never thought my father would forget one of the most important days of my life, but here we are.
Hi, everyone!
My name’s Ryder, and I just turned 18. Before I share what happened on my birthday, let me tell you a bit about my life.
Growing up, things were pretty normal until I hit seven. That’s when the arguments between Mom and Dad started.
She would get angry at him all the time, but I was too young to get what was going on.
Then, boom.
I’m eight, and Dad’s gone.
I clearly remember how Mom sat me down that day and said, “Ryder, sweetie, your father won’t be living with us anymore. But you can still see him whenever you want, okay?”
I felt my heart skip a beat. “But why, Mom?
Did I do something wrong?”
Mom’s eyes filled with tears, but she smiled. “Oh, no, honey. You didn’t do anything wrong.
This isn’t your fault at all.”
“Then why is Dad leaving?”
She took a deep breath. “Well, sometimes grown-ups… they just can’t live together anymore.
Your dad and I, we tried really hard to make things work, but sometimes things just don’t work out the way we hope.”
“Can’t you try harder?” I pleaded.
She pulled me into a hug. “We did try, Ryder. For a long time.
But sometimes, the kindest thing we can do is to live apart. Your dad and I, we’ll both always love you. That won’t ever change.
We just won’t be living in the same house anymore.”
And just like that, my parents were divorced.
Mom joined a school as an elementary school teacher after the divorce. She worked hard to give me a good life, and I’ll always cherish that.
But Dad? He was like a ghost in my life.
Always busy with work, friends, and his endless list of hobbies.
Fishing was his favorite.
Every weekend, he’d disappear with his buddies to go fishing. He’d go even when Mom called him a day before to remind him that she’d drop me at his place on Saturday.
Despite everything, a part of me still wanted his attention. I wanted him to notice me, to be proud of me.
As a result, I spent years trying to win his approval, hoping that one day he’d realize how much I needed him.
The story doesn’t end here –
it continues on the next page.
TAP → NEXT PAGE → 👇
