As spring turned to summer, the days grew longer and my routine more settled. My relationship with Anna remained strained, each conversation feeling like navigating a minefield of unspoken truths. But I persisted, hoping to bridge the gap that had formed between us.
One Saturday, while visiting Anna, I finally broached the subject that had been hanging between us. “Did Dad tell you why he did it?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Anna sighed, her eyes meeting mine with a mix of guilt and relief. “He thought it was time for you to stand on your own. He didn’t mean to hurt you,” she explained, her voice laced with a sincerity that was hard to ignore.
“But why now?” I pressed, needing to understand the reasoning behind the abrupt decision.
“He’s always been about tough love,” Anna replied, a hint of frustration creeping into her voice. “He said it was for your own good, to make you stronger.”
Her words echoed in my mind, a mantra I wasn’t sure I believed yet. But if there was one thing my father had taught me, it was resilience in the face of adversity.
As I left Anna’s house, I realized that understanding didn’t necessarily equate to acceptance. It would take time, but I was determined to find my own way, to prove that I was capable of standing on my own, even if it meant redefining what family support meant to me.
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