Timeline

Trouble

My cell phone rang. "Stewart? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Well, actually, everything. Sam, I am so sorry. I should've let you tell me everything before I got so angry. Ash told me this morning at school. I won't tell anybody anything. I promise. I want to help you. Ash does too. I'm so sorry."

"Oh. Well, I told you that I couldn't tell anybody. I told her because she asked why you were upset and she's my best friend. I figured I had lied to both of you enough."

"Oh. Well, that's OK. I understand now."

"Thank you. So, are we cool?"

"Yea, we're cool."

"Cool" I didn't know what else to say. There were just so many emotions going on this week.

"Yea" I don't think either one of us thought it was going to be that easy or that quick of a conversation. "So you can come over if you want. I'll show you some things I've learned so far."

"That'll be great! I can't right now though. I'm about to eat dinner. I can come over right after though if that's OK?"

"Definitely."

"Ok. I'll see you then?"

"Yes. See you then."

"Bye"

"Bye" We hung up the phone and I went downstairs to see what was going on. It's been three days since Rob left and we haven't heard from him at all. "Mom? What's wrong?" She was crying when I walked into the kitchen. She had just hung up the phone.

"It's Rob"

"What happened? Is he ok?" I knew this couldn't be a good thing at all.

"No... He's dead, Sam. Dead."

"What? How?" So many questions were going through my head right now.

"When he was fishing, him and his buddy went out in one boat, hoping to not scare the fish with a second one. Well, his buddy stood up for a second and lost his balance. The boat tilted and Rob fell out. He wasn't wearing a life jacket and the water was a little rough. He never came back up."

"Oh my gosh. That's terrible." He might not have been my real dad but I still loved him. And I knew my mom loved him more than I did. So we cried together.

"Hi, Stewart. I'm so sorry. But can we do this another time? There's been a really bad accident and we're not taking it too well."

"What happened? Is everything OK?"

I took a deep breath. "Rob died," He just stood there staring at me with his mouth open. I was still crying and he didn't know what to say.

"I'm so sorry"

"Thanks. We just need to do this another time." I shut the door. I hope he won't get mad at me again...

It was strange without a guy in the house. It was quiet and clean. I wonder if mom would let me get a dog.

I was channel surfing on the TV when the doorbell rang. I went to get it. "Ash? What are you doing here?"

"Stewart told me what happened. I was just checking to see if you're ok."

"Yea. I guess so. I mean, my mom's upset still and I guess I am too. It's just really different in the house now. I was thinking about asking if we could get a dog after everything settles down some more."

"That'd be a good idea. I mean, you've wanted one since you were little. And you like Stewart's dog. Maybe it'll be good for both of you. It'll give you some sort of distraction. And you can keep it at my house sometimes if you need to."