Lily’s kindergarten teacher called me up, asking if everything was alright with our family. I was like, “Yeah, why?” Then she told me the kids were supposed to draw their families, and Lily drew just three people: me, her, and her big brother Liam. When the teacher asked her where her dad was, Lily just clammed up.

I was shocked because my husband, Mark, has always been so attentive to both me and Lily. He plays with her, reads her bedtime stories, and never misses a chance to make her laugh. So, that evening, I sat Lily down and gently asked her, “Sweetheart, why didn’t you draw Daddy in school? Did he do something to upset you?”

Her little face turned serious, and she hesitated before saying, “I can’t tell you.”

“Why, honey? You can tell your mom anything.”

After some more coaxing, she finally said, “Okay, I’ll show you, Mommy,” and took my hand. To my surprise, she led me to the garage. I couldn’t imagine what she wanted to show me there.

Among the boxes stacked in the corner, she pulled out an old, dusty shoebox. “It’s in here,” she said quietly.

I opened the box and found a bunch of drawings and notes that looked like they had been written by Mark. I glanced through them, seeing pictures of our family and love notes he had written to me over the years. But at the bottom of the box, there was a small, folded piece of paper with Lily’s name on it.

I unfolded the note and read, “Lily, always remember that I love you very much. Even when I’m not around, I’m thinking of you. Be brave, my little princess. Love, Daddy.”

I looked at Lily, who was watching me with wide eyes. “Sweetheart, why didn’t you tell me about this?”
She looked down at her feet and whispered, “Because Daddy said he’s going away for a little while to make everything better. I didn’t want to make you sad.”
Tears filled my eyes as I realized what had happened. Mark had been laid off from his job a few months ago but hadn’t wanted to worry us. He took up a night shift at a distant warehouse, and I hadn’t even noticed the toll it was taking on him. He left early in the morning before we woke up and came back late at night after we were asleep.

I hugged Lily tightly. “Daddy’s not going away forever, sweetheart. He’s working hard to take care of us. But he loves you very much and will always be with us.”

That night, I sat down with Mark and shared what had happened. He looked devastated but relieved to know the truth.

The next day, Mark made it a point to explain everything to Lily. He showed her his work schedule and promised to make more time for her. They spent the entire weekend together, and Lily’s drawings at school included her daddy once more.

It was a wake-up call for all of us. We needed to communicate more and make sure our kids felt secure and loved, no matter what challenges we faced. And from that day on, we made family time a priority, ensuring that our bond remained strong, despite the ups and downs of life.