All About A Box
"I've had enough of this! If you don't show her what's inside that box, then I will! I'm not saying it twice!" her father yelled. She heard her mom begging and pleading with him not to, sobbing.
That's when it all started. Her dad disappeared without a trace the next morning. From then on, nothing would ever be the same.
Burning Memory
She could never forget that day. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't let go of that memory or forgive her mother: she and her dad were yelling at each other about that old box, and she didn't know what was going on.
For years, she would resent and blame her mother for what she had done. But then she found out the horrifying truth, and the puzzle pieces started fitting together.
The Day Everything Changed
Samantha recalled it vividly: it happened when she was just eleven years old. Up until then, her parents seemed to have a peaceful, loving relationship.
They seemed to get along beautifully, and Samantha couldn't remember any fight between them before that episode. But every family has its skeletons in the closet, and Samantha would learn this the hard way.
She Trusted Her
Up until that moment, Samantha could have never distrusted her mother. She couldn't even conceive that she would be able to lie or conceal something from her. She thought of her as the very image of fairness and honesty.
However, that single episode shattered everything she thought she knew about her mother. After that, she felt like there was no way that she could ever trust her.
Nothing Was The Same
After all, for all Samantha knew, it was her mom who caused her dad's sudden disappearance. And this hurt Samantha to no end. It was absolute, fervent love what Samantha felt for her dad.
Her mom would usually be the voice of reason, and she was always making sure that everything worked fine in the house. But her dad was just the sweetest person ever: he would indulge her in her every wish, laugh with her, and teach her new games. When he was gone, it was like someone ripped a piece off Samantha's soul.
Her World Came Down Crumbling
Samantha's whole world came falling apart that day. All she knew was that her parents had a very heated argument about some old box that Samantha had found in the basement.
Her mom told her to go into her room, but she could hear bits of the argument from there. Apparently, her dad wanted to let her know what was inside the box; but her mom seemed very keen on not doing so.
Heated Disagreement
"She's too young to understand! Please, Mike, don't do it!" she heard her mom sobbing. But Samantha's dad wasn't giving up. The argument lasted for hours, and Samantha ended up falling asleep.
And when she woke up the next day, nothing was the same. From then on, the relationship between her and her mom would remain tainted forever.
Her Dad Was Gone
The following day, Samantha's father wasn't there. At first, Samantha couldn't believe it; she thought he would end up coming back, or at least reaching. He couldn't just abandon her like that. But he did.
And from that moment, a fierce resentment for her mom took over Samantha. How could she leave her fatherless out of just a petty discussion about a box?
But Why?
And every time she tried to confront her mom about the matter and ask her why her dad left, she would respond the same: "We're better off without that man in our lives. You'll understand when you grow up."
She also tried to ask her about the box. Yet every time, her mother would also give her the same response over and over:
Her Mom’s Response
"I can't tell you about it. You're too young to understand. I'd rather have you hate me now than let you know about it."
For years after that, Samantha resented her mother. For all she knew, she had done something terrible that she had been trying to conceal from her, which ultimately caused her dad's disappearance and the family's demise. But what could it be?
She Cut Her Off
When she turned 18, Samantha moved out against her mother's wishes and cut off all forms of communication with her. That woman had left her fatherless and lost; and to make things worse, she still didn't even know what she was hiding in that box.
So she carried on with her own life away from her mother: she graduated while working as a waitress, got a job as a Marketing Assistant, and met someone whom she ended up marrying. Her mom wasn't even invited to the wedding.
Radio Silence
Samantha's mom tried to reach out for years, yet she would keep ignoring all of her attempts. She ignored her calls, her letters, and didn't even let her inside her house. She just couldn't forget what she had done to her.
But one day, she received one letter that would change everything. That letter would finally make her understand why her mother had acted that way.
The Letter
The letter was from a distant relative who informed her that her mom had passed away. It also included a last note from Samantha's mom dedicated to her daughter in which she told her the whole truth.
As she kept reading, Samantha felt the tears coming to her eyes. And when she was done, all she could do was sit on the floor and bawl. This is what the note said:
Confession
"Samantha, I always wanted to be a mother, but I had fertility issues. I wasn't allowed to adopt because I was single. So I paid a man to pretend to be my husband and faked a whole marriage. All the documents were hidden in that box" the letter explained.
"He didn't use his real name on our marriage certificate and had a fake ID. Still, it worked. The agency let us adopt you, and everything was fine at first. But then he started asking for more money and threatened to tell you the truth."
The Whole Truth
"I couldn't take it anymore. I kicked him out and annulled our marriage. I was always too scared of telling you, even when you resented me after he left. I'm sorry. I should have told you the truth. Please know that no matter what happened in the past, I loved you always."
Now, Samantha knew that she had been wrong about her mom all along. She looked up to the sky and prayed that she would be able to forgive her from heaven.