June 15th, 2015

Today is kinda weird. Here we are, early in summer, and the leaves on the trees are already falling! Yesterday was almost a record-high hot, but today the wind is making the air feel so chilly. I’m so confused, though. Is autumn coming early this year?

Mom told me I had to write down everything I think of, do and experience today. She said that it will help me. Help me with what? She told me that it would help me understand things better. Okay, so what exactly am I supposed to be understanding?

Mom got a new car. She doesn’t have the big silver SUV anymore. Now she has a blue car. I could’ve sworn that she had her SUV yesterday… but I guess she wanted something new. I asked her about it, and she said it's a rental car; her SUV is in the shop. But how are we supposed to squish into the back seat? Me, Bobby and Gus already had enough trouble with the backseat of Mom’s old car. How are we supposed to fit in the back of this one?

Which reminds me: last night, Gus went to bed at our house. When I woke up this morning, he wasn’t here. Bobby was gone all day, too, but when he came home, there was an old black car in our driveway. Did one of is senior friends come over to visit? If so, where was he?

Bobby says the car is his friend's and they are working on it with Dad together. He also told me Gus went over a friend’s house, but who leaves that early?! My friends don't wake up until 10 at least in the summer.

-Ashley

June 15th, 2015

It was freezing outside today, and windy! That's crazy considering yesterday was a record-high, and today, the leaves are already starting to change. The summer solstice hasn't even happened yet! Is this all part of global warming or something?

I went to see a therapist today. She asked me questions like who was the president, what was the date today, where was my dad, my brothers?

I answered:

1. James Evans is president.

2. It's June 15th, 2015.

3. My dad was supposed to test a brand-new plane called the FC-250 today (he’s in the Air Force).

4. Gus is over a friend’s house. Bobby is going to go to a baseball game today.

The therapist wrote down all my answers, then she talked to Mom for awhile.

Also, I haven't seen Gus all day, and Mom had this pretty blue car instead of her silver SUV. She told me it was in the shop. When did she have time to do that between yesterday afternoon and today?

-Ashley

June 15th, 2015

Today, it’s sunny outside. For some weird reason, the leaves on the big oak tree outside my window are orange and brown. Why are the leaves already turning? Is autumn coming early this year?

Dad is home today. I asked him why he wasn’t flying the brand-new plane he was so excited to test out. He told me he was flying tomorrow because of the weather. But, it's sunny today. Maybe there's a wind advisory?

Bobby also stayed home today. He was supposed to have a baseball game today at 2, but he told me they cancelled it. He also told me they cancelled the party tonight, too.

When I woke up this morning, I couldn’t find Gus anywhere. Bobby told me he was spending the night at a friend’s house. That was weird, because I remember he went to sleep at our house last night.

I went to see a therapist today, which is totally weird, because I don't remember having one. She asked me questions like who was the president, what was the date today, where was my dad, my brothers?

I answered:

1. James Evans is president.

2. It's June 15th, 2015.

3. My dad was supposed to test a brand-new plane called the FC-250 today (he’s in the Air Force).

4. Gus is over a friend’s house. Bobby is going to go to a baseball game today.

The therapist then talked to Mom for a little while. I heard them talking about “breaking news to her.” What news? What did I do? Do I have depression? Is something wrong with me?

-Ashley

Later that night, I heard Mom and Dad talking downstairs.

"They said it'll take a year, but the medicine will help her remember," Mom said.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Dad replied. "All the things that have happened after the crash have been downhill for us. Are you sure you want her to remember all that?"

"Jay, what other choice do we have?" Mom said. "We want her to grow up a normal girl, right? So she's going to have to face some difficult times. I had to. You sure as hell did. We all did, even Bobby. Ashley can't be living in her own fantasy world for so long."

"It's going to hurt her when she finds out about Gus."

"She'll get through it. Ashley is our girl. She inherited your strength and courage."

I hope Mom isn't mad I snooped.