Spiritual War

CHAPTER 23

After everyone had came up and told their part of the story of who Amy was to them and their relationship with her, Sean finally decided to come up and say something too.

He wanted to come with something new. Something that wouldn't cause anyone to start crying.
In fact, his eyes were dry the whole time, and here's why...

"Hey, guys. I'm coming here with an acknowledgement. It's not a speech, and it does not include words that will cause tears to fall out of anyone's eyes. Just to be straightforward with you guys, for the past couple of years and days, I wanted to kill myself. Mom and dad? You don't even know about this, so why should it be in my spot to deny the strong man that I truly am, and come and weep to you guys about my feelings? The tears that fell out of my eyes, fell in vain. The things that I did- such as chasing after friends, fame, and what this world calls- success, was just a chasing after the wind. But listen, You can have all that you want- thinking that it's enough, but the more that you get what you want, you will lose sight of what you need. Life is too short for wants."

"I agree." Chase said, raising his hand and standing beside him.

Chase took his black snow cap off, and pushed his bangs out of the way to appear of a much more friendly person. He then began to speak, himself.
"I have realized how much I fought for acceptance in this life. I did everything that everyone else did, but was never accepted. What's the point? It was a whole struggle to bury you guy's loved one if truly... what my father says all of the time- God never intervened."

His dad cleared his throat loudly so that everyone would turn their attention towards him. Once everyone did, he began to add on to what the boys were saying.
"Don't lose your blood and sweat for worthless things. God didn't place them in you for worthlessness, nor did he make you for worthlessness. You can make your decision today, but God gave us all a freewill. You see that I'm all wrinkled up and old now. Thanks to fighting hard for money, bills, our gas tank, and a wife who turned out not to be the one..." He chuckled heavily to himself while everyone looked about their surroundings in confusion. They weren't confused about what he was saying, but they acted as if they were, knowing that his words were pretty deep.

"But, I mean..." He continued. "I'm still here with my son, so God spared my life. And I have these last few years to follow him and to give thanks to his name. God really brought me to a point where I literally had nothing. But having him, means the world to me."

Before the funeral ended, Sean decided to add one more word.
"Also! Having Amy as a little sister was like having an angel by your side everywhere you went. Despite her previous attitude problems, she taught me how much of a bad brother that I was. However, even with her disability, God formed me to be a better big brother. I had to humble myself first..."

While he was speaking, everyone was exchanging hugs and kisses to each other and hoping the best for one another. Some were still crying and were brought back into the log cabin.

"It's okay, bro." Chase said, resting his left elbow on Sean's right shoulder. "I'm glad that you're glad that you done realized that at the end of everything, we all need Jesus."

"Yeah." Sean replied, nodding his head at him. "Thanks for allowing us to bury Amy.... means a lot to us- really."

"Mm- Yeah. No problem."

Before Sean could walk away, Chase assured to him that they didn't have to pay to keep her body in their graveyard, but a weekly or maybe even a daily visit, would do.

Sean laughed and walked back towards him.
"If you don't see me come here all that often, please assure to my sister that I love her."

Before he could turn back around and fully exit the graveyard, Chase grabbed his arm and said, "Listen... I really hate to hold you back, but I have always prayed that I could have a younger sibling. Do you think that I can also call your sister, my sister?"

"Of course!" Sean exclaimed with glee. "We're no longer against each other, so why not...?"

"Thanks, bro." Chase replied, holding his hand out for Sean to shake.
Apparently, Sean didn't see his hand but waved goodbye to him, and ran back into the log cabin where his parents were waiting for him.

Chase didn't mind him not seeing his hand for a handshake, but was still excited about the fact that he could call Amy, his sister.

***

The Sawyer's backed out of the Western Gates parking lot, and drove down the road to a nearby barbecue restaurant to stop for lunch.

The family did not speak to each other until they ordered their food and sat in the restaurant's dining room.

"So....!" Mr. Sawyer started after taking a bite out of his barbecue chicken salad. "Now that we got everything over with... what do you guys suggest we do now?"

Sean wasn't all so pleased with the way that his dad said that. He felt like Amy wasn't going to be a part of the picture, anymore.
So with that, he brought Amy up to assure to his parents that she was still part of the family.

"We should continue on with what we'd usually do like when Amy was here. Talk about God, encourage one another-"

Mister and Misses Sawyer giggled at their son.

"David, why do you think that I said that the two would definitely get along....?" Mrs.-Sawyer rhetorically asked, as she leaned on her husband's shoulder. Mr. Sawyer chuckled, just thinking about her question.

Sean thought about it for a moment, and then smiled to himself as he remembered Amy grabbing his nose on that very Saturday morning when she was only four months old.