stardustbunnies | does the dog die dot com

an animated character who looks nothing like me
turns to her animated father and says
"you're in this to help people, aren't you?"
an animated character who looks nothing like my father
turns to his animated daughter and says
"you're the best thing I've ever done"
he listens to her
he quits his job for her
he knows that she's amazing
and he lets her be herself
even though it hurts him
even though it might hurt her
he lets her
he listens
he listens

even though he's never done that before

a character in a tv show who looks nothing like my father
runs toward his son
across the front lawn
the tails of his shirt flapping
his uniform shirt
untucked, unbuttoned, unkempt
it's summer
the son who looks nothing like me
hugs his father
his father hugs him back
they hug

even though it's a flashback

a character in a book who is nothing like me
receives a phone call from her mother
too late at night
too early in the morning
and she stops breathing for just a moment
because her dad is dead
it wasn't a surprise
but it was unexpected
and she goes home
immediately
uncomfortable on a plane because
everything is different for her now
but it's the same for everyone else
she goes home
she goes home

even though she doesn't want to

a character in a book who is nothing like me
turns to her father who is nothing like mine and says
"why did you never tell me that you loved me?"
a character in a book who is nothing like my father
turns to his daughter and says
"because you weren't floundering"
"you never needed to hear"
"you were supposed to know"
and she yells back
louder than thunder
louder than shattering glass
louder than a broken heart
"how could I know if you never told me?"
and she breaks his heart

even though she didn't want to

even though he broke hers first