The guests had gone and the house was eerily quiet once again. Mary sat in her bedroom amid her husbands clothes in piles on the bed. Some were going to goodwill and others, like his suits, would be donated to charity or given to a consignment shop. She ran her hand over one of his cashmere sweaters. It still smelled of the cologne he wore, a smell that normally comforted her, but nearly brought her to tears on this day. The past week had been a blur and somehow she thought, it had to be a dream. It couldn't be real. Bill wasn't really dead and he would walk in any minute wondering what on earth his clothes were doing all over the place. A knock on the door brought her back to reality.

"Sweetheart," her mother said opening the door and poking her head in, "Are you alright?"

Mary wiped her eyes, "Yeah, Mom, I'm okay."

Dottie came in and closed the door behind her, "I put all the food away. Are you sure you don't want your father and me to stay tonight?"

"No, you need to get back to Minneapolis. Dad's already missed a week of teaching." Mary's father Walter Richards had recently begun teaching at the medical school in Minneapolis after a long career as a heart surgeon

Dottie sat down next to her daughter, "Honey, we're here for you, whatever you need as long as you need us." She put her arm around her, "And you don't have to do all this right now."

Mary smiled slightly, "I know but you can't stay here forever." She got up and walked over to the closet to get the last of Bill's things, "And if I don't do this now I may never do it."

"You don't have to stay here either." Dottie said, she had been trying to get Mary to move to Minneapolis with the children, five-year old Emily and three-year old Jacob

"Mom, I can't just pick up and move. I'd have to sell the house, find a job." Mary explained laying the clothes in another pile on the bed

"Not right away, you've got money from Bill's insurance policy. That should last a while." Dottie got up and smoothed the bedspread, "Besides, who else better to help with the children than your mother."

"Mom, I appreciate that but give me some time to think. I feel like I've been on autopilot this week." Mary looked at herself in the mirror. Dark circles seemed to swallow her eyes

"I know, but I just hate to leave you here alone." She said

"I'm not alone, I've got the kids and they need me to be strong for them. They barely understand what happened." Both children had been put down for a nap after the funeral

"Well, alright, but we'll call you after we get home tonight to make sure you're alright." Dottie gave her a hug

Mary followed her downstairs and said goodbye to them. She spent the rest of the afternoon getting Bill's things organized and calling places to come pick up what they could and putting the rest in her car to take. Her next door neighbor, Mrs. Kline watched the children while she ran errands and by nightfall she was exhausted. She sat in the living room with a glass of wine determined not to cry. She had already cried enough, now it was time to figure things out. The money Bill left would be enough for a while but she would have to get a job eventually. The house wasn't paid off so that was a concern. She looked around the perfectly decorated room and contemplated her once perfectly decorated life. She married the right man, and they loved each other, had two beautiful children, and led an ideal life. Then one rainy night just a week ago, it all came crashing down. It was Emily's fifth birthday and, as usual, Bill was stuck at work all day. She knew he hated it but there wasn't much he could do. People still get sick, despite his daughter's birthday. He had worked two back to back shifts in the ER and instead of sleeping for a while in the lounge before heading home; he was determined to make it home before Emily went to bed to wish her a happy birthday. The rain was pouring and he was dog tired. He drifted off to sleep and before he could do anything he drifted into the opposite lane hitting a truck head on. Mary had been asleep only to be awoken by loud knocking on the door. She got up assuming it was Bill. He'd had trouble getting his key to work in the lock before but just hadn't gotten a new one. But it wasn't Bill at the door. It was two police officers. "Mrs. Phillips," One of them said. "Yes, what is it officer?" She asked. "It's your husband ma'am." After that she couldn't remember anything except screaming for him. A loud clap of thunder shook her from her reverie. She finished off her glass of wine and went to check on the children before going to bed.

She opened the door and peeked at her daughter, sleeping so peacefully and came over to the bed and quietly sat down beside her. She had no idea how she would take care of them by herself. She stroked her daughter's dark hair.

"Mommy." Emily said sleepily, "Is it morning?"

"No, darling, go back to sleep." She kissed her forehead and adjusted her covers

Emily closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep. Mary got up and went to check on her son who she had heard faintly crying. She entered the room and saw him sitting up in his big boy race car bed with the side railings up

"Hey, Jake, what's the matter, sweetie?" She picked him up and sat in the rocking chair with him, "Did you have a bad dream?"

He nodded his head. His breathing was rapid and shallow. She rubbed his back and rocked him back and forth, "It's okay, baby, it's okay. I know, I miss him too." His crying began to cease and as she continued to rock him the tears began to fall

Damn it, Bill, why did you leave me?

TBC...Mary makes the move to Minneapolis