My Wife Suddenly Passed Away, Leaving Me with Four Kids After the Funeral, My M0ther-in-Law Handed Me a Sealed Box and Said, ‘She Wanted You to Have This’

Through all of it, the four kids stayed pressed close to my legs like ducklings terrified of losing their last parent.

The first morning after the burial, Joan climbed into my lap before sunrise. “Daddy, are you going to get sick too?”

“No, sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”