Walking With You

When the Devil Speaks Up

. . .coming soon. . .

. . .???. . .

"Look, I don't care what you believe, but I feel like you're trying to push it onto my daughter. She's imitating you and I don't like it. . ."

"What? No. . . This is her cho-"

"I DON'T want her to be one of those Jesus freaks, and THAT is where this is going." She said sternly.

My eyes darted around the room, I gasped when I saw her face through the door, a look of shock frozen on her face. She ran quickly from view. "Oh no, oh no, no, no, no! Alice!" I wobbled out of the chair, trying to gain my balance as quickly as I could. I dashed from the room, only to find her on the hallway floor in tears.

"Alice, please. . .don't worry about-"

"Maybe they're right. Maybe I am way too far into this." She interrupted.

"No, no, no, no, shh." I said as I moved my fingers through her hair.

"That's it! Get away from my daughter! I don't want to see you around her anymore!" Tiffany loudly declared.

"No! You don't know what's happening! You don't know what's going on! Please!"

"Get out." She finally stated as she grabbed Alice by the arm and pulled her downstairs.

"Emma, get over here." Mom demanded. I ran past her doorway to fall on the edge of the bed. I bow my head and prayed as I cried, hoping she would see the way I just had.

But it was wishful thinking.

"Why has this become a problem? I told you, I told you, this would be a disappointment!"

I snapped, saying something I shouldn't have, "Maybe you just can't understand what we do!"

"I'm tired of this attitude! You need to get over yourself! You're almost an adult, and you're acting this way?"

"I'm sorry." I said, defeated.

"Well, we'll see. I can't believe that you are doing this to her. You of all people! You need to stop this!"

"Mom, this is her decision. She's making this choice! She wants to go to church! She wants to pray! She believes in God."

"And I bet it's because you've told her all these things."

I couldn't deny it, I had, but she still had made her own mind up. "I didn't force her to do anything." I said quietly. I felt so ashamed.

"But you led her here, and that's why she's into this, it is not because of God 'working' in her life. That's not how this works!"

The comment made me more bitter. "How do you know that?! How can you honestly, possibly know that?"

"Because that's what religion is for! It's for people to keep themselves in check, but she doesn't NEED it! Do you understand that? No, I'm sorry, I guess you don't, because it's affected you in this way, hasn't it?"

"I don't know. I just don't know, but I do know that every time I falter, I go to God, and you know what? He guides me back to Him! I don't know why it works that way, I don't know why it happens, but it does!"

"That's great for you." She said in a snarky tone.

"And it happens to Alice! I've seen it! Just ask her!"

Mom shook her head. We remained there in our awkward positions. I felt the arrows gather in this direction up to this moment. Everything that had just happened was unbelievable. . .at least to our family. I couldn't tell her how I knew deception had a hand in this. My worst nightmares had come true. "I bet," she laughed in between her words, "you think this is the Devil. I bet you're going to say that everything that happened tonight was 'Satan' being where he shouldn't."

"Not everything." I mumbled.

"What?" She snapped.

"Yes, the enemy was here!" She scoffed. "And no, he found a perfectly great place to be. The chance was given to him and he ran for the hills with it." I said, unfortunately, with little confidence.

"You're ridiculous." She mocked.

"Am I?" I counter-attacked.

"Absolutely. And you're gonna bring Alice down with you if you continue this. I'm begging you, please stop it with this Christian stuff. You're not one of them, okay?" She began to plea.

"Mom, I've been this way for several years! This is who I am! I can't just. . .stop being me."

"You can for awhile." She commanded,

"But-" She moved a finger to shush me.

I didn't know what to do, so I prayed in my head. If it was the last thing I'd do, I would follow God, no matter what. I wasn't about to be brought down this time.

I was going to make it.

. . .to be continued. . .