That morning Emmalyn wakes up at Denise's house. She gets up and puts on her running shorts and a tank top and went downstairs and out the door. There she starts to run, like she does every morning. She finds herself running to get away from it all. Running from her mother's tears, running from her father's yells, running from the army wives with hot dishes and flowers, but mostly running from her own pain. Amanda was her older sister and the one person she looked up to more than anyone. So Emmalyn runs and runs. But this time as she runs tears begin to fall down her face. This was new for Emmalyn because usually as she runs she just stares of to the distance. But this time was different. But she keeps on running her usual path, running and running. Outside on her porch as Pamela spends every morning she sees Emmalyn like she does every morning but something is different. Her eyes are glued on her until she finally sees Emmalyn drop to her knees on the sidewalk.

"Emmalyn!" Pamela yells running off the porch to her.

Pamela rushes over to Emmalyn and bends down to her.

"Sweetie, are you okay?" Pamela asks.

"She's gone, she's really gone." Emmalyn cries.

Pamela puts her arms around the young girl and rocks her back and forth. She rocks Emmalyn who is bawling for the first time. It's the first time Emmalyn lets herself feel the loss. Her loss, the loss of Amanda.

Soon after Pamela and Emmalyn are sitting on the swing on her porch. Emmalyn is calmed down now drinking water that Pamela handed to her to help catch her breath. They sit there talking when Claudia Joy comes up the road. Emmalyn sees her and looks at Pamela.

"Sweetie you have to talk to her, now is the perfect time." Pamela says while putting her hand to Emmalyn's cheek.

Emmalyn looks at her and then at Claudia Joy who is coming up the driveway. She comes up the stairs and looks at Pamela; Pamela gives her a slight smile and goes into her house. Claudia Joy hesitates but moves to Emmalyn.

"Sweetie are you okay, Pamela called me and told me what happened." Claudia Joy says while sitting down by Emmalyn.

"I'm fine; I just got tired that's all." Emmalyn says.

Claudia Joy looks at her daughter who was staring off into the distance.

"Emmalyn I want to explain what happened yesterday." Claudia Joy says.

Emmalyn looks up at her mother.

"I was downstairs with Denise and the quiet hit me, there was no sound; nobody around." Claudia Joy starts.

"And then it hit me that Amanda was gone and I froze and at that moment all I could think about was you. A thought came rushing to me that I lost you to and I panicked." Claudia Joy says fighting back tears.

Emmalyn looks at her mother and wipes a couple tears from her own cheek.

"Come on baby level with me tell me what's going on?" Claudia Joy asks.

"I can't tell you." Emmalyn says looking her mother right in the eye.

"You can't tell me, we tell each other everything." Claudia Joy says.

Emmalyn looks at the ground and then out into the street.

"I was afraid that if I stopped running and looked around and realized that Amanda wasn't there, I'd break down." Emmalyn says.

"Emmalyn its okay to feel sad." Claudia Joy says softly.

"But if I feel sad, I might cry, and I can't be brave for you." Emmalyn says looking into her mother's eyes.

"Emmalyn you do not have to be brave for me." Claudia Joy says not letting her self show pain.

"But you went through so much with...with everything; I just didn't want to make things worse." Emmalyn says turning away from her mother.

"Emmalyn we always share our feelings with each other, especially now, we are still a family." Claudia Joy says while turning Emmalyn softly towards her.

"I just, I just really miss her." Emmalyn says standing up off of the swing.

"I know, I miss her too." Claudia Joy says.

Then Claudia Joy's face turns even sadder and she looks at the ground.

"I am your mother and I am supposed to take care of you both but I didn't. I failed her, I failed Amanda." Claudia Joys says while resting her hands on her knees.

"Mom this wasn't your fault, it just happened." Emmalyn says while going back and sitting by her mother.

"I know Emmalyn but it still hurts." Claudia Joy says still looking at the ground.

"Mom." Emmalyn says holding back her tears.

"Mmmpphh." Claudia Joy says looking at her daughter.

"Is it okay to cry?" Emmalyn asks letting out some tears.

Claudia Joy looks at her daughter and then tears begin to fall out of her.

"You bet." Claudia Joy says reaching out for her daughter.

Then Claudia Joy holds Emmalyn and they both cry in each other's arms. They just sit there on the porch swing crying, finally mourning Amanda together.