Jayla (My Story)

The message

It had been an uneventful year. One that we were all thankful for. We had our first birthdays and holidays without (a) dad but it brought us closer together. Mama had got her laugh back she would do things just to make us laugh.

   It was late one night in September and someone knocks on the door. Mama gets up to see who it was, when she opened the door my Uncle Terry was standing there in tears.
   "Come inside and dry off your soaked." Mama told him
   " I walked here from a friend's house. Mama I need to use your phone." He said
   " Terry it's late who are you going to call? You should've called me to come and get you your gonna be sick." She scolded.
   He just looked down and shook his head.
  " Please mama, God spoke to me and told me to call all my brothers and sisters and tell them I love them and to get myself straight because I don't have long to live." He said shaking.
   Mama wrapped him in her arms and held him till he stopped crying.
  " Your not going anywhere."she said
  "Can I still call them? please,mama." He asked his voice strained from crying.
" Of course baby." She said and got the phone for him.

   It was late November and we were at the church practicing the Christmas play. One of the decons of the church played the role of the devil. They had pulled a bus up to the side door of the church and put a red strobe light in it and a recording of screams to give the illusion of hell. They would bring people forth to be judged and they would be allowed to enter the choir area which was heaven or sent to the bus.
         The "devil" looks around the church for someone to drag to hell with him. When his eyes landed on my Uncle Terry he freaked. He jumped up and started running between the pews. " The devil" points at him and said " you I want you."
   Uncle Terry said " no, I'm not going to Hell."
 
  The night of the play our whole family came including Uncle Terry. When the play was over the preacher said a few words and asked the congregation to accept Christ and not spend eternity in hell. Before we knew what was happening Uncle Terry had made his way to the alter and gave his life back to God.
 
Early December my Uncle Terry brought gifts over to mama, my sisters and me.

"Why are your giving gifts now?"mama asked
 
"I just didn't want to wait." He said

  " Here Fat Baby, I got this for you because it reminded me of you." He said handing me the gift. I tore off the wrapping to see this beautiful little doll. She had long dark brown hair and bluish- green eyes. A round face with rosie cheeks. I held the doll close to me and looked up at his smiling face.
  " Thank you so much Uncle Terry. I will keep it and love it forever. She is so pretty" I said.
" Not as pretty as you." He said and gave me a hug.
  " Merry Christmas." I said
  " Merry Christmas, Fat Baby."

  On December fifteenth  my Uncle Terry got really sick. Mama took my sisters and me to a family friends house to stay while she took him to the hospital. I sat by myself looking out the window of the glass room and cried. All I could think about was the night he came to the house to use the phone.
     No, it wasn't real. He was drinking and hearing thing. He's going to be fine. I kept telling myself but this feeling in my stomach just wouldn't go away. I felt sick. See, my Uncle Terry couldn't have kids of his own so he just kinda took me to pet and spoil. I loved him so much and I didn't know what I would do if he didn't make it. So I did the only thing I could do.
 
Dear God. I know that I have asked alot from you already and I am really thankful for everything you have done for my family. If you will just hear me one more time I won't bother you anymore. Thank you I love you, in Jesus' name Amen.

When mama came back to pick us up I ran out to the car hoping she had brought him with her. When I got there he wasn't there.
  " Mama where is he?" I asked with tears already running down my face.
 
" Jayla, listen baby," she said through her own tears. " He's in heaven with old nanny now."

   Terry died of double pneumonia at the age of thirty-six.  The doctor said that he walked in dead. Surly that's not true but I guess he was just to far gone to help by then.

" No! He can't be. I prayed." I shouted

" Come on let's go home and we'll talk about it." She said reaching for me.
 
  I shook my head " I'm not going home without him." I said and ran back into the house.
   Mama didn't think it was a good idea for me to go to the funeral so her friend said I could stay with her and they would bring me home after.
   I was broken again.  He was my favorite person in the whole world. Who would I spend my days with now? Who would teach me about the chickens? I didn't want him to be gone. I couldn't understand why God didn't hear my prayer. Why did he have to take him. My little heart hurt so bad I cried myself to sleep.
   
After the funeral there was so many people at our house.  As I got out of the car I saw my (b) dad sitting on the porch talking to a woman and a man that was with her. I ran up to my dad and and hugged him tightly crying again.

  " Hey hey. It's going to be OK baby. Now you know Terry wouldn't want his fat baby to be sad and crying." He said as he gently rocked me in his arms.
" I know daddy but it hurts so much. I already miss him." I cried
" I know it does. But you know he's always in your heart. He's watching over you and keeping you safe. It will get easier." he said
      " Do you know who this is?" He asked turning to lady he had been talking to. I looked at her for a moment. She looked familiar but I was certain I didn't know her so I shook my head.
   "This is Jona." He said. " She's your real mom."