“Says here your biological mother…” He cleared his throat. “Is deceased. Sorry, that’s all I know.”

Her shoulders collapsed. “My father?”

He knew about her foster care treatment. He knew her need for a father. Now he could be for her what he couldn’t be eighteen years ago.

“Again, I’m sorry.” He averted her gaze. “It says father unknown.”

K: Wow. You guys are really going for the jugular. This is a lot to ask of a 59-word story, again, but I think it was done as well as it possibly could have been at this length and it’s even better on a second read. BRONZE

MD: Curious. She went to a…private detective? An adoption agency? And the person she’s speaking to just happened to be her long lost father? The word limit is somewhat of a handicap, but I do like the emotional tug that comes from realizing this man wussed out again and that the girl will go on living with the mystery. SILVER

W: Ouch, that’s rough. This story had earned the sappy ending, but then went in the opposite direction. I think I would like it more without the last paragraph and leaving it ambiguous but mostly positive.

I’ve fallen into a tie for fourth place with four weeks left.