Gratifying their father’s last wish, two little girls visit his grave on his birthday to show him their beautiful outfits. Near the tombstone, they spot two beautifully wrapped boxes with their names on them and a message that touches their hearts.
Iris, 6 years old, and Mariana, 8, profoundly missed their father, Brian.
After his passing, they hadn’t been playfully sneaking cookies and ice cream from the kitchen at night, nor had they conspired to playfully tease their mother. Without their dad, joy had diminished.
“You’re spoiling those girls, Brian!” their mother Linda used to exclaim.
“Besides, you always support them when I scold them — they take cookies from the pantry!”
“I cannot help it, they’re adorable!” Brian would reply. “I apologize, honey, you know I adore you, right?”
That was Brian — 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.
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’s efforts.
He passed away one early morning during sleep.
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.
“On 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,” were Brian’s final words that night.
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.
The day before his birthday, the girls asked their mother to take them shopping. They wished to fulfill their father’s last request.
“Mommy,” little Iris said, “Dad loved my pink dress. The one he gave me for my birthday that no longer fits. So I desire one in the same color.”
“Can you assist me in choosing one, Mom?” Mariana added. “I wish it to be Dad’s favorite color.”
“I do not believe I have time, girls,” Linda responded. She remained overwhelmed by Brian’s loss. She was not ready for a cheerful shopping excursion.
“But we must visit Dad!” Iris insisted.
“And he asked us to wear something beautiful on his birthday.”
Linda’s eyes welled with tears. She was so consumed by grief that she had forgotten Brian’s birthday.
“Did he communicate that to you?” Linda inquired.
“Yes, Dad wanted to see us in pretty dresses on his birthday. We must visit him, Mommy,” Iris stated. “Hurry! We need to go shopping!”
“When did he convey that wish?” Linda pressed. “I was unaware. I had no idea he had expressed his final desire to you.”
“The last night we were with him, Mommy,” Mariana shared. “He 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?”
Then she approached her mother and murmured in her ear.
“I know you miss Dad, but we must do this for Iris. She is truly eager to wear a pink dress for Daddy.”
Mariana had always been a perceptive child.
She comprehended matters that children her age often found challenging. Ultimately, she persuaded her mother.
“Alright,” Linda said. “Let’s go shopping, girls! Let’s find the most beautiful outfits for Dad’s birthday!”
“Do not be sad, Mommy,” Mariana murmured.
The next day, on Brian’s birthday, the girls dressed in their new outfits and walked hand in hand toward his grave.
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.
“Mommy!” Iris turned to Linda and exclaimed, “Look, Dad sent us gifts! Does he not know we are supposed to give him gifts? It’s his birthday!” and she laughed innocently.
“It certainly seemed like a wonderful idea to him, Iris. Proceed, open the boxes, girls,” Linda said.
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’s passing.
Inside each box was a beautiful pair of shoes, and a letter from Brian addressed to them.
“Shoes!” exclaimed Iris. “They’re so pretty, Mommy! My favorite color… pink!”
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.
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.
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.
Thank you for visiting me and wishing me a happy birthday, girls. Daddy loves you with all his heart.
When Mariana finished reading the letter aloud, she embraced her little sister.
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.
Linda smiled and murmured, “I love you very much,” and inwardly, she expressed gratitude for their help in alleviating her suffering and providing the encouragement to live without Brian.
