As Susy began to weave through the crowd, her mind raced with possibilities. Maybe her father was just inside, fussing over the final touches of the meal.

Or perhaps he had stepped away for a moment, lost in thought, as he often did in recent years.

But as she approached the back door of the house, a feeling of unease settled in her chest.

The house, once filled with laughter and conversation, felt eerily quiet when she stepped inside.

The familiar scent of her father’s cologne lingered in the air, but there was no sign of him. The kitchen was empty, the counters clean, as if he hadn’t been there at all. Susy’s worry deepened.

She walked down the hallway, her footsteps echoing on the wooden floor.

The family photos on the walls, capturing moments from birthdays, holidays, and ordinary days spent together, seemed to watch her with silent concern.

She paused in front of a picture of her and her father from years ago—her as a little girl, sitting on his shoulders, both beaming with joy.

The memory brought a bittersweet smile to her face, but it was quickly overshadowed by her growing anxiety.

“Dad?” Susy called out, her voice wavering slightly as she pushed open the door to her father’s bedroom.

The room was neat, the bed made with precision, but there was no sign of Paul.

She checked the bathroom, the living room, and even the small study where he often retreated to read, but he was nowhere to be found.

Panic started to bubble up inside her. Susy returned to the backyard, trying to maintain her composure as she rejoined the gathering.

Her cousins were still chatting near the grill, but there was an undercurrent of concern as more people noticed Paul’s absence.

“I’m really starting to get worried,” Susy admitted to Joe, who had a look of concern on his face now as well.

“Dad isn’t inside, and he’s not answering his phone. This isn’t like him.”

Joe frowned and glanced around the yard.

“Maybe he just stepped out for a bit. He could be in the garden or out front. Let’s check.”

The two of them, along with a few other relatives, began searching the perimeter of the house, calling Paul’s name.

The garden, which was usually Paul’s pride and joy, was empty, the flowers swaying gently in the breeze.

The front yard offered no clues either. As they regrouped, the worry in Susy’s chest had transformed into something heavier, more oppressive.

“Where could he be?” Aunt Linda asked, her voice tinged with fear. “He was so excited about today. It’s not like him to just disappear.”

Susy shook her head, trying to keep her voice steady. “I don’t know, but something doesn’t feel right. Let’s check the backyard again. Maybe he’s sitting in his favorite spot.”

The group made their way back to the large oak tree at the far end of the yard, where Paul always loved to sit during family gatherings.

It was his favorite place—a spot where he could see everyone and everything, where he often sat with a contented smile on his face, watching his family with quiet pride.

But as they approached, Susy’s heart sank. The chair was empty. There was no sign of Paul.

Only a single, neat letter placed on the seat caught her eye. Her hands trembled as she reached for it, feeling a cold knot of dread tighten in her stomach.

“Susy, what is it?” Joe asked, noticing the pale look on her face.

Susy didn’t answer right away. She slowly unfolded the paper, recognizing her father’s handwriting on the envelope.

The words “If you are reading this, I am already dead” stared back at her, and she felt a tear slip down her cheek as the reality of the situation began to sink in.

Her father had written them a letter. And from the tone of it, she feared what she was about to read.

With trembling hands and a heart filled with both love and fear, Susy took a deep breath and began to read aloud, hoping her voice would not betray the turmoil inside her.

Susy’s voice wavered as she read the letter, each word a heavy weight on her heart. The realization that her father was truly gone washed over her like a cold wave, leaving her breathless.

She could hardly believe what she was reading, and yet, the words in front of her were undeniable.

Her father, who had always been the pillar of their family, was no longer with them.

Around her, the family members stood in stunned silence, their eyes glistening with tears. Some covered their mouths in shock, while others wrapped their arms around each other for comfort.

The joyful chatter that had filled the air just moments ago was replaced by a somber stillness. The once festive atmosphere now felt heavy with grief.

Her throat tightened, and she struggled to find the strength to continue. The thought of her father passing away alone, without any of them by his side, was almost too much to bear.

She imagined him, sitting in his favorite chair, penning this letter with trembling hands, knowing that it would be the last thing he would ever say to his family.

“All I ever wanted was for my family to be together,” Susy read, her voice cracking. She remembered the countless times her father had brought them all together for birthdays, holidays, and summer barbecues.

He had always been the glue that held their family together, ensuring that they never lost touch with one another despite the busy lives they all led.

As she continued to read, Susy’s tears began to flow freely. Her father had written about his terminal illness with such clarity and acceptance, yet there was no trace of bitterness or regret in his words.

Instead, there was only love—love for his family and a deep desire for them to remain close even after he was gone.

“I knew that if I invited you all here, you would come,” the letter said. And he had been right.

They were all here, gathered together just as he had hoped. But now, instead of celebrating with him, they were mourning his loss.

By the time Susy finished reading the letter, the weight of her father’s words had settled over everyone like a blanket of sorrow.

The reality of his death had finally sunk in, and there wasn’t a dry eye among them. For a few moments, no one spoke.

They were all lost in their thoughts, grappling with the pain of losing someone they loved so deeply.

But amid the sadness, there was also a sense of unity. As Susy looked around at her family, she realized that her father’s wish had come true.

They were together, sharing this moment of grief, and in doing so, they were honoring his memory.

Susy folded the letter carefully and held it close to her heart.

Though her father was no longer physically present, his spirit was still very much with them, in the love they shared and in the bond that held them together.

And she knew that as long as they continued to gather as a family, he would always be a part of their lives.

The once peaceful atmosphere turned chaotic as the family’s grief quickly gave way to greed and frustration. The air was thick with tension, and the voices that had once been filled with sorrow were now laced with anger and resentment.

“What about the house?” Cousin Mark’s question hung in the air, the first spark in what would become a blazing argument.

His voice was sharp, slicing through the fragile peace that had settled after Susy read her father’s letter.

“Did he leave a will? Who gets what?”

The question seemed to ignite something in everyone. Aunt Linda, who had always been calm and composed, suddenly snapped.

“We should sell the house and split the money. It’s only fair,” she said, her tone unusually harsh.

“Fair?” Joe shot back, his face turning red with anger.

“Dad would’ve wanted me to have the house. I’ve been the one taking care of it for years. You can’t just swoop in and take what’s mine!”

The arguments grew louder and more heated. Accusations flew across the backyard, turning what had been a touching moment of remembrance into a battlefield of competing interests.

Voices overlapped as everyone tried to make their case, their grief and frustration spilling over into harsh words and bitter glares.

Susy stood at the center of it all, feeling utterly helpless.

Just moments ago, they had all been united in their love for Paul, mourning his loss and vowing to honor his memory. Now, that unity was crumbling before her eyes, replaced by greed and selfishness.

Her heart ached as she watched her family, the people her father had loved so much, tear each other apart over his possessions.

Tears welled up in Susy’s eyes, but this time they weren’t just for her father.

They were for the family he had cherished, the family that was now fracturing under the weight of their own desires.

The love and togetherness that Paul had hoped to preserve seemed to be slipping away, replaced by bitterness and division.

As the argument escalated, Susy felt a surge of determination rising within her.

She couldn’t let this happen—not here, not now, and certainly not after everything her father had done to bring them together.

She had to find a way to remind them of what truly mattered, to bring them back to the reason they were all here in the first place: to honor Paul’s memory and his wish for their unity.

Taking a deep breath, Susy prepared herself to speak, hoping her voice would be strong enough to cut through the noise and bring her family back to what was truly important.

“Stop!” Susy’s voice rang out, surprising even herself with its firmness. The arguing ceased as everyone turned to look at her.

“Is this what Dad would have wanted?” she asked, her voice trembling with emotion. “He brought us together because he wanted us to remember what it means to be a family. Not to fight over who gets what.”

The weight of her words hung in the air, and the family members shifted uncomfortably, realizing the truth in what she said. Susy took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to reveal.

“Dad did leave a will,” she said softly. “He left the house to me.”

There was a collective intake of breath, and she could see the surprise and, in some cases, resentment on their faces. But before anyone could object, Susy continued.

“But I don’t want the house for myself,” she added, her voice growing steadier.

“This house was Dad’s home, and it was always filled with love, laughter, and family. I want to honor his memory by keeping it that way.”

She looked around at the faces of her relatives, seeing them soften as she spoke. “Everyone is welcome here, whenever you want.

We can gather here, just like today, for barbecues and holidays, to remember Dad and to make sure we never lose touch.”

Tears fell freely now, but there was a new sense of peace among the group. Susy had taken Paul’s final wish to heart and, in doing so, had reminded her family of what truly mattered.

As they all hugged and comforted one another, Susy felt a warmth in her heart, knowing that Paul’s legacy would live on, not just in the house he left behind, but in the family that would continue to gather there for years to come.