20 Years Ago
Sitting on the couch with her back to her mother, Sydney straightened the skirt of her black dress with her hands. She cringed as her mom unintentionally pulled her hair too hard. "Mommy? Do I have to wear my hair up?" She whined.
As Rebecca finished tying the hairband into her daughter's hair, she sighed. "Yes, dear, you have to wear it up."
"But why?"
"Because grandma likes-" Rebecca closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath. "Grandma liked when you wore your hair up like this."
"Mommy?"
"Yes, baby."
"Why did grandma die?"
Dropping her hands from Sydney's hair, she exhaled shakily. "Because God wanted her to be one of his angels," she answered, blinking away tears that tried to fill her eyes.
"But why now?" Sydney turned around to face her mom, confusion etched in her face. "Was it because she was old? Jeremy said that people die when they get old."
Rebecca pursed her lips, smiling to herself as she shook her head. She was going to have to talk to Jeremy about what he tells his little sister. "Most people do die when they're old," she explained carefully, "but grandma wasn't that old. She was just really sick."
"Why couldn't God just wait until she was old?"
She paused as she thought carefully for a moment. "Well he thought that she would make the best angel now so he decided to bring her home early."
"Home?" Sydney repeated, with an eyebrow raised. "But grandma had a home."
"She got a better home now, though. She's living in Heaven in God's home."
Sydney watched her mom curiously. Her eyes full of questions. "What's it like there?"
Rebecca forced a smile as she fought back the tears that were burning her eyes and making her throat hurt. "It's absolutely beautiful there. And as long as she lives there, she'll never hurt or be sad. People that live in Heaven only feel happiness."
Sydney smiled back as she sat up straighter. "Can we visit her?"
Blinking quickly, Rebecca continued to smile. "I wish we could, honey, but we can't. Only people who live there can go there and that's up to God."
Sydney frowned. "But grandma didn't say bye."
Unable to hold back her tears any longer, they filled Rebecca's eyes and leaving wet trails behind them on each cheek. She nodded. "I know, baby. Sometimes we don't get to say bye before God brings us home."
"Why?"
"That's a question I have too," she whispered through her tears as she wrapped her arms around Sydney and hugged her.
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A Twist Of Fate (PREVIOUSLY A Purple Garden)
Romantizm!!Under Construction!! (Serious editing in progress) WARNING: Having readily available tissues is recommended before you embark on this tear jerking journey. When they met in high school, they were best friends but the timing for something more was...
