Wiping the tears from her eyes, my mom looked up at me and said, ” Oh Cee Cee, it’s just alwful Cotton is gone. He was hit by a car. “She began to shed fresh tears. “I’ll remember that white Bronco for the rest of my life, it.. it just sped past our house ..and and didn’t even stop after Cotton was hit.” She cried uncontrollably again.

Cotton is,..was our Bischon Frise, just the cutest dog in the whole wide world.

Joe put his arm tenderly on the small of my back, and whispered something into my ear.

“What?,” I said.

Joe motioned me into the kitchen.

“Um Cee Cee, I think I should go home now,” he said with a look of panic on his face. “I know you’re upset and all, and I’d like to stay and be with you, but..”.

“But what Joe?,” I asked alarmed by his ashen face and jittery stare.

“I..I just gotta go,” he said as he raced out the front door and ran across front lawn.