All the Little Children Need to Come Home

Chapter 14 Because (continued)

They landed near the woods behind Adam's house, the wet grass cradling their feet.

"Just remember, stay back and don't get near your brother. His emotions will draw you in. No matter what happens, stay back, OK?" Todd nodded and stayed above the trees, sitting on a branch. He could see the front of the house as vans pulled up, and crews set up cameras. Curious neighbors began to gather outside.

He watched Joe as he went around to the front of the row of townhouses, adjusting the sleeves of his flannel shirt on his arm. Todd returned his nod, as he casually walked towards the crowd.

"All right, everybody. All right. Move back. The cavalry is here. Come on, let me though." Joe eased his way through the small crowd, ignoring the questions being called to him.

He marched up to the front door of Adam's house. He rang the doorbell, then turned to face the crowd, arms casually crossed in front of him. Todd could hear him humming.

Todd watched as Joe moved out onto the sidewalk when the door wasn't answered. He saw Joe wink up at him, first and then wink up at the window high above the ground. Todd saw the shadow of a little girl standing at the window and then he heard a shout. The shadow disappeared and within a minute, the front door opened just enough he could see Adam looking out.

Todd felt an immense pull, as if the undertow of a large wave was pushing him first forward, towards earth, and then backward, towards heaven. He allowed himself to rise just a bit more because the tug of his enormous love for his brother was pulling at his heart. It unsettled him.

He watched Joe say a few words, saw his brother nod. A little girl peeked through the door, beneath his brother's legs, smiling up at Joe. She remembers him.

After exchanging a few words, Adam looked up at the sky. Todd felt he looked right at him, and he waved just a bit, but then Adam went back inside.

All these earth visits were confusing Todd, as he began to learn just how this dimension worked. It wasn't earth itself that beckoned him. It was the pull of each of the people he loved. He was beginning to learn the distance he had to keep from the people he loved the most. It's funny, but he realized that he could sit right next to his dad at the bar yesterday, and not feel anything at all. Yet when his mother came into the room, he felt such a strong pull towards her that he had to move away quickly, before he lost his breath in the closeness.

Joe was now at the corner of the street, and suddenly Todd heard him yell out to the crowd, theatrically, "Oh, my God! They are sneaking out the backyard! "Oh my God...! There they go! Quick! Don't let them get away!" The old angel was jumping up and down and pointing with both arms towards the end of the street.

Astonished, Todd watched as a news crew, reporters, neighbors, and strangers all began to run in the direction where Joe was pointing.

"Quick, quick, before they get away!"

Todd nodded when Joe looked up at him with a wild grin and watched him lead everyone in the opposite direction of where Adam lived.

Looking down at the now empty street, with the echoes of Joe's voice and the excited crowd following in the distance, Todd heard a garage door opening and watched as his brother's SUV backed out. From up here, he could barely see his brother driving. Lindsay was in the back seat, holding the little girl, tightly buckling her in.

Todd watched Adam pull onto I-66 heading west towards Woodridge Lake with a sense of satisfaction. All the little children were going to go home.

Joe was by his side again, breathless, and laughing.