I am here, sitting by the fireplace. As I reminisce the days I had with my family back home. I just moved in this year to California. My family is in Ontario. I have to move here to work. How I miss mother cooking my favorite soup as we all gather by the fireplace to while the cold nights when fall and winter approaches.

During those times, Mom would be busy preparing the soup in the kitchen as we, my brothers and sisters, would laugh at each others stories. My father would soon join us as he comes from the office. Then, Mom would come in to let us eat the soup. We would eat together.

After eating we would continue talking. We would laugh at the top of our lungs. We will sometimes sing. We will play games. We do everything to while the night through.

Father would be busy turning out the fire in the fireplace. He would make sure there is enough wood and he will check on the fireplace screens if they are working well. Dad does this so the fire is regulated and to ensure our safety since we were playful kids. For us to be ensured from getting burned the fireplace screens is constantly checked on by Daddy.

Slowly, we, the seven children went to college and one by one started out on our own. My other brothers and sisters got married while me and my two sisters decided to leave Ontario to work. I am alone here in California, my other sister is in New Hampshire while the other one is in North Carolina. We hardly go home because of the demands of our respective works.

We only get in touch with our parents when we got the chance. We talk to them on the phone or sometimes chat over the Internet.

It is already getting cold here in California. I can now smell the autumn breeze in the air. I wish mother is here to cook her all time favorite soup recipe for me. And I wish Daddy is here to turn out the fire in the fireplace, make sure the fireplace screens are tightly locked so I will not be hurt.

The phone is ringing. I picked it up and recognized the voice on the other line. It is my brother. He said father is ill and we all have to go to Ontario to see him before everything turns out late. I hurriedly packed my things and asked my boss that I would take a leave. I still made sure everything is well and done in the office. All my work is arranged and through.

I flew to Ontario and hurried the cab driver so I could go home as fast as I could. Upon arrival, father is lying in a bed. He looks ill, lost a lot of weight and could hardly get up to see who came in. i cried of the sight of him. When all of my other brothers and sisters are in, father spoke to us as of he is ready to leave. Later on that night, he wanted us all to sit by the fireplace. We again talked as mother prepared the soup for everyone to eat. We lit up the wood in the fireplace but father is too weak to turn up the fire and make sure the fireplace screens are well and good. That night, father passed away.