Love Without You

was really upset and couldn't imagine the future without her Dad and couldn't imagine what her Mom would do without him either. They went home to receive the guests that had come to pay their respects and it was after eight o’clock before the last guest left. Jessica’s brain felt like it was fried and Josh didn't know what else to do for her. He had done everything he knew to do including doing dishes and cleaning up the mess in the living room. He didn't know how else to comfort her or her Mom so he quietly went out on the porch and left Jessica and her Mom together. They started talking and finished by crying. Jessica didn't want to leave her Mom alone but she did want to go home. Her Mom didn't want to be left alone and wanted Jessica and Josh to stay over. Jessica knew her Mom didn't want to sleep in the bed that she had shared with her husband, but what could she do? Eventually she would have to, maybe if she gave it more time it would be better. Finally Jessica talked her Mom into packing a bag and going home with her and Josh and then they would bring her home tomorrow. They had to meet up anyway to go to the bank to take care of some final details for her Dad so she thought it would be all right. So they locked the house up and went to Josh and Jessica’s house which was just about 15 minutes away.
    When they got home Jessica made a pot of coffee and they sat around the table and talked. Josh and Jessica were concerned about what her Mom would do as far as money and the house and everything. But Mom hadn't thought that far ahead, the only thing she knew for sure was that Russ, Jessica’s Dad had two million dollar insurance policies on himself with one as beneficiary for Brenda, Jessica’s Mom and the other one was for Jessica. Jessica couldn't believe it and she told Josh that they would use the money to build the house on the hill that they had dreamed of. A million dollars! Of course it couldn't compare to the loss of her Dad but she was thankful to her Dad for thinking of her. Then Brenda said something that interested Jessica. She talked about opening her own business and getting Jessica to manage it, a book store with a coffee shop inside it. It was definitely something to think about. Josh thought it was a fabulous idea and knew both Jessica and her Mom would enjoy it. It was something to think on anyway and something that had been mentioned before. They stayed up pretty late and talked and Jessica made sure her Mom was comfortable before they turned out the lights. When it was just her and Josh alone in the bed she laid her head on his shoulder and thanked him for everything he had done for them. Then she was asleep and slept a deep sleep and she awoke to the smell of coffee and bacon frying. Jessica knew her Mother had beaten her up and when she turned over she realized Josh was gone to. When she went to the kitchen she realized that Josh was the one who started breakfast and her Mom was sitting there drinking coffee with him and they were talking.
    Josh had to go back to work that day and she and her Mom were going to do errands and then Jessica would take her home. They were both tired but it was an emotional tired that wouldn't go away for awhile and they knew it, so they might as well go on and do what needed to be done. They started out by going by the lawyer’s office. Since Jessica was an only child and everything had been left to her and her Mom there wasn't a lot to do. Of course the house would be paid for through insurance and then they both got a million dollar policy. There was also the boat and things like that that Brenda would automatically get. Also there was a three acre plot of land that her Dad had bought as a surprise for her and Josh as a wedding present for them to build their house on. It was the perfect spot that they had wanted and she couldn’t wait to tell Josh however, it made her and her Mom cry at the thought of what he had done. But that was him, he was just thoughtful that way and she would think of him often. It hurt her to think of him not being there to walk her down the aisle and not be there to be the grandfather for their children they would have. There were so many milestones he would miss in her life and she would miss him being there.

After the lawyer they stopped by the bank and took care of the accounts there and then they stopped for lunch at their favorite restaurant. They had a champagne lunch and toasted her Dad and talked about him and told