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"Daddy?" Anne asked, approaching her father in the kitchen, "why is Mommy crying?"
He contemplated his answer for a moment, "Mommy is very sad."
"Why is she sad?"
"I'll tell you when your brother come down for breakfast."
It was a Saturday morning so they boys were in bed later than usual, but they didn't have to wait long. William came down first. He was still in his pajamas but he had brushed his hair. Thomas and James followed behind, bickering about something, both with disheveled hair.
"I have something very serious to discuss with you." The children looked up with concern, "Your grandfather has died."
"But Pop Pop wasn't sick when we saw him last month," William gasped. At eight, he was able to understand the situation.
"He wasn't sick; he was just old. He died peacefully in his sleep. He lived a long and happy life."
William had started to tear up at the news and his younger brothers followed suit. At six, Thomas knew what death was and he knew that was why he only had one set of grandparents and that was happened to his fish.
"Are you gonna die?" Thomas whimpered.
"Don't die Daddy," Anne cried.
"Don't worry," he said pulling the two of them into a hug, "I'm going to be around for a very long time." James and William joined the hug.
"I think Mommy needs a hug," James said.
"I think so too," Darcy said, "but she is on the phone right now with Aunt Jane. When she's off the phone you can go up and give her a hug. But you have to be on your best behavior. No fighting," he said directing his gaze to his youngest two boys.
"We promise," James told him.
Darcy nodded. He got his children seated at the counter where he made them chocolate chip pancakes.
"Are we going to go and stay with Uncle Bing and Aunt Jane?" William asked shoveling pancake into his mouth.
"Do not speak with your mouth full, but yes. We are going to leave tomorrow and then the funeral will be on Tuesday."
"Can we go see Mommy now?" Anne asked.
He checked his watch, "she should be off the phone by now.' Together they walked upstairs and entered the master bedroom. Lizzie was sitting in bed, exactly where she'd been since Jane had called her hours earlier to tell her the news. He'd sat with her and held her as she cried until Anne came in demanding breakfast.
"Mommy," Anne leapt onto the bed. Her brothers followed and they engulfed their mother in a hug.
"Hi," she said, her voice breaking.
"I'm sorry about Pop Pop," William told her.
"Thank you. I'm sorry too. I already miss him," she said as she held her children.
"Daddy," Anne said, "Come up here." He climbed up onto the bed and into the massive hug. They sat there for a while. Lizzie was stroking Anne's hair and squeezing her husband's hand. As much as they wanted to stay in bed, there were things that needed to be organized.
"Kids, I'm going to put on a movie in the media room for you, okay? Your mother and I need to take care of grown up stuff." They nodded and followed him down.
When he returned, he drew his wife into his arms and kissed her temple, "I'm so sorry," he whispered.