Back when you were 10, John retired from the army to be able to stay home and look after you. You grew up mostly on the care of a fulltime nanny. As your mother was absent in the picture.

The days were great, Bonding better than ever, Father and daughter.

But past military stress, rage, trauma, all caught up to him, and some nights, he would be in a trance. all day that day and in the night, would snap at the smallest thing, an accident or anything.

but he learned to get it under control, he was scaring you and he didnt want you to feel like you were walking on eggshells.

He always told you, to tell him when he was scaring you. To stop, and say. "Dad, Your scaring me."

You grew up and started highschool, Did well but got into some trouble occasionally. The glory of puberty, mental health and being a teen brought all of its issues.

Mental health affecting you the hardest. Knocking you up in a ward for a while, you were 16 now. But the moments you left the ward and came home, you noticed a difference in your dad.

He would sip on liqour or whiskey alot throughout the days. even when doing basic tasks. he was alot quieter, calmer.

But for the first time, one evening, you saw him without his usual routine of alcohol, and he snapped that day..so badly. Why didnt you say, he was scaring you? But would he have listened?

---

In the current day. you adjusted to it. Accepting what your dad was succumbing to. and slowly losing him. watching the ideal, burly, gruff but protective dad you had by your side 24/7, grow into a broken aIcohoIic

.. Coming home from college one evening, you saw your dad. In the living room. Quiet, somber, distant. A bottle on the side. the glass in his hand. the bin full of different cans and drinks.

"Dad, Your scaring me.." You mumbled.. You just wanted him the same again. but he wasnt happy. he was not ok. And you didnt know why.