It was 2007, the perfect beach day for four year old Brett. She found herself captivated by the kite her dad was attempting to set sail in the distance, she watched as her mom sat by the ocean calmly watching the almost non-existent waves crash upon the shore. This was the first time Brett and her parents had ever gone to the beach to fly kites. It felt feverish in a way, both her parents and Bretts little brother at home with a babysitter. She never got to spend time like this alone with her parents. However, as a four year old these thoughts didnt come to mind when fixated on a kite taking wind. Bretts parents helped her getting her kite to set sail in the wind. It was just as Brett was at her happiest feeling accomplished with herself that her mother told her something in secret, that most four year olds wouldnt comprehend. Her mom picked her up and held her close, as if it was their last hug for a long time. She whispered in her ear “dont ever let your kite hit the ground, even if you think you want it to, make it keep flying”. This meant little to nothing to Brett at the time, obviously her kite would have to come down eventually, she assumed her mom was making some sort of joke. Brett and her parents spent the rest of the day at the beach making sand castles, swimming, and laying out by the water. This was and forever will be Bretts version of her perfect day. 

It was only two days later and Brett was on her bedroom floor hanging on by a thread to all she ever knew in life. Bretts mom had come into her room for her nightly bedtime story but instead of the fiction book she expected to have read to her, her mom gave her a non-fiction story of Bretts life, that was about to change forever. Her mom explained that sometimes in life you fall out of love with people, and while her mom would never stop loving Brett, she fell out of love with her dad, who Brett cherished. With Brett being only four years old, lots of follow up questions were asked. “Where would she live? Will she ever see her dad again? What about her little brother?” Bretts mom reassured her in as many ways possible, but it still felt like the end of the world. She was now responsible for making sure her younger brother understood why their parents werent living together anymore, as well as understand it herself. Within a matter of two days Bretts life went from the perfect family of four spending their days on the beach, to feeling as if she was suffocating in her own house. 

It was seven years later… it would be everyones hope to say that Brett grew into a beautiful young girl, smart, with countless ambitions, but this was the furthest thing from reality at the time. Brett spent the majority of her weekdays at home. Alone. She spent her time suspended from school, wether it was for fighting, screaming, running away, disrespecting adults, the reasons changed each day. Brett was unbothered. The previous week she had been suspended for an altercation she had with a boy in the hallway. Brett was walking to the bathroom when a guy she recognized but didnt know approached her and pushed her against a locker. Brett knew with her past punishments being lenient with only, in-school suspension her next move needed to be picked wisely. The boy would not remove his hand from her shoulders. He kept repeating “just listen to me, stop moving, stop resisting”. Brett was known for her lack of fear when fighting her classmates. She was clearly a seasoned instigator. However, in this moment Brett was truly scared for her life. She did the one thing she knew she could do without causing physical harm. Brett ripped the boys phone from his hand and launched it ten feet into the adjacent wall, shattering into a million pieces. She booked it. Brett didnt get far before her principal caught her on the way out of the building and not even half an hour later she was sitting comfortably in the principals office, alongside her mom. Clearly she did not get in school suspension this time, considering she was now spending her Monday raking leaves in her backyard. She still would choose chores over school any day. Brett knew the things people said about her; she was a troublemaker, a nuisance to her mother, she had no future ahead of her. This only fueled the spark to her fire that no one understood the reasoning behind. To others her life was perfect. She lived in a huge house (too big for a family of three) and had two dogs, attended a private middle school, with a working mom, and a full time nanny. What more could a twelve year old girl want?

Oh right, a dad. 

Brett hadnt seen her dad in seven years. Her last memory of him was blurred, but also too vivid. She remembers spending time with him on the beach fishing, and flying kites. They loved to fish it was their shared hobby. She hadnt fished since he left. Brett didnt mind telling people her dad left them, she used it almost too carelessly. Brett held no shame in admitting her dad had no problem leaving his entire family behind with no final goodbye. People began to accept this part of her as normal, and not something to consider as an issue or even an underlying reason for Bretts outbursts. It was just what it sounded like. Bretts dad left their family, and she was fine, so dont ask about it. 

There was just one thing Brett was hiding from everyone in her life.

Upon venturing in her attic a meer five years ago Brett stumbled upon a box the size of her, labeled “RICK”. Rick was her dads name, she only knew this because she saw it on her birth certificate one time. So this massive box only meant one thing. It most likely contained the only items left to show of her dads utter existence in her family. Without much hesitation Brett tore the box open, careful to ensure that it would be returned the way she found it. Her mother would kill her for doing this, and she knew that. Brett rummaged through countless books, pictures, toys, and at the very bottom of the box something finally caught her eye. 

A small guitar, a small pink guitar, with a bow on it.

Brett assumed this was a gift to someone. However, the pieces didnt click until the following year when she decided to try to use the guitar. Her dad had left a few months before her fifth birthday, and she recalled idolizing her dad as he strummed his Martin guitar in their family room on Saturday evenings. This guitar was going to be hers, he was going to teach her. But he left. 

The guitar was the piece of hope that Brett had for her fathers leaving. It showed her that he didnt plan to leave them. He bought her a gift months in advance, he obviously wanted to stay. She didnt tell anyone this though, especially not her little brother who was convinced her dad was just lost somewhere or being held captive. 

Brett would spend her solemn days at home in her room teaching herself to play her little pink guitar. She had gotten pretty good at learning by ear. She could turn on the radio in her room and play the chords to any song that came on. Brett was talented, wether she wanted to admit it or not. This was her hidden talent that she refused to showcase, out of fear of her mother. Even though, she was much older now she was still terrified of her moms reaction to Brett stealing a past birthday gift from her long lost father. That was until she started hearing things at night. 

At 10pm every night, for the past fifteen days Brett would hear a guitar being played almost directly outside of her window. 

The day of October 15 was the last day Brett was suspended from school for her past altercations. She spent her day doing chores, and playing guitar. She went upon her usual nightly routine, and right as she began to dose off the guitar strumming began from outside of her window. Except this time it was different, it was getting louder and louder with each chord. Brett always assumed this nonsense was a neighbors nightly show, or kids getting sang a bedtime song. These thoughts were rudely interrupted with a subtle knock on her front door. Brett hesitated before arising to get the door, remembering that her mom was still at work, and her brother had been asleep for hours now. “Was this the safe decision?” She wondered. 

She assented down the stairs, slowly. No one has ever knocked on their door before from what she could remember. I mean, the occasional mail man, amazon delivery, or babysitter that eventually left running. It was just so late, what could this possibly be about. She opened the door hesitantly, but felt as if she had just opened the door to the rest of her life. Her dad. Rick. It was her dad that had left her all those years ago. He was standing right in front of her face. Holding a guitar. He did not say a word. Neither did she. They just stared at each other for what felt like minutes. They both had so many questions for one another, yet neither of them could utter a word out of their mouths. Brett did what she always does best and shut the door on the feelings she was about to endure. Brett shut the door on her long lost dad and walked back upstairs to her safe place in her room. Brett never did see her dad again after that night, she never told anyone either. She knew in her heart that she did the right thing, if he wanted to be apart of their family he would have tried earlier and he never did. From then on, Bretts behavior changed drastically. She became excited about school, and being around other people her age. She cherished her relationships with her mom and brother and felt grateful for all the love they gave her. Brett may never know why her dad came knocking that day, but she felt as if all her questions were answered the day she shut the door.