thought my dad was being bullied at work. he was.

Okay so I wasn't going to post this but I need to.

My dad had been acting... off. For months. He came back from what he said was a long work trip and he looked completely different. Like visibly thinner, hollowed out. And whenever he'd make eye contact with anyone outside the house he'd just shrink. Visibly. Like he was trying to disappear into himself.

Every weekend he'd cancel on his neighborhood friends. Just. Cancel. And then sit alone in the house like a rock. Not watching TV, not doing anything. Just sitting.

And the more I watched him the more I saw... me. Me in elementary school, when kids would bully me for not having a mom. Coming home and my dad would ask what's wrong and I'd put on the most normal face I could because I didn't want him to worry. I did that. And now he's doing that exact same thing TO ME.

My dad lost my mom in an accident. Raised me alone. He's quiet and introverted but genuinely the kindest person I know, like SO genuinely kind it hurts. When I'd ask him lately if something was going on he'd just give me this tired, bitter little smile and say nothing. That smile. That smile got me every time I can't even explain it.

So I came up with a plan.

Today was a school holiday but I kept it secret from him. I was going to surprise him. I thought, okay I can't fix whatever's happening at his job. But I can make sure he doesn't eat lunch alone.

I pretended to leave for school, waited for him to go to work, then came back and made a whole nice lunch spread. Full meal, set up pretty. The plan was to hide under the dining table and jump out with a surprise when he came into the kitchen. (He's genuinely the most wholesome man alive, I was fully prepared for him to cry.)

He came through the front door.

I held my breath under the table. Heart pounding.

He didn't go to the kitchen.

He walked to the living room, sat on the floor, pulled up his right pant leg.

And started charging his ankle monitor.