Marilyn sat on the swings and watched as all the other kids played with each other.
"Mommy, when I start school, will you be with me every time?"
"Why not, Kayla? I'll be there when you are seated in class and waiting for you when you come out as well."
"Promises?"
"Definitely."
She closed her eyes and put her small hands together, "God, I really miss my mommy and daddy allot, but I know that you're with them right now. As Jamie always says, they're in a better place. Please tell them that I love them, in Jesus' name I pray, Amen."
She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around to face a girl of probably her age.
"What were you doing?" She asked her.
"I was praying, duh. Don't you know what that is?" She asked swinging a bit slower.
"But why? God doesn't even exist."
"What makes you say that?"
"Well, if he did why did he take your mommy and daddy away?"
"He didn't take them away, he just took them home," she blew a kiss to the sky.
"Where's this home you're talking about?"
"Heaven? I think it's in the sky, but most of all, it's in my heart, where He is too."
"Okay but if He is real, why can't He be seen?"
"Seeing isn't always believing, silly," she moved and sat down on a bench and the girl wanted to sit next to her but she stopped her.
"Stop!" She yelled and put out her hand.
"What?" The other girl asked confused and a bit startled.
"God is sitting here, can't you see that?"
"But I can't see Him! I just said that."
"You're looking with your eyes and not with your heart. He's sitting here and no one can take His place, but you can come sit here instead."
"By the way, I'm Hazel, I'm new here. What's your name?"
"Marilyn, you can call me Kayla."
"What do you think He's doing?" She peeked over to the other side of the bench.
"He's doing what he always does, looking after this whole world."
"Doesn't He get tired of that?"
"He's not like us, He does it every time and never stops cause He wants us to have everything."
"Oh. But if He's here, how does He see the whole world from here?"
"The Bible says He sees us like little grasshoppers and He's really big. He's a powerful God and sees beyond our understanding. That's what my brother told me."
"Does that mean He has superpowers? Like Superman?"
"Much more than that."
"Hazel, what are you doing here?" Another little boy came to them. "My sister told me if you play with people who have no parents, your parents disappear too."
"But they'll just go to God, right?"
"No you never see them again, just like she'll never see her parents again."
"I'm sorry, I don't want to lose my parents," she got up and ran away with the little boy.
Marilyn bowed her head in sadness and started kicking her legs.
She remembered a song that James taught her some months earlier.
Soon she was singing You say by Lauren Diagle and was smiling again.
"Hey Marilyn, what are you doing here all alone? Don't you want to play with your friends?" Her teacher asked her.
"I don't have friends."
"Everyone has friends."
"Not me."
"Why do you say that?"
"They all run away from me because my parents aren't with me."
"Who did that?"
"Harry and his friends."
"Harry!" The little boy ran to them.
"Why did you say that she has no parents?" He looked down and then at Marilyn.
"Apologize to her right now."
"I'm sorry, Marilyn."
"It's fine, I forgive you."
"Good, now Marilyn, go and play."
"No, I want to read my Bible."
"Can you even read yet?"
"A little. My brother taught me how. He knows everything."
"You really are a wonderful child."
****
"Remember, tomorrow is show and tell day, so bring your pets to school. And remember to tell your parents that they should come too."
"Yes, teacher."
"Can my brother come instead?"
"Of course, Marilyn. Okay, pack up, the bus is waiting outside."
Marilyn put her bag on and walked out of class, she was about boarding the bus when James called out to her and she ran to him.
"What are you doing here?" She asked as he lifted her.
"I came to get you, today we're going to have lunch with Henry's mom and dad."
"Yes!" She cheered as he carried her to Henry's mom's car.
"Hi, four eyes," she said to Henry as James sat her in the car next to him.
"I see you've been learning a lot from your brother?" Henry's mom asked.
"Come on, aunt Daisy. That's not cool."
"That's a lie. That was so cool cause she's so cool," Marilyn stood up and kissed her cheek.
"You see? You guys are turning my sister against me."
"No, she just loves us, right Kayla?" Henry spread his arms for a hug.
"Yeah four eyes, I sure do, if you say so," she replied and everyone started laughing at him.
They soon reached the restaurant.
"Henry, you guys go into the restaurant, I'll park the car and meet you there. Your dad's already in," his mom instructed once they reached the restaurant parking lot.
They entered the restaurant and met Henry's dad.
"Hey, James and my little girl, look how much you've grown in the past week."
"Don't tell me you think that I've become fat in just a week?" She put her hands on her waist and he carried her while the others shook their heads and smiled.
They sat down and the waitress approached them, "good afternoon, welcome, here are your menus, I'll be back shortly to take your order."
"So how's everyone doing?" Henry's mom said as she took her seat.
"Great, let's choose what we're going to have, shall we?"
After making their orders, they waited a while until the food was served.
Henry, about to take a spoon, received a smack from Marilyn.
"Ow! What?"
"Aunt Daisy, you really oat to teach your son some manners," she said but mispronounced ought.
"Ooh, it seems like you've been learning some new words in the past week."
"You know what? You're right, Henry what do you do before eating?" His mom turned to him.
"Uh... Smell the food?" She smacked him again.
"Ow!"
"No, you say your prayers and now you close your eyes before I slap you this time."
"Wow, Henry can I exchange your mom for my sister?" James asked.
"No she's mine," he wrapped his arms possessively around his mom's.
"Okay, you're not seven anymore, you're ten years ahead of that. Come on, hold hands and close your eyes. Henry, say a prayer."
"God almighty, we're here today to say thank you for the accomplishments we had in today and for everything you did for us. Thank you for bringing us here for lunch, we ask that you bless this food and let it be health to our bones. In Jesus' name I pray, amen."
"Amen."
"Now that's the Henry I raised," she said and this time, they all looked at her with confusion.
"Dude, what has she been watching?"
"I, I honestly don't even know anymore."
****
Marilyn was sleeping in her bed and then she started shaking.
"...they just disappear. You'll never see them again just like she'll never see her parents again."
She got up sweating and filled with fear as tears ran down her face freely.
She got out of bed and walked out of her room and then to James' room.
"Jamie, please wake up," she pushed him around.
"Yes mom, I'll get it done."
"James, please wake up, I can't sleep."
"Kayla, why aren't you in bed? Is everything alright?" He pushed himself to a sitting position and rubbing his sleepy eyes.
"I can't sleep, JJ."
"Did you have a bad day again?"
"Yeah. I miss mommy and daddy," she stood up and walked to the window and he did the same.
He lifted her chin, "wide awake while the world is sound asleep and too afraid of what may show up while you're dreaming."
"Nobody, nobody, nobody sees me nobody, nobody would believe me."
"Every day you try to pick up all the pieces. All the memories, they somehow never leave you."
"Nobody, nobody, nobody sees me, nobody nobody would believe me."
"God only knows what you've been through, God only knows what they say about you, God only knows how it's killing you."
"But there's a kind of love that God only knows."
"God only knows what we've been through, God only knows what they say about us, God only knows the real us, but there's a kinda love that God only knows."
"Somebody, somebody, somebody sees you."
"Somebody, somebody will never leave me."
"Do you know why I taught you that song? Because what the world thinks of you doesn't matter. What matters is what God thinks about you, and His love for you, His plans towards you. You are fearfully and wonderfully made and as long as you have Him, don't let anything else bring tears to your eyes unless they're tears of joy."
"Thanks Jamie."
"Thank God. And by the way, your voice has really become considerably powerful, you know?"
"Yep, I got it from you."
"Come on, you are going to sleep in my room tonight."
Leviticus 20:26
And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.
A/N: Remember that whatever you are going through, God knows and there's a kind of love He alone can give you.