Graduation morning arrived bright and golden. It was the kind of day that made everything feel new, as if good things were finally about to happen.
But as I stood by my window, putting on my cap and gown, my hands wouldn't stop shaking.
Today, everything could change.
I would walk across the stage, receive my diploma, and celebrate the end of one chapter of my life.
But that wasn't the only reason my heart was racing.
Somewhere in the crowd, my father would be waiting.
After all these years, I might finally see him again.
I stared at myself in the mirror, trying to calm my nerves. I had imagined this moment countless times, but now that it was finally here, I didn't know how to feel.
I was excited, scared, and angry all at once.
I wanted to hug my father, ask him why he had stayed
