On a blustery February morning, a tear-stricken 32-year-old Katey Miller-Jackson solemnly passed her late husband's casket, carrying their youngest daughter, Kerri. Her older children, Jennifer (11), Miles (7), and Samantha (4) stood behind her, also in tears. It was tough losing their father at such young ages. Kerri was only 2. Mrs. Miller and Susie comforted the other children while Katey and Kerri took comfort in Mr. Miller. Katey had been happily married for nearly 12 years when the cancer struck her husband, Robb. The three older children had his dark brown hair and striking green eyes. Kerri, however, was the spit and image of Katey when she was younger. After the relatives paid their condolences and left, Katey gave the kids to her parents and went in another room to talk to Susie.
"I'm going to miss him so much," Katey cried.
"I'm so sorry, Katey," Susie said, not sure of what to say. "I know it was tough losing Javier, but now Robb too? I can't imagine what it what be like if I lost Pat and had to raise Rachel all by myself."
Katey gave Susie a look that made her realize that she shouldn't have said what she said. "I'm sorry, Katey, I didn't mean to hurt you."
"It's all right, I'm just a little distraught. I mean, Jennifer, Miles, Samantha, and Kerri have no father to raise them but me, and that can't be good…" Katey trailed off.
"Oh, I'm sure you'll be all right. Mom's there, I'm here, and Jen is almost old enough to look after Miles and Sam."
"Thanks, Suze."
Two days later, Katey pulled herself out of bed and went to wake Jen and Miles for school. Sam and Kerri lay peacefully side-by-side in their double bed. The older kids pulled themselves out of bed and dressed for school. Katey wanted to cry when Miles walked out of his room in his uniform. He looked so much like his father that it was scary. Jen looked like her Aunt Rebecca, who was Robb's twin. Katey was so sad that her kids were going to grow up without a father. Katey didn't want to date anyone. She couldn't go through another loss. First Javier, now Robb…
"Mom, we're going to be late," Jen said. "Are you going to walk us to the bus stop?"
"Sure, Jennifer," Katey said, coming back to reality. "Is Miles ready?"
"I am," he called from the kitchen.
Katey walked her kids to the bus stop and waited for them to get on safely. Then she headed back and woke up Sam and Kerri. She dressed and fed them before dropping them off at Susie's house. Since Susie was a stay at home mom (like Katey was), she offered to take the little ones while Katey worked as a secretary at Robb's old work. So the days continued in the same way, nothing out of the ordinary.