Inspirational
Old Man Sees Fresh Flowers on His Wife’s Grave Daily, Then He Saw a Creepy Young Woman
“A grieving widower, Edgar Brooke, begins to notice fresh flowers on his wife’s grave on a daily basis and discovers they were left by a young woman he never met before. Who was she and how did she know his wife?
When Edgar Brooke’s wife, Caroline, died of cancer, he was left all alone, depressed. He and Caroline had been married for 45 years, and despite the fact that they had no children, their lives were filled with love and peace. Caroline was a homemaker, and Edgar had retired as a teacher.
When Caroline was bedridden after her diagnosis, Edgar spent days and nights by her bedside, looking after her and assuring her that everything would be fine. “You’ll be fine soon, honey, and you’ll see, everything will be great,” he assured her. But deep down, Edgar was aware that it wasn’t really an assurance for Caroline but for him because he couldn’t handle losing anything in life but his beloved wife.
However, as luck would have it, Caroline died of cancer, leaving him all alone. After losing his beloved better half, Edgar didn’t feel like doing anything and followed the same monotonous schedule. He’d eat breakfast at a local diner, then buy a bouquet of Caroline’s favorite flowers and head to the cemetery, where he sat beside her grave and spent hours talking to her. “How are you, Caroline? Do you like the shirt I’m wearing today? If only I had a little more time with you, I would take you on a world tour. You promised you wouldn’t leave me, Caroline, remember?” he’d say to her, occasionally crying out like a child when he realized that she’d never return.
Seeing the 81-year-old Edgar sobbing his heart out at his wife’s grave, nobody would believe he was the same cheerful man he’d been when Caroline was around. But outliving his wife had aged the man in an instant and left him heartbroken and devastated.
One morning, Edgar arrived at the cemetery and was perplexed when he noticed fresh flowers on Caroline’s grave. At first, he thought they were left there by mistake or by a close friend of Caroline’s who might have paid her a visit. But when he returned the next day, there was a new batch of fresh flowers there as well, and the next day, and the day after that. At this point, Edgar was curious as to who brought them there. He asked the cemetery caretaker if he knew anything about it, but he answered he had no clue.
Edgar stood by his wife’s grave, baffled, staring at the flowers and looking around, but nobody appeared in close sight. Who was this person who had been leaving flowers every day? As he placed the bouquet he brought, he whispered, “Looks like someone loves you just as I do, honey. But I really don’t know who this person is. Whoever it is, I would love to meet and thank them for honoring you with flowers every day.”
And so, Edgar decided to skip breakfast the next day and head to the cemetery early to see if he could catch a glimpse of this mysterious person. When he arrived, he found a young woman placing flowers on Caroline’s grave. She wore a simple black dress with matching stilettos. She clasped her hands, muttered a brief prayer, and prepared to leave after placing the flowers. But Edgar stopped her.
“Excuse me, please wait,” he called out to her, and the young woman stopped in her tracks upon hearing his voice. Edgar walked as fast as he could with his cane and was panting heavily as he approached her. “Mr. Brooks, are you okay? You look tired,” the woman said, “Mr. Brooks, are you okay? You look tired,” the woman said, dead concerned.
Edgar stared up at her, his eyes wide open with surprise. He had never seen or met her, so how did she know who he was? “Young lady, you… How do you know who I am, and how do you know my wife?” he asked in a trembling voice.
The young woman smiled at him. “Would you mind if we take a seat, Mr. Brooks? There’s a lot I’d like to share with you,” she suggested.
The older man didn’t quite understand what was happening, but he followed her regardless. They sat down on a bench nearby, and the young lady introduced herself. “I’m guessing your wife never told you about me. My name is Amanda Jenkins, and I’m your wife’s daughter.”
Edgar’s cheeks flushed, surprised by the revelation, but he refused to believe Amanda’s words. “Daughter? Look, miss, this is a terrible joke. Do you think you can just tell me a random story and I believe that? It’s a terrible, terrible thing. I have no idea why you’re doing this, but please don’t insult the memory of my wife by saying such things. Caroline couldn’t have children, so it’s not possible.”
“I’m sorry you’re learning about this now that she’s gone, Mr. Brooks, but I’m not lying,” Amanda insisted. She showed him a photo of a crumpled note with something scribbled on it from her phone’s gallery. Edgar took the phone in his hands, and upon closer inspection, he recognized Caroline’s handwriting.
“This… This can’t be true,” the man said in his shaky voice as he read the message. “Dear Josh, if you find this note, please do not come looking for me. I’m sorry I wasn’t a good mother or partner. Please shower our child with love and raise her with affection. With love, Caroline.”
“I, too, had no idea,” Amanda went on. “Dad only recently told me the truth after I found this crumpled note in one of his old diaries. He and Caroline dated a long while back, and then she found out she was pregnant with me. Dad wasn’t wealthy, and Caroline’s parents were opposed to their relationship, so she had little choice but to abandon me after birth and hand me over to my father. He married my mother, and they raised me with affection. But when I found out about Caroline, I wanted to meet her, so I started looking for her on Facebook, and that’s where I found her profile. However, I was too late.”
“But… I really can’t believe Caroline kept this from me,” the man said, his voice filled with sorrow and disbelief. “The doctor says she couldn’t bear children because of complications. I… I don’t know what to say.”
“At this point, I think it was fate that planned it this way for us, Mr. Brooks. I found my biological mother after she was no longer alive, and you’re learning about her past just now. Maybe she was afraid of losing you, which is why she never told you. My dad always says that we can do anything to protect our loved ones, and I think she did that too,” Amanda said.
Edgar’s eyes welled up as he sat quietly, ingesting everything he had just heard. He reasoned that Caroline kept the truth from him because she was worried he would leave her since she couldn’t have any children. After a while, neither he nor Amanda spoke. Then, Edgar excused himself and slowly strolled back home that day.
After meeting Amanda, Edgar’s life took a new turn and changed for the better. He began to meet Amanda regularly, and they would visit Caroline’s grave together. Over time, they became good friends. Even though Caroline’s absence still left a void in him, Edgar felt a sense of her younger self alive in the form of Amanda.
Amanda would often share stories about Caroline with Edgar—her kind-hearted nature, her love for flowers, and her unwavering devotion to him. It was through these stories that Edgar started to see his wife in a new light, understanding the depth of her love and sacrifice.
As their bond grew stronger, Edgar found solace in Amanda’s presence. She brought a youthful energy and a newfound purpose into his life. They would spend hours reminiscing about Caroline, sharing laughter, and shedding tears together. Amanda became his link to the past and a source of hope for the future.
In time, Edgar began to see Amanda as the daughter he never had. He treasured their moments together, cherishing the love they shared for Caroline. Through Amanda, he discovered a new perspective on family and the power of connections that transcended bloodlines.
As the years passed, Edgar and Amanda continued to honor Caroline’s memory. They supported each other through life’s ups and downs, celebrating milestones, and finding comfort in their shared grief. Amanda’s presence not only filled the void left by Caroline’s absence, but it also brought Edgar a renewed sense of purpose and joy.
Together, they started a tradition of leaving fresh flowers on Caroline’s grave, just as the mysterious young woman had done before Amanda revealed her identity. It became a way for them to express their love and gratitude for the woman who had touched both of their lives so deeply.
Edgar no longer felt alone or depressed. Amanda’s presence had given him a newfound zest for life. They traveled together, visited new places, and created lasting memories. The world became their canvas, and they painted it with love, resilience, and the legacy of Caroline’s spirit.
In their hearts, Edgar and Amanda knew that Caroline was with them, guiding them through life’s journey. They found comfort in the belief that her love transcended time and space, connecting them across generations.
And so, Edgar’s life, once consumed by grief and solitude, blossomed into a beautiful tapestry of love, healing, and the eternal bond between a grieving widower and the daughter he never knew he had.