Losing my Brother and I am alone

The telephone rang in the middle of the night. We had just gotten home from an unhappy anniversary dinner. Things were not so good on the marriage front. When I answered the phone, my stepfather asked for my husband. I knew that had to be bad thing since they never spoke to each other. He came from the phone call and said "There has been accident. We need to go to the hospital. Your brother didn't make it." I would not believe him. We got to the hospital. I could see my family together in the lobby. My stepfather walked up to me. I asked if my brother was alright. His words were, "No, I said he was dead."

Shockwaves went through me. I couldn't talk. I couldn't utter a word for the next two weeks. It didn't matter if I tried or not. Nothing came out. This is when I started drinking and didn't stop for the next eighteen years.