I woke up one morning to a cloudy, crisp, November morning. I inhaled a bagel and went out for my morning walk. Everything seemed so gloomy and disappointed everywhere I looked. I was still morning the death of my father. Yes, he lived a long and happy life, and yes, now he is in Heaven with Jesus, but I would still rather him be alive. I miss him so much. He died 2 weeks ago at the age of 47 and nobody is grieving him more than my mother. My morning walks wind up to her little flat on the other side of town where I clean, make her breakfast, do the dishes and laundry and draw the curtains. I rarely see her out of bed she just lies there, a lump of sadness hoping the blankets will act as a shield to more grief. After I help her wash her face and change her clothes I leave her house to walk back to mine. Tears roll down my face into puddles of devastation from all of the reminders of him in the house. I brush them away and pull my hair into a ponytail. Daniel, my husband leaves for work in 30 minutes and I want to make it back in time to say goodbye so I walk quickly and briskly past the farm where dad loved raising animals and making ice cream, and honey, and yogurt. Then something crunches under me toes. I bend over and push away the leaves to reveal a small gold key.

“What in the world?” I mutter to myself.

I pick it up and turn it over in my hands. I gasp, falling into a flash back.

“Now one day when I’m gone, you’ll find this key and it will lead you to the place we both love most.” Dad said.

“It’s so pretty!” 9 year old me said holding it.

Once I come to I text Daniel goodbye and I love you and sprint into the gate to the barn. I jam the key in the keyhole to the mysterious shed that Dad never let me into and never answered any questions about. I turn the key and cautiously open the door with a creak. Tears spring to my eyes once they land on the thing in the corner. With a shaking hang I pull out my phone and dial Mom’s number.

“Mom?” I say in a hushed tone. “Come to the farm I think there’s something you will want to see.