Jessie walked down the penthouse stairs, the kids sitting in the living room. She had some unbearable news to tell them: she had to move back to Texas. Her dad was in the hospital, and needed help taking care of the army base. He had slipped while running over to the grocery store and was stuck lying there for many hours until somebody found him, and rode him to the hospital.
The kids smiled at Jessie. She felt so terrible having to tell them the bad news that she wanted to curl up in her room and just sleep. She would never have to tell them, and she wouldn't have to go anyways. But that wasn't reality. Every step she took down the stairs felt like walking on hot coals, even though it was the middle of winter in New York.
The move was hard for her, but she knew it would be even harder on the kids. Especially Luke; he has had a crush on Jessie ever since he first saw her. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she burst into tears. The kids all huddled around her, and asked why she was crying.
Finally, she was able to force the words out,"Kids, I have something to tell you. I have to leave and go to Texas. My dad fell down, and is in the hospital. I have to go help take care of the base." More tears. She could not hold them in anymore. They had to come out at sometime. Emma burst into tears too; then Ravi; then Luke; then Zuri. Even Burtram shed a little tear. The room was filled with sadness. Jessie was actually going to move. Jessie cried herself to sleep that night, just like many other nights in the future. Moving to Texas meant leaving her whole life behind; her whole future.
