My Stepmom Gifted Me a Funerary Urn for My 17th Birthday

As Lila was ready to celebrate her 17th birthday, she received an unexpected and creepy gift from her stepmother: a pink funerary urn. Like the type you keep ashes in? Yes, that’s the one. But that’s not all! Lila learns that her college fund was given to Monica to open her salon. What will Lila do?

Let me tell you, I’ve been sitting on this one for a few days, just trying to make sense of what went down.

I always thought my stepmom, Monica, was the worst, though not Disney villain evil. She was the kind of person who talks over you, forgets your birthday, and calls you “kiddo” when you’re practically an adult.

A smiling teenage girl | Source: Midjourney

A smiling teenage girl | Source: Midjourney

But, what she pulled on my 17th birthday? It shattered whatever shaky truce we had.

At least, that’s what I thought. Turns out, things weren’t exactly what they seemed.

Here’s how it all went down.

My mom, Sarah, died when I was ten, and after that, it was just Dad and me. We were a solid team. The type of team that has pizza for dinner half the week, late-night movies, and this unspoken agreement that we’d always have each other’s backs.

Two boxes of pizza on a coffee table | Source: Midjourney

Two boxes of pizza on a coffee table | Source: Midjourney

Then came Monica, about three years ago.

At first, she wasn’t horrible; she was just… there. Like a stray cat that never leaves, so you have no choice but to adopt it. Monica moved into our house, took over the bathroom with her fifty bottles of face serums and creams, and slowly pushed her way into my dad’s world.

Monica had big dreams of opening a hair salon, which was fine. I wasn’t against people having dreams. I had my own dreams waiting for me, but she treated me like I was just this annoying piece of furniture that came with the house.

A woman's vanity | Source: Midjourney

A woman’s vanity | Source: Midjourney

Honestly, I was counting down the days until I could escape to college.

Dad had promised me since middle school that there was a college fund waiting for me.

“Don’t worry, sweet girl,” he told me. “Your mom and I put together the fund when you were five. There’s more than enough, and every year on your birthday and Christmas, I add more.”

A smiling little girl | Source: Midjourney

A smiling little girl | Source: Midjourney

“Thank you, Dad,” I said. “I just want to study and make something of myself, like Mom said.”

“You only have to worry about your grades, Lila,” he said. “I’ll handle the rest.”

Naturally, I worked my butt off in school, knowing that in a few years, I’d be out of here.

A smiling man | Source: Midjourney

A smiling man | Source: Midjourney

College was my golden ticket, and no one — not even Monica — would stand in my way.

At least, that’s what I thought.

On the morning of my 17th birthday, I came downstairs expecting the usual lukewarm effort. By lukewarm, I mean a sad card, some pancakes, and Monica forgetting my favorite syrup. Dad was at work, so it was just Mon and I.

A plate of pancakes and a card on a table | Source: Midjourney

A plate of pancakes and a card on a table | Source: Midjourney

She handed me a gift bag, which was already weird because Monica wasn’t exactly the thoughtful or sentimental type.

“Happy Birthday, kiddo,” she said, flashing one of her tight-lipped smiles.

I wasn’t expecting much, but I sure as hell wasn’t expecting this.

I reached inside the bag and pulled out… an urn.

A shocked teenage girl | Source: Midjourney

A shocked teenage girl | Source: Midjourney

A funerary urn.

You know, the kind that people store ashes in. Cold, heavy, and, well, pink. It was pink.

I just stared at it, my brain short-circuiting.

“What the hell is this?” I asked, holding the urn like it was cursed.

A pink funerary urn | Source: Midjourney

A pink funerary urn | Source: Midjourney

Monica leaned against the kitchen counter, smug as ever.

“It’s symbolic,” she said as if that explained anything.

“Symbolic of what?”

Monica’s grin widened.

A smiling woman in a kitchen | Source: Midjourney

A smiling woman in a kitchen | Source: Midjourney

“It’s time to bury your dreams of college, kiddo. Your dad and I talked about this, and we decided to put the college fund to better use.”

“Better use?” I asked, a cold shiver running through me.

“Yep. We’re investing it in my hair salon. College is a gamble, Lila. A business? That’s something real, sweetie.”

A hair salon being renovated | Source: Midjourney

A hair salon being renovated | Source: Midjourney

She sipped her coffee like she’d just said the most reasonable thing in the world.

I was frozen in place, trying to make sense of what I’d just heard. Had they really taken my future, everything I’d worked for, and sunk it into Monica’s salon dream?

“How could you do this?” I whispered.

Monica just smiled, a little too pleased with herself.

A shocked teenage girl | Source: Midjourney

A shocked teenage girl | Source: Midjourney

“Life’s full of disappointments, kiddo. Better get used to it now,” she said.

Wow.

That was it. I was done. I ran upstairs, slamming the door behind me so hard that the walls shook.

I cried so hard it hurt. What else could I do? Everything I had been holding onto was gone, and the only person I thought I could count on, Dad, had let this happen.

An upset teenage girl | Source: Midjourney

An upset teenage girl | Source: Midjourney

My mom wanted me to get out and make something of myself. And now? It was all over.

The next few days were a blur. I didn’t speak to Monica or my dad unless I absolutely had to. Every time I looked at that stupid urn sitting on my desk, my stomach twisted.

I couldn’t even bring myself to throw it out. It felt like some kind of morbid evidence. Like proof of the betrayal I didn’t see coming.

A pink funerary urn on a desk | Source: Midjourney

A pink funerary urn on a desk | Source: Midjourney

At school, my friends tried to cheer me up.

“Maybe she thought it was funny, Lila,” my friend Kira said. “Like, who really knows what Monica is thinking?”

“And anyway, there’s nothing stopping you from throwing it out! Just do it! Don’t overthink it,” Mel said.

Three teenage girls | Source: Midjourney

Three teenage girls | Source: Midjourney

But still, I couldn’t focus on anything other than the fact that Monica was prancing around, acting like she was the queen of the house, while I sat there with no future.

Then, a few days later, something strange happened.

When I got home from school, there was a note on my desk. Not in an envelope, just folded, with my name written in Monica’s messy handwriting.

A woman sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney

A woman sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney

Meet me at the salon at 6 P.M. tonight. No questions. Just trust me. -M.

I almost laughed out loud. Trust her? Yeah, right.

But something about the note gnawed at me. Maybe it was the fact that I wanted to confront her one last time, tell her exactly what I thought of her.

Against my better judgment, I decided to go.

A note on a table | Source: Midjourney

A note on a table | Source: Midjourney

When I got to the salon, the lights were off, and the front door was unlocked.

I hesitated for a second, wondering if this was some elaborate prank. But curiosity got the best of me.

I stepped inside, and there they were. Monica and my dad, standing side by side, both grinning widely.

“Surprise!” Monica shouted, throwing her arms up like this was the happiest moment of her life.

The entrance to a salon | Source: Midjourney

The entrance to a salon | Source: Midjourney

I just stared at them, completely lost.

“What is this?”

Monica stepped aside, and that’s when I saw it — a shiny, brand-new sign mounted on the wall.

Dream Cuts: A Scholarship Fund in Honor of Sarah

I blinked, feeling like the room was tilting on its axis.

A hair salon | Source: Midjourney

A hair salon | Source: Midjourney

“What… what is this?”

Monica smiled, but it wasn’t her usual smug grin. This one was softer, almost real.

“We didn’t use your college fund, kiddo. It’s all still there. The salon? It’s not just for me. It’s for you, too. For other kids like you, too.”

I couldn’t breathe.

A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney

A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney

“But then, why would you make me think otherwise?” I asked.

Monica winced, putting her hand on her head.

“Yeah, so, the urn thing… That was not my best idea. I thought it’d be motivational, like, bury the past and embrace the future. You know? But it turns out that it was just creepy.”

A woman with her hand on her head | Source: Midjourney

A woman with her hand on her head | Source: Midjourney

I stared at her, speechless.

My dad stepped forward, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

“We’ve been planning this for months, Lila,” he said. “Your mom always wanted to help kids get to college. This salon is going to fund scholarships. For you and for others in her name.”

“The salon has been my dream, Lila,” Monica said. “But it was never going to come at your expense. This way, a great portion of all our profits in the future will go to the fund.”

A smiling man | Source: Midjourney

A smiling man | Source: Midjourney

I didn’t know what to say.

Or what to think.

Just that I felt a warm haze take over me.

Monica laughed softly.

“I’m not a monster, darling,” she said. “I just didn’t want you to think that I was trying to take over your mom’s role.”

A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney

A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney

For the first time in a long time, I smiled.

It wasn’t perfect, but things with Monica probably never would be. But, at that moment, standing in the middle of a salon named for my mom’s dream, I realized that she wasn’t trying to ruin my life.

She was trying to build something bigger than any of us.

A smiling teenage girl | Source: Midjourney

A smiling teenage girl | Source: Midjourney

And somehow, against all odds, it felt like a new beginning.

And yeah, I kept the urn. But I planted white peace lilies in it, thinking it would be symbolic after all. And who knows, maybe I’ll take the urn to college.

What would you have done?

Peace lilies planted into a pink funerary urn | Source: Midjourney

Peace lilies planted into a pink funerary urn | Source: Midjourney

If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you |

I Transferred $24K to My Daughter for Her College Tuition, Only to Discover She Never Enrolled — What She Spent It On Made Me Pale

Caroline had been saving for her daughter’s college fund since Angela was born. But after a classmate of Angela’s reveals that Angela is not actually enrolled in college, Caroline must uncover what her daughter is doing and what she used the money for.

Children are always going to break your heart. This was something that I learned the hard way after trusting my daughter, Angela, completely.

A close-up of a smiling girl | Source: Midjourney

A close-up of a smiling girl | Source: Midjourney

Since Angela was born, I have been saving for college. I needed to know that irrespective of what life threw my way, I would be able to educate my child.

“I think you can wait until she’s a little older,” my husband, Holden, said. “We can do it together.”

“You can add to her college fund later,” I said, looking at my baby girl. “But I’m going to start from next month. I wasn’t able to study, Holden. And it was because we didn’t have the opportunity to do so. Angela is going to get that opportunity.”

A smiling baby girl | Source: Midjourney

A smiling baby girl | Source: Midjourney

“Okay, Caroline,” my husband said. “You start it now, and I’ll add to it in a year. The house will be paid off, and I’ll be able to put that money into the fund.”

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.

Poor Man Houses Family in His Old Trailer during Storm, Finds Dozen of Boxes near Home Next Day – Story of the Day

Adam and his family sit down for dinner with the radio on—only to be interrupted by a severe weather warning. As the night progresses, the storm worsens, forcing the family to take refuge in the dilapidated trailer in their yard.

Adam took out bowls from the cabinet to set the table for dinner. In their modest kitchen, Maggie, his wife, was perfecting a fish stew on their two-plate stove.

“Parsley with fish stew, yes or no?” she asked.

“Yes, my mom used either parsley or coriander,” Adam replied.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash

Maggie reached for the parsley in the yellow pot on the windowsill. She loved growing her herbs and vegetables. She called it her weekend hobby. But Adam knew the real reason was that they would always have some fresh vegetables she could cook for their meals. That way, their family would always have food.

He set the table and took out some bread, listening to the laughter from the kids’ room.

Adam smiled, then winced, remembering his twisted ankle from work. He worried about his boots that had landed in a puddle of water at the construction site; he needed them dry for work, or he’d be in the office room, doing paperwork, and face reduced hours and pay. He also needed to buy Maggie’s epilepsy medication.

“Dinner is ready. Can you get the kids?” Maggie asked, distracting him from his thoughts.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash

“Of course. Maybe we can listen to some music during dinner?”

Maggie smiled and turned on the radio.

In the kids’ room, Emma, 8, was lying on her bed, and Charlie, 5, was coloring a dinosaur drawing.

“Did Emma draw that?” Adam asked Charlie.

“I did, Dad,” Emma said, sitting upright. “I finished my homework early and drew it for Charlie so he can color it.”

Adam praised her effort and called them to dinner, reminding them to wash their hands first.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

In the kitchen, Maggie had served the stew and bread. She lit two candles, making the simple setup a little special for their children. Adam watched her steady herself against a chair.

“Are you okay, Mommy?” Emma asked as she sat down.

“I am,” Maggie replied. “It’s just been a very long day, and I’m ready for bed.” She went back into the kitchen to get a pitcher of water.

“But you have to eat first, Mommy!” Charlie said, breaking off a piece of bread.

“And that’s exactly what Mom is going to do,” Adam said firmly. The last time she skipped a meal, her blood pressure had dropped so low that Adam had to take her to the clinic.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

“Are you okay?” he asked Maggie.

“I just feel this intense pressure in my head,” she said. “The last time this happened, there was that huge storm. So, we’re probably going to get a storm tonight. That’s all.”

Adam believed her–after Maggie was diagnosed with epilepsy, she had read most of the books in the town’s library related to it. And since then, she has become really good at managing it. If Adam had to think about it, she had very few seizures since she started her epilepsy research.

“But you’re feeling fine, otherwise?”

“Yes. I’ll just have to be careful if there’s any lightning, that’s all,” she said, returning to the table.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash

“So, tell us about school,” Maggie asked the kids as she sat down.

“I have an upcoming science project. We can make a tornado or a volcano,” Emma said.

“Dad, how do we make a tornado?” she asked Adam.

“We could try to make a structure out of steel wool,” he suggested. He always enjoyed doing projects with the kids.

As they ate, rain began, and the radio’s music was interrupted by a severe weather warning.

A tornado warning is in effect…take cover immediately. Stay indoors. Do not go outside. Keep windows closed shut. This is a dangerous and unpredictable situation, folks.”

Maggie and Adam exchanged worried glances, concerned about their weak roof.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash

“Dad, what’s happening?” Emma asked.

“There’s a storm warning, but we’re prepared,” Maggie told Emma.

They finished dinner in silence.

***

Adam looked outside the kitchen window at the intensifying rain. “At least my head predicted this one,” Maggie quipped, washing dishes.

Adam was concerned about the roof and his ankle pain.

“We’ll be fine, Adam,” Maggie said, noticing his worried expression. “We just need to keep the children calm.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash

Adam glanced outside again, noting the worsening weather conditions. He needed to hold a family meeting immediately.

***

“Okay, family meeting,” Adam said, sitting beside his children. “We’re going to sleep in our clothes tonight, not pajamas.”

“Why?” Charlie asked.

“You heard the weatherman,” Adam replied. “We need to be ready for anything.”

“Exactly,” Maggie added.

A few hours later, Maggie and Adam had gotten the children into their most comfortable but warm clothes and were asleep in their bedroom. Maggie wanted the whole family to sleep in one room.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

Adam awoke in the middle of the night and walked around the house. The power had gone out a while ago, so he used his old, reliable flashlight. He was grateful for the fact that Maggie was asleep with the children as well. He wasn’t sure how they would handle Maggie having a seizure at this moment when the thunder and lightning had started.

As Adam stepped into the children’s bedroom, he could hear dripping. He raised his flashlight at the ceiling and noticed a growing leak. “Damn it,” he muttered, placing a bucket under the leak. But the situation was bad. The roof could collapse at any moment.

Waking Maggie, he showed her the worsening situation. “We have to get out, right?” Maggie asked, alarmed.

“I’ll clear out the trailer,” Adam decided as Maggie gathered food and water.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

Adam braved the storm to reach the trailer, struggling against the wind and rain. Once inside, he began preparing it as a temporary shelter.

Adam had received the run-down trailer from a friend. He wanted to fix it for family road trips but didn’t have the money for it. Over time, the trailer became storage for tools and miscellaneous items.

While trying to make space for his family, Adam noticed the mold inside the trailer. He didn’t want to bring his kids into such an environment, but he didn’t have a choice. His ankle pain worsened due to the rain and cold, but he kept going.

Meanwhile, Maggie watched him clear the clutter from their trailer. She knew he was in pain from a swollen ankle. When Adam returned, they awoke Emma and Charlie and rushed to the trailer.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash

Adam, shielding Emma from the rain, led the way. Maggie followed with Charlie. Adam then returned to the house for towels, clothes, and other necessities.

In the trailer, Maggie made the beds while Emma and Charlie watched the storm.

“Come here,” she called them.

“When Dad comes,” Emma said, pouting.

Maggie couldn’t blame them. Although the house was just across the lawn, having been in the wind and rain had made them realize the severity of the situation.

***

“There he is!” Emma exclaimed as Adam returned, soaked.

Adam, in pain, struggled with his boots. Maggie helped him take them off, wishing she could do more. The family settled in as the storm raged.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

After his family fell asleep, Adam watched their house succumb to the storm. There was nothing he could do to save their home. Seated in the driver’s seat, he dozed off.

The next morning, the rain was gone, and the sun shone brightly. Adam and Maggie looked out of the trailer at their damaged home.

“We’ll fix it,” Adam reassured Maggie, despite financial worries.

“Where is the roof?” Emma asked, seeing the damage.

“It was the storm, honey,” Adam explained.

“Adam, what’s that?” Maggie asked, pointing to a pile of boxes sitting right next to the trailer door, covered by a tarp.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash

Adam opened the boxes one by one and found water, food, and essentials. He even found painkillers in one of the boxes.

Meanwhile, Maggie found a message among the supplies, and it read:

“The library was untouched by the storm. Come here when you’re ready,” it said.

Deciding to investigate, the family walked to the library. When they arrived, they saw people milling around. Inside were tables set up with different items if people needed them. There was a play area for kids, too.

“I was so worried,” Diane, Maggie’s friend and the librarian, said as she approached them. “I heard that your side of town was hit the most by the storm!”

“It was pretty bad,” Maggie told her. “We stayed in the trailer until it calmed down. But we saw that most of our roof had caved in this morning.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash

“Oh no!” Diane exclaimed, clutching Maggie’s hand.

“I’m going to take the kids to the play area,” Adam told them and took them away.

“Adam is really stressed out by the whole thing,” Maggie said.

“I understand,” Diane told her. “Did you get the boxes?”

“That was you?” Maggie asked, holding onto her hand tighter.

“Yes, but I asked my son to drop it off because I had to set up here,” Diane explained.

“Thank you, Di,” Maggie said.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

Maggie’s eyes welled up. Having someone looking out for them meant that Maggie and Adam could take a moment to breathe. They could sit back knowing their children were safe in the library, surrounded by adults and other children in the same situation. And for that, Maggie was grateful.

“Listen, I know you’re probably stressed about where to go,” Diane said. “But you must know that my home is open to your family. And it’s not just a temporary place until you find something else. You can stay for as long as you need, Maggie. I mean it.”

Maggie nodded and pulled Diane into a hug.

“I wouldn’t know how to thank you,” Maggie said against Diane’s hair.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

“You could help me cook,” Diane said, grinning. “You know I hate cooking.”

Maggie laughed.

Meanwhile, Emma and Charlie found other children from their school and ran to play in the library area dedicated to them. Adam stood alone, watching them and grinning when a nurse approached him.

“Sir, do you need anything?” she asked.

“Uh,” he paused. “Actually, yes. My ankle,” he said. “I twisted it at work yesterday, and I’ve been on my feet ever since. Do you think you can look at it?”

“Of course, come with me,” she said.

Adam let himself be led by the nurse to another corner of the library where the medical supplies were. She examined his ankle.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

“Oh, boy,” she said. “This must hurt.”

“Like hell,” he agreed.

After the nurse had taken care of Adam’s ankle, she released him with strict instructions. “I know you want to get to your wife and children, fine. But find them and sit down,” she said.

Adam thanked her and left.

When he found Maggie, she was sipping on some tea with Diane.

“Adam, Diane brought the boxes,” she said.

“Diane,” he said, sitting down next to them. “Thank you. But how can we repay you?”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

“By staying with me until your home is sorted. My son is leaving to return to university on Monday, so I’ll be alone again. Your family will bring my home some joy.”

Adam smiled and took her hand. “Thank you,” he said. “Truly.”

Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed reading this story, you might like this one about a couple who brought home their adopted son only to find him nursing a strange baby in his room the next day.

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