,” a soft voice answered.
“Hello. This is Julie Lawrence with the Denver Police Department Victim’s Advocate department. Is this Sandy Johnson?” Julie asked. She knew Sandy’s husband had been killed in a car accident and that the funeral had been last week. If Sandy’s experience was like most, she had been surrounded by family and friends from the time of the accident until the day after the funeral. Once relatives returned to their homes and friends resumed their busy lives, Sandy would be left with the vacuum left by her husband’s death. Her life would never return to the normal it had been before. And the quiet could be deafening.
“ Yes, it is .”
“Mrs. Johnson, I was just calling to see how you’re doing.”
“ I’m fine, ” the woman replied.
Julie could tell that the answer had been repeated so often, it was automatic … and probably not truthful. “Is your daughter still staying with you?”
“ Oh no. She had to go back to Omaha. She has a very important job, you know. ”
Julie didn’t know, but she said, “I’m sure she does. Maybe it would be a good idea for you to go stay with her for a while. I’m sure your grandkids would love to have their grandmother there for Christmas.”
“ That would be nice, but I have to stay here. Who would take care of the mail and the bills …? ” Her voice trailed off. “ Frank used to do all that. ” Her voice caught.
“Mrs. Johnson, may I call you Sandy?”
“ Yes, of course you may, dearie. ”
“Sandy, I’m sure all those things can be taken care of long distance. Why don’t I drop by this evening and see if I can help you get organized.”
Sandy sniffled. “ That would be really nice of you. But you don’t have to. ”
“I’ll be leaving here around five. Would five-thirty be good for you?”
“ Yes, that would be perfect. ” Already there was a little lift in her tone. “ I’ll make us some cookies. Do you like chocolate chip? ”
“Of course. Who doesn’t like chocolate chip?” Julie assured her. “I’ll see you soon.”
“ I’m looking forward to it. Goodbye. ”
“Goodbye, Sandy.”
Julie hung up the receiver and jotted notes on the bottom of the call sheet. She’d do what she could to help Sandy make sure her bills were paid on time and, depending on the circumstances, see if a trip could be arranged. From the notes on the call sheet, Sandy and Frank had been married almost forty years. Being all alone for the first time in that many years would take a big adjustment. There was nothing like a few weeks with the grandkids to welcome a little peace and quiet back home.
Later that evening as she was driving home after her visit with Mrs. Johnson, Julie was smiling. She hadn’t expected to stay but a half hour or so, but her visit had stretched to over three hours. She had been able to help Sandy set up a schedule and automatic bill pay for most of her bills and showed her how to forward the rest of her bills to her daughter’s house. But mostly, she had listened to Sandy’s stories about what a wonderful husband and father Frank had been. There had been a tour of the photo wall and descriptions of who everyone was and what they had been doing at the split second the shutter snapped. There had been tears and laughter and hugs when she was leaving. Sandy promised to consider taking the trip to Omaha and Julie told her she would stop by early next week just to see if Sandy needed anything else.
The garage door shut behind her as she inserted her key into the lock. Cat twined around her ankles, anxious to get inside and have dinner. Julie wasn’t really hungry. The chocolate chip cookies had been good, and she even let Sandy warm up some leftovers for them to eat because Julie knew how often someone recovering from the loss of a loved one didn’t care about eating … alone. At least she knew Sandy had eaten one good meal that day.
After hanging up her coat, she opened a can of cat food and
“Hello. This is Julie Lawrence with the Denver Police Department Victim’s Advocate department. Is this Sandy Johnson?” Julie asked. She knew Sandy’s husband had been killed in a car accident and that the funeral had been last week. If Sandy’s experience was like most, she had been surrounded by family and friends from the time of the accident until the day after the funeral. Once relatives returned to their homes and friends resumed their busy lives, Sandy would be left with the vacuum left by her husband’s death. Her life would never return to the normal it had been before. And the quiet could be deafening.
“ Yes, it is .”
“Mrs. Johnson, I was just calling to see how you’re doing.”
“ I’m fine, ” the woman replied.
Julie could tell that the answer had been repeated so often, it was automatic … and probably not truthful. “Is your daughter still staying with you?”
“ Oh no. She had to go back to Omaha. She has a very important job, you know. ”
Julie didn’t know, but she said, “I’m sure she does. Maybe it would be a good idea for you to go stay with her for a while. I’m sure your grandkids would love to have their grandmother there for Christmas.”
“ That would be nice, but I have to stay here. Who would take care of the mail and the bills …? ” Her voice trailed off. “ Frank used to do all that. ” Her voice caught.
“Mrs. Johnson, may I call you Sandy?”
“ Yes, of course you may, dearie. ”
“Sandy, I’m sure all those things can be taken care of long distance. Why don’t I drop by this evening and see if I can help you get organized.”
Sandy sniffled. “ That would be really nice of you. But you don’t have to. ”
“I’ll be leaving here around five. Would five-thirty be good for you?”
“ Yes, that would be perfect. ” Already there was a little lift in her tone. “ I’ll make us some cookies. Do you like chocolate chip? ”
“Of course. Who doesn’t like chocolate chip?” Julie assured her. “I’ll see you soon.”
“ I’m looking forward to it. Goodbye. ”
“Goodbye, Sandy.”
Julie hung up the receiver and jotted notes on the bottom of the call sheet. She’d do what she could to help Sandy make sure her bills were paid on time and, depending on the circumstances, see if a trip could be arranged. From the notes on the call sheet, Sandy and Frank had been married almost forty years. Being all alone for the first time in that many years would take a big adjustment. There was nothing like a few weeks with the grandkids to welcome a little peace and quiet back home.
Later that evening as she was driving home after her visit with Mrs. Johnson, Julie was smiling. She hadn’t expected to stay but a half hour or so, but her visit had stretched to over three hours. She had been able to help Sandy set up a schedule and automatic bill pay for most of her bills and showed her how to forward the rest of her bills to her daughter’s house. But mostly, she had listened to Sandy’s stories about what a wonderful husband and father Frank had been. There had been a tour of the photo wall and descriptions of who everyone was and what they had been doing at the split second the shutter snapped. There had been tears and laughter and hugs when she was leaving. Sandy promised to consider taking the trip to Omaha and Julie told her she would stop by early next week just to see if Sandy needed anything else.
The garage door shut behind her as she inserted her key into the lock. Cat twined around her ankles, anxious to get inside and have dinner. Julie wasn’t really hungry. The chocolate chip cookies had been good, and she even let Sandy warm up some leftovers for them to eat because Julie knew how often someone recovering from the loss of a loved one didn’t care about eating … alone. At least she knew Sandy had eaten one good meal that day.
After hanging up her coat, she opened a can of cat food and
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