You\u2019re spoiling those girls, Brian!\u201d their mother Linda used to exclaim.<\/p>\n
\u201cBesides, you always support them when I scold them \u2014 they take cookies from the pantry!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI cannot help it, they\u2019re adorable!\u201d Brian would reply. \u201cI apologize, honey, you know I adore you, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
That was Brian \u2014 always seeking equilibrium. He was a devoted family man. But after his passing, something shifted. Iris and Mariana became very quiet, and Linda, well, she struggled to accept his absence.<\/p>\n
Her last memories with Brian were difficult. He deteriorated before her eyes, and she was helpless. After his diagnosis, the end came swiftly despite the medical staff\u2019s efforts. \nHe passed away one early morning during sleep.<\/p>\n
The night before, he had expressed a wish that the girls visit him in the hospital and stay with him until his final moments. He likely sensed it was his last night with his little daughters. He also requested to speak to them alone.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn my birthday, I want my girls to appear as beautiful as possible, and I am eager to see what they will wear. Do you promise to visit me and display your lovely outfits? You see, Dad might not be physically present that day, but you must promise me you will look your very best,\u201d were Brian\u2019s final words that night.<\/p>\n
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He was not returning, and Linda was devastated. She could not recover, no matter her efforts. The girls, in their innocence, demonstrated greater resilience than her. The funeral had been particularly arduous; she could not bear the thought of him underground.<\/p>\n
The day before his birthday, the girls asked their mother to take them shopping. They wished to fulfill their father\u2019s last request.<\/p>\n
\u201cMommy,\u201d little Iris said, \u201cDad loved my pink dress. The one he gave me for my birthday that no longer fits. So I desire one in the same color.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan you assist me in choosing one, Mom?\u201d Mariana added. \u201cI wish it to be Dad\u2019s favorite color.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI do not believe I have time, girls,\u201d Linda responded. She remained overwhelmed by Brian\u2019s loss. She was not ready for a cheerful shopping excursion.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we must visit Dad!\u201d Iris insisted.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd he asked us to wear something beautiful on his birthday.\u201d<\/p>\n
Linda\u2019s eyes welled with tears. She was so consumed by grief that she had forgotten Brian\u2019s birthday.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid he communicate that to you?\u201d Linda inquired.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, Dad wanted to see us in pretty dresses on his birthday. We must visit him, Mommy,\u201d Iris stated. \u201cHurry! We need to go shopping!\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u201cWhen did he convey that wish?\u201d Linda pressed. \u201cI was unaware. I had no idea he had expressed his final desire to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe last night we were with him, Mommy,\u201d Mariana shared. \u201cHe held our hands and said he wished to see us in nice outfits on his birthday. I believe we should do this for him. I know you are sad, but would you take us?\u201d<\/p>\n
Then she approached her mother and murmured in her ear.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know you miss Dad, but we must do this for Iris. She is truly eager to wear a pink dress for Daddy.\u201d \nMariana had always been a perceptive child.<\/p>\n
She comprehended matters that children her age often found challenging. Ultimately, she persuaded her mother.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlright,\u201d Linda said. \u201cLet\u2019s go shopping, girls! Let\u2019s find the most beautiful outfits for Dad\u2019s birthday!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo not be sad, Mommy,\u201d Mariana murmured.<\/p>\n
The next day, on Brian\u2019s birthday, the girls dressed in their new outfits and walked hand in hand toward his grave.<\/p>\n
Upon reaching the tombstone, the girls discovered two beautifully wrapped boxes with their names on them, and a small tag on top indicated they were from Brian.<\/p>\n
\u201cMommy!\u201d Iris turned to Linda and exclaimed, \u201cLook, Dad sent us gifts! Does he not know we are supposed to give him gifts? It\u2019s his birthday!\u201d and she laughed innocently.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt certainly seemed like a wonderful idea to him, Iris. Proceed, open the boxes, girls,\u201d Linda said.<\/p>\n
As the two girls unwrapped the boxes, Linda struggled to suppress her tears. Iris smiled cheerfully, while Mariana wept for the first time since their father\u2019s passing.<\/p>\n
Inside each box was a beautiful pair of shoes, and a letter from Brian addressed to them.<\/p>\n
\u201cShoes!\u201d exclaimed Iris. \u201cThey\u2019re so pretty, Mommy! My favorite color\u2026 pink!\u201d<\/p>\n
Some angels here in heaven are astounded by your beauty! They say you are the most beautiful girls God has ever created. Daddy observes how lovely you appear in your outfits, and he wished for you to also wear these beautiful shoes. I hope they bring you joy.<\/p>\n
I want you to continue being the same girls who used to raid the pantry for cookies, concealing yourselves from Mommy. The next time you visit me, I wish to hear your joyful stories.<\/p>\n
I want you to be happy and smile every day. When you remember me, trust that I am in a wonderful place, and from here, I see you and care for you.<\/p>\n
Thank you for visiting me and wishing me a happy birthday, girls. Daddy loves you with all his heart.<\/p>\n
When Mariana finished reading the letter aloud, she embraced her little sister.<\/p>\n
She looked at her mother and thanked her for accompanying them. The three held hands and sensed the presence of their beloved husband and father around them, knowing he would always be with them.<\/p>\n
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Linda smiled and murmured, \u201cI love you very much,\u201d and inwardly, she expressed gratitude for their help in alleviating her suffering and providing the encouragement to live without Brian.<\/p>\n