That day came and everything started out normal. It was your typical winter day in Colorado, but that night they came, my parent's friends. I didn't think anything of it at first. They came to visit every month, but that night everything was going to change. It started out normal, my brother and I went up into my room; we knew the routine. They wanted their time to catch up, so we had to be so silent you could hear a pin drop. Two hours went by, we didn't think anything was wrong. We played our games and watched TV, but then he came. My dad stepped into my room; his face flushed of all color and tears on his cheeks. He told my brother and me to come downstairs and at that moment I knew something was up' but what? As I stepped out of the safety of my room I didn't hear laughing, I didn't even hearing talking. It was completely silent. All I could hear was the occasional sniffle. That was the only way I knew they were there. I put one foot in front of the other as I slowly descended down the stairs. I turned the corner to see my mom sitting on the couch. She didn't look like herself. The mom I knew was full of life, but the lady that was sitting on the couch looked, well, dead. Then I saw Mr. and Mrs. Brooks on the other couch. I could tell they were there to comfort us for whatever was coming next. My mom told my brother and me to sit by her. I could tell by her voice something wasn't right. She hugged me really tightly, and I didn't want he to let go. I was terrified of what was happening, and what would happen next. Horrible ideas started running through my head. I couldn't control them! I thought she might have cancer or that someone had died, but then came the words, those horrible unbearable words. She had a hard time getting them out, and I had a hard time listening. After I heard the words eating disorder and depression, I stopped listening. I went blank. Nothing around me seemed real. I couldn't believe it! How could this be? The words kept stumbling out of her mouth, but I couldn't listen. My head was spinning. All my thoughts were on the folder I had found a few weeks earlier. It was full of papers with several weird things on them. There were notes from doctors, notes from councilors, notes from friends, but the most papers I found had food names with their calorie count and other nutritional facts on it, and each one had a red X by the food. I put the folder away knowing someone would soon be coming and catch me looking through it. I went on my way not really thinking of I again until now. As my mom kept talking the puzzle pieces started fitting together, but then in sudden fear my heart dropped. I thought back to all those times I had yelled at her and made her mad. That could have been her last straw and then she could have' I tried quickly to get my mind off the 'could haves' and try to get back to the present. I then started thinking, 'What did I do? How could our perfect family have this major problem? Why hadn't anyone told me until now?' Without my control the tears came and they didn't stop falling. I tried so hard to hold them back, but I couldn't. I told myself, 'Why am I crying? This shouldn't be happening. I should be stronger than this!!' Then end of the speech came, the whole house went silent. Then she spoke for the final time, but this time it was unique. She gazed into my eyes with pain, pain I had never seen before. She slowly explained she was going away for a while to get help. NO! I needed her! She couldn't leave me! I needed my mommy to tell me everything was okay, but I knew I had to be strong for her. She had always been strong for me. We sat there in silence, except for my little brother who was squirming around but I could tell deep down he was heart broken.

Then Mr. Brooks started talking. At first I tried to pay attention to what he had to say, but my head was somewhere else. I just wanted to run up to my room slam the door and never ever come out. I knew he probably had good things to say, but I wasn't in the mood to listen to anyone anymore. I was done. I broke, like a dam that breaks when there is too much water. I broke down and went hysterical, but soon after I felt the embrace of those arms and I knew they were hers. She held me tight until I calmed down. It felt nice to have her arms around me, but it made me realize how much I was going to miss her.

Shortly after that, the Brooks left and it was off to bed for my brother and me. I didn't want to go to bed, but I knew that no one was in the mood for a debate. That night was very painful. The sleep that I got only came with tears still moist on my cheeks. I tried so hard that night to make it all become a nightmare, but it was still all so real, and I knew my life would have many changes when I woke up the next day.