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Another hot midsummer’s day. Sun was right in the middle of the sky, shining bright. A little too bright, even. It was burning my back as I kept swinging back and forth slowly on the swing my dad made for me. I didn’t care about the heat or the sweat forming in my neck at all, swinging was my biggest joy ever.

I was a happy girl, once. Living in the suburban of the mid west with my beloved parents. It was just another normal American life really. Quiet, peaceful, good weather usually.

I can still smell the lilies in the air like it was yesterday.

I saw my parents getting out of the house, both dressed in white summer clothes, looking beautiful. To this day, I’ve never seen any other couple that was just as perfect as they were. My mom kneeled in front of me and held the sides of the swing to stop it altogether. I looked up and her eyes, the exact green shade as mine, looked right into the depths of my soul.

“We’ll be gone for a couple of hours sweetheart,” she said as a huge smile brightened her face. “I promise to be back before supper.”

I pouted but nodded slowly. I really wanted to go with them to wherever they were going. “But just have a good time with your Grandma Marge until we come back alright?”

I drifted my eyes from her towards the porch, where Grandma Marge was standing and smiling warmly at me. I loved her home made cookies. See, both my parents were not coming from big and whole families at all and I didn’t have any brothers or sisters so the only relative I knew I had was my Grandma Marge, who’s been a part of our small family since I was born.

As I said, I was a happy little suburban girl. Once.

My mom leaned towards me and placed a soft kiss on my cheek, inhaling my scent at the same time. It always tickled me; I let out a soft laugh. This made my mom laugh even more.

My dad was standing right next to her, the most handsome man I’ve ever seen in my life. He ruffled my hair and pulled my mom back on her feet. “Be a good girl, kiddo. We love you.” he said before putting her arm around my mom’s waist and escorting her towards the car.

They got into their old beaten Ford Cabriolet, which my dad was so proud of. The minute he started the engine and pulled out from the garage way, I got up from my swing and ran to the street. This was a ritual we never missed.

The sun was blinding me with its brightness but I shaded my eyes with my hand. As they drove away, I heard three horns being honked and raised my left hand to wave.

The sun was too bright, blinding me. But I could still make their smiley faces, both turned towards where I was standing and waving at them. They kept waving until they drove to the crossing and I kept waving back.

The next thing I heard was a loud horn, sounds of stretched tires, shrieks and a loud crash. I didn’t see anything. The sun was blinding me.

A sudden cool breeze made me shiver uncontrollably.

This is the last memory I have of them.