Chapter 2:

As I was packing away all of my knick kacks into a box, I came across a picture frame with Shawn inside. It was my favorite picture of him. He was laughing and looking down. Instead of putting it in a box, I put it in my suitcase to have it with me. After I finished that, I packed Melody's diaper bag and a little suitcase for her as well. Enough clothes to last till Dad and Daniel get to the new place with the truck.

I walked out of my room, and as I was about to go into Melody's, my dad stopped me, and said "Did you pack all your boxes?"

"Yeah... they're in my room."

"Okay. After you wake up my beautiful granddaughter... I'll start taking apart the crib, then put it in the truck." I nodded, then he looked at me with concern in his eyes. "Honey, are you okay?"

"Yeah, Daddy... I'm fine."

He shook his head and said "No..." he pulled me into his arms for a hug. "When you call me 'Daddy'... something's wrong." he was right, I've been doing that ever since I was a little girl, when ever I was feeling down or upset. "What's wrong, Baby?"

"I went to go say goodbye to Shawn." I said softly and he nodded. "I just miss him so much. Daniel and Marie has told me that it's been three years now and that I should move on." I broke from our hug and looked up at him. "A part of me wants to move on." I felt a few tears rolling down my cheeks. "I need to, because I know that he is never coming back, but the other part of me, wont let me... let go of him." I stopped talking when my dad cupped my face with his hands, wiping my tears away with his thumbs.

"I'm sorry all of this happened to you, but they're right... you should move on. But, I know you will move on when you're ready to. None of us wants to see you upset all the time, we want you to be happy. So, when you're ready to move on, don't look back." I stared at him with a confused look on my face. "Life is too short, you know that first hand from what happened to Shawn. Just... live, enjoy life, and be as happy as you can be."

I nodded, then said "I will I'm kinda glad we're moving so... I can start over."

"Exactly." he kissed me on my forehead. "Okay... hurry, because your mother wants to get to the airport as soon as possible." I smiled at my daddy- my hero, then walked into Melody's room.

My Dad was always a free spirit, that's how he hooked Mom, I guess and that's where Daniel gets the way he looks at life. I did, up untill Shawn died, then my perspective about everything had changed.

I leaned over the crib watching my sleeping beauty. She looks so much like her daddy, it's unreal. I just wish he was here with us, so we could become a family, and he could watch her grow up.

Melody made a little yawn, then her eyes fluttered. She stared at me with those bright blue eyes and said "Mommy."

"Hey, baby... are you ready to come with Mommy and Grandma to the airport?" she just nodded and smiled at me, then I changed her diaper and a fresh set of clothes. "Alright... we should go tell Grandma that we're ready to go."

Melody laughed as I picked her up and walked out of her room. Daniel walked up to us and snatched Melody out of my hands and said "Okay, Chunk..." Couldn't my brother come up with a better nickname, other than Chunk? I wanted to smack him silly, but he's called her that ever since I was nine months pregnant. Mostly because my belly was huge. "Uncle Danny and Grandpa will meet you, Mommy, and Grandma in a few days. Don't watch our movie until I get there."

I thought it was adorable, because ever since Melody was a few days old, Daniel and her would watch Finding Nemo every Sunday night. It was like their ritual or something and she will not watch it without her Uncle Danny sitting there with her. Melody laughed and mumbled in her two and a half year old voice "Meemo!"

Before Melody was born, he'd go party or hang out with his friends, but now, she has her Uncle Danny wrapped around her little finger.

"Okay, Chunk?" She nodded, then gave Daniel a kiss on his cheek.

"Dan... you're such a dork." I said with a laugh.

"Yeah, I know, but you still love me." he said with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah" I said rolling my eyes at him. "So, is Mom ready to go?"

"She'll be done in ten minutes."

"Cool... hey, are you busy right now?"

"Not really, why?"

"I need to hurry and pack some other things for Mel."

Daniel nodded and said "Don't forget to pack her blanket or she'll go nuts."

"I know." Melody's blanket was light pink, microfiber, down comforter. It was as big as her crib and she loves it. She won't go anywhere without it, because her Uncle Danny bought it for her.,

"Alright, me and Chunk will go outside to see what Dad is doing."

"Okay." then Daniel and Melody went downstairs and outside to the front yard.

After I packed Melody's favorite blanket and a few of her toys, I went looking for my mom and found her in her room, putting her shoes on. She looked up and said "Ready to go, Val?"

"Yeah."

"Is Mel awake?"

"Yeah... Danny has her."

"Okay... I called a taxi, it should be on it's way. Get everything that we're taking on the plane and put it in a pile by the door."

"Okay." As I started to walk away, she called me.

"Val?"

I turned around and said "Yeah?"

"Everything will be okay."

I nodded and said "I know."

"Okay... I'll meet you downstairs." I gave her a weak smile before I walked out of her room, then grabbed the stuff I packed for me and Melody and took it all outside by the door.

"Hey, Val!" I heard Daniel yell, I walked over to where he was.

"What?"

"Gimmie a hug."

I playfully rolled my eyes, then gave him a hug. "You know, Dan, I'll be seeing you sometime this week."

"Yeah... but I'll be in the car with Dad, I won't have anyone to pick on." I just shook my head as I was laughing. "I know... Chunk can come with us, so I can pick on her."

"Let me think about that." she paused. "Um... No."

"Awe... why not?"

"Well... she's teething and she'll be screaming because she's in pain. But, I don't think you'll be able to handle it."

"Val... I've babysat her lots of times."

"Okay... was she teething?"

"No."

"Well then." Daniel stuck his tongue out at me, so I did it back. Then we started laughing. That's what I love about my brother, he can say or do the dumbest things and it would make me laugh, even when I don't want to laugh. Daniel and Melody are the best medicine for me being upset.

Five minutes later, as Mom came out with her things, the taxi pulled up. Dad and Daniel put everything in the trunk. We said our 'goodbyes' and gave hugs to Dad and Daniel. It was sad when Daniel said 'bye' to Melody, even though he was going to see her in a few days, he was still sad that he had to leave her. But we had to go, so we got in the taxi, and left to the airport.

We checked in our luggage, went through security, and boarded our plane. I got the window seat, Melody and her carseat, was in the middle, and Mom sat at the end. As the plane took off, Melody fell asleep with ease. I took out my IPOD and listened to my music on this effin long plane ride to our new home to the east coast.