Travis was a quiet man who preferred working with farmers to speaking in front of crowds.
Now hundreds of people were watching him.
He raised the microphone.
His hand trembled.
“My name is Travis Brandt,” he began. “I’ve been Kaylee’s stepfather for nine years.”
He paused.
“Tuesday night, she asked me to walk her onto this court. And I told her no.”
The room became silent.
“I told her that honor belonged to real fathers.”
He glanced down.
“I thought I was respecting a place that belonged to somebody else. I’ve spent nine years worrying that I didn’t have the right to call myself her dad.”
Then he turned toward Kaylee.
His voice cracked.
“But I was wrong.”
He swallowed.
“I’ve been showing up for you for nine years, Kay. I’ve been your dad in all the ways that matter. I just never had the courage to say it.”
