After graduation, everything felt perfect — until I noticed my dad acting strangely. Secret phone calls, late nights, wearing cologne again, even asking about my best friend’s divorced mom, Melissa. Then I saw him hug her outside her house. I was convinced he was cheating on my mom.
I avoided him, heartbroken, until Melissa showed up at our door in tears. She explained that at my graduation, my dad noticed a mole on her back that looked dangerous. He urged her to get it checked — it turned out to be melanoma. He had been supporting her through diagnosis and appointments, and my mom already knew. He wasn’t having an affair; he was helping save her life.
I broke down apologizing to him, realizing I had misunderstood everything. I thought I was protecting my family — but he was quietly protecting someone who had no one else. And I’ve never been prouder to be his daughter.
