Chapter 1
On the day of my father Warner Davis’s funeral, it rained heavily.
With my mother already gone and distant
relatives, I was left to handle the funeral
arrangements alone.
At the hospital, I watched as my father’s body
was covered with a white cloth, then followed the funeral home staff as they transported his body from the hospital to the crematorium.
Standing in front of my father’s memorial hall, I finally had a moment to catch my breath.
Colleagues and friends attending the funeral
asked:
“Why isn’t Damon here?”
He’s been on leave for days, not coming to the hospital. How could he miss his father–in–law’s funeral?”
But when they saw my calm expression, they retracted their words.
Yes, why wasn’t Damon here?
As my father’s fellow, he should have been here to help. As my father’s son–in–law, he should have been here to pay his respects. But he
wasn’t.
Numbly, I dialed his number again, only to be met with a busy signal.
A friend from my department came to comfort me, “Maybe Damon has something important to do.”
I tried to comfort myself, thinking Damon was just busy.
Besides his hospital work, Damon was trying to start a business with his college friends.
But when I opened my social media during a break, I saw a post from Carol with Damon in it. They were surrounded by their college friends, and Carol and Damon were standing very close, looking like a couple.
It turned out his “important business” was celebrating Carol’s birthday.
I could no longer deceive myself. It felt utterly
ironic.
I looked outside at the gloomy sky, letting the large raindrops fall on my raised hand. I smiled bitterly as tears fell along with the rain.
“Dad, there’s no one left to be good to me.”
