“File uploaded, sir.” “Good. Expect an upgrade to a class 6 office unit. You will also gain a 17% raise in your annual salary and a small bonus along with that.” “Thank you, sir.” Victor Robinson stared at his allotted monitor screen. “Dad, dad, look at this-” “Not now, sweetie. I’m busy.” His 7-year-old daughter had rushed into the room to show him a drawing she made. He simply didn’t have time for her. “But dad, you said you would be free.” “Well, I am not free, am I? I’ll come later.” “Ok.” She walked out of the room, disheartened. She waited for her father to come to finally look at her drawing but a few hours passed and he did not come. While she waited, she fell asleep. “Hey, Liz, I’m here.” Victor looked tired, drained. His shirt cuffs were unbuttoned and his tie was hanging around his neck awkwardly. “You wanted to show me something?” “Yes, yes! I have a drawing.” “Alright, show me.” “Follow me.” As Victor followed his daughter through the corridor, his phone rang. “One second, sweetie.” He walked around, conversing on his phone. “Yes, sir. I’ll get to it. Sorry Lizzie, dad’s got some work.” “Aw. You always keep working and you never have time for me.” Victor did not say anything and walked back into his workroom. A dim light could be seen inside and that was all Elizabeth saw before she went to her room to sleep.
Each day was like this, Victor working in a grey blur and Elizabeth never having a father to bond with. Victor would come out a few times, giving Elizabeth her food, helping her out with some homework and checking if she was healthy. In that sense, Victor was more like a nanny than a father. Simply feeding and being there for the sake of being there. He never stopped to smell the roses. Never stopped to experience things. His life was a blur and his mind was only made to work and work. Like a machine.
Days turned to weeks. Weeks to months. Elizabeth grew older. Victor became more absorbed in his work. He looked more like a shrivelled up creature, a shell of what he used to be. Elizabeth grew up sad and with no family she could turn to. A father she couldn’t love. Eventually, after two years of this, Victor was finally able to spare time. He came out of his room and he was surprised to see his home. “This…..has all changed. So much.” At that moment, Elizabeth walked out of her room and started cooking food for herself. “Sweetie, who taught you how to do that?” “I did”, replied Elizabeth with a strong coldness in her voice. “I see, I see. Isn’t your birthday tomorrow? What do you want?” “Father, my birthday was two months ago.” “Oh dear, I completely forgot, didn’t I? Well, you must be 8 years old then?” “Honestly, why are you even my father? I’m 9, dad. You missed two of my birthdays by sitting in front of that screen of yours. I’m so disappointed, dad.”
Hearing this, Victor’s head started spinning. He sat down, wondering what he had done. He had missed the growth of his daughter because of his work. He had missed milestones in her life. As he was accepting the gravity of the situation, he looked down to see a piece of paper. He picked it up and saw a drawing. It was that of a young girl holding her father’s hand and smiling. “For daddy”, it said. As Victor saw this, tears streamed down his face. He then understood his fault and rushed to hug Elizabeth. “Dear, I am so sorry. Please forgive me. I’ll spend time with you. I’ll never let you be alone.” And that day, Victor had realised the value of time. Especially time well spent and well allotted to life. And from that day on, Elizabeth and Victor, both were happier.
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