My nephew's dog died

yesterday at 3 pm, my wife called me asked if I was almost home. I replied yes and she told that 'Duke' had died. My nephew's dog had died. My father in law had returned home from work at 2:15 - 2:30 pm. He accidently dropped his lunch pail and Duke didn't move. Now, Duke was getting hard at hearing for a 13 year old pure breed sheltie. He was rolly, polly, 'fat dog', and my nephew's first dog. My father in law knew something was up when Duke did not move from his 'sun' spot by the front door where he normally slept during the day while people were away. Crap, my nephew's dog just died. Yesterday was a beautiful sunny fall day. 50 degrees and no clouds. My nephew's dad wasn't answering his phone so I swung by with my car to see if he was home. Nope. My son was a half block away from our house so I honked. He doesn't know that his cousin's dog just died. Crap. Our dog is 14 and a pure breed wire fox terrier. Crap. My sister in law's car was already at our house. She's waiting for the kids to get home from school to tell him. It had to be a sunny, beautiful day. Crap. I go in and she has sunglasses on. My wife is crying also. My wife does daycare and the two year old girl, oblivious laughing and playing. 'Can you get the kids from school?' So, I take her van to the school which is 3 1/2 blocks away. I pull in and here the kids come ready to walk home. Cole, my 6 year old nephew, happy as a lark hops in along my daughter, Mallory, 8, into the van. Her friend, Kayana, hops in. There is my nephew with his friend from his grade, 6th, talking and walking. Crap his dog just died. He never hops in the van. He would rather walk. So I know the dog is dead why sound the alarm. Why tell him to get in the van? (He'll know something is up) Sure you can walk home. Every kid deserves a nice walk home on a sunny fall day oblivious that his dog just died. Crap. Get home and Cole says, 'Why is my mom here, she should be at work?' He knows something is up. He walks in the house. 'Why do you have a sad face mom? What is wrong?' My wife asks where Ty is. I say that I let him walk home. I don't want him to know yet that his dog just died. My sister-in-law, Ann, tells Cole she will tell him when Ty gets home. So Cole talks about his day to his mom knowing something is up but not knowing his dog just died. Crap. Takes about 5 minutes, seemed like 10, before Tyler gets home. As soon as Ty is in the door, Cole asks 'Okay mom what do you need to tell us now that Ty is here' Ty says, 'oh yeah, what's up mom?' 'Well, Duke died today at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Sadness hit both boys hard. Distraught, Anger, Tears. the next hour was horrible. They said their goodbyes to their dog Duke laying peaceful in his 'sun' spot next the front door. 'He hopped up into the house like normal this morning. like nothing was wrong' said Ann. 'I'll never get to feed again' Cole said. 'He was my friend.' said Ty. So yesterday on a bright beautiful fall day in Minnesota, Duke died and my nephews hearts were broke and everyone cried.