The Moments We Live For

Chapter 2

"Alright, come on guys. I'll come back and get your things."

She herded the two exhausted boys into the house all while carrying Liliana who was exhausted from her pain medication.

She didn't want to sleep in her sister's house. She hadn't had any time to process it, and this was going to make it too real.

But, it wouldn't be fair to make all three kids sleep in her one bedroom apartment.

She had so much to do. She had to make funeral arrangements, enroll Dray into kindergarten. She wanted to sell the house they were in and find another, a fresh start for all of them.

Shauna and Joey were smart. They both had a will that appointed her as both legal guardian and property guardian.

Mo remembered when her sister asked her about it. She didn't hesitate to tell her that she would take on the kids if something were to happen, and she did not regret that decision one bit. She was just scared and unsure.

She set Lily on the sofa, covering her with a blanket.

"Dray, why don't you and Morgan go up and pick some jammies to wear while I start dinner? I'll be up in a second."

The air felt thick. Mo was struggling to breathe. It smelled like Shauna, her best friend, her family. Joey was like her brother. Shauna and Joey met in middle school, so they had all grown up together.

She unpacked some groceries, unable to touch anything that was in the fridge. There was still a part of her that thought they were coming back.

She made little meatballs and some pasta with little bites of broccoli and grapes. The kids hadn't eaten anything good in the two days they were in the hospital.

She was thankful that Morgan had no signs of a concussion, and that Liliana was going to be okay. Dray was still quiet, confused. She was unsure of how to help him.

She went upstairs to help Morgan change. Dray was sitting on his bed.

"I made dinner," she told him and he nodded, following her down the stairs.

Mo woke Lily and they all piled around the dining room table to eat. 

"Thank you, Auntie Mo," Dray said and she smiled slightly.

"You're welcome."

---

The black suits looked too mature for the little boys. Black was too dark of a color for such young children.

The funeral services were today. Joey had a strained relationship with his parents and they lived quite far, so they were unable to make it. They had some work friends and some others Mo didn't really know. She did her best to reach out to everyone that Shauna would want to be there.

The kids were quiet. She knew they didn't quite understand, but they understood their parents weren't coming back.

The caskets were lowered into the ground and covered. Morgan and Dray were getting antsy, but they each had done really well and she was proud to be their aunt. They were so well behaved and polite.

"Do you want to give one of these to mommy and daddy?" she asked, offering each of them a rose from the bunch she brought.

"I want two," Morgan said. "One for mommy and one for daddy."

---

"This place is pretty updated for the price. It has three bedrooms and a finished basement which would be perfect for the kids."

"Is it still in the right school district?" Mo asked the real estate agent.

"Yes. There are several great parks within walking distance, and lots of families on this block."

It was quite below her budget, too. Shauna and Joey had most of their house paid off, and Mo wanted to be able to make some money off of it to put back for the kids. They were still young and didn't have much saved, and Mo wanted to be able to do this for them.

"The two bedrooms share a bathroom Jack and Jill style, and the master has an onsuite. There is a half bath off of the living room."

The huge basement would make a great playroom and the kitchen was open which she really liked.

"Any chance that they would go lower on the price?"

"It's been on the market for awhile, they might consider it."

After touring some homes, Mo walked the kids over to one of the nearby parks. Lillian was in a stroller. It was the easiest way to keep her off her leg.

"I packed snacks," she told them, gathering the boys and leading them to a picnic table.

They ate strawberries and pretzels by the small pond.

"Look, duck," Morgan said, a smile on his face. It was one of the first Mo had seen on him and she felt immediate relief. They were going to be okay.

"That's a goose, Morgan," Mo corrected gently, watching as the boy dropped a few pretzels on purpose.

"Don't feed him too many. He'll get a belly ache."

"Can we get up now?" Dray asked and she nodded, letting them take off. They ran around for a bit, threw some rocks in the water.

"Play?" Liliana asked. She was so beautiful, and looked so much like her mother. It made Mo's heart ache.

Mo didn't have the heart to tell her no, but there wasn't anything she was really able to do.

She ended up running with the stroller, chasing down the boys, and finally hearing their laughter.