My father promised to share a dance with me at my wedding but failed to show up

Growing up, my father was more of a phantom than a parent. After my parents divorced when I was seven, his presence became sporadic and unreliable. He would make promises like trips to the park, only to cancel at the last minute. My birthdays passed without his presence, and many nights were spent wondering if he would bother to show up at all. My mother did her best to fill the gaps, but the void left by his absences was palpable and seemed irreplaceable.

As I got older, his appearances became even more unpredictable. He would pop up out of nowhere, full of apologies and promises to be a “better dad,” only to disappear again quickly, before anyone could rely on his presence.

Important events? He missed most of them. But he tried to make up for it by “buying” my forgiveness with gifts—dolls, toys, anything shiny to distract from his actual absence. Like, seriously, a toy car can’t compensate for missing my high school graduation. Despite the hurt, a part of me always held onto a thread of hope that he would change.

Then Dylan came into my life. We met at a mutual friend’s party, and there was an immediate warmth and sincerity about him that drew me in. One evening, sitting on his couch, I asked him, “Dylan, do you think people can really change?” He looked at me, his blue eyes thoughtful, and replied, “I believe people can change if they truly want to, Val. But it has to come from within.”