When we first start a relationship with somebody, especially when it is with our intended significant other, we want to know everything there is to know about them. We don’t want there to be any secrets in the relationship, because secrets can cause problems.

As most of us know, however, secrets are going to be part of almost any relationship and it doesn’t always help to balance things in the long run. That is what one young woman discovered when she began dating a man and there was something hiding under the surface that she couldn’t have realized.

When she found out about this secret, it really threw her for a loop. She decided to look into it further and discovered there was much more than she realized.
I’ve always believed life has a way of balancing things out. Sure, life has thrown heavy stuff my way, but somehow, things always balance out. I’m Bree, and I’m 20. Looking back, I’ve been through a lot, but I’ve also been blessed with some incredible people.

Growing up, I was the apple of my parents’ eye. Being an only child, I got all the love and attention you could imagine. My parents made sure I had the best of everything: the best schools, the most amazing birthday parties, and friends who were like extended family.
Every night, my dad would tuck me in and tell me stories of his childhood adventures, and my mom never let a day pass without telling me how much I meant to them.

But when I was ten, my whole world flipped upside down. I remember that day like it was yesterday. My parents were heading out to a family gathering in another city and I was staying with my grandma. They hugged me tighter than usual before they left.

Later that evening, while I was playing checkers with Gran, we got the devastating news of a horrible accident. A truck had lost control and crashed into my parents’ car on the highway. They didn’t make it.

Losing them was like losing a part of myself. But Gran and Grandpa stepped right into those gaping roles my parents left behind. They never let me feel alone.