One - 1999

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"Happy birthday!!!" June's parents said happily. June was three years old at the time and for her birthday, her parents threw a special secret party in her treehouse. "Daddy! Save some cake for Elliot!" June pointed to her stuffed elephant toy. "Oops! Sorry, June-bug! Here's some cake, Elliot!" her father laughed and cut a thin sliver of the dark chocolate cake and placed it in front of the elephant. June smiled and waved the toy's hands around, as if it had a mind of its own "Why thank you very much! This is a tasty treat!" June said in a goofy voice. She then proceeded to dip the elephants trunk right into the icing of the cake. "June, sweetie" her mother began "We'll have to wash Elliot tonight and clean up his messy face." she smiled kindly. June and her parents had a strong bond, and her mother always said to her at bedtime "love is a bond that can never be broken".
June's parents were scientists that studied ocean creatures. June always loved the trips to the beach and enjoyed pointing out the many types of sea creatures with her father and mother. Eventually, her parents had to go away for a while. They were going to discover and study underwater sea creatures like whales and octopi. "Mommy, Daddy? Why can't you stay? I don't want you to go." June asked sadly the night before her parents left. "June-bug. We will only be gone for a little while. We promise we will call you every night before bed." Her mother and father told her. "Pinky promise?" June asked them as they tucked her into bed. "Pinky promise." Her mother and father linked their pinky fingers with June's own pinky to seal the promise. They kissed her goodnight and closed her door just a crack.
June wasn't alone. Her nanny promised to take good care of her whilst her parents were away. Her nanny's name was Elizabeth, but June called her Lizzie for short. Lizzie did her best to help June forget about missing her parents. When June woke up, her parents were gone, but Lizzie had arrived with a box of cookie mix and a movie ticket. "Hi, June! Guess what we're going to do today?" Lizzie greeted her warmly. "Fly to the moon?" June guessed curiously. "No, silly! We would need a spaceship to go to the moon! Today, we're going to see Toy Story 2 at the movie theater!" Lizzie told June, who squealed. "Wow! I'm so excited!" June exclaimed happily.

A little while later, Lizzie and June went to the movie theatre. The movie was very funny and June had a wonderful time with Lizzie. When they got home, Lizzie went upstairs with June for her afternoon nap. "And they lived happily ever after. The end." Lizzie finished reading a story to June. "See you in a bit. Sweet dreams, June." Lizzie said, turning on June's light-up display, the stars spinning slowly around her bedroom. June yawned and fell happily to sleep.
The next two weeks following were very fun for June. June had a play date, Lizzie helped her make a couch fort, and took her to see her grandmother in the next town over. All the while, June's parents called her every night before bed, and June told her all about her adventures with the nanny. But one night, they didn't call. "Maybe they went to bed early." Lizzie said, trying to make June feel better. But the next night, June's parents didn't call either. A few days later, while June was playing in the treehouse with Lizzie, Lizzie heard the phone ring. "I'll be right back!" Lizzie told June as she climbed down from the tree house and into the house. June waited and waited for Lizzie to come join once more, but Lizzie was on the phone for quite some time.
When Lizzie finally returned, she was no longer smiling or laughing. June was surprised to see her nanny have tears rolling down her face. "Lizzie, don't cry. What's the matter?" June asked. "I'm so sorry, sweetie. Mommy and Daddy are gone." Lizzie sniffled and hugged June. "Are they coming back?" June asked nervously. "Mommy and Daddy went to heaven, June." Lizzie said to June. Tears welled in her eyes, and big drops fell to the ground as June burst into tears. She wasn't going to see her parents again.

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