Chapter Text
I was 2 years old when my father left. At the time, my mother said "Daddy's going to be a hero; he's going to fight the bad guys!" So, as any child would, I was excited for my father. I and my mother stayed with my father's parents: Pop-Pop and Grammy.
At age 6, my mother died from an illness -one Pop-Pop refused to tell me. I remember typing a letter to a man I never met, hoping that my father would come to her funeral... He wouldn't ever be in my life.
At 13, Pop-Pop argued with my father over the phone. I remember the screaming from inside the house as I played in the fields. Some of it, I remember what Pop-Pop said. It was about my future and about someone named Gabrial. Grammy thought Pop-Pop would have a heart attack from how angry he was. Pop-Pop explained to me that night that I'd never see my father again, at least, not until I'm an adult. Strangely, I remember being okay with that.
When I was 20, my father died. I wasn't allowed near the funeral, nor were my grandparents. My grandmother sobbed and died of heartbreak a week after. She couldn't even see her son one last time. We -me and Pop-Pop- got all of my father's notes, files, and useless junk. We ended up burning most of it -out of anger, really.
At 24, Pop-Pop died. He held on strong to make sure I graduated college and was set to take on the world. But, with him gone, I didn't see a reason to stay in my small town or the farm. So, I packed up everything important to me and headed to Japan. I got a job as an accountant for a famous ramen shop in Hanamura. After 3 months of being there, I met the soon-to-be love of my life, Hanzo Shimada. Hanzo was about to be 31 when I met him -7 years my senior. But, I couldn't help but fall for the man. Despite the brooding, he was a really sensitive guy. He wasn't the greatest person, but the person who made me happy. After 6 months of knowing Hanzo, I asked him to date me... He said yes.
When I turned 27, Hanzo proposed to me atop the Eiffel Tower. Everything seemed so perfect, so special. I remember working completely online just so I could travel with this man, only to find myself stunned that he could hide such a beautiful ring from me. Instead of a diamond, the ring held a Morganite gemstone -soft pink that's comparable to a rose gold color. Of course, I said yes. We were married later that year in my small town, at the church Pop-Pop and Grammy married at. I thought my life was almost too perfect. But, that's what I get for such whimsical thoughts.