Losing my brother, Eric, was like losing a part of myself. He wasn’t just my older brother—he was my best friend, my protector, the guy who always had my back, no matter how many mistakes I made.

Now, three months later, I found myself standing in front of his grave, my nephew Kyle beside me. I had promised Eric I’d take care of his son, and I meant it, but stepping into a father’s role with no experience and barely enough money to keep us afloat had been one of the hardest things I’d ever done.

Kyle sniffled beside me, his small hands clenched into fists. He was only eight, far too young to have lost both his parents. His mom had passed away when he was just a baby, and Eric had raised him alone. Now it was my turn, though most days, I felt like I was failing.

I placed a hand on his shoulder, not sure what else to say. We had been standing in silence for a while when Kyle suddenly reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small, worn envelope.

“Here,” he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. “Before Dad passed, he told me to give this to you.”

My chest tightened as I took the envelope, my fingers trembling. The paper was aged and slightly crumpled, as if Kyle had held onto it for a long time.

I swallowed hard, unfolded the letter, and began to read.

Dear Dylan,

If you’re reading this, then I didn’t make it. I hate that. I hate leaving Kyle behind, and I hate leaving you to clean up my mess. But I know you’ll take care of him—I’ve never trusted anyone more.

I know you’ve had a rough life, and I know you never got the breaks I did. I also know that deep down, you’re the best man I’ve ever known. And I need you to believe in yourself the way I always believed in you.

There’s something I never told you. I’ve been saving money—not much, but enough to help you and Kyle get a fresh start. I left instructions in the place where we used to hide Mom’s old cigarette stash when we were kids. Go there, and you’ll find what you need.

Take care of my boy. And take care of yourself. You deserve more than you think.

– Eric

Tears streamed down my face as I read the words. My brother had always believed in me, even when I had nothing to show for it. I had spent my whole life thinking I was the screw-up between us—the one who barely scraped by, the one who never seemed to make anything of himself. But Eric… he had seen me differently.

Kyle looked up at me, his wide brown eyes full of hope. “What does it say?”

I wiped my face, trying to compose myself. “It says your dad loved you very much,” I told him, forcing a smile. “And that he left us something to help.”

Kyle’s face brightened. “Really? What is it?”

I folded the letter and placed it in my pocket. “Let’s go find out.”

That night, after putting Kyle to bed, I went down to the old house where Eric and I had grown up. It had been abandoned for years, its windows boarded up, the walls covered in graffiti. But I still remembered every inch of it—every hiding spot, every secret we had shared.

I stepped into what used to be our mother’s bedroom, peeling away the loose wooden panel beneath the window frame. My heart pounded as I reached inside, my fingers brushing against something solid.

A small metal box.

I pulled it out, my breath catching in my throat. With shaky hands, I opened the lid.

Inside was a stack of cash—more money than I had ever seen in one place. There was also a small, folded document. I opened it, my eyes widening as I read the words printed at the top:

Life Insurance Policy – Beneficiary: Dylan Carter

My hands trembled as I processed what I was seeing. Eric had named me as the beneficiary. The amount wasn’t enough to make us rich, but it was enough to change everything. Enough to pay off debts, get a decent apartment, and give Kyle the life he deserved.

But there was one last thing at the bottom of the box. A key.

I frowned, flipping it over. It had an address etched onto it—one I didn’t recognize.

I hesitated, then pulled out my phone and typed it in.

My breath caught when I saw the listing. It was a small house on the other side of town, fully paid for. My brother had bought a house. For us.

I let out a shaky laugh, wiping my eyes. “You son of a—” I stopped myself, chuckling. “You really thought of everything, didn’t you?”

I sat there for a long time, staring at the box, feeling a strange mix of grief and gratitude. Eric had always looked out for me, even from beyond the grave.

And now, it was my turn to do the same for Kyle.

The next morning, I took Kyle to see the house. His eyes went wide as we stood in front of it, his little fingers gripping my sleeve.

“This is ours?” he whispered.

“Yeah,” I said, smiling down at him. “Your dad made sure of it.”

Kyle looked up at me, his eyes full of something I hadn’t seen in a long time—hope.

“Dad always said you were the best person he knew,” he said softly. “I think he was right.”

I felt my throat tighten, but I forced a smile. “We’re gonna be okay, kid,” I promised. “We’ve got each other. And that’s enough.”

As we stepped inside, I felt something shift in me. For the first time in my life, I believed Eric’s words.

Maybe I wasn’t a screw-up.

Maybe, just maybe, I was exactly the man my brother always knew I could be.