My brother lost his wife and infant daughter on a cold October morning.

I was asleep at the time.

You know how some moments stick with you?

I will always remember that cold rush of reactions upon rolling out of bed and reading that

first awful text message, confusion, anger and disbelief.

Lashed to the hospital this morning, lots of bleeding, Angela and Julie passed an hour

ago.

The confusion came first.

Angie was not due to give birth for weeks.

I didn't even know they picked out a name yet.

The anger came from the possibility that this could be a prank.

But who would joke about such a thing?

The disbelief came from the tiny picture that populated my screen.

The only one I would ever see of my niece.

A tiny, beautiful baby with a pink headband and heavy, litted eyes closed tightly shut.

I was able to spend some time with her.

He said she fought for a while after her mom went, but I think Angela wanted her back.

My entire body went numb.

My girls are gone, man.

I rolled back over to check my own newly pregnant wife.

She muttered something small in her sleep.

Selfishly, I checked her breathing because I just couldn't help myself.

...