Far away from Andromeda's heartfelt confession to her bedroom, Sitting alone on the balcony of his beach house, Tonrie Aklas watched the waves roll in, the ocean stretching endlessly before him under the bright sun.
"Hey, Dad," he murmured, a wistful sigh escaping his lips. "I wish you were here to see this." His fingers toyed with a pin he'd acquired from Phantasma World, a small trinket that held memories of happier times.
Thoughts of his mother intruded upon the memory of his father, stirring up a mixture of emotions within him. "And you, Mom," he muttered, addressing the absent figure in his life. "What are you up to now?"
Memories flooded Tonrie's mind, transporting him back to his childhood. His mother's departure when he was just in 8th grade left a void in his life, one that his father struggled to fill. From a loving parent, Tonrie's father spiraled into darkness, becoming an abusive presence in his life.
