April 6, 2015
Monday April 6, 2015 was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, but it wasn't hot. A perfect day for so many reasons. Jason and Shannon had the day off together for the first time in months. We had been asked to watch Ruby that night. Jason was taking Shannon to a movie to celebrate her promotion. They were bringing Ruby to us at 7:00 pm.
I got off work at 4:30 PM and could not wait to see my girl. I called and told them I was coming to kidnap my Ruby on my way home. Shannon and I joked about her cooking abilities then she went to get Ruby ready to go.
I had told Jason he was going to bring Ruby down to me because I was tired. We began our little play bicker routine when he told me I was stupid and explained Parents don't deliver the child to the kidnapper. We bickered back and forth until I parked at their apartment. He was on the balcony and I quickly said, I love you Turd Bird, a name he hates, and hung up on him. He laughed and waved.
Shannon brought Ruby down and put her in her car seat. I noticed her back was hurting and asked if they were still going to the movie. She said, Mom, it's Fast and Furious 7, what do you think. I apologized I hadn't raised him right. She laughed and told me she didn't care what the movie was, she got to go out. I laughed and said better you than me. She shut Ruby's door and I laughed and waved goodbye.
I didn't call Clif to tell him Ruby was with me. He built her a computer and filled it with movies. She could work it, but she couldn't turn it on. If it was on when she got there, Gram'pa got to see that attitude of hers. I stood at the door listening as Ruby chewed him our and Gram'pa begged this 22 month old baby to forgive him.
We had dinner, Ruby's favorite, Ham Steak. After that we played.
I was so tired, I went to bed early. Usually I was up until 11:30 on work nights, but this night it was at 9.
April 7, 2015
After getting a good night’s sleep, I was ready to face Tuesday. It was my Friday so I was in a hurry to get work over with so I could enjoy my weekend. I rushed to the kitchen because I knew Clif would have coffee ready for me. I was fixing my first cup when he came in the kitchen. Every morning we had the same routine. After saying good morning, I would I would always ask, what time did the kids pick up Ruby and he would fill me in.
They picked her up around 10:30. He went on to tell that the kids came in laughing like teenagers. The movie had been good and they had a lot of fun. They thanked us for watching Ruby for them.
Clif said that Ruby’s acid reflux had acted up and he was a little upset her medicine wasn’t in the diaper bag. They were headed to Walmart to get more. I had to laugh, they go to Walmart every day, they think it’s Disneyland.
As I started out of the kitchen I stopped and asked Clif if he had plans for the weekend. He said no so I told him, if the weather is going to be nice, I am going to kidnap Ruby on my way home so she can spend the weekend with me. I want to take her to the park, do you care. He said no, but thanks for the heads up. Her computer will be on when you get off work. I laughed and called him a coward as I went to my room to get ready for the day.
I turned on the TV so I could see the weather. I drank my coffee and scrolled through Facebook. By 5:15 I was standing in my closet trying to decide what to wear when the words of the reporter caught my attention. I stood frozen looking at my clothes as I listened.
For the second night in a row there has been a fatality crash in the metro area due to an alleged drunk driver. This one happened at approximately 11:20 pm at the intersection of Reno and Rockwell. (I knew they would be in that area at that time, they went to Walmart) An approximately 30 year old female died instantly. An approximately 35 year old male died in route to the hospital. (I couldn’t breathe only think, Jason is only 34, we are okay.) An approximately 2 year old baby is listed in critical condition undergoing surgery at this time at Children’s Hospital.
I finally looked at the TV and realized, that was our babies. There was the picture of their car, nose down in the drainage ditch in the center median of Reno. When I told Clif, he didn’t believe me. He called me a liar and I prayed I was. He went to find their car at their apartments. Instead of coming home to tell me I was wrong, he called me and told me that I needed to call Children’s right away. Now I was calling him a liar. He said he found their car. It was at Reno and Rockwell. The wrecker service was taking it away.
He came and got me and we rushed to the hospital, Ruby needed us. But when we got there we learned, they could not save her. She had died at 4:18 in the morning. Our world ended.