It was early summer and cousins Cara and Shaia Williams sat at a picnic table in their backyard planning a birthday party for a classmate. They had their book bags and papers placed across the red wooden picnic table in front of them. Twelve year old Cara was in charge of of the decorations and her thirteen year old cousin, Shaia was in charge of the guest list and the invitations. Their classmate was, Erica Stevenson had been saving her money to have a roller skating party and she had asked for their help.
On one particular afternoon the girls had been outside for almost two hours going over the details of the party when Cara's mother Felicia called both of the girls inside for dinner. Felicia Williams worked twelve hour shifrs at the local hospital four days a week as an Registered Nurse and on the days she had off she tried to spend as much time as possible with her niece and daughter. Tonight as she put dinner on the table she was preparing to share with the girls some news that would change their lives a little. For as long as Cara and Shaia could remember it had only been their mothers in their lives. They all lived in the house that their grandfather had willed to them when hoe passed away. "Go wash your hands girls." Felicia instructed when she heard the girls come into the house from the back door. Felicia placed a wooden bowl of salad on the dinner table beside a plate of garlic bread. She had cooked spagetti. A simple dish that she knew both of the girls loved. While she placed dinner on the table her sister Connie came down stairs. Connie was her older sister and the mother of her neice Shaia. Connie was a part time social worker and owner of a boarding house for women and also a community soup kitchen. Felicia had told Connie that she was going to share the news with the girls over dinner.
When the four of them were seated at the table they all held hands to pray over their dinner. Felicia led the prayer as they all bowed their heads, "Our Dear Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for this food. Feed our souls on the bread of life and help us to do our part in kind words and loving deeds. We ask in Jesus' name, Amen." Felicia, Connie, Shaia and Cara all said Amen in unison and then they picked up their forks and began to dig into the food.
Felicia looked at her sister Connie as she gathered her thoughts about what she was going to share with the children. "Girls do you remember your Aunt Pamela who lives in Florida?" The girls looked at each other and then Cara shook her head slowly yes but, Shaia shook her head no. Connie was quiet. "Well your Aunt Pam is going to come sometime this week and she is going to bring her daughter Terra. Terra is going to be staying with us." Felicia looked around the table to gauge everyones reactions. The girls continued to eat quietly, Connie didn't offer up a word so Felicia continued, "Pamela also told me that she will be arriving on Terra's birthday so maybe you girls can do your decorating, party thing for Terra. You know get some balloons, cake and some ice cream and welcome her with a party." The young girls looked at each other. They were up for the challenge. Shaia began planning a party in her head as she smiled at her cousin Cara. Cara asked when they could go out to get the decorations.
Felicia smiled at her daughter as she looked down at her watch, "We can go as soon as we finish putting these dishes away if you like?" Cara liked that idea. She was excited about meeting her cousin for the first time. Connie never said a word, and Felicia tried not to let it bother her. She had tossed and turned all night for the last couple of nights thinking about the way Connie acted when Felicia had told her that their sister Pam had called asking if they would help her with her daughter. Connie had been sitting in her bedroom reading a book when Felicia tapped on her bedroom door. After Felicia told her that Pam had called, Connies only response was, "Okay, so when is she coming because I know you didn't even think twice about telling her no." Felicia didn't know why her sister would even think about telling her sister no when she was in a position to help her. Connie was still holding onto things that had happened between her and Pam in the past. All three of the women were in their late thirties, life was too short to dwell on the past. Felicia hated that her sister just wouldn't let the past go. Her sister knew that life was just too short.
