Hidden In The Dirt
When Thad decided to visit his parents’ home that summer, he’d only wanted to spend time with his dad, visit his mom’s memorial garden and introduce everyone to Janice, his soul mate.
But he hadn’t spent a day there before a vivid dream woke him up in the night. Drenched in sweat, he went out with a shovel in hand. He’d seen his mom frequent that spot in the garden for many years before her passing. Tonight he’d find out why.
Thad Coleman
Thad Coleman was your average twenty-nine-year-old living in Jacksonville, Florida. He’d graduated from an excellent business school and was doing great careerwise as a community manager in one of the biggest tech companies in the state.
His personal life had also taken a significant turn in recent months, as he’d met the girl of his dreams. Knowing how much she meant to him, he wanted his dad to meet her. He had no clue how a simple trip back home would lead to him uncovering a 25-year-old secret.
Growing Up
Thad and his girlfriend, Janice, lived five hours from where Thad grew up. His parents, or at least his dad, had kept his childhood home after retiring, and Thad would visit whenever he could.
But lately, work had been hectic. Meeting Janice also led to him cutting back on the time he usually spent at home to get to know her. After months of dating, he wanted his dad to meet her. His trip back home would be unlike any other in his lifetime.
Meeting His Family
Thad told Janice that he wanted his family to meet her. They’d been together for more than eighteen months now, and they were more than sure they were meant for each other.
Thad had already bought a ring and wanted his dad’s blessing before he could meet Janice’s folks and then pop the question. Janice heartily agreed to see his family, and before they knew it, the two were in Miami.
Finally Home
Thad ran up and hugged his dad as soon as he saw him waiting in the driveway. But as the two walked into the house, Thad’s sight landed on his mom’s memorial garden, bringing back memories of a time long gone.
He remembered his days as a young boy when they’d just moved to Miami from Chicago. The climate change left Thad sick, and for almost a month, his parents were afraid they’d lose him. This would start this long event.
Memory Lane
Thad’s parents rushed him to the hospital, where he was admitted for several days. But as the hospital was discharging him, his mom came over with a gift that left him in tears.
“It was a little golden retriever puppy,” Thad shared. The pup had been a rescue, and his mom thought it would be an excellent fit for Thad, who hadn’t made any friends in Miami. But the joyous occasion would turn sour.
Reminiscing
“I came home one day to find him whining in the corner alone,” Thad shared about how he found his puppy, now a six-month-old dog, when he came home from school.
The dog didn’t get up to greet him as it always did but kept skulking in the corner. That evening, Thad and his mom took it to the vet. But the news the doctor would give them would leave them in tears.
Cancer
“He said the dog had stage three cancer, which, although rare, wasn’t unheard of,” said Thad. Of course, he was too young to understand what it all meant, especially after his mom promised his dog would be alright.
But a week later, he got home to find the pup missing. At first, he was worried, but his mom assured him they’d taken it to a ranch upstate for treatment. Although Thad believed her, he noticed something that didn’t add up.
The Garden
Every evening, his mom would go to a mound in her flower garden. She’d spend almost an hour there without moving. Sometimes she took a book there to read, and other times she’d sit lost in thought.
The years passed, but she didn’t relent with her visits to that exact spot. Then one day, while Thad was in college, he received news that would change his life forever.
Devastating News
Thad received a call from his dad that his mom had a heart attack and was at the hospital. Thad rushed over, and although he and his dad would spend a week next to his mom, they’d soon lose her.
Thad was twenty-five then, and even looking back at it now, he could still taste the pain he felt when he realized he’d never sit or share a meal with his mom again. Little did he know what she’d hidden deep in their garden.
Taking Her Into His Past
Thad introduced Janice to his dad, and they all had a wonderful evening together. They poured through his photos and videos, reminiscing on his childhood until late at night.
But as Thad retired to his and Janice’s room, he couldn’t help but remember his childhood, his mom, and the first friend he’d made in Miami. What he would uncover that night would make him burst into tears.
Dreams And Memories
It was well past five in the morning when Thad jolted awake. Walking down memory lane with his dad and girlfriend had awoken memories within him, powering the most realistic dream about his childhood.
Thad remembered that his mom started visiting the garden a few days after taking his puppy to the ranch. Now that he was an adult, he knew his mom had the vet put down the dog. But did she bury it in the garden?
Going To Dig It Out
Armed with a shovel, flashlight, and the burning need to know, Thad marched to the garden and surveyed the place. A few paces from his mom’s memorial was the spot she always sat at. Is that where she buried his dog?
Thad didn’t know what he’d find even as he dug his shovel into the dirt. But he knew he couldn’t sleep until he uncovered what his mom had been hiding all this time. He dug deeper until his shovel struck against something metallic.
Metal Against Metal
Thad took a deep breath and scraped his shovel against the metallic surface. Janice and his dad had woken up by now and were helping him remove the dirt from the hole after he explained everything.
They pulled out a metal box from the pit, but it was too small for burying a puppy. After dusting it, Thad’s dad pried it open. Its contents sent shivers down their spines.
Frozen In Time
The sun had come up when Thad’s dad unveiled what the box had been hiding for more than two decades. It was a time capsule made up of several pictures of Thad and his puppy, and a small note addressed to him. His mom thanked him for making her the happiest and proudest woman by being her son.
She also commended him for being strong-willed and curious, asking that he may never change. Thad couldn’t stop crying as he read the note. He hugged his dad and girlfriend, hoping his mom was proud of the man he’d grown up to be.