As I woke up this morning I had no idea what would go down within just a few hours. I woke up at 6:05 to prepare breakfast and make sure all my kids uniforms were set out nice and neat for them. I have 3 children. 2 daughters named, Jessie and Katie, who are 16 and 14. I also have a son named Jack, who is 12. After I prepared breakfast for the kids I woke them up. They got up and went down to the kitchen. Jack said he wasn’t hungry which is strange, but I insisted he ate. “Are you feeling okay honey?” I asked him. “Ya. Just still tired.” He replied. He looked at me right in the eyes when he said it.

That was the 1st time I truly saw my mother. I had a gut feeling about something, but I’m not sure what it was. I got chills when I looked her in the eyes and said I was just tired. It may just be my anxiety, this isn’t the 1st time I’ve gotten a feeling like this. My sister Jessie can always tell when I’m having a bad anxiety day, so she knew that I was lying.

My poor son never gets enough sleep. He stays up on his dang video games all night. I wish he would’ve talked to me more that morning. As the kids were eating breakfast I went upstairs to get ready for work. I wore a white casual dress. I was feeling extra dressy.

I knew when Jack said he was tired that something was wrong. I pulled him to the side, so Katie wouldn’t be all up in his business. She’s the more over protective sister, so Jack doesn’t tell her when something’s wrong. “Jack, what’s going on?” I asked him. “Just getting another weird feeling.” He said. “Just take deep breaths and try to get through it buddy. Everything’s okay.” I replied. He gets these weird feelings all the time. I want to help, but never know how.

After everyone was done eating and ready we all got into the car. Jack wasn’t saying much, but Jessie and Katie were dancing to the music and laughing. It was always a good morning when they weren’t fighting. I dropped Jack off first at his elementary school. When he got out he gave me a tight hug. “I love you honey.” I said. It warmed my heart when he gave me that hug. “I love you too mom.” He replied as he was walking off into school. I then drove off and dropped the girls off at their high school. “Love you girls.” I say, as I do every morning.

“Love you too mom.” I said as I got out. Jessie just blew a kiss. I was trying to kiss my mom’s butt because I had a D in biology. She’s really strict on our grades and I knew she was going to freak if she found out before I got it up. I always forget to do my homework and she takes my phone and we get in huge fights when she checks my grades. I just wish she’d calm down and put herself in my position. I hate school, but I guess it’s for the best.

As I drove from their high school I was stuck behind a beer truck. Traffic was going smoothly, and I was going down an express way. I had taken a drink of the coffee I had prepared this morning and spilled some on my dress. “Great.” I looked in my gloved compartment for napkins and started to scrub my dress. I was paying more attention to the stain rather than the road. That’s when the beer truck had begun to slow down to merge to the next lane. I had no idea and collided into the back of it. There was a garbage truck behind me that I hadn’t noticed either and crushed my car into the beer truck.

I’ve calmed down. That strange feeling, I woke up with has been distracted by my friends Caleb, Matthew. We were shooting spit balls back and forth in the back of 5th period math class. We were laughing so hard we could hardly breath. I’m not sure why we found it so funny, but we always do. That’s when my teacher had gotten up from her computer, “Jack, come with me.” She said with a straight face. She’s going to give me a detention. I thought to myself. That’s not even fair, not that I don’t want my friends to get in trouble, but it’s not like I was the only one. We walked all the way to the principle’s office. Wait am I about to get suspended or something for this?

Ugh, 5th period biology class. I am trying so hard to get this grade up, but this class is so boring. I don’t understand any of this. What are these things and how the heck do they work. Come on now Katie, you’ve got this. You’ve got to get this grade up. Don’t fall asleep, don’t fall asleep. I laid my head down and went to sleep.

Gosh this teacher gets on my nerves. Why does she always get so off topic, I’m over here just trying to learn. 5th period geography is just a waste of time. Woman, we are trying to learn here, shut up and show me a map.

“Jessie and Katie Cardine come to the principle’s office.”

“Katie…Katie…Katie!” the teacher shook me. “Yes? Sorry I,” “The principle wants to see you.” Oh great, a D in this class and a send to the principal’s office. Mom’s going to love this.

Great what did Katie do. At least I’m getting out of this class.

“I’m sorry, I was just messing around in class it’ll never happen again.” I said in fear. “No, Jack sit down.” The principal said. “Yes sir.” I replied. “Bud, I don’t know how to say this,” “I’ll take the punishment,” I interrupted, “but please know I won’t do it again.” I said sounding sincere as possible. “No, Jack it’s not about whatever you just did, it’s about your mom,” My vision went black. Chills started in my finger tips and toes and spread through my body. I started to stare at his desk. “There’s been an awful car accident on 264 East. There’s been a death and they think it’s your mom.”

“Katie what did you do?” Jessie marked. “Wait Jessie why are you here? I fell asleep in biology, but why does it involve you?” Katie was confused. “Um, why does this involve me?” Jessie replied. “Girls sit down.” I said. “There’s been a fatal car crash.” Jessie grabbed Katie’s hand, but Katie was still confused. “A mini van was crushed between 2 trucks, and they believe it’s your mother.” I was losing my breath saying this. This was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to tell a student. Jessie screamed, and Katie grabbed Jessie and began sobbing in her arms. I gave them a minute, but I couldn’t help myself. I had to hug them. “Girls, I know this is awful, but you need to sit down and listen.” Why do I have to be the one doing this? “I understand your father had passed on when you all were very young, but the police need your help to determine it’s your mother. Your aunt Bobbie is coming down from Mayland to help you all though this. An officer will be here to pick you all up and take you all to the scene.” I said trying to pull myself together. These girls have lost both of their parents. I never knew their father passed away until that call.

“An officer will be here to pick you up after they pick up your older sisters.” Jack started to sob. I went over and hugged him as tight as possible. “I know buddy, I know” I couldn’t help but cry. I haven’t cried like this for years. Why do terrible things happen to such good people? He was sobbing and screaming in my shirt. I started to rub his back. I began crying just as hard as he was. This is terrible.

“Hello, my name is Officer Emily, and this is Officer Randy. We’re here to pick up Jessie and Katie Cardine.” I said to the office lady with tears in her eyes. “Right back there.” She directed. I walked in onto a group hug of pitiful crying. “Girls, I’m so sorry.” I didn’t know what to say. They stopped hugging and Jessie grabbed Katie’s hand. They followed us to the car and sat in the back seat. I’ve had several people cry in my back seat, but there’s never been anything like this. As we drove off they were hugging each other and sobbing. When we arrived at Jack’s school the principal and him were sitting on the front steps outside of school hugging each other with Jack screaming into the principal’s shirt. The girls hadn’t even noticed where we were yet. Jack got up and the principal gave him one last hug. He grabbed him by the shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. “Jack, you don’t deserve to go through this. The officers need your help and your mom does too. You’re a brave kid.” He said. Jack just gave him another hug and followed me to the car. I opened the door for him and he got into the back seat with his sisters. “Jack.” Jessie said. “Mommy needs us.” “I know” He said with a quivering frown. They all sat in the back hugging and crying. We drove through the traffic with the lights on. When we got there all 3 kids ran straight to the scene. Katie screamed and fell to her knees when she saw her mother’s car smashed into pieces. “Jack, Katie, I know you all want to help, but if we see mommy like this we won’t be able to get it out of her heads.” Jessie said with a short breath. “Jess they need us to see if it’s her.” Jack replied. “I will see.” Jessie demanded. “You all can not see this. I have a lot more memories with mom. You all don’t need this.” “Your right Jess. Thank you.” Katie said.

I walked over with Officer Emily. I looked in through the window. “Mommy no!” I screamed and fell to my knees again. I couldn’t breathe. She was destroyed. The dress she had put on this morning was covered in blood. Why her? Why her, out of all the people on this Earth? She was the best mother anyone could ask for. No one deserves this, especially not her. My beautiful mother, gone.