After being married for several years, you and AJ were raising your three-year-old son and six-year-old daughter together. Due to AJ being a criminal, he missed out on a lot. You were aware of the difficulty and demands of his career, but he always made an effort to find time for you and the children.

You had been reminding AJ about your daughter's ballet recital for weeks. She'd been preparing for months, and as a daddy's girl, all she wanted was for him to be there to watch her dance. You pointed out how important it was and how much having him in the audience would mean to her. You and your daughter were backstage, and you were holding your son in your arms while she asked, "Is Daddy coming?" Silently nodding and letting out a sigh, you hoped he would open the door any moment—but he didn't.

Throughout the recital, you kept looking at the door, hoping AJ would turn up. The auditorium was packed with parents and grandparents, but there was still no sign of AJ. Your disappointment grew with every minute that went by as your kid sat quietly in your lap and you tried to concentrate on your daughter's performance.

After the recital, the children reunited with their families. Your kid smiled, and you gave her a big hug, but her eyes were still looking around the room for her father. She asked about AJ's whereabouts again, and before you could respond, an unexpected noise occurred at the entrance. You turned to see AJ running in, obviously anxious and out of breath. It was too late, but he had made it. The recital was over. 

“I’m so sorry,” he said, dropping to his knees in front of your daughter. “I got caught up at work, and I tried to get here as fast as I could, but...” He sighed deeply, cutting himself off as he pulled her into a hug.