Daddy’s Side Of The Story

You walk in with your jaw set tight

Eyes like you’ve been choosing sides

I see her words still on your phone

Like carved-in stone

Like they’re your own

If you only knew Daddy’s side of the story

All the nights I drove around so you could sleep and not hear the fight

If you only knew all the things I never told you

How many times I took the blame just to keep your world all right

You think I walked away so easy

But you don’t see what I had to carry

If you only knew Daddy’s side of the story

You heard I missed your big first game

Truth is I was outside in the rain

Judge called late

Said I was done

Had your name on every tongue

If you only knew Daddy’s side of the story

All the doors that slammed on me while I was trying not to slam my fist

If you only knew every letter that came back to me

Every birthday on the calendar that I marked and somehow still missed

You think I chose the quiet distance

But I was shouting through the limits

If you only knew Daddy’s side of the story

I’m not asking you to hate her

I’m not asking you to choose

I’m just standing in this kitchen

With a whole life you could lose

If you only knew Daddy’s side of the story

How I kept your picture in my truck so I could talk to you at red lights

If you only knew I built a room you’ve never seen

Painted walls your favorite color from that summer when you were five

You think I’m just a faded chapter

But I’ve been here through every after

If you only knew Daddy’s side of the story