Starlight

-23-

Asher___

I heard a knock on my bedroom door and I stirred in my sleep. I groaned inwardly.
Who could it be?

I tried pulling the covers over me just when I felt a small figure cuddling up to me.
I smile down at her.
She really was here.
I recall everything from last night, there's no doubt that I died.
No doubt.

"Uncle Asher?" I heard a faint voice of Elle calling from behind the doors.
"Yes, baby. Give me a minute." I stood up from the bed not before covering Rose up. She looks beautiful with her afro hair spilling out of her bunnet.

"Have you seen mummy?" She asked with that faint voice like she was crying.
I hurriedly walked to the door, swung it open. She stood cradling her teddy bear with a tear stricken face.

"Yes, baby. She's sleeping. Why are you crying?" I swept her into my arms heading to my bed.

"I thought mummy left without saying goodbye." She laid her head on my chest mumbling incoherent words after.
"It's alright. She's here." She looked to the bed at her mum's sleeping figure. Wiggling out of my arms, she went under the covers with her mum.

"Why don't we let..." She placed her hands on her lips indicating that I should be quiet.

"Mummy's sleeping. Let's leave her." She whispered, slowly crawling out of bed to me.
Well that's what I was about saying young lass, if you had let me complete that.

She pulled me out of the room, slowly closing the door so it won't wake Rose up.

***

"I'll be leaving." I announced, my girls both looked at me from the kitchen. Elle pouted, Rose just flashed a nervous smile.
If not awkward.
We haven't spoken about earlier today though.
She didn't ask, I didn't tell.

Elle beckoned me to her and I did just that. I went up to Elle, she sat on the kitchen stool. I knew what she was about doing so I bend slightly. She placed a kiss on my cheeks, I did same.

I felt Rose's intense stare on him, I cast a glance at her.
"Group hug!" Elle yelled suddenly. I almost choked whilst coughing.
"Elle, Asher's in a hurry. Right, Asher?" Rose nervously looked from Elle to me.
I don't mind a group hug.

"Come here, you both." I spread my arms out for a hug, Elle crashed into my chest and Rose stepped in. I wrap my arms around them. Rose ran her arms along my back.
I pecked Elle's forehead. I stepped out of the embrace. Elle jumped down from the stool running off to the living room.
I was left with Rose.

"Hey."

"Hey, Asher. I'm sorry about staying in your bed till..."
"I asked you to stay. I know. You don't need to be apologetic. We'll talk later, alright?"

She stepped closer, wrapping her arms around me. I stood frozen at the spot, didn't see that coming.
She felt embarrassed, started to pull away when didn't return the hug. I wrap my arms around her waist pulling her closer.
She tensed a bit however relaxed against me after some seconds.

"Take care of yourself, alright." She mumbled against my chest.
I missed her.
I missed having her this way.
I'm not going to misuse the second chance God granted me.
It's time to make things right.

"You too." I let go off her, went to grab my things and left.

***

"So you're saying all this happened and you didn't care to tell me, bro?" I sighed heavily, avoiding Dean's eyes.
Dean came over to NJ two days ago. I haven't been in contact with him for months and I blame myself.

I was scared of what he would have said. I felt he would react the same way as Anthony did.
"I'm so hurt, I had to hear everything from my wife. Do you still love Rose?"
"I do. I love her and Elle." Dean smiled, shaking his head.
What's funny?

"I see. Do you have pictures of Elle?" I smiled at the mention of that. I fish out my phone, scrolling through my gallery until I found her pictures.
I handed my phone to him. He looked at the pictures, scrolling through others too.

"She's adorable. Looks just like Rose. Do you know the father?" He raised his head from the phone once he noticed my silence.
"I'll take that as you don't. Have you both talked?"

I looked away, "no, we haven't."
"I have to tell you something. About last night, I had a weird dream or rather encounter. I think I died last night. I don't know but once I woke up, Rose was the first person I saw in my dream and reality. She was crying and that confirmed it."

I shut my eyes recalling the memory. I felt someone wrap their arms around me and it wasn't Dean.
My eyes flew open to reveal Bri. Didn't see her there. Didn't know she was home.

As if she could perceive my thoughts and unvoiced questions, she said.
"I just got home and I overheard you. I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. I felt you needed a hug."
I needed one, she wasn't wrong about that.

"Do you mind going into details? I'll understand if you don't want to relive the memory but I'll love if you do so we can pray for you." Bri suggested with a nervous smile hung on her face.

"It's alright. So..." I told them everything, leaving no stone unturned.

"What are you going to do about Rose?" Bri asked settling beside her husband on the couch.
"I'm still confused."
"Confused? Why?" Dean chimed in.
"I don't know how to go about it. This morning, she apologized for staying in my bed then she hugged me."
They both gave me a look I couldn't decipher.

"Do you see a future with her?" Bri asked clasping her hands together.
"Yes, I do. I see a future with Elle in too." I smiled at it.

"God has delivered you and granted you a second chance, that's not something we see everyday. Make good use of it and pray for God to guide you." Bri added getting up from her seat.

"I'll be back then we'll pray." She left.
We sat in silence, Dean intense gaze on me. He cleared his throat, gaining my attention.

"Have you gone to God in prayer?" He suddenly asked.
"I don't know how to go about it. Is He going to hear me?"

"The God I know is always ready to listen to our cries. He is a patient God. No matter what crime or sin you may have committed when you crawl back to Him, He's always ready to listen and forgive you, us. I want to ask you, are you ready to forgive Rose? Are you ready to put everything in the past and start afresh? Are you ready to be patient with her until she opens up? Do you want to be with her? Do you want both girls in your life?"
I bit my lower lip, staring at the remote on the table.

Am I ready?
Yes and no.

"I want both girls in my life. I want to forgive Rose. I want to move on from the past but everything seems inevitable." I blurted out avoiding his eyes.
I really want to forgive Rose. I really want to be with her.

"Nothing is inevitable. You have to forgive her as Christ will forgive you for all your sins. You must learn to forgive and forget. If Christ were to be as cruel and evil like mankind, do you think majority of world will still be alive? No, He would have held grudges and from there, plot to eliminate them. Be like Christ. I want you to go to church tomorrow, fight your inner demons and stay in His presence. Repent and turn away from the devil, be safe in Christ."

I will do just that. I want to be that Asher in Christ, again.