Elaine Lau - Father Day Contest

“Take good care of Ashton…” was the last words I heard from my late father-in-law.

My late father-in-law had always yearned for a grandson. He has 9 grandchildren from my sister-in-laws but as a traditional old man, nothing beats having a grandson who could continue the family line and borne his family name.

He is more than a father-in-law to me. While most complained about their relationship with their in-laws, I really enjoyed and cherished my relationship with him. He was more than just an in law. He is like a friend and a father whereby we can chat and laugh together. I am always task to help him open and tend his provision shop when my mum-in-law goes for holidays. We can really get along. I guess it is fate.

My father in law passed away in China due to heart-attack when he was supposed to retire and enjoy being a grandfather with my son. As my son was still young, 3months old during his month-long hospitalization in China, my husband and I flew back just 3 days before his death while the rest of the family members were there. I still remembered vividly that it was a slightly past mid-night at about 2am when the phone rang. It was bad news from China, my father in law’s conditioned turned for the worst and I could only manage to hear his last words in a weak voice over aan overseas call as:” Take good care of Zichao (Ashton’s Chinese name)…”. He passed away 2 hours later. During his last breath, the very last thing on his mind is still my son.

My father-in-law passed away in Jun 06, just 2 days after Father’s Day. If he could make it back to Singapore, he would probably be celebrating the most memorable father’s day in his life as a grandfather.

Till today, I can still remember his excitement when Ashton was born and how he rushed to the hospital at 11pm at night to see him, how he helped to look after Ashton while I was at work and how he fed him milk even though he had not feed any of his grandchildren before.

I guess my best present to him was Ashton as I can sensed his happiness when he was born and the intense love that he had shower on my son although they have only spent a mere short 2 months together.

My children and I still include my father-in-law in our prayers every night and I believe that my dear father-in-law is watching over Ashton and Ashlyn from heaven.