I found love after my wife’s passing – Then my daughter said, ‘Dad, new mom is different when you’re gone’

By
Monica Pop
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Following my wife’s passing, it was just me and my daughter, Tessa. She was still very young to understand that her mom won’t return ever again. And then, a year later, someone new entered my life. And I though everything was perfect again, until my daughter mentioned the attic in my wife’s home.

Laura seemed to love my daughter. It felt like they have known each other since forever. The first they they met at the park, they played with the leaves, and Tessa came to me and said, “Dad, your friend Laura is really nice.” Her words put my heart at ease.

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It wasn’t long before Laura and I tied the knot and we moved to her Victorian home that she had inherited from her grandparents.

The place was very spacious. As Tessa moved from one room to another, she kept saying that she loved it there.

Life felt complete again, until Tessa started feeling uneasy around my new wife.

A couple of months into my marriage to Laura, I needed to take a business trip out of town. I knew Tessa would be just fine, although I have never left her with anyone else more than a day.

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Finally, when I returned home after a week, Tessa ran towards me, hugged me tightly, placed her head on my shoulder, and said, “Dad, new mom is different when you’re gone.”

As she said that, tears started rolling down her face.

“What do you mean she’s different, honey?” I asked, confused.

“She was spending time at the attic, and she wouldn’t let me go there. She keeps it locked and strange noises come from above.”

“Oh, is that so?” I asked, trying to comfort her. “Don’t worry, I’ll talk to her and ask her about it, but I’m sure there is a reason you can’t go there, Tessa.”

She looked me in the eyes and said, “And she’s strict. She won’t let me play with my toys if they are on the floor, and makes me clean the room all by myself.”

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I was a bit shocked. Tessa was just six years old, still just a child. On top of that, Laura never showed that strict side of hers until then.

As Tessa and I talked, Laura came out of the attic.

“Honey, you’re home,” she said with a huge smile on her face.

“Laura, how was Tessa while I was gone?” I asked her, not wanting to confront her about my daughter’s words right away.

“Well, she was great. She whined at times, but she’s a good girl,” Laura said.

“You know, she told me you were a bit strict to her. She also mentioned the attic and the noises coming from there.”

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However, Laura assured me that some rules of keeping her room clean and keeping track of where she puts her toys wouldn’t harm Tessa. And about the attic, she claimed it was a dusty place full of unnecessary things. There could be rats there as well, so she didn’t want Tessa to hurt herself in the mess.

I decided to trust her, although I didn’t forget about it altogether.

Days passed by, and Tessa started complaining about the noises coming from the attic. And then, one night, as I get to the kitchen to get some water, I noticed light coming from the attic.

“What is Laura doing there at this time of the night?” I thought to myself.

The next day, I decided to get inside. I simply needed to know what was going on. And the sight left me speechless.

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The attic was a bright and inviting space, far from the scene of terror Laura described it to be. What’s most, it resembled like a nursery. The walls were bright, and there was an unfinished mural of playful animals on the wall. Toddler clothes, stuffed animals, and baby furniture was all over the place.

As I was looking around in complete awe, Laura entered the attic. “Andrew, what are you doing here?” she asked.

“Laura, I need an explanation,” I said. “The attic isn’t dusty, nor a storage, it’s obviously a nursery.”

It was then that Laura started crying. “Andrew, I wanted to turn it into a safe space for Tessa. I was getting rid of the baby stuff little by little, turning it into a room for a girl Tessa’s age.”

She then told me that the room was decorated as it was for the daughter Laura lost at birth. “You lost a daughter?” I asked, shocked at the revelation.

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Laura explained that it was her own fears that made her be strict with Tessa, not knowing that she was scaring her.

“I was scared and worried you’d think I was trying to make Tessa replace the baby I lost if I told you about the attic. I also feared Tessa might reject me if I tried something so personal. While you were away, I worked on it quietly, hoping to surprise you with something wonderful,” Laura said.

She assured me she loved Tessa and cared deeply about her, she just didn’t know how to be a mother.

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I said she should start by showing Tessa the attic.

When Tessa saw it, she was stunned and loved it very much.

The relationship between my wife and my daughter blossomed. Tessa never felt scared around Laura again.

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Love and Peace

A document I found revealed my husband and MIL made a significant deal while I was battling a life-threatening disease

By
Monica Pop
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Amid my fight with a life-threatening disease, I overheard my husband and my MIL talking about a deal they made.

That day, I returned home from the hospital earlier than usual, and as I was about to enter the living room, I heard my MIL saying, “Make sure Maria doesn’t suspect anything.”

Her words made my heart skip a beat. What were they having in mind? What was that I wasn’t suppose to know?

However, I decided not to ask any questions. I just entered the room and went straight to the kitchen to make myself soup. It wasn’t that I was hungry, because the cancer took my appetite away, I just needed to avoid my husband and his mother, who was pretending to be solving sudoku in order to avoid eye contact.

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That night, I woke up and went to the kitchen to have a glass of water, when I noticed torn pieces of paper in the garbage.

I could see the words “contract,” “lease” and an address.

I felt shattered. Was this an address to a home my husband was planning to move into if I lose my battle with cancer? Was he already planning his future without me in it?

All I knew was that I needed answers, and I was about to look for them first thing in the morning.

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When the morning finally arrived, I grabbed my car keys, and headed to the address written on the paper that I held tightly in my hand.

As I arrived, my chest felt tight.

I parked and saw a building in front of me. But it wasn’t an apartment complex. Instead, it was a building with commercial properties. Workers were putting the finishing touches on a sign above the door that read: “OPENING SOON: BAKERY. MARIA’S DREAM.”

“What!?” I thought to myself and peered inside.

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The place was freshly painted, with a brand new counter, and shelves in the pale blue color I have always imagined my bakery should be.

The espresso machine was exactly the same as the one I had shown my husband months ago.

It felt like someone has taken my childhood dreams and put them inside that place, bringing them to life.

My heart pounded and I felt guilty of ever suspecting my husband.

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When I went home, I hugged him as tightly as I could, reminding him of how much I loved him.

“Maria, is everything okay,” he asked, and that’s when I told him I knew his secret.

“Jeff, I saw the place, the bakery,” I said.

“But… but how?” Jeff asked, confused. That’s when I told him about the torn pieces of paper I found in the trash.

“It was supposed to be a surprise,” Jeff said, smiling. “It was my mom’s idea. She used her retirement money, and I chipped in whenever I could.”

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I couldn’t believe my MIL would do such a wonderful thing for me, it meant she and my husband believed I would heal. I was overjoyed.

A couple of months later, we had the grand opening.

Plenty of people came to see the new bakery that was filled with the smell of my grandparents’ old recipes of cinnamon rolls, apple pies, and cookies.

What’s most, a friend of Jeff’s shared the story of my cancer battle and the surprise my husband and my MIL did for me, with the local newspaper, and it attracted even more customers.

Midjourney

On the big day, I heard my son, who was helping in the kitchen say, “Mom, we have a problem, there are no more blueberry muffins.”

I smiled and said, “That’s a good problem to have.”

Weeks later, I learned I was cancer-free. Life felt great again, and it was all thanks to my family.

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ANOTHER beloved Hollywood star has been found dead after the LA fires tore her home

By
Monica Pop
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Hollywood star Dalyce Curry, who played an extra in Blues Brothers, found dead after her home was burned down amid LA fires.

The fires that are raging in LA have affected thousands of homes and businesses. Over 200,000 people have been evacuated.

According to reports, the number of people who lost their lives reached 24.

Curry’s body was found at around 6 p.m. local time on Sunday, January 12. 

The news of her passing was confirmed by her granddaughter, Dalyce Kelley, who took to Facebook to share that her “beloved grandmother” has died in the fires.

“We had a great run. She impacted my life in so many ways. This loss is devastating.”

The family last saw the star who died in the LA fires on January, 7, around the time the blazes started.

Curry’s Altadena home was completely destroyed by the Eaton Fire.

When her granddaughter received a text message that her grandma’s home had lost power, she went to check up on Curry, but the home was already destroyed and her grandma was nowhere to be seen.

“I’m sorry your grandmother’s property is gone. It totally burned down,” an officer told her, according to KABC.

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“Everything was gone except her blue Cadillac,” Kelley said.

The actress’ other granddaughter, Lorée Beamer-Wilkinson, also shared her heartbreak over her grandma’s tragic passing.

“With a heavy heart, I share that our search for Momma D has come to an end, as her remains were found in her home,” she wrote. “We are devastated, and it’s difficult to comprehend how her life came to this end.

“I feel so grateful for the love and opportunity to have known her, even if only for a short time. Momma D was an extraordinary woman who welcomed me and my children into her life with open arms.”

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“She radiated positivity, showed grace, and lived as a shining example of strength, resilience, and kindness. Her story is one of breaking barriers, overcoming challenges, and spreading love wherever she went.”

She continued: “I miss her deeply and am working through the waves of regret—wishing I had called her more, shared more moments. But I know the best way to honor her is to keep her memory alive and cherish the beautiful moments we shared.”

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Love and Peace

All eyes were on Melania Trump at Jimmy Carter’s funeral

By
Monica Pop
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Melania Trump, who is days away from returning to the White House as a First Lady, caught the attention of the public with the unusual outfit she wore at former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral.

A number of former presidents attended the funeral of former President Carter, including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W Bush. As expected, President Biden was also in attendance along with his wife.

Donald and Melania Trump were both in attendance when Jimmy Carter’s official state funeral service was held at the Washington National Cathedral last week.

Her fashion statement caused a stir on the social media, and this isn’t the first time her choice of outfit to spark controversy.

Melania opted for a black Valentino trench coat, but it was the Peter Pan-style collar atop of it with a “rose-kiss” print, of a 19th-century sculpture by Auguste Rodin, that caught the eyes of many.

As per Women’s Wear Daily, this print was incorporated into multiple pieces in Valentino’s fall 2019 collection.

And while some loved the way she looked, others criticized her yet again.

“I’m glad this time, Melania found an appropriate black dress to wear to a funeral,” one individual stated.

“She just got off the Mayflower,” a second commented.

Others compared Melania Trump to a “pilgrim.”

“WTF is Melania wearing did the nun store have a sale,” a third person commented, per the Daily Beast.

“Melania wearing a pilgrim outfit,” a fourth said, while a fifth added, “Looks like our next four years of ‘What the f— is Melania wearing?’ starts today.”

A sixth person concluded, “Did Melania just finish up cleaning the bathroom?”

In the past, the public and the media criticized Melania for her outfits.

This includes the time in 2017 when she accompanied her husband to the G7 summit in Sicily and wore a Dolce and Gabana floral coat that cost $51,000. At the time, USA Today reported it was the equivalent of an average American’s household income.

Stephanie Grisham, former White House press secretary and author of the book I’ll Take Your Questions Now, recalled a specific moment when Trump went mad over his wife’s “mistake,” which made him target of wide criticism. Namely, on her way to a migrant housing facility in Texas, Melania wore a jacket with the text “I REALLY DON’T CARE, DO U?”

In an attempt to help improve the image of her husband’s administration, Melania’s wrong choice of wardrobe only made things worse, and she eventually abandoned the program.

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Another thing that many noticed about Melania was that she was unusually sad. The reason behind this was that President Carter’s funeral was on the one-year-anniversary of the passing of Melania Trump’s mother, Amalija Knavs.

Amalija passed away last year at 78, leaving behind a legacy of love and warmth.

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Which areas must evacuate after the fire at the Central California power plant?

By
Monica Pop
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People residing near the area of the Moss Landing Power Plant in Central California, one of the world’s largest battery storage plants in Northern California, have been asked to evacuate after the facility caught on fire.

According to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, the fire of the power plant isn’t related to the fires that are causing destruction in LA. 

As reported by the CNN, the fire at the power plant started around 3 p.m., and evacuation order for over 1,700 citizens was issued at approximately 6:30 p.m. due to concerns over hazardous materials and potential chemical releases.

The power plant, that has been left to burn on its own, contains tens of thousands of lithium batteries. 

“There’s no way to sugar coat it. This is a disaster, is what it is,” Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church told KSBW-TV. 

Vistra Energy, the company that owned the power plant, finished the latest stage of construction on the energy storage facility in 2023.

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Following the expansion, the power plant held a capacity of 750 megawatts and 3,000 megawatt-hours, enough to power around 562,000 homes for up to four hours.

The fire started in one of the plant’s lithium-ion batteries, and according to a spokesperson of Vista Energy, Jenny Lyon, the cause has not yet been determined. She added that an investigation will be launched once the fire is extinguished. 

“Our top priority is the safety of the community and our personnel, and Vistra deeply appreciates the continued assistance of our local emergency responders,” Lyon said. 

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Following the fire, several roads were closed to ensure public safety, including both directions of Highway 1 at Salinas Road, as well as Dolan Road and Castroville Boulevard.

Monterey County Spokesperson Nicholas Pasculli said the fire’s severity and the air quality is being monitored by drones. 

The burning power plant is surrounded by sensitive ecosystems, including the Moss Landing Wildlife Area, Elkhorn Slough State Marine Reserve, and Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve.

As of now, the fire is still on and residents are urged to stay home with windows closed, and not to use the ventilation systems. 

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Woman dying of cancer shares her biggest regret

By
Monica Pop
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Amanda Hedges, a 31-year-old woman who was diagnosed with cancer, opens up about how she would have lived her life differently.

Thinking about life, we believe we have plenty of time ahead of us, but the truth is that things happen that prevent us from living it to the fullest and achieve everything we hoped for.

For Amanda, the thing that turned her life upside down has been her cancer diagnosis.

It all started last year when she started experiencing mild headaches she believed were triggered by her anxiety medications.

“I asked my psychiatrist about it. They weren’t bad headaches and went away with Panadol,” she explained.

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Unfortunately, after undergoing an MRI, she learned that the headaches were caused by an aggressive brain tumor that left her with only months to live, and now, she won’t forgive herself for “forgetting to live.”

The tumor is inoperable and according to her, the endless rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy will not make the tumor disappear, they can only prolong her life.

Amanda would have changed a lot of things about her life had she had the chance.

“None of my old bosses or colleagues are sitting with me while I do chemo.

“It’s my mum and dad and friends that are here supporting me through this,” she told FEMAIL.

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“I wish I could live again so I could stop worrying about the little things and enjoy myself.

“‘I would spend more time with the people who actually mattered, make more of an effort to meet someone and have kids, to travel.

“If I had my time again I would do everything different.”

She continued: “I really want to stay at a hotel on the beach and just listen to the waves and forget that I am dying. Forget that I am me. Be someone else for a few days and just relax and have fun.

“I have also always wanted to head back to Australia Zoo and see Robert Irwin do a show. I saw his dad do one when I was a kid but I have always just put off going.

“And I really want to go to an all-you-can-eat buffet. I guess hotels would have that covered.”

Amanda said it is her parents, especially her mom, who helps her stay positive despite the grim diagnosis.

“They don’t know how long the cancer has been there or when it will start to happen, but it will happen,” she said.

“I haven’t processed it all yet.

“I wasted 30 years of my life doing nothing and I still have cancer.”

She’s hoping she would use the time she’s left to make the most out of her days.

In order to achieve this, Amanda started a GoFundMe page.

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When going to the market to buy pork

By
Monica Pop
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Pork is the number one meat consumed in the world, as per the Food Safety and Inspection Service.

During the 70’s, however, the consumption of pork among Americans dropped due to their growing awareness of the need for a healthier lifestyle, and with that, opting for leaner meats.

When buying pork, it is of great importance to pay attention to its color, which ranges from pale pink to dark red.

Knowing how the color affects the quality of the meat can help you choose the best pieces.

As per the Animal Range Extension, high-quality pork has a bright, reddish-pink hue. This color suggest freshness.

Of course, the color also depends on the part of the animal. There are parts that include more blood vessels, such as the neck area, the shoulders, and the front legs, which leads the meat from these parts to be darker.

The parts with less blood vessels, including the loin, hind leg, and rump meat, have a lighter color.

If the pork has purple or dark red color, it may suggest that the pig wasn’t alive when slaughtered for its meat.

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In case the animal was sick, there would be dark bruises due to blood clots when you cut through it.

If the color of the pork is slightly dark, it may refer that it is fresh and sold shortly after slaughter.

When the color is rather light, and there are signs of bubbling, be sure to know that the meat isn’t fresh, but has been injected with water in order to increase in weight.

When buying pork, opt for pieces with pink or bright red color. The nice white color of the fat is another indicator that the meat is fresh.

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In case the color is not enough indicator of the freshness of the meat, the smell certainly is. Fresh pork has a faint fishy smell. If the odor is too strong, don’t buy it.

At the end, touch it. Good meat shouldn’t feel sticky, but slightly moistly.

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Meghan Markle reveals a photo of her daughter Lilibet

By
Monica Pop
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down from their royal duties some four years ago, yet the public is still speculating about the exact reasons behind this decision that affected their relationship with the rest of the royals. One of the reasons, as per the couple themselves, was their attempt to get out of the limelight.

This, however, wasn’t something the wide public had fallen for, since both Harry and Meghan continued enjoying the media exposure in the States, giving interviews, publishing a book, and even taking on tours that resemble official royal engagements.

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However, although they remained in the spotlight, they do try their best to keep their children away from the media.

The truth is that Harry’s relationship with the media has always been a complex one, especially because he believes the media, especially the paparazzi, pushed his mother, Princess Diana, to her death.

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When Archie was born, Harry wasn’t much interested in revealing details surrounding the birth of the baby. However, he was forced into sharing with the people that Archie arrived into the world due to the breach of the “unwritten contract between the royals and the public.”

Harry and Meghan posed with him in front of the Portland Hospital in London, where he was born, as is the tradition.

“Today The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are delighted to share their first public moment as a family,” the Sussexes wrote.

Since then, not many photos of Archie have seen the light of the day.

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The same goes for Lilibet, Harry and Meghan’s daughter, who was born in the United States.

However, that changed when the Netflix documentary about Harry and Meghan, consisting of six episodes, aired. In the first episode of the documentary, the Sussexes provided people from all over the world with an intimate look into the family life at their home in Montecito, California, which was previously described as “Fort Knox,” and security is tight.

 
 
 
 
 
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With that said, fans were able to take a closer look at Archie and Lilibet as well.

When Lili turned one, the Sussexes had a small picnic party at Frogmore Cottage, their now-former UK home. Photos of the celebration was posted on the social media.

However, other than that, the public doesn’t get to see neither Archie, nor Lili. At least until recently, when they got to take a glance at the young prince and princess.

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When they released the family’s Christmas Card in December 2024, featuring six personal photos, there was a photo showing Archie and Lili.

The photo showed the little ones running into their parents’ open arms.

What caught the attention of many was Lili’s long auburn locks.

The family’s three adorable pet pooches, Guy, Pula and Momma Mia, are also shown on the photo.

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The rest of the photos included family trips, including their recent trips to Nigeria and Colombia.

The caption read: “On behalf of the office of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Archewell Productions and Archewell Foundations. We wish you a very Happy Holiday Season and a joyful new year.”

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