To the Grandfather the never existed

To the Grandfather that never existed, Its Katie… Your eldest granddaughter. Not that you care; evidence provided by nineteen years of no attempted contact from you. Your father just died, I know. Upon my mothers return from the funeral, I was less than interested in news of how you were doing. I hope you take offense in the fact that I bare no sympathy in your impending death. Cancer has found its way into your body, and I cannot help but believe you deserve it. Be that as it may, I found this moment in which you reentered my thoughts to be a glorious opportunity. I have never understood how someone could be so heartless as to walk away from their own family. Let alone someone as genuinely beautiful as my mother. And as an extension of that, my brother and I. I want to let you know that we are doing fine without you. I am currently attending the University of Michigan Penny W. Stamps school of Art and Design and I am happier than I have ever been. By going to art school I am pursuing my dream and I will let nothing stand in my way. I am proud and too stubborn, perhaps traits I inherited from you. Understand that when you die I will be sad, not because I did not get the chance to know you, but that you had not taken the chance to know me. For I pride myself in my ability to love unconditionally, something I am certain I did not inherit from you. Do not mistake the words I am saying now as hate, because I do love you. But I do not like you. For reasons I am sure have been elaborated on enough already. This is not the first letter I have written to you, but never have they been postmarked. I hope that your eyes will never see the words that cover this page now. Instead I intend on laying an envelope upon your casket. As much as I want you to know what I have to say about our relationship, I know it will come to no avail. That surely you do not care about my opinions. But I will do this in hopes that in death, you will have just a few moments to spare in which you can read it. My intentions are not to make you feel bad for what you have done. More, I wish for you to recognize that I am a human capable of love, hate, fear and passion. I know it has been easy for you to pretend that I do not exist and I will not lie; it has been easy for me too. But death does profound things to our ways of thinking, and the idea that your days are limited upon this earth has me quite thoughtful. Rest in Peace, The granddaughter that never existed.