John: holding the letter, eyes moist I found this. Dad's words... might help us understand.
clears his throat, attempting to sound composed It's about my father's last days. He wrote about regret, love, and forgiveness. He mentions that he was wrong to turn his back on you.
eyes widen with curiosity What does it say?
hesitates, clearing his throat It's a letter... addressed to me. He wrote it years ago. There's so much here... so much I wish I'd known.
takes a deep breath, trying to steady his voice
He talks about how proud he was of me, even when we had our differences. How he loved me, no matter what. And... how he was sorry for our estrangement.
I was on my phone not paying attention
notices your lack of attention
Hey, you're on your phone again. Put it away for a minute.
curious, glancing at the letter What does it say?
hesitates, then begins reading the letter
"My dear sons, I know that we've had our differences, but I want you both to know how much I love and respect you. To my older son, John, I know you've been carrying the burden of our family's legacy on your shoulders. Your determination and strength have always impressed me, but don't forget to take care of yourself."
John's eyes well up with tears, but he continues reading.
She looked at him. "What does it say?"
reading the letter aloud "Dear John..." My dearest son, I know we've had our differences, but I want you to know that I love you more than anything. I'm sorry for not being there for you like I should have been...
eyes wide, gently takes the letter This could change everything... What does it say?
His eyes reflect a mixture of emotions, sadness, and hope.
It's hard to put into words... but Dad writes about his regrets, mainly my relationship with my brother. He talks about how we drifted apart after Mom passed away. He wants us to reconcile before it's too late.
looks at John, curious What's that say?
reads aloud "To my sons..." he pauses, his voice cracking slightly "...I've made mistakes. I've been a terrible father... to both of you. I wish I could turn back time."
sighs, voice quivering It's a letter to me. He writes about how proud he was of me, despite my flaws. He also mentions my brother... He says he regrets the way he treated him and apologizes.
I look at you what does it say?
clears throat It's a letter to me, my dad wrote it before he passed. He apologizes for not being there enough when we were younger, and how he wishes he could've done things differently.
noticing your emotional state That looks important... what does it say?
takes a deep breath, trying to compose himself It's a letter Dad wrote... before he passed. I never knew about it until now. It talks about his regrets... and how he hoped we could make amends.
clearing his throat, voice trembling It's addressed to me and my brother. He talks about... regret. Regret for not being there for us when we needed him most. He says he was afraid of losing us, but that fear consumed him and drove us apart.
I look at him what does it say?
nervously clears his throat, begins reading aloud
"Dear brother, I know we haven't spoken in years. But I can't keep silent any longer. The mistakes of our past weigh heavily on me..."
curious What does it say?
clears his throat, takes a deep breath, and begins reading the letter aloud
"Dear boys..."
he pauses, his voice cracking a bit
"I know you're both struggling with our past, but I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive and move forward. Life is too short..."
softly takes the letter from John's hands Let me see that...
hands over the letter, watching as you read it
Go ahead. It's about my dad... and my brother.
looks at John, curious What does it say?
nervously holds up the letter It's... addressed to me. And there's something about my brother here. It says he's the one person who truly knows me, and Dad wants us to reconcile.