When I married Claire, a single mum with two cute girls, I didn’t think I would find out a shocking family secret. But that’s exactly what took place. When we were together, everything seemed great, but the girls would often talk about how strange the basement was.
While I was spending more time with the family, I noticed that the girls would sometimes talk about their late father. But they talked about him like he was still here with us. Even though I was confused and worried, I didn’t press the matter.
Emma asked me to go see their dad one day while Claire was at work and the girls were sick at home. I was shocked, but I went down with them. The air got colder and smelt like mould as we went down the steps that were shaking.
There was a small table in the corner of the room with some yellow flowers, crayons, and an urn on it. She looked at the urn and said, “That’s Daddy.” I did not know what to say because I was shocked.
But when I looked at the girls, I saw love and innocence. Their father had a special place set aside for him, and they went there every day. I saw that they weren’t trying to be creepy or sad; they just wanted to be close to their dad.
I told Claire everything when she got home. Though she was upset, she told them that she had put the urn in the basement to help them deal with their grief. Now, though, she knew it was time to move on and find a better way to remember their dad.
Next day, we moved the urn to the living room and made a spot just for it. Claire told the girls that their dad wasn’t in the box, but always in their hearts and minds. We started a new practice of lighting a candle and telling stories about their dad. The girls seemed to get it.
Being thankful filled my heart as I looked at my family. I knew I wasn’t there to take the place of their father, but to add to the love they already had for each other. As we talked about old times and told stories, I felt like I had found my place in this family.
