"Grandpa didn't make it," I said as I hung up the phone. Josh hung his head. When he looked up at me, he looked more upset than I felt in the state of shock I was in.

"So what do we do?"

I sighed as I sat down next to him. "I need to move in with Grandma for a few weeks, at least. Help her get everything sorted out." I rubbed my face as I continued. "It's going to be crazy this week. Mum and my aunt and uncles and cousins and relatives I've never met...."

Josh rubbed my back gently. "I'm really sorry about your grandfather."

"Thank you." I leaned against him for a moment before getting up and going to our bedroom to start making calls.

I emerged from the bedroom a few hours later, my eyes sore and puffy from the tears shed making the calls, and grabbed a slice of the pizza from the box. I had it half eaten before Josh came in the back door with the girls. He ushered them into the living room and stood next to me.

"Grandma's got a meeting with the funeral home tomorrow. They're shooting for the funeral to be on Friday at their church." I said, picking the toppings off the pizza and not making eye contact.

"So when are you going out there?" Josh whispered.

"Tomorrow. Mum and my aunt are spending the night there tonight, and I'm joining them in the morning for the meetings and then cleaning and organizing the house." I laughed. "More cleaning! I should have gone to maid school!"

Josh removed the pizza from my hand and pulled me against him and I let a few tears fall as he held me.

"You know I do have to do this, don't you?" I asked quietly.

He kissed the top of my head. "I know. You know I'd follow with the girls if I could."

I nodded, "It'll be too chaotic as it is."

I straightened back up and finished my pizza as he started the bedtime routine for the girls.

That night, the tears came afresh as I thought about my grandfather - one of the two family members I was closet to - being gone.