Brazil, Indiana
On Christmas Day, 2021, we got the call that my stepdad, Doug, had passed away. My husband, Eric, and I were shocked. It was so unexpected—and on Christmas, no less. We raced across the state of Indiana to be with Mom. We found her sitting on the couch with my brothers, Mike and Tim. We all hugged and cried for a long time. Mom was clearly exhausted. We let her get to bed, then discussed next steps.
“Holly will be here in the morning,” Tim said.
I nodded but said nothing. Holly was the second oldest of Doug’s four daughters from his first marriage, and thefull-fledged daughter. Still, Doug and I had grown exceptionally close over the years.
