“Well, she’s finally safe at home” Trisha sighed as she place the rose on the small grave. Slowly she turned and headed for the car, an awful void filling her heart. As she drove away from the small, quiet cemetery Trisha’s mind wondered back to the day her little Sophie had been diagnosed with Leukemia. Sophie had been kind of lethargic, like she was fighting the flu. By the forth day, Trisha started to suspect Sophie was faking to stay out of school, and took her to the doctor, to see what was really up. When no real cause for her symptoms could be found, lab work was ordered. Trisha wasn’t worried about the results, sure they would return showing a virus. When the nurse called several days later, telling her that the doctor wanted to see her, fear gripped her heart. Something was really wrong, and possibilities scared her to death. The next day, as she waited in the small exam room, Trisha’s anxiety could barely be contained. The news dropped like a stone, crushing Trisha and making it hard to breath. “Sophie has leukemia.” Dr Kent stated plainly. If Sophie had not been standing beside Trisha, she would have broken down, right then and there. A puzzled look on her face, Sophie tilted her head to one side and sweetly asked “is that like having a cold?” In spite of the serious situation, Doctor Kent chuckled, and patiently explained, in simple terms what leukemia was, and how it was treated.  That night, when Trisha told her husband Gary the news, he held her as she cried, and stroked her hair. Gary was not Sophie’s dad, but he had adopted her, legally and in his heart. He had been the best father to Sophie that Trisha could ask for. Trisha had never known who Sophie’s birth father was. Trisha had been raped and a few months later, and found out she was pregnant. Trisha had spent the next three years in fear of that attacker returning. When she had met Gary through a friend at work, Trisha had been very apprehensive about meeting him, but over time, Gary charm and caring personality had won her over, and they married six months later.  When they returned from their honeymoon life soon fell into a routine. Since Gary was a military man, Trisha was use to him being gone for weeks at a time. When he was deployed to Iraq Trisha never thought he would not return. The day that call came, saying Gary was missing in action, felt like the world had just collapsed around her. The sergeant said there was a chance he would be found, but that chance was very small. Months passed and Gary was never seen or heard from again. The memorial was three months after Gary disappeared. I had a hard time adjusting to his not being there in the morning, and fall asleep with him beside me. Sophie had a harder time than I did, because she lost so much more than I. During the day, she held herself together pretty well, but at night I would hear her crying. When I would creep to her bedside, she would quickly wipe the tears away, and tell me she was fine.