Bold is the dialog on the home videos.
One year later. August 1st, 1996.
JJ: 12
Emily: 16
Thursday morning JJ wakes up. It's finally here. Her sister, her best friend, has been gone one year today.
She sighs as tears fill her eyes and then she stands up to go downstairs.
She can feel the sadness in the air as she enters the living room.
"Mommy?" Sandy has a home video plating on the tv. It was the day JJ was born. Six year Rosaline and eight year old Elijah were sitting on the bed. Eli on Sandy's left, Rosa on her right.
"Hey, baby. Come here." JJ sits down between her mom and dad, with Eli in the laz-e-boy chair.
"Rosie, Eli, this is your new baby sister. Her name is Jennifer. Can you guys say hello?" Sandy asks on the screen.
"Hi, Jenn'fer." Little Rosie says. "I'm you big sister! And I'm going to teach you to play house, and dress up, and barbies!"
Sandy and Michael chuckle on screen.
"Hi!" Eight-year-old Elijah goes next. "I'm Elijah, but you'll probably call me Eli. I'm your big brother. I'll protect you from aaall the bad guys. I'll even teach you how to play soccer!"
The next video was from later that day, when Sandy and Michael bring baby JJ home.
"This is Mommy and Daddy's room." Sandy says in a baby voice. "And this is your room!"
"Mommy, I wanna hold sissy." Six-year-old Rosie says.
"Okay, go to the bathroom and wash your hands first. You don't want to give sissy any germs. When you're done, come downstairs and sit on the couch.
Downstairs, Michael sits Rosa on the couch and then Sandy hands her JJ.
"Look Momma. Jenny smilin' at me!"
"Yeah, I see that baby. She knows it's her big sister holding her."
The video ended and Eli turned the tv off.
"Mama? I miss Rosie." JJ says.
"I know you do, baby. So do I. But Rosie is in a better place. She's happy, and she's looking down on you and Eli."
"Can we watch another video?"
"Of course, baby. Which one?" Michael asks.
"The one of my second birthday." Michael puts that one in and then sits back down.
"There's the birthday girl!" Sandy says happily. She points the camera to a two-year-old JJ. She has on a blue dress that makes her eyes pop, and her curly blond hair in pigtails.
"Mama!"
"How old are you, baby girl?"
"Two!" JJ replies.
"Very good! And what do you get today?"
"Cake! Ice c'eam!"
"What else?"
"Pesents!"
"You're such a smart girl, aren't you baby?"
"I not baby." JJ says, shaking her head.
"You're not? What are you?"
"Big gir'!"
"Momma, Momma! Can I give Jenny her present from me now?" Eight-year-old Rosaline asks.
"Sure sweetie. Help her open it, but don't do it all for her, okay?"
"Okay, Momma. Here Jenny, look. Takes the paper and rip it off." Rosa instructs, tear a peace off to show her.
JJ rips the rest off and then holds the box up. It's a baby doll.
"What is it?" Sandy asks.
"Baby!"
"Yeah, it's a baby. See? Look. It even has blue eyes." Rosa points to the doll's blue eyes.
"Me b'ue eye." JJ says proudly.
"Yeah! You have blue eyes too!"
*End of video*
Later that day. 12:35 p.m. in Pennsylvania, 7:35 p.m. in Italy.
Later JJ sits by the phone that her mom had gotten her in her room. It rings and she grabs it up.
"Hello?"
"Hey, there Bug. How are you today?" Emily asks softly.
"I miss Rosie, Emmy. It's already been a year and it's still not any better waking up without her!"
"I know, sweetheart. It'll take time. And it'll never be completely gone, but I promise with each day, it'll get easier. But you'll still miss her. Every day. And I'll still miss her. Every single day. Did you go and see her today, Bug?"
JJ sniffles, "Not yet. I wanted to talk to you first. What are you doing?"
"I'm was getting ready to go to a dinner with my mom."
"Oh."
There's silence on Emily's end and then she comes back to say, "I have to go, Jen. We're leaving."
"Ok. Bye Emmy. I love you. I'll tell Rosie you said hi."
"Thank you, Bug. And I love you, too. Bye."
JJ hands up and then goes downstairs. Everyone loads up in the car and then they head to the flower shop to get some roses for Rosa's grace.
Cementary.
"Hi Rosie." JJ says laying the red rose on the grass in front of her headstone. "I miss you a lot. Em says hi. She could come today, because she had to move. She says she misses so much too." JJ blows a kiss and then steps back for Eli.
Elijah lays his rose. "Hey there, sis. I can't believe it's already been a year. I wish you would have came to me about what ever you were dealing with, Ros. I could have helped. But that doesn't matter now. What matters is that you're in a better place."
"I miss you so much, Ros. And I will always love you. I'll make sure that my kids find out about their awesome Angel-Aunt Rosaline." After blowing a kiss also, Eli and JJ step back to let Michael and Sandy talk.
"Hi baby." Sandy says tearfully. "Your daddy and I miss you so much, Princess."
"I'm going to miss playing soccer with you, sweetie." Michael adds.
"Even though Daddy and I wish you would have talked about the problems you were having, we know you're in a better place. Keep watching over Eli and Jenny, okay? We love you so much, Princess."
So you guys got a glimpse of young Eli and Rosa. Let me know what you think.
Up next: Prom for JJ.
Then: One of JJ's soccer games. She gets a surprise.
Then: College! JJ and *drum rooll* Alexa! They meet for the very first time.