1 Chapter One

The sun began to peek through her curtains, filling the room with soft light, placing slivers of bright warmth onto her skin. She opened her swollen eyes and pulled the covers over her head. The promise of the day wasn't what she wanted. The fact that she was alive to see a new day made her angry because she would forever be living a long night. It wasn't fair. She didn't deserve to be breathing. She didn't deserve to be alive. The rage she felt was immense. That she had to live with the grief. The guilt.

"Riley, it's time to get out of bed. You have to get out of bed. It's been a month." Her co-worker and friend Becca was staying with her. She was one of the only people Riley had left in the world that was close enough to help her though this.

Riley rolled over and sat up. "I don't think I can. I don't think I can go on like this." She looked at Becca and knew she had to at least get out of bed.

It had been a month. One month since her husband and his 10 year old niece that they adopted had left to get groceries. One month since she decided to stay home because she wanted to finish her painting instead of going to the tedious grocery store. One month since her husband drove through an intersection on a green light. One month since a negligent driver ran their opposing red light and hit their car broadside, running them off the road and into a tree. One month since they both left the earth. One month since she saw them for the last time. And it was 6 months prior to that she lost her father to cancer. Her life, as she knew it, was over. Her entire family was gone now.

It took all that she had to walk into the bathroom and run a bath. She hadn't bathed since the funeral. She didn't care. She didn't care about anything.

She was well off. Her father was a self made business man that built automobile parts and started a small business out of nothing. After her mother died when she was a baby, he poured himself into work, leaving Riley to raise herself with her grandparent's help along the way. By the time he passed away, his company was a multi million dollar corporation. She never had to worry about money.

She met her husband right out of college. He was a mechanic working for her father and it was love at first sight. They were married a year later and after his sister died of a drug overdose, they took custody of her infant daughter.

"There. I'm clean. Now can I go back to bed?", Riley asked.

"Absolutely not. You need to eat. Bed isn't an option.", Becca said.

Riley followed her out into the massive kitchen. Becca had their cook make some soup for her. Riley took a few bites and felt sick.

"We have to clean out their rooms. I can't look at their things. I can't." Riley started to feel panic run though her.

"We will get there. One day at a time, love. One day at a time." Becca hugged her and Riley sobbed on her arms.