The Unwanted Heir: A Father's Regret

rom Scout, a scruffy terrier mix, who thumped

ately nuzzled her hand, his presence a sm

ispered, scratchin

ked he

om was

esk piled with textbook

desk, a few faded ph

smiling, her eyes full of li

younger David, holding a tiny Emil

Emily barely remembered, when "f

ll, worn notebook fr

her s

ul handwriting,

me-cooked meal wi

d her high sch

m Dad on her

le t

ible t

s was gett

doctors said, an adva

rer, an autoimmune disease t

tant cough, the crushing fatigue, the pain that gnawed at

f pills, the familiar bit

eaten up by prescriptions her me

ree clinic on Sat

ed for every dollar, for ev

in the patients' eyes,

elp them, to ma

idea for her prop

way to reach her father on a level he underst

n't even l

ng handouts

tung, sharp

t after h

t wante

ath

it was

elt like distant mountains she wasn'