Foreword:
Therearemomentsinlifewhenwetakecertainpeopleforgranted.Wearesousedtohavingthemaroundthatweforgethowmuchtheymeantous.However,sometimesabsencecanawakenourheartsandmakeusrealizethetruevalueofthosewhohavebeenmissingfromourlivesforawhile.Thisisthestoryofonesuchawakening.
Chapter1:
IthadbeenfouryearssinceKatiehadseenherfather.Shehadlefthometopursueherdreamsandhadneverlookedback.Shewaslivinginthecitynow,workingahigh-payingjobandlivinginafancyapartment.Butdespiteallthecomfortsofhernewlife,shecouldn'tshakeoffthefeelingthatsomethingwasmissing.
Chapter2:
Oneday,Katiereceivedacallfromhermother.Herfatherhadfallenill,andshewasneededathome.Katiehesitatedatfirst.Shedidn'twanttogobacktothesmalltownwhereshegrewup,tothehousethatheldsomanypainfulmemories.Butsheknewshehadtogo.
Chapter3:
WhenKatiearrived,herfatherwaslyinginbed,weakandfrail.Hehadlostalotofweightandhisonce-strongbodywasnowjustashellofwhatitusedtobe.Katiefeltapangofguiltasshelookedathim.Howcouldshehavestayedawayforsolong?
Chapter4:
Overthenextfewdays,Katiespenteverymomentbyherfather'sside.Sheheldhishand,talkedtohim,andtriedtomakehimfeelcomfortable.Eventhoughhewasmostlyunresponsive,shefeltlikehecouldhearher.
Chapter5:
AsKatiesattherewithherfather,memoriesofherchildhoodfloodedback.Sherememberedhowheusedtotakeherfishingonweekends,howhetaughtherhowtorideabike,andhowhewouldalwaysmakeherlaughwithhissillyjokes.Sherealizedhowmuchshehadmissedhim.
Chapter6:
Oneevening,asKatiewassittinginthebackyard,sheheardafamiliarsound.Itwasherfather'sguitar.Heusedtoplayitallthetimewhenshewasyounger,butshehadn'thearditinyears.Shefollowedthesoundandfoundherfathersittingontheporch,strumminghisguitar.
Chapter7:
Katiesatdownnexttohimandlistenedasheplayed.Itwasasimpletune,butitbroughttearstohereyes.Itwasasifalltheyearsofabsencehadmeltedaway,andtheywerebacktobeingfatheranddaughteragain.
Chapter8:
Overthenextfewdays,Katieandherfatherspenthoursplayingmusictogether.Theywouldsingoldsongsandreminisceaboutthepast.Itwasasiftheyweremakingupforlosttime.
Chapter9:
Oneday,asKatiewashelpinghermotherwiththedishes,shenoticedaphotoalbumontheshelf.Sheopeneditandstartedflippingthroughthepages.Thephotoswerefromherchildhood-birthdays,holidays,andfamilyvacations.Shefeltawaveofnostalgiawashoverher.
Chapter10:
AsKatielookedatthephotos,sherealizedhowmuchshehadtakenherfamilyforgranted.Shehadalwaysassumedthattheywouldbethereforher,nomatterwhat.Butnow,seeingherfathersoweakandvulnerable,sherealizedhowwrongshehadbeen.
Chapter11:
Onthelastdayofhervisit,Katie'sfatherpassedaway.Shewasdevastated.Butatthesametime,shefeltgratefulforthetimetheyhadspenttogetherinhisfinaldays.Sheknewthatshehadrekindledsomethingspecialwithhim.
Chapter12:
Afterthefuneral,Katiestayedbehindtohelphermothercleanupthehouse.Asshewasgoingthroughherfather'sthings,shefoundaletteraddressedtoher.Itwasfromherfather,writtenmanyyearsago.Shesatdownandstartedreading.
Chapter13:
Intheletter,herfatherexpressedhisloveforherandhisregretatnotbeingabetterfather.Hetalkedabouthisownstrugglesandhowhehadletthemgetinthewayofhisrelationshipwithher.Heendedtheletterbyaskingforherforgiveness.
Chapter14:
AsKatiereadtheletter,shefelttearsstreamingdownherface.Sherealizedthatherfatherhadalwayslovedher,eventhoughhehadn'talwaysshownitinthebestway.Sheforgavehim,andfeltasenseofpeacewashoverher.
Chapter15:
Katiestayedintownforafewmoredays,spendingtimewithhermotherandreconnectingwitholdfriends.Sherealizedthatshehadmissedthissmalltown,withitstight-knitcommunityandsimplewayoflife.
Chapter16:
Asshedrovebacktothecity,Katiefeltasenseofgratitudeforallthepeopleinherlife.Sherealizedthatshedidn'tneedallthefancythingsandhigh-payingjobstobehappy.Allsheneededwastheloveofherfamilyandfriends.
Chapter17:
WhenKatiegotbacktoherapartment,shesatdownatherpianoandstartedplaying.Ithadbeenyearssinceshehadplayed,butthenotescamebacktohereasily.Sherealizedthatmusicwassomethingthatconnectedhertoherfather,andshewantedtokeepthatconnectionalive.
Chapter18:
Overthenextfewweeks,Katiestartedplayingmusicmoreregularly.Sheevenstartedwritingherownsongs.Shefoundthatmusicwasawayforhertoexpressherselfinawaythatwordscouldn't.
Chapter19:
Oneday,asKatiewasplayinginalocalcafé,shesawanoldmansittinginthecorner.Helookedfamiliar,butshecouldn'tplacehim.Aftershefinishedplaying,heapproachedher.
Chapter20:
"Katie,isthatyou?"hesaid.
Katielookedcloserandrealizedthatitwasoneofherfather'soldfriends.Theyhadlosttouchovertheyears,buthewasstilllivingintown.Theytalkedforawhileandcaughtuponoldtimes.
Chapter21:
AsKatiewalkedhomethatevening,sherealizedthatshehadrekindledaconnectionwithherhometown.Shefeltlikeshehadrediscoveredapartofherselfthatshehadlongforgotten.
Chapter22:
Asshelayinbedthatnight,Katiefeltasenseofpeacewashoverher.Sheknewthatherfatherwasnolongerinpain,andthattheyhadreconnectedinawaythatsheneverthoughtpossible.Sheclosedhereyesandsmiled,knowingthathiswarmthwouldalwaysbewithher.
标签： #??????
