After my wife Sarah passed away, I never thought I’d feel joy like that again. Grief settled into my days like a heavy fog. Everything felt muted—until Amelia entered our lives.
Amelia was kind, patient, and quietly brought warmth back into our home. What surprised me most was how quickly my five-year-old daughter, Sophie, bonded with her. The first time they met was at the park. Sophie didn’t want to leave the swing set. Amelia knelt beside her and said with a smile, “If you swing high enough, you might touch the clouds.” Sophie lit up, laughing as Amelia gently pushed her higher. Something changed in that moment—I saw hope flicker back into both our lives.
Eventually, Amelia and I got married, and we moved into a beautiful old house she had inherited. The place was something out of a storybook, with tall ceilings and carved wood details. Sophie called her room “a princess room” and asked to paint it purple. Amelia said, “We’ll pick the perfect shade together.” It felt like a fresh start for all of us.
Then I had to leave for a short work trip.
Before I left, Amelia handed me a travel mug and said, “We’ll be fine—just a fun girls’ week. Nail polish, bedtime stories, all the essentials.”
Continue reading on next page…