It was about three months later, and Jim, having reconciled with his wife, was planning to go back to Florida. He had purchased a used station wagon a few weeks prior, for the trip. He had returned from getting it tuned up, and pulled up next to Cate's minivan in the driveway, to find Rory sulking on he porch.

'Are you really leaving, Grandpa' he asked

Jim sat down next to him on an empty chair, tussled his hair, and nodded

'Yeah I think I let her suffer enough', he replied with a wry smile

'What about us, grandpa' Rory asked

'I think everybody will be just fine, Rory' he said

'You're going back home, and CJ is off at school and staying at the dorm. Who's going to look out for us', he asked

'Oh, I don't think you need to worry about that, son.' Jim replied

'So I guess I'm the man of the house now, huh'

'No, you're the boy of the house. Let your mom be the adult, and you be the kid. That's the deal, here' his grandfather said

It was a few days later, as Jim finished loaded the last of his things in the station wagon.

'Do you have to leave right now? Won't you at least stay for lunch' his daughter asked, as they were all gathered in the driveway.

'Oh baby girl, it's a long drive and I should get a move on' he replied

'At least let me make a sandwich for you to take with you'

Before Jim could protest, she had already gone back inside

'I'm going to miss you so much' Kerry said as she broke down in tears

'I know baby. I know', he gently consoled her

He turned to Rory and said 'And the first thing I do, is get a computer so we can email each other'

'Thanks for everything', Bridgett said as she tightly hugged him

'It's your job to keep everything running smoothly and to help your mom out' he instructed

'We will', Rory replied as his sisters nodded their agreement

'And I want you to continue to go to your meetings and do what you are supposed to do', he said to Bridgett

'I will. I promise', she replied

He nodded and said 'I know you will'

Cate had returned to the car with a sandwich and rather large bag of chips

'I know how much you like your chips' she joked as Jim hugged her

'Grandpa, do you really have to go, right this very second', Rory said

He looked at him and said 'Yeah, it's time to get a move-on'

He opened the car door and said 'Ok, let's not make this harder that it already is' as a tear slid down his face

And with that, he got in, started the car and left

They stay outside for a few more minutes before Cate cleared her voice and said 'One of the nurses couldn't make it, so I am working a double-shift, so that means you guys are on your own for tonight'.

'Well be ok, mom' Kerry assured

'Oh I know you guys will be ok', she replied as she got in her minivan and drove to the hospital

Rory went to get his bike and said he was going to ride to the mall.

'Don't stay out too late, ok' Kerry asked

'I won't' he replied as he rode off

'Are you going to be home for a while', Bridgett asked

Kerry nodded

'Ok, then I am going to borrow the car, for a few minutes'

'Are you sure that's a good idea', Kerry asked

'I need to go down to the store and get some new lip gloss. They finally have one in my shade'

Kerry felt uneasy about her going driving alone and offered to come with her

'Thanks but I'll be fine' her older sister assured

She ran inside to get the keys and a few moments later, she herself, was off

She just needed some time to be alone, to tend with her thoughts, and she often felt better after she drove for a while. She lost track of time, and saw that it had gotten dark and needed to get back home.

On the way, she spotted one of her friends, who introduced her to drugs. He happened to be walking along the side of the road

She pulled over and honked her horn to get her attention, and he approached and said 'Yo, Bridgett where have you been all this time'

She opened the passenger door as he got in

He asked her to drive him home... which was more of a shack on the seedy part of town. She was a bit apprehensive, in case the urge or desire to do drugs came back, but finally agreed

'Come on in', he offered as they pulled up.

'It's late and I need to get back home' she replied

'Oh come on. Just for a few minutes'

A few moments couldn't hurt, she reasoned

The living room was in disarray, with empty beer bottles and pizza boxes strewn across the floor, with what appeared to be a used crack-pipe on an old table

'Can I get you anything' he asked

She just shook her head

'Oh come on, just for old time sake'

'No, I'm clean now' she replied

'One joint isn't going to make you a junkie. All that crap you hear on TV is just a lie'

Her worst fears were confirmed as she wanted to try it, just to see for herself, Even though she knew better, she said she would take one

One joint turned into three, and she was feeling pretty good and relaxed. All the stress and tension she had been feeling over the past few months, seemed to just melt away, and nothing else mattered

'I don't get it. I mean beer and tobacco kill more people than pot, yet pot is illegal' she said, as she took another drag.

'Well if you like this, I got something that will really make you feel good' he said

He went to retrieve a small bag with a familiar white powder

'I don't know. I mean pot is one thing, but now your talking about cocaine'

'Oh come on, quit being such a party-pooper. Cocaine isn't dangerous, when you do it in moderation'

For some reason, that seemed to make sense as he prepared it, and she snorted the entire line

'Now that's good shit' she said, laughing out loud, for no apparent reason

She glanced at her watch and saw that it was 9pm

'Oh crap', I told my sister I was just going to be a few minutes', she said as she darted for the car, feeling a bit loopy and light-headed

'It's all in your head, Bridgett. There is nothing wrong with you. You are in total control' she kept telling herself as she struggled to steady the car, as it was weaving in between lanes.

All of the sudden she heard an awful 'thump' as the entire car just shook from an impact.

She turned off the car, thinking that perhaps she hit a small animal and got out to investigate

She had to do a double-take as she couldn't believe what she saw lying motionless on the street, with a bicycle a few yard away

'RORY' she screamed at the top of her lungs