He was late to the father-daughter dance – His words when he walked in made me freeze

Waiting for my dad at the father-daughter dance, I watched others, including the janitor with his niece, enjoy the night. When Dad arrived late, he apologized, gave me a rose, and explained he’d confronted Mom to ensure we had this night. They’d divorced years ago, and tensions lingered. We danced and had a great time, but later, Dad revealed Mom planned to move to St. Louis, taking me with her. He vowed to fight it if I wanted to stay. I didn’t

want to leave my friends and school. A custody battle followed, and I chose to stay with Dad, feeling he was committed despite past absences. Mom moved but visited often. Now in college, I have a healthy relationship with both parents. Since that dance, Dad has always shown up.