Fields of Heaven

Mama's Girl

Madison

                   Mama looked so different.  She had bags under her eyes the size of Texas and the beautiful long hair that I used to brush was cut all the way up to her ears.  I was admiring the things in my bed room when she came in; everything was in the same exact order that I left it in, when Mama took me out for a drive that night. 

               When I saw mama standing in the doorway, I jumped up and ran straight for her, with my arms out stretched and a huge smile, “Mama, I’m home!”

But something wasn’t right.

       My mama looked right through me, as if I wasn’t even there!  I stopped and stared at her, as I watched her stare out into my room; she then moved forward, passing her finger tips over my stuffed animals, the Victorian tea cup set that she brought me for my birthday, and my toy chest.

“Mama, I’m right here, you don’t have to be sad anymore. I’m home.”

“Madison, she can’t hear you.”  I spun around to see Andrew leaning against the open door frame, with his arms crossed.

“Why can’t she hear me, I came back to her!”

“Once again, Madison, you died.  Everything from here on out will be complicated until your ascension.”

I stormed past him, and followed my mama, who had begun to make her way towards the kitchen; “You don’t know anything! My mama will hear me and she will love me like she’s loved me before!”

Andrew grabbed my arm, “Madison, look at yourself!”

“Stop it, just stop it, you’re scaring me!” I tugged my arm away from him and ran into the kitchen.  Mama was washing dishes—why didn’t she hear us?—I tried to grab her, but my hands simply passed through her.  For a second, she turned around and then rubbed the back of her neck before she continued to wash the dishes.

“I’m serious, Madison, look at yourself!”

“Why do you keep saying that? I look fine!”  That is when I really did, look at myself.  I didn’t feel any different, but I was certainly taller and my arms were longer.  When I looked down at my chest, there were boobs!  When did I get boobs!?

“And listen to the way you’re speaking—you’re still growing, Madison.”

“But how can I still grow if I’m dead?!”

“Like I said, everything is going to be complicated, from here on out.”