by Alena Pitts
“Lena . . .”
“One sec, Ashton. When I first get there we have a meeting but it’s sort of like a devotional time too. We stand in a circle and hold hands just like Dad does with us at home!”
“Aww, that’s so fun. When I’m your age, can I be in a movie too?” Ansley crawled up my legs until we were face-to-face.
“Yup! Just talk to God about it. He has fun stuff planned for you too!”
“Like you did?” Amber asked.
“Uh, yeah. But I don’t think I did a good job at first.”
“You can’t do a bad job talking to God, can you?” Amber’s question made me think.
I wasn’t sure how to answer.
“Let’s ask Dad later,” I said. “Right now I want you to tell me about school last week! What did I miss?”
Amber, Ashton, and Ansley started describing every detail that I’d missed. I was surprised when she said that Ms. Blount had asked about me and told them to tell me to have a great time. I didn’t even think she would notice I was gone. Hearing that she did made my heart happier than I wanted to admit.
When Ansley started telling me about the chicks I laughed until my stomach hurt. She explained how they escaped again and ended up in the hall! She even got out of bed and pretended to be Mr. Lipscomb, running down the hall chasing them. I wished so badly that I could have seen that. Amber added that on the very last day, Mr. Lipscomb announced that this summer he was going to build a chicken coop outside for them since they were getting too big for his classroom. He was also starting a program to give the eggs away to families who needed them.
I closed my eyes and pretended I was there. The longer I laughed and listened, the more my mind started to think that maybe being away wasn’t as exciting as it had seemed. My sisters were having so much fun sharing their memories that I didn’t want to interrupt them but I was doing my best to keep smiling. The tears were starting to well up in my eyes and I tried hard to make them stop. I missed being home.
My little alarm clock started buzzing. I needed to get up and get ready for the day.
I hopped out of bed and left Ansley, Amber, and Ashley to continue their conversation without me. They didn’t even seem to notice I’d left.
My morning routine had become quite simple. I’d figured out a way to get ready in just a matter of minutes. I brushed my teeth, pulled my hair into a big bun, and threw on a pair of gym shorts, a T-shirt, and blue and silver flip flops.
“Ready!” I announced.
Dad met me in the kitchen with a smile. “So Lena, this is fun, huh? You don’t have to do anything in the morning, not even eat! They take care of all that for you now that you’re a big star!”
I fell into Dad’s arms and laughed. It was true, they did take care of me. But I definitely did not feel like a big star.
“Have you seen that car, Daddy?” I asked while trying to hold back the laughter. “Would they make a big star drive that?”
Dad laughed until his body folded in half. He could barely breathe and I didn’t blame him. Even after driving around in it for a week, I still thought it was just as hideous as the first day I saw it.
Slowly everyone trickled into the kitchen and I was reminded of Amber’s question. I wasn’t sure what Scripture Dad was going to read to us this morning, but now was the perfect time to ask him about talking to God.
“Daddy, you know how I had prayed about being in this movie but then I still cried and worried a lot?”
“Yes . . .”
“Does that mean I did a bad job of talking to God?”
“Oh no, baby! You can never do a bad job when you talk to God!”
Dad reached across the counter top for his black Bible. He opened it, flipped a few pages, and handed it to me to read.
“Read 1 Chronicles 16:11 to us.”
“Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually.” I read the words out loud and then said it once again, in my head. This verse didn’t say anything about prayer so I wasn’t sure he had understood the question.
“Without God, we do a bad job at everything. So God wants us to seek Him, to talk to Him about everything! He doesn’t expect us to have and do everything right, without Him. So no, you did not do a bad job. You did the right thing by seeking Him even when you didn’t understand everything. A bad job would be not talking to God at all.”
Watching Dad talk to us reminded me of Mr. Fenway. Dad had the same look in his eyes and even though there were four of us plus Mom, it always seemed like his eyes and attention were on each of us equally.
Dad squatted in front of us and spoke softly, “Girls, I never want you to think that you have to figure things out on your own. You can’t make the right decisions, choose the right friends, and fix your life all by yourself, ok? Mommy and Daddy are here, but even more than that, God is here. Ask Him for help and keep Him close in your heart—seek Him. Ok?”
“Ok, Daddy.” Ashton looked around briefly before blurting out, “Can we eat now?”
“Of course.” Dad smiled. He stood up straight and gently tapped Ashton on top of her head. Mom and I hugged everyone and left.
For most of the ride I thought about everything my sisters had reminded me that I missed. I had been so busy learning everything I needed to know for the summer that I had not even had a chance to think about school, the awards banquet, or anything else.
I remembered how I’d been counting down to summer and now none of it even mattered. I thought about maybe counting down til school starts but thankfully that thought didn’t last long. I wasn’t ready for school but I definitely wanted home. I missed Emma and Savannah.
For the rest of the day, I couldn’t help but let my thoughts wander.
I even told Kay B how I was feeling. I didn’t really think she would even hear me. She was actually listening for my cue as we stood face-to-face in a tiny hallway with red walls and no windows behind one of the biggest cameras I’d ever seen. I was needed on set in just a few minutes.
While we waited I whispered, “I really miss my friends.”
I was a little surprised when she responded, “Lena, you’ll see them soon. Just a few more weeks. And you have lots of new friends here now too!”
She was right. I did have lots of new friends, but that did not stop me from missing my other ones.
I was starting to think that no matter how great things got, I would always miss my old life.
Dear Stars,
Why did I even bother to tell Kay B how I felt? I knew she wouldn’t understand.
She and Mallory are always so chipper and excited. Feeling sad around them made me feel guilty. I know I’ll see them soon, but seven weeks is a long time and I miss Emma and Savannah. That doesn’t mean that I don’t like the people here though, does it?
God, can you make the time go by a little faster? And can you help me not to be miserable when I think of home, but to be happy with all the new friends and people I am meeting? Thanks.
“We’re halfway there!”
I gasped. I could not believe my ears when Mr. Fenway made this announcement in our morning meeting.
I’m not sure how God did it but it really felt like the time was going by fast. I’d filmed on a playground, in two different homes, and even in a car with a camera attached to it while driving on the highway! I’d also started helping some of the crewmembers with collecting lightbulbs, finding props, and adjusting the sound. Every day was a new adventure and I’d learned a lot about making movies and new friends.
This week we were filming in an actual hospital and things were starting to feel a little different.
I could tell Mr. Fenway was trying to sound encouraging but his voice was raspier than normal and his eyes looked tired.
This week was hard.
We’d gotten to the part in the movie where my movie family has to deal with really sad news and the characters are just starting to seek God more in their lives. Mr. Fenway asked everyone on set to pray that what was happenin
g in the movie would also happen to the people who watched it in real life.
I had been praying for that every night. For everyone that watched the movie and even for myself.
Even though everyone was acting, four long days with no laughter and forced tears were affecting the usual level of enthusiasm on our team. I was ready for the weekend.
Kay B could tell that I was getting a little bored with all the serious and sad scenes so she tried to find different ways to keep me entertained. She taught me new card games, we explored the building together, and ventured outside to the food trucks that were located outside of the hospital. Whenever I wasn’t needed, Kay B would sneak me out to grab some yummy snacks.
When Mr. Fenway finally yelled, “Cut! We got it!” today, no one cheered louder than me.
I headed straight to my dressing room, removed all of my jewelry, and switched out of my movie clothes before Kay B could even catch up.
“See ya tomorrow, Kay!” I called as I whisked past her and headed out the door to meet Mom.
On the short ride home, in our little spaceship wagon, Mom and I discussed the day. I did most of the talking. I told her everyone had still been really sad and quiet all day. She didn’t say much but she assured me that by Monday everyone would be back to normal.
Just before we pulled up to the house she leaned over and said, “I have something that will make you happy. Someone’s waiting for you tonight.”
“Amber, Ansley, and Ashton?” I asked. I would love it if they were not ready for bed yet and we could get ready together.
She bit her lip like she does when she’s trying to hold on to the flavor of something delicious.
“Daddy? A movie night?” I probed. Maybe he wanted to have a super fun family night! Mom kept quiet. I could see that she was determined not to say a word.
I hopped out and ran to the door as fast as I could. Ashton opened it before I could even put my hand on the doorknob. Her smile was huge and her eyes were full of anticipation. She used her pointer finger to direct my attention to her left. My surprise was waiting against the wall.
“AHHHHHH,” I shrieked. I could not believe my eyes! Standing right in front of me were Savannah and Emma!
All six of our arms went flying into the air until they finally landed around each other’s necks. We left them there for at least thirty seconds. Austin was barking and jumping on my waist. He was trying his best to join our reunion, but none of us wanted to let go.
“I missed you guys so much!!” I shouted.
Our arms fell to our sides but our hands all linked with one another’s. Huddled together, hand in hand, we skipped into the living room.
It felt so strange. So exciting. So normal. I sat quietly for a few seconds and just stared at them both. Having my friends here felt like a dream and I was waiting for someone to pinch me! Austin must have read my mind, because he charged toward us, jumped up on my lap, and nibbled on my kneecaps.
“Ouch, Austin!”
Emma and Savannah looked the same but darker. I knew they were just returning from Savannah’s family vacation in Mexico, the vacation I was supposed to have been on with them. Savannah’s skin had turned from its normal golden color to a dark summer bronze glow. She had her curly sand-colored hair pulled back behind a white headband, to match her white tank top and blue volleyball shorts. Unlike Emma, Savannah always matched.
Emma was wearing a pair of old jeans that she’d cut and created shorts from last summer, with her purple and white striped knee socks, a neon orange T-shirt with a huge yellow emoji wearing glasses and the word “nerd” plastered across the middle. She had one long hot-pink braid cascading from the top of her head down to her shoulder. “Mexico?” I said.
“Yup.” She shifted her eyes quickly. I knew she was trying to be sensitive to my feelings. Missing Mexico was definitely a bummer for me.
“Guys, we have so much to talk about!” Savannah interrupted as she pulled her knees up tighter and curled up on the couch between us. I reached behind our heads and pulled down a small cream blanket and tossed it over our legs.
Austin bounced from my knees to my friends’ and back again. I felt a smile creep across my face. I may have missed Mexico but at least now we were all together. I knew I missed Emma’s craziness and Savannah’s ability to make sense out of it, but sitting with our knees practically on top of each other, made me realize just how much.
“So Lena, how’s it feel to be a movie star? Are you and Mallory like best friends now?” Emma picked up on Savannah’s attempt to shift the conversation and decided to help.
“Oh no, I’m not a movie star. Mallory is great though. You will like her. But I don’t want to talk about that right now.”
“LENA! We have to! I want to know what it’s like. Do you have a fancy dressing room with a big gold star and your name sketched across the door?”
I sat silently and let Savannah continue.
“Ooooh, I bet you will start getting fan mail and gifts from strangers who want your autograph! Lena, pretty soon you will need a bodyguard!”
Once Emma finished describing what she thought my life had become, she and Savannah gawked at me and waited for some sort of confirmation that Emma was on the right track. I sat quietly, refusing to participate. I tilted my head down and shook it from side to side. I didn’t want to talk about the movie. I wanted to pretend that we were back in Texas and had spent the last four weeks swimming, hanging out at each other’s houses, watching hours and hours of our favorite shows while dancing around in our socks during the commercial breaks.
“Girls!”
I was glad to hear Mom’s voice.
“It’s already been a long day for everyone, so before you get too comfortable, take your showers and put your PJ’s on. That way you can talk for the rest of the evening until bedtime!” Mom poked her head from behind the way leading to the kitchen. “You will have all weekend to catch up and giggle!” she added.
I was ready to switch topics but I didn’t want to move. But I also knew Mom was right. Once we started talking it would be hard to get us to stop. We all jumped up together. I headed toward my bedroom and Savannah and Emma went toward the guest room. I heard Ashton and Amber follow them.
“Leave them alone so they can get changed, guys!” I shouted playfully even though I knew they wouldn’t listen. Emma and Savannah are like sisters to them too. “Let’s hurry!”
About seven minutes later we were all mostly dressed the exact same way—colorful, fuzzy socks, big T-shirts, and gym shorts. This had been our sleepover uniform since the third grade and we each happily embraced it.
We returned to the living room and helped Mom set bowls of popcorn, chocolate pretzels, Skittles, and drinks on the little table in front of the TV. I had eaten dinner on set before shooting the last scene and Emma and Savannah had eaten on their flight. Mom said the snacks were just for fun.
Ansley, Ashton, and Amber begged to stay up with us. Mom agreed that they could as long as they didn’t get too hyper from the candy. I didn’t think it was a good idea but I was way too happy to ruin it for everyone else.
We each found our perfect spot on the couch. Of course, Austin plopped himself directly between our feet and the table. He watched carefully and followed our fingers with his nose as we grabbed handfuls of snacks. He was hoping to catch an occasional kernel or a crumb. After a few seconds of disappointment, I watched as he leaned back on all four of his paws and pounced toward the table at full speed.
“Austin!” I screamed as he landed with one paw planted right in the middle of the bowl of rainbow-colored candies. Amber jumped up and tried to grab him just as he dove nose-first for the chocolate.
We all watched as he escaped her grasp and darted to the other end of the table, wiggled his bottom from side-to-side, and jumped off. Skittles and popcorn scattered everywhere and Austin landed flat on his belly and stayed put as if his failed table attack had never happened.
Suddenly, we all started laughing
hysterically at the scene in front of us. Amber stood over Austin with one hand on each hip attempting to correct him. “No, Austin!” she shouted. Austin raised his head briefly, turned, and flopped back down on the other side.
“Lena, the runaway chicks must have taught Austin their moves,” Emma said and we laughed even harder.
“Emma, why don’t you show us your new tricks? You know, the ones you learned in volleyball camp!” Savannah teased.
Emma’s cheeks turned a deep shade of red. She smiled big and jumped to her feet. “Savannah!” she shouted, pretending to be upset.
“Ohhh, show me! Show me!” I begged.
Suddenly Emma was pretending to hit a ball with the back side of her wrist and shuffling her feet awkwardly across the middle of the floor, dodging the table and the TV. She could barely control her own laughter and we couldn’t help but join her. I laughed until tears formed in my eyes and the muscles in my belly started to ache. “You’ve almost got it, Emma!” Savannah encouraged her.
Emma stopped moving and tried to catch her breath. “Savannah, maybe you can train me now that you are on the Huskies!”
“You made the team!” I cheered. The Huskies were a special volleyball team that you had to be invited to play with. Savannah had been wanting to play with them for two years so I was really happy to know she’d made it.
Emma returned to her cozy spot and let out a sigh. “We’ve missed you, Lena!”
I smiled and leaned forward. “Ok, what else have I missed? Tell me everything!”
I listened to every single word and watched every hand gesture, smile, and eye roll. I may have been missing the entire summer with my friends but I was determined to not feel like an outsider. As they talked about home, I pretended I was there the same way I had when my sisters told me about Mr. Lipscomb and the chicks. I loved the way it felt.
I was just getting ready to hear all about Mexico when Mom came running into the room with Dad just footsteps behind her.
