father,” he said softly, then glanced up at me with tired eyes.

“My name is Henry. I was Mike’s father.”

I blinked, stunned. “Mike’s father?” The words felt strange on my tongue.

“But Mike told me his dad passed away when he was a kid. He never mentioned”

Henry cut me off gently. “He didn’t talk about me because I wasn’t part of his life.

I left when he was young, and by the time I tried to come back… well, it was too late.”

I felt my legs go weak, and I sank onto the bench beside him. “So, you’ve been meeting with Lila pretending to be Mike?”

“No,” Henry said quickly, shaking his head. “I would never do that.

I didn’t lie to her. Lila found me here at the park one day. She started talking to me about her dad, and I recognized her right away.

She’s my granddaughter. She doesn’t remember me from before when Mike… cut me out.”

My mind was spinning. I looked over at Lila, who was staring at the ground, fidgeting with her shoes.

“Lila,” I said softly, “why didn’t you tell me about this?”

She shrugged, her voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t think you’d understand. I just… I just wanted to know more about Daddy.

I don’t remember much, and… Henry tells me stories about him.”

I felt a lump forming in my throat. I’d always tried to keep Mike’s memory alive for Lila, but maybe I’d been too wrapped up in my own grief to realize she needed more. Still, this man — this stranger who had disappeared from Mike’s life — how could I trust him now?

Henry’s voice broke through my thoughts.

“I’m not trying to take Mike’s place, Emily,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “I know I don’t deserve it. I wasn’t there for him, and that’s something I’ll regret for the rest of my life.

But Lila… she’s all I have left of him.”

I didn’t know what to say. The anger I had felt moments before was slowly fading, replaced by something I didn’t expect: sympathy. Here was a man, broken by the mistakes of his past, trying to make things right, even if it was too late for Mike.

And Lila… she had unknowingly found her grandfather.

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Henry, why didn’t you reach out? Why wait until now?”

He looked down at the ground, his shoulders slumping. “Mike didn’t want me in his life.

He made that clear. When I heard about the accident… I went to the funeral, but I kept to the shadows. I didn’t feel like I had the right to face anyone.

And then… well, when I saw Lila here, I couldn’t stay away. She reminded me so much of him.”

I swallowed hard, glancing at Lila, who was watching me with wide, worried eyes. “Mom,” she whispered, “I just wanted to know more about Daddy.

Henry tells me all these stories. It’s like I can picture him again.”

My heart broke at her words. I knelt down in front of her, taking her hands in mine.

“Oh, sweetheart, I didn’t know you felt like this. You could’ve talked to me.”

“I didn’t want to make you sad,” she said, her voice trembling. “I know it hurts you when we talk about him.”

Tears welled up in my eyes, and I pulled her into a hug.

“It’s okay, Lila. We can talk about him whenever you want. I want to keep his memory alive for you, too.”

Henry stood up slowly, leaning on his cane.

“If you want me to leave, I will,” he said quietly. “I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.”

I looked up at him; this frail, remorseful man who had lost his chance with his son and now clung to the only connection he had left. My anger had melted away, replaced by a strange sense of understanding.

“No,” I said softly, standing up.

“You don’t have to go. Lila needs family, and maybe, you do too. Let’s start over.

But we’ll do this together.”

Henry’s eyes filled with tears, and he nodded, his voice a hoarse whisper. “Thank you.”

As we walked home that evening, Lila’s small hand held tightly to mine, and her other hand reached out to Henry’s. It wasn’t the reunion I’d imagined, but it was something.

A second chance, for all of us.

And in that moment, I realized that family wasn’t just about the past. It was about the future we could still build, together.