Daniel glanced at the box.
“That’s when you called about Dad’s belongings?”
She nodded.
I remembered that conversation.
“What changed?”
Carol had asked whether Daniel wanted anything else that had belonged to Michael.
My husband had said he already had his father’s watch.
“I found something Michael gave me on our first anniversary,” my MIL explained.
Daniel looked toward the box.
“I remember it.”
Carol had asked whether Daniel wanted anything else.
“I hadn’t touched it since your father died.”
My husband swallowed.
“Mom, you told me seeing it was too painful.”
“It was.”
She paused.
“But finding it reminded me of our marriage. Your father always made people feel welcome.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
My husband swallowed.
“The truth is, he would’ve hated how I treated Alma.”
I shifted in my chair.
“Carol, you didn’t just make me feel unwelcome. You criticized everything I did. You blamed me whenever Daniel couldn’t visit. And when I tried to explain how I felt, you said I was too sensitive.”
