The trip out of state.

This is the third time they've left.
My parents, that is.

Except this time was different.

Usually it was my mom and my father, driving to Missouri, to a pending court date.
This time, my mom couldn't leave work. Her boss wouldn't allow it.

This time, my grandmother was living with us. After my dad's horrible motorcycle accident, she needed to come live with us to help him. Then she had a stroke.

So, now it was my dad and my grandmother. She used to live in Missouri, before she came here. I did, too. I lived in Missouri for 12 years before I moved to Arizona.

My dad and grandmother were both incapable of driving. So, my Uncle Peter came down from Utah to drive my dad. My grandmother was going because she 'missed her house.'

My mother worked long shifts, 7 days a week.
Everyone was gone for 6 days, and my mom worked from 6am-8pm every day.

This left Leo and I home alone, all day, to do as we pleased....