The serious damage from neglect was worsened by water damage to the foundation, and for the first three years of married life, he never took a proper day off. In those days, he was a plumber. He worked from 7 AM to 4 PM and then came home, where he usually worked, with breaks, until 8 PM.
He still vividly remembered the warmth he felt in his chest when his wife came home one day, looked at him with grateful eyes, and said how amazing the yard looked now after he had spent most of the week clearing several trees, with trunks as thick as his waist, from the front of the house.
With a smile, he remembered climbing up to repair the roof, and the rain didn't stop for more than a month. At least three times a week, he had to crawl on his knees to fix the new tarp when the old one was torn away by the wind. The problem was that in several places, the plywood was so rotten it barely held nails, not to mention much smaller staples.
Not long after this, he and his wife were devastated when they found out she couldn't have children. It was painful, and looking back, he felt ashamed of how hard he took the news. But now it didn't matter much, Bill thought. After some time, they decided to adopt children, eventually adopting two little siblings and later an older child. Initially, it was difficult, especially with the older one. However, he told his son what his father had repeatedly told him: simply that he loved him and was proud of him when he did the right thing.
Bill grew up believing in the American Dream—a dream his father had paid for with blood—and he believed that if he worked hard, everything would work out. He instilled the same values in his new children. As a result, they not only accepted him as their father but also accepted themselves.
"And they accepted," he quietly confirmed.
His life was peaceful: living close to the center of a powerful and law-abiding country, he almost never feared for his personal safety. A drunk hooligan or a driver in a fit of road rage—that was all that usually worried the residents of a small town in America.
At the very least, he knew how lucky he was to live and raise a family in such a place and was grateful for it.
Then he froze because his vision was completely distorted. He watched as objects twisted back and forth, moving to and fro. Seeing the world in such a warped state was shocking. Yet, despite this, he wasn't afraid, didn't try to call for help, and didn't feel sadness.
As if on cue, when he spoke his last words, the world exploded into a symphony of colors and unrecognizable shapes.
"I'm coming, dear."