Growing Pains

“Aunt Pattie, I-I’m scared.” I whimpered as we watched Matt Laurer speak for Fox news.

“Don’t worry. God is here for us. And he will give us strength.” Pattie said as she placed a gentle kiss on my forehead.

“You promise?” I said looking up at her with my blues eyes that had a thin layer of water over them.

“I promise.” She replied simply. If Aunt Pattie says that it will be good. Then it will be good. God loves Aunt Pattie. He gave her a second chance to make her life right, and she took it, and then he is doing this just to stir up our lives for a little but then Mommy and Daddy will come back and everything will be perfectly okay.

“What’s up with all the tears?” Justin asked as he entered the living room from the kitchen.

“What isn’t up with the tears?” I said back trying to calm myself down by making fun of Justin.

“Well than.” He said taking a seat on the brown chair that was set across the room from the couch I sat on with Aunt Pattie.

“Mom?” Justin asked taking a bite out of the red apple that he held in his hand.

“Yes, Justin?” My aunt replied.

“Why are you crying too?” He asked innocently taking another bite out of his apple. That looked rather delicious.

“Well.” Aunt Pattie started before gulping. “I think I will tell you in the kitchen. Come on.”

Both her and Justin got up and walked out of the living room and into the warm welcoming kitchen with maple cabinets and marble granite counter tops.

“Justin, sit down sweety.” I heard Aunt Pattie say and that was the last thing I heard before I heard sniffles.

I heard some muffled voices from where I was sitting. I grabbed a pillow and I hugged it to my chest hoping that it would give me super sonic hearing so I can hear what they are talking about. It wasn’t working too well.

After much frustration I finally heard a voice that sounded like Justin’s. “You are joking right?” He asked. It sounded like he was shedding tears as well.

“Justin I cant lie about something like this, I would never do such a thing.” She said before coming back into the room.

“I’m sorry hunny.” Aunt Pattie said before walking to answer the non-stop ringing phone that I would assume were relatives.

“Wait.” I called after her. “Why are you sorry!”

“Um-I-um you’re parents didn’t make it.” She stumbled out leaving the phone ringing she opened her arms and embraced me in a tight hug.

I sobbed into her shirt. I didn’t know what I was going to do with myself. Knowing that they will be missing for the rest of my life made me only want to cry more. Millions of thoughts ran through my head.

Before long, I felt another body against mine that was also losing tears.

There was Justin, Me, and Aunt Pattie gathered in a group hug, crying, praying and supplying support for each other.

* * *

“You kay Jen?” Justin asked while lying on his bed.

No answer.

“Jen?” He asked again.

No answer.

“Jenny!” He screamed.

I shivered a bit but I didn’t answer. I decided that it would be best if I would become mute.

“Talk to me Jenny.” He said getting up from his bed and sitting next to me.

I shook my head and looked away. This will solve all my problems I hope.