Chapter 11: Ashes, Ashes, We all Fall Down... (Format #1)

Tanya raced home that night just in time to see the fire trucks pulling away from her house.  She doesn't remember much else from that night.  Once the police  officer had explained to her that Grady had died in the fire, Tanya didn't hear anything else.  She was beside herself with grief, how could this happen?!?  She was finally happy, finally ready to spend the rest of her life with someone,  and even more he was ready to do the same!  The fire chief came by the next day to discuss what they thought had happened.

Apparently, Grady had set up a nice romantic dinner for the two of them.  He was rushing to get everything done before Tanya came back home.  He had set the table with a nice cloth, fancy dishes, and even some candles.  He turned his back towards the table to finish preparing the meal and somehow managed to tip over the candles.  By the time he realized there was a fire, it was too late, he was trapped.  The batteries in the smoke detector were dead so no alarm was sent to the fire department.  A neighbor finally called when they saw the smoke.

Tanya couldn't eat or sleep for days.  She spent most of her time out at a make shift memorial she had made for Grady.  She just missed him so much and didn't know how she was going to go on without him.  Anderson did an outstanding job taking care of the younger two while his mother grieved.  He wished there was some way he could take all that pain from her.  He couldn't stand watching her cry out there daily, he knew it wasn't healthy for her.  Anderson dealt with his own grief in the only way he could, he painted.

That first painting after Grady died was the thing that  pulled Tanya back together.  Her world had been shattered, and she finally realized that so had her children's.  Tanya was headed out to Grady's memorial to talk to him some more when she spotted that horrid painting.  She stood there gawking at it.  Anderson couldn't have painted that, could he???  It was so angry and juvenile, not at all like his normal art work.  She knew in that moment that she had to do what ever she could to hold her grief back and get back to living, for the sake of her children.

It wasn't long before the family celebrated Brent's birthday.  Tanya couldn't believe he was growing up so fast!  He would be starting grade school in a few days and Tanya no longer had to chase after two toddlers.  Anderson, Brent, and Tanya all sat down for some cake after Brent blew the candles out.  Brent even thanked the two for the birthday money he found in his cards.  Tanya just sat there watching the two as they ate their cake and talked.  Both of them no longer her babies.  At least Chase was still going to be home with her during the day!

Brent was having a blast since he started school.  There were so many new things for him to try and so much to learn.  He, just like his older brother, fell in love with art.  His very first painting was extraordinary.  Anderson even told him it was better than his first one by a long shot. He also offered to loan Brent some of his supplies and gave him a few tips here and there.  Tanya loved watching him get up on that footstool to reach the top of the canvas.  He was just adorable, and it was a good distraction for her.  She still thought of Grady often, but the heartache wasn't as unbearable now.

Brent loved the sandbox Tanya had installed for his birthday.  He would spend hours outside creating all sorts of sculptures and castles.  Tanya couldn't believe how creative and imaginative Brent was.  She just knew that when he grew up, he was going to be one very talented man.  Brent preferred to use his hands to put together his sand creations.  Tanya had bought him a bucket, shovel and such but it usually sat clear on the other end of the sandbox.

A few weeks after Brent''s birthday celebration, Tanya felt that familiar feeling in her womb.  She was once again pregnant.  Tanya was ecstatic, she hoped it would be a girl this time!  She had yet another way to remember Grady by.  He would have been thrilled to hear the news.  Grady had always told her that he eventually wanted to have more children.  Tanya couldn't believe it, another baby on the way, and just when she was getting sad that Chase would soon be off to school himself.  She headed back out to the memorial area she had set up in Grady's honor to tell him the big news, and just to talk to him for a bit.  She wanted to feel close to him again.