“Hello,” AJ said as he answered the phone.

“Hey,” Kevin said from the other end. “How you doin’?”

“Last night was hell,” he answered.

“Kristin and I wanted to know if it would be O.K. if we came over and helped you out today.”

“Sure, just come in,” he answered, “I’m getting ready to give Brittany a bath.”

“K, we’ll be right over.”

“Britt, come on you have to take a bath before Uncle Kev, and Aunt Kristin get here,” he said to her as she watched Sesame Street.

“Can’t I watch this first?”

“No, you have it on tape, come on.”

“Ok,” she said heading up the stairs with her Daddy right behind her.

“Can I have bubbles?” she asked as she got to the bathroom.

“Sure,” AJ said as he played with her hair, “Come on.”

She lifted her arms and AJ laughed at her cuteness. He pulled her little nightgown over her head, and got her undressed. AJ turned to get the bubbles, and before he knew it she was in the bathtub.

AJ heard Kevin and Kristin come in the door,

“We’re up here. I’ll be down in a minute.”

“Is that Uncle Kevin, and Aunt Kristin?” Brittany asked AJ poured water over her shampooed head.

“Yes,” he answered as he rinsed the shampoo out. AJ got Brittany out of the tub, and wrapped her in a towel.

“What do you want to wear today?” he asked as he looked through her closet.

“This,” Brittany said as she pointed out a pair of shorts, and a pink shirt.

“K, come on.” He put her down and got her dressed, and carefully brushed her hair. He went to put her hair in a pony tale, but she stopped him.

“No, Mommy does it.” She said as she covered her head. AJ sighed; knowing this was going to be a hard adjustment for both of them.

“Brittany do you remember what I told you about Mommy,” AJ asked, “Mommy’s gone.”

Brittany slowly slid her hands down from her still damp head as she looked sad, “Oh yeah. Where did she go again?”

“She went to heaven,” he answered.

“By the angels,” Brittany added, “Right?”

“Yeah,” AJ answered, “Can I do your hair now?” he asked as he ran his fingers through the hair of his daughter.

“Yup.” She answered as she turned around. After he was finished getting Brittany ready for the day she ran down the stairs.

“Aunt Kristin, Uncle Kev.” She yelled running to them.

Kristin was looking at the picture of the five girls that was on the mantle of the fireplace in the living room. She was doing all she could to hold her tears as long as Brittany was there.

“Hey Britt,” they both said in unison. She hugged them both.

“How are you doin’ AJ,” Kevin asked looking at his saddened friend.

“I miss her so much,” AJ answered as he saw Kristin looking at the picture.

Kevin hugged him, “We all do.”

“I know,” AJ said, “But no one will miss her as much as I do. She was everything to me.” He said as his tears fell.

AJ and Kevin went into the kitchen and went to make the last few phone calls, the ones that AJ hadn’t gotten to earlier.

Kristin and Brittany were still in the living room.

“Aunt Kristin, are you sad about Mommy, too?” Brittany asked as she saw her ‘aunt’s’ tears as she looked at the picture, “Is that why you are crying?”

Kristin knelt down to Brittany’s height, and held her little hands, “Yes,” Kristin answered. “That’s why I am crying. I really miss your Mommy.”

“I really miss my Mommy, too,” Brittany said as she looked up at the picture, “Why did she have to go away?” she continued as a tear fell, and looked back at Kristin.

“I really don’t know honey, nobody knows,” Kristin answered, “Come here sweetie.” She said as she hugged her goddaughter.

“Kristin,” Kevin called from the kitchen, “We need your help.”

Kristin smiled the best she could for Brittany, “Come on.” She said taking her hand and walking into the kitchen.

“What do you need?” she asked walking into the kitchen.

“I have done just about everything already. Where the funeral is, flowers, everyone is called. I just need to ask you two things,” AJ answered.

“What?”

“What is she going to wear? And what picture do I have of you girls at the ceremony? I have one of all eleven (Brittany is in the picture) of us, but I need one of just you five girls.”

“Why don’t we let Brittany decide what she will wear,” Kristin said still having Brittany’s hand in hers, “And how about the picture of us girls from the wedding reception. The one of the fireplace.” Kristin answered.

“The one on the fireplace, that was her favorite picture of you guys. She’d like that one.” AJ said, “But, what does she wear?”

He got up from his seat at the table, and knelt down to Brittany, “What do you want Mommy to wear?”

Brittany thought for a second, “The yellow dress, the soft one.” She knew that was her mom’s favorite dress in the whole world.

AJ smiled at his daughter, “Okay.” He said, “That’s what Mommy will wear.” He kissed her forehead.

“Then everything is settled.” AJ said standing up.

“Daddy, can I watch Sesame Street?” Brittany asked tugging on his oversized pants.

“Yeah, come on.” AJ said leading Brittany out of the room.

Kristin and Kevin watched the two walk into the living room.

“I can’t even begin to think of how hard it is for him,” Kevin said breaking the silence.

“All I know is that it’s going to be very hard, for both of them.” Kristin added.

AJ walked back into the kitchen, “Bone, are you sure you’re going to be all right?” Kevin asked.

AJ gave him a sad look, “I know I’m not going to be O.K.”

He looked into back towards the living room, where his daughter sat watching Sesame Street.

“I told her, Roxanne wasn’t coming home, and that she was by the angels. But, I don’t know how hard it’s going to be at the funeral.”

Kristin stood up and hugged AJ.

“I miss her so much.” He said as tears fell. The phone rang, and AJ went to answer it.

“AJ,” the voice on the other end said.

“Hi, Linda.” AJ added.

“I wanted to call and let you know my flight lands at 5 o’clock tomorrow night,” she said not believing she was going to her daughters funeral.

“I’ll be there to pick you up. What gate number?” he asked. She gave him the gate number, and he wrote it down. They said good-bye and hung up their phones.

“Linda gets in tomorrow night.” AJ informed Kristin and Kevin.

“Why isn’t she staying here?” Kevin asked. “She doesn’t know if she’d be able to handle it.” He answered.

“How do any of us handle it?” Kristin asked. She looked at Brittany, still sitting in the same spot as before watching the TV,

“Especially you two. You know we’re here for you right?”

“I know. You two are the two people we’re closest to.”