It is a beautiful day for the funeral. I know how that sounds but I've tried to look on the bright side. I'm setting here trying to come to terms with the fact that I'm a thirty-seven year old widow with two kids to raise. My husband is dead. I have about forty-five minutes before I have to face the families. I have to get it together. Thank God for Erin and Rachel. Good friends can help you through anything.

We grew up together in Wichita, Erin lived three houses down from me and Rachel lived on the next block over. I lived in that house since I was born, Erin's family moved in the summer before seventh grade. I walked down to check it out as soon as I saw the moving van. My closes school friend lived twelve blocks away and I was not allowed to stray that far from home. When I saw her get out of the car I couldn't wait to talk to her. She was everything I wanted to be. Small, blonde, beautiful, she looked like California. I was definitely Kansas. Hi, I'm Erin she called.