After the Rain

Chapter 37

We finally made it to the park after a ten minute drive. James and I are currently watching Christian play with the other kids here.

"Are you ready to go to Columbia?" James asks me as I see Christian slide down the slide.

"Yes and no." I answer honestly and he gives me a confused look.

"Why yes and why no?" he asks me and I look at Christian think back at him.

"Yes because I'm ready to be in New York where there's so many more opportunities than there are here, and I said no because I'm not all that ready to leave my family. I know we will have holidays to come visit, but it wouldn't be the same." I tell him and he nods his head understandingly.

"Exactly how I feel." he says grabbing my hand and interwining our fingers.

"We still will have each other, so I guess it's not too bad." I tell him playing with our connected hands.

"I guess you're right." he says letting a smile form on his beautiful face.

"Sissy come push me!" Christian yells from the swings.

I get up letting go of James hand. I walk over to my baby brother with James hot on my heels. As I begin to push him on the swing I start thinking about how things change with age.

"Higher!" he yells kicking his feet back and forth.

It's interesting how kids can easily make friends whereas when you get a certain age it's less likely. Maybe it's because little kids don't care about how much money your parents have or what you look like while when you are a teen those things matter.

I don't understand why, but I hope it changes in the near future.

"Can you push me?" a little dark skinned girl with two puff balls asks.

She was so cute and look around Christian's age. I looked at James, and he nodded.

I felt a little unsure about this because I felt as if someone brought their child to the park would be playing them or watching them carefully.

I went to the little girl and pushed her on the swings as James did the same for Christian.

"Thank you um.. what's your name?" the little girl asks while swinging her feet forward.

"Chloe, what about you?" I ask her still pushing her softly.

"My name is Nyla." she says with a smile and I silently aww.

I've been wanting to ask her who brought her here because I was wandering why she would be talking to a stranger.

I would never dream of harming anyone's child, but there are other people in this world who would do it an a split second.

"Nice to meet you sweetie. How old are you?" I ask the cute little girl with a smile on my face.

"I'm this many." she says holding up five fingers.

"Who brought you here?" I ask her the question that has been on my mind.

She looks up then around in search of someone.

"My big sister, but I don't see her." she says as she stops swinging on the swing.

"What does she look like?" I ask looking at her confused as to why someone would leave their little  sister all alone.

"She looks like me, but she's bigger." Nyla tells me looking at me with fear in her eyes.

"Let's go look." I tell her and she jumps off the swing heading over to me grabbing my hand.