Molly lost her dad Tuesday night. Just a few months after the diagnosis, Hugh is gone.
Matt said it feels like he's had two dads for the past six years, and now he's lost one of them.
I'm uncomfortable around grief, I've discovered. I encourage it. I understand it. But I'm often unsure how to share it. I don't know how to tell someone that I grieve with them and that I want to be available to them, should they need someone to talk or cry or scream to.
With close friends, it's easy. They know that you want share their burden, and that you're available for those 3 a.m. phone calls. You know what joyful memories to remind them of, and you don't hesitate to weep with them. Their heartaches are yours.
It isn't so easy in this case. I grieve with Matt. I met Hugh - I liked him a lot. But I still don't know Molly very well.
How do I interact with my sister-in-law in a way that isn't cold or - conversely - pushy/fake? Is there a middle ground?
The funeral is today.
