From Inside the Maze: A Collection of Short Stories

Your Turn

"Your turn," I said, lying on the floor of my son's bedroom playing the board game Sorry.

Levi looked up from staring at the floor. He drew a card and carefully made his decision on where to move before whispering, "Your turn, Mom," and staring back at the floor.

We had been playing for awhile, both of us having to remind the other when their turn was, neither of us able to focus on the game. I looked at my son and knew what he was thinking about: his father and his brother, my husband and my son.

Jordan was just being a wonderful husband. Since as a teacher I had summers off, I had spent all day, every day with the boys. I loved it, of course, but it was exhausting. He was taking Levi and Cole into town for the day to eat, to see a movie, and to give Momma a day to herself.

They had been on their way home late that afternoon when Jordan lost control of the car and crashed. Being so small, Cole had been killed instantly and Jordan was died mere minutes after the impact. Only Levi had survived.

By now it had been nearly a month since the crash and things hadn't yet returned to any type of normal. School would resume in a week. Levi would have first grade to occupy his thoughts and I would have teaching.

I knew that Levi, being a curious boy, would have questions and I had prepared for them as best as grieving mother and wife could. But the questions I had expected never came. He didn't ask where Daddy and Cole were, he knew well enough himself that the answer was in heaven with Jesus. He didn't ask why he was the only one to survive the crash or why the crash had to happen. He just longed for his father and his little brother as any grieving human would, but without inquiry. Until that day we were playing the board game.

"Your turn, Mom," he said and then let out a great sigh. I smiled at him the best I could before he said, "I miss Dad and Cole."

I had heard this many times, both from Levi and myself, and gave a little nod showing I understood, but as I drew a card Levi asked the first question about their death since the accident.

"Do they miss us?"

The question startled me, having not been one of the ones I prepared for, and I said, "What?"

Levi repeated his question. "Do Dad and Cole miss us?"

My instant reaction was to just tell him I didn't know and move on but something, someone, was telling me different.

"No...," I started slowly. "They don't miss us." Levi frowned as I continued, "Because, they're happy. They can't be sad missing us because they're in heaven. They still love us. They still care about us. But they're not sad and missing us. They're just excited. Excited for the day, in many, many years, when we come join them." 

I took a deep breath taking in what I had said to Levi. I knew that these were not my thoughts, but the thoughts of the Lord delivering a message through me to his little child and educating the messenger in the process.

Levi nodded, satisfied with the answer. "Good," he said. "It's good they're in heaven."

"Yeah, it is," I said. I moved my game piece, looked at my boy, and said softly, "Your turn, Levi."

Author's Note: This is my first attempt at including a bit of spirituality/Christianity in a writing piece. I'd love some feedback and thanks for reading!