Impact

Robert was overwhelmed – all the thoughts about the son he had never really gotten to know. From the sound of it, his son had grown up to affect everyone he met.

Much better than Robert could be in a million years.

It was a strange feeling to be envious of your deceased son. The thought of it made it seem depressing, but in reality, Robert really looked up to his child.

Robert licked his dry lips, and began to speak, “Hi guys. I’m not sure if all of you know me… but I’m Riley’s biological father.”

He paused for a second to look at everyone’s facial expressions. Some were clearly surprised, while others contained their feelings. One in particular showed anger – Riley’s best friend, Asher. Robert didn’t hesitate to make the assumption that Riley had told Asher his father was a crook who left his children to make himself a better life.

Then again, he really wasn’t much better than that.

“What I remember of Riley is holding his little body when he was just born – he was so tiny. I remember looking at him and going, ‘Wow, my son is going to be perfect when he grows up.’ I’m proud to say that I was right. Not that I can say from first-hand experience, but from what all of you have said, he was truly kind.”

Some of the facial expressions relaxed; some still seemed firm. As if he did not deserve to stand up there and speak about the son he hadn’t seen in over ten years. But who was to say that he did?

“I have this one memory of him that I try to hold on as tight as possible to. He was in preschool, a little less than a year before I left. Around Father’s Day, he made me this card, and his teacher helped him write ‘I love you, Dad’ inside. I still have it,” he slowly spoke, taking out the card from his pocket. It was crumpled from being stuffed in his pocket, as well as yellowed from age.

Robert began to cry. The tears were not merely of sadness, but of regret. Of jealousy. He was jealous of all the people that had made the right choices and gotten to know such an amiable person.

It had been so long that Robert had forgotten why he had ever left. Why had he broken up a family? He had done one of the evilest deeds possible and taken away two little children’s happiness and sense of togetherness. He was the true villain in the story, shedding black tears of misfortune.

“I should have never left,” he softly finished, going back to his secluded spot on the ground.

It was the next realization that struck him; every action had a reaction. What if he had stayed and not peeled the glue off his family? What if that one decision could have saved Riley’s life?

What if he was responsible for his own son’s death?