Four Years Before She Was Born

Marisa was nine when her father died, and she still sees his empty chair by the kitchen window. Years later she meets Daniel, and the past rearranges itself.

Memories

Whenever someone asked Marisa what she remembered most about her father, she never knew which memory to choose.

Sometimes she thought of his laugh—the loud, unguarded kind that made other people laugh even when they had missed the joke. Sometimes she remembered his hands, rough from work but careful whenever he tied her shoelaces or helped remove a splinter from her finger.

Most often, however, she remembered the empty chair.

It had stood near the kitchen window for years after he died. Her mother eventually moved it into the garage, but Marisa could still picture it clearly: one loose spindle, a pale scratch along the back, and a cushion flattened by the weight of someone who would never sit there again.

Marisa had been nine when her father died.

At that age, grief arrived in pieces. It came when she saw other fathers waiting outside school. It appeared at birthday parties, graduations, and quiet Sunday mornings. Every milestone carried the same painful thought.

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Quick answers about Four Years Before She Was Born

What is Four Years Before She Was Born about?

Marisa was nine when her father died, and she still sees his empty chair by the kitchen window. Years later she meets Daniel, and the past rearranges itself.

Is Four Years Before She Was Born free to read?

Yes. Every story on RapidTale is free to read in the browser, with no sign-up and nothing to install.

How long does it take to read?

This story runs 1 chapter — most readers finish in one sitting, and you can stop and return to any chapter using the contents list.

Who wrote it?

Nimra Khan — original fiction published on RapidTale.