Overcome the hand that's dealt

Sunday morning at nine-thirty six am, Brenda travels the three mile trip home from the Jackson’s home. It is a cloudy humid day in the suburb of San Diego. There are very few cars on the road as she makes her way through the middle class neighborhood, while she continues thinking to herself, “I hope my family is ok! I hope it was only a dream.”

Brenda turns on her street observing two blocks in the distances a fire truck and a police car at her home. Her stomach drops with a sickening feeling of nausea. “Oh my God! No! Oh, please let this not be happening!” She says to herself on the way to her house.

She pushes her foot hard on the cars accelerator hurrying to get to the horrific scene. Skidding to an abrupt stop at the curb she parks behind the police car that’s in front of the house.

Quickly getting out of the car, Brenda runs toward the house that she grew up in that’s almost completely burned to the ground.

Blindly running with tears streaming down her face as she’s screaming at the top of her lungs then all of sudden a stocky policeman rapid grabs a hold of her in a tight embrace to calm her hysterics.

The police officer released his grip when he realizes Brenda has better grip on her emotions, she looks at the policeman and asks “Where’s my mother and father at sir? Tell me their alright, please.”

“The ambulance took them to Alpine General Medical Center a little over two hours ago. I don’t know what the condition of your parent’s are as this time.”

Looking to the right, Brenda sees the remaining large red fire truck that has a fire hose stretched out running upon the front lawn from it. There is a fireman in full protective gear spraying water on the smoldering remains that use to be a beautiful white two-story house. “Please let me give you a ride to the hospital. You are in no condition right now to drive.”

Brenda wipes the tears out of her eyes, looks at the officer’s gold name tag and says, “I would greatly appreciate a ride to the medical center Officer Tolsted.”

On the way to the hospital, the officer is talking to Brenda but she is not listening only thinking to herself by saying, “What am I going to do? Where am I going to live?” She is also thinking other thoughts when the policeman tapped her on the shoulder and said, “Where at the hospital.”

Inside the Emergency room, Brenda saw her Aunt Teresa and Uncle Melvin Mayfield, who have always been very close to her family. Anytime Shawn or Lynda needed help with anything at all they would assist no matter how small or large the problem it is and Lynda and Shawn would do the same for them too.

Brenda ran to them, then gave big hugs and said, “How did you know my parents were here?”

“I didn’t! Uncle Mel and I were going to invite your parents for breakfast before church, when we didn’t hear from them, called with no answer, decided to go to their house. At your home we seen the police and fire department, they informed us of their whereabouts.”

“Have you seen them?” Brenda asked tears streaming down her face sounding worried.

“We just got here five minutes ago.”