Piece by Piece

2. And all I remember

Pic is Carol their mom
flashback 12 years ago...

Jack don't do this we have a family you made a promise
Carol its over I'm not happy nor have I ever been
i heard my parents arguing from the stairs my dad had two suitcases and was walking to the door daddy wait I said running down the stairs he didn't stop Jack my mom yelled he turned his head and I walked to him I love you stay Daddy please he looked at me while I spoke then looked at my mom I'll be back tomorrow for the rest of my things and left through the door.... End of flashback
Today is my mother's funeral and that night keeps replaying in my head I don't know what I'm going to do I graduated only a month ago Toby is 12 and out of school for the summer I work a part-time job at a small Cafe I don't make enough money to pay bills and support my brother my mom was an only child so I don't have any aunts or uncles my grandfather passed away a few years ago and my grandmother moved into a home for the elderly the funeral was small but nice after the service I took my brother for lunch at the cafe I work at Maggie the owner gave me the day off but asked me to stop by Hey Maggie I said when I entered the cafe hello Emily how are you she said in a sad voice okay I'm just trying to figure things out well honey that's kind of why I asked you here your mother came by one day while you were still in school she told me her cancer came back and she didn't want treatment again I tried to convince her treatment wasn't a bad idea but she felt it was her time anyway she gave me this Maggie then gave me a folded piece of paper she told me to tell you to have an open mind about the idea I looked at her confused until she nodded her head to her the paper I then understood she wanted me to read it Maggie took Toby into the back while I sit at the table and read

Dear my sweet Emily
     I am truly sorry I left you and your brother I just didn't have any fight left in me please forgive me for the burden I have left upon you-you are a strong and smart young woman and one day you will have everything you deserve in life I didn't want to leave without a plan B for you if you found everything too overwhelming so I spent a little time looking for your father
Jack Stone 332 Oak Lane Rapid City South Dakota 57702 remarried to Molly McCarthy one son from Molly's previous marriage Jamieson 19

I was crying I guess because this letter makes everything real my mom my closest friend she is gone forever I told Maggie thank you and that I will see her later with that Toby and I left