"You were unsure which pain is worse, the shock of what happened or the ache for what never will"
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Dani's POV
The sound of my three-year-old niece's voice filled the room. "Aunt Dani Aunt Dani" she repeated pressing her face closer to the IPad so I could only see her one of her brown eyes.
"move back Vera Aunt Dani can't see you" I heard my sister's voice in the background. She did as she was told smiling brightly at me.
"Aunt DanDan I is a big sister" she said proudly moving back so more so she could dance around the room.
"I know Vera" I smiled watching her. I couldn't help but giggled seeing my older sister waddle across the screen.
"keep laughing this is going to be you soon" Lauren stopped sticking her tongue out at me. I dropped my stare to my still flat stomach pressing my hand to it. Lauren is the only one that knows I am pregnant besides Emmyn. "Vera put your shoes on so we can go to Aunt Amy's" Lauren turned around to see Vera. Once she was out of the room, she turned her attention back to me.
"how are feeling?" I asked leaning back on my couch.
"tired of being pregnant" she laughed running her hand over her stomach. "what about you? Are you still getting sick?" she picked up her ipad and sat down so all I could see was her face.
"I am good. Why do they call it morning sickness when I get sick all day?" I huffed making her laugh.
"because where the appeal in all day sickness" she laughed shaking her head. "are you going to come down after this little one is born?" she tilted the camera so I could see her swollen stomach. I watched her run her hand over her stomach.
"yeah we are going to drive down and stay for a week or so" I nodded blinking away tears.
"awe Dan why are you crying?" she pouted making it worse.
"Hormones" I choked out laughing. "I just miss you guys" I wiped my face. Everything changed when Emmyn and I decide to move to California. I lost a lot of the close relationships I had with my family.
"we miss you too, don't cry." She said with tears slipping down her cheeks. "now I am crying" she laughed wiping away her tears. I was ready to say something when Vera popped back into frame. Lauren smiled pressing a kiss to her cheek. "shot I have to go" she mumbled. "say bye-bye Vera"
"Bye-bye Aunt Dani" Vera said blowing me a kiss. "I love you"
"Bye sweetie, love you more" I smiled blowing her a kiss back. "bye loser love ya" I said turning my attention back to Lauren
"bye rat, love you too I guess" she smirked ending the call.
Later that night my sister's song I don't deserve it blared through the speakers on my phone. I shifted my green eyes to see Lisa's picture flashing on the screen. I can't remember the last time she has called me. We had a falling out a few years ago when I decided to move back to Cali with my husband. She took it so personal like I was moving away just to spite her. that's how my three older sisters still feel to this day. I am really only close to Lauren and my brothers. Occasionally, I will get a call from Amy but the long I have been away the less that happens.
I took a deep breath just watching the phone ring. As soon as it stopped it started again. Something must be wrong. My heart pounded in my chest as I grabbed the phone. "Hello" I said biting my lip. Lisa was sobbing on the other end of the line saying something I couldn't make out. "Lisa calm down I don't understand what you are saying"
"She dead" she choked out. She who is she? There are so many shes in our family.
"Who is dead?" I asked not sure what was going on. Again, she said something that I couldn't make out. "Lisa what is going on?" panic started to set in. "I am going to call Lauren" I pulled the phone away ready to end the call.
"she is dead Dani. Lauren is dead" she said clearly this time.
"no Lisa this isn't funny. I talked to her a few hours ago" I shook my head not believing her. We were just talking about me coming down to meet her son after he is born.
"they were hit head on by a drunk driver" no that can't be I was just talking to her she was okay. She was so happy about becoming a mother again. "she held on long enough for Mason to be born" her voice cracked. "he is so small Dan"
"What about Vera? And Christian?" I asked trying to wrap my mind around this. I heard some noises before hearing my oldest sister's voice. "Christina?"
"yeah it's me" I could tell from her voice that she has been crying. "Christian passed away. Vera wasn't in the car Amy was watching her"
"tell me this is a sick joke please" I begged as tears slipped down my cheeks. I don't want to live in a world without her. I don't know how to. I might have moved but our bond never broke. She was still the one I would call first to share anything and everything with. "I will be on the next flight" I said before hanging up.
I wanted nothing more than to wake up from this nightmare. Why god why did you take her? how could you leave two young children parent-less? She brought so much joy into this world why would you take her from us? I sobbed uncontrollably as Emmyn wrapped his arms around me hold me closely.
"What happened?" he begged me to tell him rocking me in his arms.
"Lauren is dead" I couldn't believe the words coming out of my mouth, well I didn't want to believe it. "we have to go back to Nashville" My voice was shaky, and my eyes stung from crying.
Moments like this make me hate living so far away. I missed all that time with my sister, and I will never be able to make it up. I will never get to see her again. Its been over a year since I hugged my sister, that was the last time I got to hug her. I never get to feel the safety of her arms around me again. I screamed out in pain at the thought of living in a world without my best friend.
