I’m 49. My wife and I were married 20 years before she died in a crash 8 years back. We’ve got two amazing girls – Maeve (18, was 10 when it happened) and Alex (16, was 8 then).

We’re close, but they were always closer to their mom. She was… special. The kind of person everyone wanted to be around – smart, kind, just glowing.

She loved writing, especially letters. Even though her job didn’t need it, she’d write to people just to show she cared. When each girl was born, she wrote them a letter right away. Meant to give them at graduation, like a time capsule. Stored them safely in our basement. Full of advice and stories from when they were babies.

Today was Maeve’s graduation. I gave her the letter tonight. At first, she cried happy tears reading it. Then she blew up – asked why I waited so long. Said she needed Mom’s advice these past eight years through all the hard stuff. I explained I was following her mom’s wishes, but Maeve snapped that her mom didn’t plan to die. Alex heard, came in, and now they’re both mad and won’t talk to me.

I’m wrecked. I grew up without a dad, swore I’d be better. Now I’m scared I failed by keeping those letters. But how could I ignore what my wife wanted? AITA?