Tuesday, August 9, 8:56 AM. Claire.

Good morning, Diary. How are you today? You say you are feeling lonely? Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. I will try not to leave you alone so much. I will write in you every day and I will take you with me everywhere. But can you keep a secret? Oh! you are giving me the key to your lock? Then I know you are my friend and will keep my secret.

Here it is: I’m sad.

I keep thinking about all the people who have gone away. Olivia and Rosa and Hope and Abbi. Uncle Bryan and Aunt Kelci. Ms. Todd and Ms. Velasquez and Mr. James. My Sunday school teacher Mrs. Corran. Pastor Rick. Michael who helps us at the grocery store.

I think about the animals. We see lots of dogs and cats when we go places that don’t have people to take care of them. What are the horses at the ranch doing without Miss Sunrise and Miss Banana to take care of them? Maybe Sunrise and Banana are still there just like we are here. I will ask my mom if we can go to the ranch and see, and if they are not there, we can take care of the horses like Garrett said.

I miss my friends. I feel sorry that I used to complain about them a lot. My friends aren’t always nice to me, and it hurts my feelings. But now I miss them and I don’t want them gone and I wish I hadn’t complained.

But don’t tell anyone I am sad, Diary. Dad says I am full of bubbles and always cheerful. It is my job to help everyone else be cheerful too.