Years after Wife’s Death, Widower Falls in Love and Fears His Teen Son’s Reaction – Story of the Day

A man who lost his beloved wife years ago falls in love again but is afraid to tell his son about it. But one night, he musters the courage to confront his son, whose reaction leaves him stunned.

After losing his wife Nicole years ago in a fatal car crash, Gilbert was forced to raise his son, Ethan, on his own. Ethan was only five when it all happened and Gilbert had closed his heart to love after that.

However, years later, when Ethan was 14, Gilbert's heart fluttered for a woman at work named Carrie. She was as gorgeous as Nicole and Gilbert developed a crush on her in no time.

But whenever he wanted to take a step toward her, Gilbert felt like he was cheating on Nicole. He and Nicole were college sweethearts who fell in love at first sight, married soon after, and raised a happy family.

But a fatal accident turned their lives upside down and Gilbert struggled to come to terms with Nicole's death. When he finally decided to give love another chance, he was worried about what Ethan would think of him...

"Maybe we're taking things too fast," Gilbert told Carrie one day over coffee. He'd managed to summon the courage to tell her about his feelings two weeks earlier while they were out for an office dinner. She had blushed and confessed that she liked him as well.

"If you think you need some time, Gilbert, I'm telling you again that I'm not in a hurry," she assured, taking his hand in hers. "I'd hate to rush things as well. Besides, I want Ethan to accept me completely."

"You know I don't want to keep anything from you," Gilbert continued, "and I'd be lying if I said I was fully sure I wanted to give our relationship a chance. I had to think about it several times before confessing my feelings to you. I wonder how Ethan will react to this," he lamented.

While Carrie had never been in Gilbert's shoes, losing someone she loved so much, she was very sympathetic to him. "I am prepared to give you and Ethan all the time you require, Gilbert," she said. "Trust me on this. There's no rush from my end…."

That night, Gilbert couldn't get their conversation out of his head. Carrie was doing more than she could to ensure he was comfortable enough to step into a new relationship, but he still hadn't figured out how he would tell Ethan about it.

After a few days of deeply thinking about it, Gilbert made up his mind. He was ready to start a new chapter with Carrie and give her the place she deserved in his life. He also decided to tell Ethan and he finally got his chance a few days later.

"I just wanted my son to be aware of what was going on in his father's life... It's like ... I have someone in my life, Ethan."

It so happened that on the night before he decided to talk to Ethan, Gilbert dreamed about Nicole. He was nervously telling her about his new life with Carrie and how he planned to tell Ethan about it. He was also apologizing profusely to her for giving another woman a place in his heart.

But Nicole smiled at him and said, "You need to let go of the past to make the present better for yourself and Ethan, Gilbert. I am always watching you two from above. Whatever you decide, I believe in you."

The next night, after dinner, Gilbert finally confronted Ethan about the new woman in his life...

"Do you mind if I talk to you for a minute, Ethan?" he asked, knocking on his son's slightly open bedroom door.

"Sure, dad. What's up?"

"It's just that..." Gilbert paused. He approached Ethan's bedside and took his hand in his. "Look, Ethan, what I'm about to tell you right now is not mandatory for you to accept. I'm not putting any pressure on you. I just wanted my son to be aware of what was going on in his father's life...

"... I have someone in my life, Ethan, whom I love in the same way that I adored your mother, and she would love to be a part of your life as well if only you really want her to be there for you."

As Gilbert finished, Ethan was staring at him blankly. Gilbert was sure the boy would yell at him and refuse to accept Carrie, but he suddenly smiled and said, "You could just say you got a girlfriend, dad! It's cool with me. After all, I know you've been lonely after mom left us. She would have hated to see you like that."

Gilbert's eyes welled up. "You - you don't mind if I date someone?"

"Of course not, dad! It's your life, and you have the right to be happy. And I'm happy that you considered me to be a part of all this. I love you, dad. I will be happy if you're happy!"

"Oh, come here!" Gilbert hugged Ethan and started to cry.

"Dad, you're getting so emotional!" Ethan laughed. "Also, dad, I'm just saying that whoever this woman is, I mean... It may take a while for me to adjust to the new normal, but that doesn't mean I don't support your decision. I just need some time, okay?"

"Thank you very much, Ethan. You are free to take as much time as you want. There's no need to rush..."

A few days after this, Gilbert decided to introduce Carrie to Ethan, and to his surprise, they got along so well that they would pick on Gilbert together for fun!

"Ah! Your dad is such a bummer, Ethan! Can't believe I fell for him!" Carrie laughed. She was watching a show on Netflix with Ethan and Gilbert had no clue about it whatsoever!

"I know, right!" Ethan sighed. "Hey, dad! Stop embarrassing me in front of your girlfriend! You can do better," he whispered to Gilbert, but Carrie overheard him. She met Ethan's gaze and they burst out laughing at Gilbert.

Carrie became a part of Gilbert and Ethan's life in no time. And the best part was that she never pressured Ethan to see her as a mom. Instead, she told him to take things at his pace and that she would wait until he was ready to accept her as his mother.

What can we learn from this story?

• Children should learn to respect and support their parents' choices and give them the space they deserve. Ethan was a wonderful son who acknowledged that his father needed someone by his side too. The new change wasn't easy for him, but he decided to support his father's decision.
• Moving on is a sign of healing; it doesn't mean disregarding the people we lost. While Gilbert decided to move on with Carrie, it doesn't mean he didn't miss Nicole or forgot about her. It's just that he healed from his loss and accepted a fresh start.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about an older widow who is ashamed to tell her son about the new man in her life until he spots them together at a hospital.

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