Mom says that my dad is out for work, I haven’t seen him since I was a kid. Sometimes I wonder it ever crossed his mind to go home and be with us, because like mom, I miss him so much. Ever since I learned how to write, I thought maybe I should write to him, my first letter went out short because I have nothing else to say since I haven’t met him yet;
Dear dad
Hello, I can’t wait to meet you.
Love,
Bonnie
I wrote so many letters, and made simple drawings for him, telling him that I miss him and go home and then I planned to secretly reaching him by mail. Funny that, I don’t have a single idea how and where to send it so I gave all my hoarded letters to my mom and told me she’d send it to dad for me. After a week, then came something that thrilled me. I thanked heavens that I gave up all my letters to mom, because finally, dad wrote back, and he said;
My dearest Bonnie,
Dad is away because I have to work for you and for mom. Mom is there to take care of you; you will have everything you need. I know dad needs to be scolded for not being home but mom is going to take care of it. I’ll be writing you as soon as I can. For now, do whatever your mom will say, and don’t forget your meal, and always pray.
I love you, sunshine.
Dad
Mom told me that dad will be home soon. If not, we will always be in touch with letters, I always draw for him. I draw everything for him. And again, my soon overflowing piles of letters are needed to be sent to him, soon enough that mom needs to send it out again immediately, or I might fill my whole bed with envelops and stamps. Mom told me that I don’t need to write him as frequent as everyday. So I thought maybe just every week, but mom said dad might not be able to write back soon enough because he’s busy, so I decided I will only write to him once on every month. But I cannot always help it, fond of writing and drawing all for my dad was becoming my favorite part of the day. I needed to control myself, I remember writing him a letter of six parts saying how my ballet recital went out after I have had been learning to do a pirouette. But my anticipation was slowly dying because I haven’t been receiving letters from him since the first one, so I wrote him;
Dad,
You are not writing back. How could you? I miss you and I can’t wait for you to come home.
Bonnie
And then I thought maybe dad was very busy that’s why it’s taking him so long to answer my letters. Mom told me dad is doing so much so I need to be considerate. I was very sad but tried to understand that maybe dad is working extra hard so he can go home.
I grew up anticipating letters less but it made everything more exciting. Dad was writing during my birthdays, every Christmas day and Valentine’s Day. It was short but sweet, every letter, he promise that he’ll be home soon enough. He mentioned something about the ticket on a letter on my twelfth birthday:
