Emma didn't say anything. She just listened, her eyes hardening a little more with every word he spoke.
"That was the whole reason," her father continued, "why I wanted all of us to come together."
His voice grew heavier, like he was carrying the weight of a thousand lies.
"I thought... if we could all meet, if we could all sit under one roof like before, maybe we could leave the misunderstandings behind."
He paused, waiting to see if Emma would say anything, she didn't, he pressed on, his voice dropping into something softer, more pitiful.
"I think..." he said slowly, "I think everybody is sorry, Emma. Truly sorry for what happened... and for how things have been between us."
Emma tightened her fingers around her phone, feeling the coldness of it bite into her skin.
"If you would just..." her father pleaded, "if you would just allow your bitterness to go..."
He took another heavy breath.
