Fulfilling their father’s last wish, two little girls visit his grave on his birthdayto show him their adorable outfits. Near the tombstone, they find two beautifully wrapped boxes with their names on them and a message that touches their hearts.

Iris, 6 years old, and Mariana, 8, missed their father, Brian. After his death, they hadn’t been sneaking cookies and ice cream from the kitchen at night, nor had they teamed up to annoy their mother. Without their dad, nothing was fun.

“You’re spoiling those girls, Brian!” their mother Linda used to say. “Besides, you always back them up when I tell them off — they steal cookies from the pantry!”

“I can’t help it, they’re adorable!” Brian would reply with a big smile. “Sorry, honey, you know I adore you, right?”

That was Brian — always balancing things out. He was a devoted family man. But after his death, something changed. Iris and Mariana were very quiet, and Linda, well, she struggled to accept his passing.

After all, her last memories with Brian were terrible. He deteriorated before her eyes, and she couldn’t help him. After the diagnosis, the end came quickly despite the medical staff’s efforts.

He died one early morning during sleep. The night before, he had insisted that the girls visit him in the hospital and stay with him until the very last moment. He probably sensed it was his last night with his little daughters. He also asked to speak to them alone.

“On my birthday, I want my girls to look as beautiful as possible, and I’m curious to see what they will wear. Do you promise to visit me and show me your beautiful outfits? You see, Dad might not be with you that day, but you have to promise me you will look your best,” were Brian’s last words that night.

He wasn’t coming back, and Linda was devastated. She couldn’t recover no matter how hard she tried. The girls, in their innocence, were stronger than her. The funeral had been especially hard; she couldn’t bear to think of him underground.

The day before his birthday, the girls asked their mother to take them shopping. They wanted to fulfill their father’s last wish.

“Mommy,” little Iris said, “Dad loved my pink dress. The one he gave me for my birthday that doesn’t fit me anymore. So I want one the same color.”

“Can you help me pick one, Mom?” Mariana suggested. “I want it to be Dad’s favorite color.”

“I don’t think I have time, girls,” Linda said, trying to avoid the subject. She was still too sad over Brian’s loss. She wasn’t ready for a fun shopping trip.

“But we have to visit Dad!” said Iris. “And he asked us to wear something beautiful on his birthday.”

Linda’s eyes filled with tears. She was so consumed by grief that she had forgotten Brian’s birthday.

“Did he tell you that?” Linda asked, her eyes full of tears.

“Yes, Dad wanted to see us in pretty dresses on his birthday. We have to visit him, Mommy,” said Iris. “Hurry! We have to go shopping!”

“When did he ask you that?” Linda wanted to know. “I didn’t know. I had no idea he had told you his last wish.”

“The last night we were with him, Mommy,” Mariana revealed. “He took our hands and said he wanted to see us in nice outfits on his birthday. I think we should do this for him. I know you’re sad, but would you take us?”

Then she came closer to her mother and whispered in her ear. “I know you miss Dad, but we have to do this for Iris. She’s really excited to wear a pink dress for Daddy.”

Mariana had always been a bright child. She understood things that kids her age would find hard to grasp. Finally, she convinced her mother.

“All right,” Linda said. “Let’s go shopping, girls! Let’s find the nicest outfits for Dad’s birthday!” Linda said, breaking down in tears, and her girls hugged her to comfort her.

“Don’t be sad, Mommy,” Mariana whispered, patting her mother’s back.

The next day, on Brian’s birthday, the girls dressed in their new outfits and walked hand in hand toward his grave. Linda walked behind them.

Once they stood in front of the tombstone, the girls noticed two beautifully wrapped boxes with their names on them, and a small tag on top said it was from Brian.

“Mommy!” Iris turned to Linda and said, “Look, Dad sent us gifts! Doesn’t he know we’re supposed to give him gifts? It’s his birthday!” and she laughed innocently.
Mariana looked at her mother, as if trying to understand what was happening. Who had left those gifts there?

“Surely it seemed like a great idea to him, Iris. Go ahead, open the boxes, girls,” Linda said with an encouraging smile. She could only imagine all the favors her husband had asked to surprise his daughters like this.

As the two girls unwrapped the boxes, Linda had to hide her tears. Iris smiled delightedly while Mariana cried for the first time since their father’s death.

Inside each box was a beautiful pair of shoes, and a letter from Brian to them.
“Shoes!” exclaimed Iris. “They’re so pretty, Mommy! My favorite color… pink!”

Some angels up here in heaven are amazed to see how beautiful you are! They say you are the most beautiful girls God has ever created. Daddy can see how lovely you look in your outfits, and he wanted you to also wear these beautiful shoes. I hope you like them.

You see, you can’t see me, but I will always be with you. I want you to keep being the same girls who used to raid the pantry for cookies, hiding from Mommy. The next time you visit me, I want to hear your fun stories.

I want you to be happy and smile every day. When you think of me, trust that I’m in a wonderful place and that, from here, I see you and take care of 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 hugged her little sister. She looked at her mother and thanked her for coming with them. The three held hands and felt the presence of their beloved husband and father around them, knowing he would always be with them.

Linda smiled and whispered, “I love you very much,” and inside, she thanked them for helping her overcome the pain and giving her the strength to live without Brian.

What can we learn from this story?
• Love bonds do not break with death: Brian can no longer be with his beloved family, but he will always be present in their hearts.

• Although it’s difficult to accept, life goes on after losing our loved ones: Although Linda wasn’t ready to visit Brian, she gathered the courage to do so because of her daughters’ insistence. It was the first step toward her new reality.