9-1-1 ᴅᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀ ᴏɴᴇ sʜᴏᴛs

Grief and loss - Eddie diaz

Sophia Diaz -15

Eddie Diaz stood outside his children's room, his heart pounding in his chest. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. His eyes were red and puffy from hours of crying, and he still struggled to comprehend the devastating news he had received. Shannon, his ex-wife and the mother of his children, had died in a car accident. The weight of the news threatened to crush him, but he knew he had to be strong for his children.

He opened the door slowly, finding fifteen-year-old Sofia and her younger brother Christopher playing a game together. The sight of their innocence, of them laughing and playing, made his heart ache even more. He stepped into the room, his movements slow and heavy.

"Dad, are you okay?" Sofia asked, noticing the look on his face. Her laughter faded, replaced by concern.

Eddie tried to speak, but his voice caught in his throat. He sat down on the edge of the bed, taking a deep breath. "I... I need to tell you both something."

Christopher looked up, his game forgotten. "What is it, Dad?"

Eddie struggled to find the words, his eyes filling with tears. "It's about your mom. There was an accident..."

Sofia's face went pale. "What happened? Is she okay?" she moved closer to her dad.

Eddie shook his head, the tears spilling over. "She... she didn't make it."

For a moment, there was complete silence. Then, Sofia and Christopher both began to sob. Christopher's cries turned into screams, his small body shaking with the intensity of his grief. "No! No! I don't believe you! Mommy can't be gone!"

Eddie reached out, trying to pull them both close to comfort them. Sofia, however, clung to him tightly at first, her sobs racking her body. "Why, Dad? Why did this have to happen?" she cried, her face buried in his chest.

Eddie held her and Christopher, trying to soothe them. "I don't know, Sofia. I don't know. But I'm here, and we're going to get through this together."

They stayed like that for what felt like hours, huddled together in their shared grief. Sofia's sobs eventually subsided, but the pain was still raw and intense. She pulled back slightly, looking around the room. Everywhere she turned, she saw photos of her mother—smiling, happy, alive. The sight was too much for her to bear.

"I can't stay here," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I can't... I can't look at her pictures."

Before Eddie could stop her, Sofia broke free from his embrace and ran out of the room. He heard the front door slam, and his heart sank even further.

***

Sofia ran through the streets, tears streaming down her face. She didn't know where she was going; she just needed to get away from the house, from the reminders of her mother. After what felt like hours of running, she found herself outside Buck's house. She stood there for a moment, trying to gather herself before knocking on the door.

Buck answered, his expression immediately turning to concern when he saw Sofia. "Hey, Sofia. What's wrong?"

Sofia broke down again, unable to speak. Buck pulled her into a hug, holding her tightly. "Come on in. Let's get you inside."

Once inside, Buck called Eddie to let him know Sofia was with him. "Eddie, she's here. Don't worry, I'll take care of her tonight. You focus on Chris."

Eddie sighed with relief, though his heart still ached for Sofia. "Thank you, Buck. Please, just make sure she's okay."

That night, Sofia cried herself to sleep in Buck's arms. He held her, whispering comforting words until her sobs quieted. It was late at night when she finally started to cry for her dad. "I want my dad," she whispered.