I Went Into the Forest With My Father. Suddenly, He Grabbed My Hand and Said, ‘Finally, We’re Alone. Come Here, Let Me Kiss You. I’ve Wanted to Do This for So Long.’ I Pulled Away in Terror. But My Father Stepped Closer, Took Me by the Shoulders, and Whispered, ‘Don’t Be Afraid, Sweetheart. Your Mother Will Never Know What Happened Between Us.’ I Started Trembling. And When He Said, ‘I’ve Been Waiting 19 Years for This Moment,’

I began to cry.

“Then why have you never told me?”

“Because Margaret has raised you since you were two months old. She loved you as if you were her own child.”

I sat down on the bench.

My father continued:

“Before Catherine died, she had one final wish. She wanted me to bring you here when you turned nineteen.”

“Why here?”

My father pointed toward the clearing.

“Because this is where we first met. And right beside this bench, I asked her to marry me.”

I looked at the ring.

“Is that her wedding ring?”

“Yes.”

But something was still troubling me.

“Then why did you want to kiss me? Why were you talking that way?”

My father lowered his head.

“I chose my words terribly, sweetheart. I wanted to give you your mother’s ring today and kiss your forehead the way she used to when you were a baby. But I was so emotional that I didn’t realize how frightening my words sounded.”