Faux

So I took the kids to the "beach" today (we have lake access in our subdivision). There was a lady there with two girls playing in the lake. I got to talking to her and she told me that she lives with her parents in their new home on a certain street. She was telling me that she couldn't get to the pool yet because her license address is different from the one she is living in. So for the time being they spent their time at the beach. She then proceeded to tell me that her husband died two years ago and she has five kids. She told me how they met, how he died (in a car crash---she was particularly glad that he did not have to suffer) and how her life has been living with her parents. I felt so terrible for her. She stated all these things so matter-of-factly that I thought she had gotten over the grief well and became so strong.

As my kids and her kids were swimming in the lake, she got in with her girls and they started talking to her about their Daddy. The youngest said, "I remember Dadddy. I remember he had brown skin and one time he shaved his eyebrows!" Hearing this, I felt so horrible for her and her kids, so terrible that a woman and her five children had to endure this kind of struggle.

I went home with the kids because it was so hot and I gave my boys a shower together. I had to help them get the sand out of their hair. "Did you know that those girls' dad is in jail, Mom? In jail for dealing drugs!" my youngest boy shouted out.

I almost said, "but he is dead," but then my oldest son said, "And they told us that they get to see him this Christmas when he gets out, they are so excited. They said that it would be the best Christmas present ever."

I understand that her husband being in jail is humiliating. Why lie about it? Why even tell me about her life anyway if she does not wish to tell me the truth? It is not like I pressed her to tell me anything.

No wonder she took the death so well!