A/N: Okay, I only got one review and I said I needed five to add a new chapter, but I was dying to add another chapter to this story. =)
One morning a few weeks later, Erin got up and saw Elizabeth still in bed snoring. Erin walked over to the closet and got out her dress for the day. She put on her pink robe and walked from her room and knocked on the door of her parents.
"Mama?" Erin asked. The door opened and John was standing there.
"What's the matter Erin?" John asked.
"Oh daddy." Erin exclaimed and hugged him. "I had this horrible dream that Mama got really sick and died. I need to see her. Please, I want to know it wasn't true." Erin rushed into the empty bedroom of her Mama and Daddy. John walked up behind his sobbing daughter and put his hands on her shoulders.
"I'm sorry Erin. I miss her too. She's only at Virginia Beach." John stated. Erin turned around. Her face was red from crying, and she was heaving.
"All alone. She's at some sanatorium out there. I feel so bad because she's sick and I can't do anything for her." Erin cried harder and John hugged her.
"We all feel that way Erin." John exclaimed. "It isn't just you. I wish I could help your mama but she has the best care in the world right now. You have to understand that." John stated in his sensitive and caring way.
"I miss Mama. When can she come home?" Erin asked. John looked at his middle daughter.
"I don't know Erin. She has to get better before she can come home and she's not really been gone very long. She left with your Aunt Kate just a week ago. I don't think that's enough time for her to get better. Mary Ellen says that it might not even be enough time to get her the right treatment." John replied. Erin stopped crying and pulled her robe tighter around her.
"First Grandpa, then Curt, now Mama. I don't know who we're going to lose next." Erin walked out of the bedroom. John stopped her in the hallway.
"Erin? I don't think you should go to work today." John stated. Erin turned around and looked at him.
"Daddy, I can't not go in today. They need me." Erin responded.
"I think Fannie Tatum can get through one day without you Erin. You need to stay home. You are so full of emotion, but you haven't let any of it out since your Mama left for Virginia Beach." John said. Erin looked down at the ground. She couldn't deny it. She knew it was true.
"Can I go Daddy?" Erin asked. John nodded.
"But don't go far Erin!" John said.
"I won't Daddy." Erin replied. She walked back into her bedroom with her dress in her hands. She slipped the dress on, grabbed her diary and a pen and walked out of the house.
"Morning Erin." Jason said from the table where he was eating breakfast. Erin waved at him but didn't say anything as she headed out of the house. First she sat on the porch and took out her diary.
"I had a nightmare last night. I dreamed that Mama got really sick and died. It was horrible! Mama left for Virginia Beach just last week. I don't want her to die. I hate that she had to leave us. I wish there was something I could have done to help Mama feel better. I wish I could have maybe detected a problem sooner so she could still be here on the Mountain with us. But I didn't. And Mama's going to die and it's all my fault."
"Whatcha writing about?" Ben asked as he walked over and leaned to look into her diary. Erin pulled it close to her chest.
"Ben, please leave me alone. I really need to be alone." Erin said sternly.
"Fine Erin. I was just wondering." Ben walked inside the house and left Erin on the porch alone again.
"Where was I?" Erin thought to herself. She opened up her diary and started writing again.
"I have tried writing letters to Mama. I get the letter written and put in the envelope; but I just can't seem to find the courage or the strength to take it to Ike's. I don't know what to tell Mama. Oh I think I'm the reason you got sick? Mama would call that nonsense. I need her here with me right now. I love Daddy, Jason, Rose and Mary Ellen, but they can't help me the way that Mama can. Elizabeth and Jim Bob try to help but they seem to be more of a nuisance than a help. I love them though. I'm just so tired of feeling like this. I don't know what I can do. Maybe I'll go write Mama another letter and actually mail it to her this time. Erin closed her diary and looked around the Walton property. Mary Ellen was just leaving for the hospital. She had apparently snuck past Erin as she was writing. Ben was out working in the mill again. Elizabeth and Jim Bob were heading off to school.
"Bye Erin!" Elizabeth and Mary Ellen called. Erin waved half-heartedly. Mary Ellen looked at Jim Bob and Elizabeth.
"Why don't you guys hop in and I'll give you a ride to school?" With that, Mary Ellen, Jim Bob and Elizabeth were off. Erin stood up and walked in the house and upstairs to put away her journal and write a letter to her mama.