Sister's Best Friend

My sister's dog was hit by a truck today and killed. It happened right in front of her house and she and her husband had to take care of him and bury him in the back yard. He died instantly. He was her baby, her best friend.

I loved Frankie too, but mostly because of how much he meant to my sister. She and her husband got him right after he was born and it was the first thing they truly did together - raise him. She was so attached to the pup and he to her that whenever she would leave the room or the house, he would cry. He was big for a puggle but was her lap dog. Frankie loved his cousin Lyla too.

I'm so sad for the family to suffer this loss and sad my daughter is sad. She knows what happened and sincerely cried for a good five minutes about how much she'll miss him. I was honest as per usual with her and said he was hit by a truck in the road and killed.

Tonight she wanted to draw a picture for her auntie - she drew a road and was going to draw a truck and the dog. At first I was horrified. My husband laughed at the sickness of it. She got upset with me that I didn't like her picture.

How do you explain to a four year old that drawing a picture of what happened will hurt someone and it's more important to make them a picture that will make them happy?

Let me tell you, it was hard and I'm still not sure she understood. Maybe when she asked me how he died, I didn't have to be so honest? I keep second guessing myself and am certain no matter what I tell her, tomorrow when she sees my sis, she'll say something potentially offensive. But only because she's a child and doesn't truly understand other's feelings just yet. She's genuinely sad but not able to completely comprehend how it affects others.

Regardless of what happens, it's a sucky thing. I'm worried about my sis and my daughter. The truth sometimes really hurts.

Lyla and Frankie watching TV together.