It was a quiet morning, robbie just finished his morning routine, he had breakfast, brushed his teeth got dressed and was now laying on his fluffy orange chair. Robbie was watching his favourite show and thinking about his moms birthday, he was excited to see her, robbie has autism and has been really attached to his mom since he was born. Robbie's phone rang.
Hello?
Hi robbie its your brother glanni, i need to come over and tell you something. Its very important.
Oh.. okay.
Ill be there soon robbie.
Okay bye glanni.
Bye.
That made robbie frustrated, he doesnt like it when people dont tell him what's happening, his therapist taught him to do replacement behaviours when he is frustrated. Robbie started pacing around his living room and was squishing his stress toy.
Knock knock
Its open.
Robbie are you okay?
No, im frustrated.
Im sorry was that my fault.
Yes you frustrated me.
Im sorry can you take a seat?
No you frustrated me so now i have to walk.
Robbie its important for you to sit down.
Fine.
Robbie, mom died this morning at 3am.
What does that mean?
It means… mom has gone to heaven.
Will she be back in time for her birthday?
No robbie, shes staying there forever
She cant she has to come back for her birthday!
Robbie calm, mom said she loves you, and she told me to tell you that you now have an angel watching over you forever.
I dont want an angel i want mom!
Robbie stood up and started pacing again squeezing his stress ball.
Robbie, i know you want mom, but, mom had to go to heaven, there was nothing she could do about it, im sorry.
Robbie still didnt quite understand he just remembers his mom talking to him about heaven, when he was little, and how she will go to heaven soon.
I remembered mom talking to me about heaven when i was little.
What did she say robbie?
She told me she will have to go to heaven soon.
And that's where she is robbie, on friday we have to go to moms funeral, mom will be there but she'll be in a box thing you're not allowed to touch her or open the box but you're allowed to hug the box and put your special flower on it the one you get for moms birthday every year. Is that okay?
Why am i not allowed to open the box?
Because.. You're not allowed to.
But why? And why will mom be in a box? Thats cruel.
Robbie its not cruel, you just cant open the box okay.
Okay.
Its going to be sad robbie, there will be a lot of people crying, dad will cry, you dont have to if youre not sad, but you will want to bring your headphones because it'll be loud okay.
Okay.
Robbie started grabbing his chest and started panicking.
Robbie sit down let me check your heart.
Glanni was a paramedic, and he always kept robbies heart medicine on him just in case.
Robbie you're stressing your heart out, you need to relax.
Robbie lied down and relaxed, he was nonverbal at this point everything happened so fast he couldn't handle it.
Robbie, why dont you go for a walk, ill clean your house and then we can go to dads for moms birthday celebration, we will still do our routine okay, we'll go see jake at the prison, and then go to dads for dinner drinks and we will have moms cake okay.
O..okay.
Love you robbie.
L..love you too glanni.
So robbie went on his way for a walk, he decided to sit on the bench at the basketball court and watch sportacus and everyone play basketball, robbie looked very sad