Dear God {completed}

Jesse

7 years earlier...

'Charlie catch!' I screamed, throwing the ball as hard as I could at my unsuspecting brother. Being the foolish 8 year old I was, my aim was off, and I didn't listen to the 'no ball games indoors' rule my mother had set.

Time seemed to freeze as the ball shattered my mother's favourite glass vase. The vase was priceless and my mother usually put it out on special occasions.

'Noooo!' Charlie rushed, trying to catch the vase as it fell, but to no avail.

The vase shattered onto the ground into a million different pieces. My face crumpled. Mom loved that vase, and she was going to hate me forever.

I let out a cry and dropped to my knees, attempting to gather the small fragments of glass.

'She's going to hate me Charlie!' I wailed, tears streaming down my face, 'what if she doesn't want me anymore? Where will I go?!'

Charlie rushed over to me, telling me not to worry and to leave the glass alone, otherwise I'd cut myself.

I went upstairs to get myself cleaned up whilst Charlie went into the kitchen in search of a dustpan and brush. When I came back down, the glass was cleaned from the floor and Charlie was being shouted at by our mother.

'That was my favourite vase, Charlie!' she told him, trying not to raise her voice. It was clear the vase was special to her. 'It was passed down from your great grandmother! I told you not to play ball games in the house!'

Charlie apologised before being sent to his room. On his way past me, he whispered, 'I told you not to worry about it,' before giving me a warm smile and a small pat on the shoulder.

It wasn't till weeks later that I finally realised that Charlie had taken the fall for me yet again, and I confessed to my mother that it was actually me who broke the vase. Tears roaming freely down my face, I told my mom that I'd understand if she didn't want me anymore.

Laughing, she gathered Charlie and I into her arms and told us that she'd always love us both.

After that, we made a fort out of chairs and blankets together, before inviting our parents to camp out with us.

The night was spent laughing and pushing each other for more space, and sneaking out for the midnight snacks our mother had left out for us.