The Accident

“I know, I miss him too,” I told my daughter.  “It’s you and me now, but things are going to be better than ever.  We have everything we need and we are going to be great.” 

My heart broke into a million little pieces as another tear rolled down her cheek.  I tried to swallow the lump in my throat, but I couldn’t.  I hugged her tight as we both cried. 

“Let’s go on that hike we were planning on earlier,” I said giving her shoulders one last squeeze.  We bother dried our tears and I opened the door to our small travel trailer.  I took a deep breath and stepped out.  I didn’t want any of our neighbors to think anything was amiss. 

I locked the door behind us and we headed toward the trailhead.  I tried to lose myself in nature, but found myself listening for Amy instead.  Was she crying again?  How hard was she going to take the fact that Sam was gone forever?  I took another deep breath before looking over my shoulder at Amy.  To my shock, she was smiling. 

“Don’t worry Mom.  We can find another dog just as great as Sam.  Or at least, almost.”  Amy skipped ahead of me as I tried to figure out what to say, what to do, about our recent loss.  I knew I was making Sam’s death out to be something it wasn’t.  But I just couldn’t tell my daughter that Sam’s death wasn’t an accident.