It was a quiet weekend at the Mason household in 1964, with a 14 – year – old Kassi and a 6 – year – old Charlie playing outside, laughing quite loudly as the phone rang as Perry picked it up.

"Hello?"

Perry was shocked to hear his mother – in – laws shaking voice on the other end,

"Perry, where's Della? I'm afraid I've got some bad news."

Perry nodded and called for Della as she walked in as she took the phone sitting down on the couch,

"Mom? What's wrong?"

Della asked as she felt her heart beat out of her chest as her mother took a quivering breath as she announced what would turn Della's world upside down,

"Della, sweetheart. We lost your Aunt Amy last night. We don't know what happened, the medical examiner is performing the autopsy and we won't know for at least a week. All of you need to come back to the cabin. Pull the kids from school, this is important."

Perry held Della's hand as he saw the color drain from her face as she handed him the phone as she broke down sobbing.

"Mom? It's Perry, we'll make the necessary arrangements. We'll be out there by Thursday at the earliest."

Della's mother nodded as she hung up after saying goodbye as Perry moved to hold his wife close.

"It's so stupid. Aunt Amy was perfectly healthy the last time we saw her. It's not fair."

Kassi had looked up seeing the scene on the couch and grabbed Charlie's hand as they ran inside,

"Daddy, what's wrong?"

Charlie asked as Kassi read the room and screamed as she ran to her room sobbing as Della just sat there numbly as Perry gathered Charlie in his arms as they sat in the kitchen as he tried to keep his composure.

"Charlie, do you remember Great Aunt Amy?"

Perry asked as Charlie nodded,

"Sure, she's pretty awesome."

Perry smiled sadly,

"Well, she died last night and we don't know what happened."

Charlie just sat there as Perry gathered him in his lap as he held him close,

"It's OK to cry. We're all going up to the cabin next week, we're pulling you both from school."

Charlie nodded softly as his feelings got the better of him as he began crying softly.

"Daddy's got you."

Perry said softly as he began to cry as well.

Something about Kassi's sobs had taken Della to her daughter's room as both Mama and daughter lied on Kassi's bed asleep as their crying wore them out.

Once they had made it to the cabin,

What scared Perry and Della the most was how distant and quiet Charlie was on the drive up there and when all the family gathered at the cabin.

Perry decided to talk with Charlie,

"How are you doing? I know I've just asked a stupid question but we're all worried about you Charlie."

He asked as Charlie sighed,

"I don't know what to do, how to act or even how to feel. Mama's sad all the time, Kassi's sad all the time, you've been sad too."

Perry sighed and gathered Charlie back in his lap.

"You don't have to know how to act, feel, or know what to do right now. All those feelings and thoughts are completely normal."

Charlie looked around at the trees and shivered as it had gotten colder since he went to sit outside.

"It's beautiful out here, I understand why Great Aunt Amy loved it out here."

Charlie said in a quiet voice as Perry smiled,

"I completely agree, buddy. It's so beautiful and what a wonderful place for her to be laid to rest. She's going to be buried by the lake, on her favorite cliff."

Della had walked out to find her son and husband but stopped short as she sat on a rocker watching them as tears began to fall again.

This was hard on everyone but it hit her the hardest, she and Amy were like sisters with how close they were.

It was a beautiful funeral, and when everyone made it back to the cabin, even though Kassi was getting a little too big, the family snuggled in bed together and slept soundly as the day took its toll on them – leaving them completely drained.