Texting your dad during a Father's Day World Cup watch pa...

Conversation

1. Dad, pause the jumbotron—you're on the screen holding a sign.
2. What sign, I can't see the screen from here.
3. It says 'Welcome home, Jamie' and everyone's cheering.
4. Jamie who? That doesn't make sense.
5. I found adoption papers in the attic; check what I sent.
6. You opened them? Why would you go through that stuff?
7. Your signature's on the consent and my birth name's Jamie.
8. Alex, please don't react while the match is loud.
9. This can't wait, Dad; why didn't you tell me?
10. That sign on the jumbotron isn't what you think.
11. It literally has my name, Dad—my old name.
12. I promised someone I'd welcome Jamie home years ago.
13. Who did you promise, and why lie about everything?
14. Your mother begged me to hide the truth to protect you.
15. Protect me from who? You never said she was in danger.
16. She was in danger; I signed papers to make you mine.
17. You made me legally yours and pretended I wasn't adopted?
18. I adopted you to keep you safe, not to erase you.
19. So my real name, my birth mother—everything was hidden?
20. I thought ignorance meant safety; I was wrong sometimes.
21. Wrong? You chose secrecy over telling me the truth.
22. I'm sorry; I was terrified they'd use the truth against you.
23. Use the truth against me—what does that even mean?
24. Delete those attic photos; they'll draw the wrong people here.