by Alena Pitts
Dear God,
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! What a terrible day this was, but somehow it still worked out. I think I’ll actually remember this as one of the best days ever. Maybe the best days are after bad days because it’s then that I see just how much I really need your help. I know what I did today wasn’t right, but I am so glad that no one hates me. You don’t hate me, right? Dad says you love me all the time and I think I am starting to feel that. No way would this have worked out without you. Mr. Fenway would not have forgiven me, Mallory would hate me, and no one would want me around anymore. But that didn’t happen and I think it’s because everyone knows your love and helped me to see it too. Thank you for my friends and for forgiving me. I just feel much better now.
I woke up with Ashton and Amber sitting on the edge of the bed. It was still dark outside and Emma, Savannah, and Austin were still snoring.
Ashton and Amber however were fully dressed and ready for the day. Ashton was wearing her navy blue shirt with the sparkly silver circles to match her gray glitter leggings. Amber was sitting right next to her in her pink and white polka-dot leggings, white T-shirt, and rainbow-striped rain boots.
“Why are you guys already dressed? What time is it?” I whispered.
“Hmm, I don’t know,” Amber said quietly while shrugging her shoulders. Ashton didn’t even bother to reply. She just looked me directly in the eyes waiting to see what I would say next.
“Is it raining?” I asked.
“Nope,” Amber said with a giggle.
“Well . . .” I stopped midsentence, hoping she would explain why she was wearing rain boots or why she was wearing them while sitting on the edge of the bed while it was still dark outside. But she didn’t and neither did Ashton.
I dropped my face into my pillow and laughed. I could feel them still sitting there staring at me.
“Mexico was so fun, wasn’t it?” Ashton asked. She looked off into the distance with a smile in her eyes.
“Yeah, it was.” I grinned. “It was the best.”
I flipped over on my back and looked at them. Amber just kept giggling and Ashton was playfully switching between a smirk and a grin. My heart felt full and my insides felt warm.
“Lena . . . guys . . . what are you doing?”
Ansley was awake now too.
“Nothing,” Ashton informed her.
“Lena, what time do you have to leave today?” Ansley sat up and tucked her legs underneath her.
“Mmmm, I don’t have to be on set until noon today,” I answered. “I wonder what time it is now.”
Ansley reached under her pillow and pulled out the watch she had gotten for her birthday two years ago.
“It’s 5:33,” she said.
Ansley squinted her eyes and asked Ashton and Amber why they were dressed. They responded with more giggles and said, “We don’t know! We just wanted to play.”
Ansley shook her head and so did I.
Just then Emma popped her head up. “So Lena, you are going back?”
“Back to set? I think so . . . I feel like I have to,” I answered.
Emma looked at me concerned. “But you don’t want to?” she asked.
I paused before answering, “Yeah, I do.”
“Good.” We heard another voice. Savannah was awake.
I sighed.
“Before we left yesterday I heard Mr. Fenway telling your mom how much he loved working with you and that he wanted you to keep at it,” Emma spoke while hopping up and into the bed with Ansley. “Plus I’ve already told everyone I know that my best friend is famous!”
“EMMA!!” I screeched.
Everyone started laughing and snorting. I looked around at each of them. Seeing their smiles, hearing them laugh, and knowing they were all my friends no matter what was just what I needed in order to face everyone again today.
“So Lena,” Ansley said. I could tell that she was just getting started with her questions so I braced myself.
“What did you guys do while you were missing?”
Amber hurried and tried to shush her but Ansley kept talking anyway. “We were all so scared when we couldn’t find you. Mr. Fenway had everyone pray that you were ok.”
“He did? Well, I’m sorry about that. The whole thing was a huge mistake,” I admitted.
Amber kicked her boots off to reveal her green, yellow, and white striped socks and stretched out her body right next to mine. Ashton followed her and slid her long toes from inside her soft blue ballerina slippers before curling up on the other side of me.
“I guess I just wanted to hang out with my friends like I did back home but I didn’t do it the right way. I should have told someone where we were going. And I should have kept better track of the time.”
Savannah nodded her head and added, “Yeah, we weren’t being very responsible.”
“Nope,” said Emma, “but it was fun being together. Before we got in trouble, when we hung out with Mallory and Kay B. They’re great.”
“We miss you, Lena,” Savannah said. “But we understand that you have people counting on you here. As soon as you get home we will have plenty of time to hang out. We can wait until then!”
“Yeah, I know. It’s just really hard. Like suppose things are different when I get home. Like the other night when the interview came on, everyone was so focused on me on the TV that no one even paid attention to me leaving the room.”
“But we are just so excited for the movie because you are in it.”
“I know, Emma. It’s just, well you know, I like being here and everyone is so nice. I’m learning a lot and I think I may even want to make movies one day. But sometimes it feels like this stuff is taking over my life. But maybe it is supposed to . . . I don’t know.”
No one spoke for a while after that. The room was silent but it felt like we all shared the same thoughts. We were friends and as I lay there surrounded by them—my best friends and my sisters—I knew that no matter what we would always be together.
My eyes were closed when I felt Ansley taping on my shoulder. “Here, Lena.” When I opened my eyes I saw her birthday watch dangling from her hand. “Keep this in your pocket!”
As always, Ansley had found a way to make us all laugh. Once we settled down again, no one spoke and soon everyone was back to sleep.
The room was still dark. I rolled to my side, kissed Amber on the nose, and closed my eyes and whispered, “God, thank you.”
It had been four weeks since I last woke up on a floor, in a closet, or cuddled with a shoe. After my friends left, I’d started to feel more rested. Mom said I was finally learning to really relax. I liked the way it felt.
My eyes popped open and my entire body sprang forward like someone was pushing me up from beneath my bed.
I immediately thought Ansley was the culprit but I glanced over and saw that she was nestled comfortably in her bed.
The sun was shining so brightly into my room that I could barely open my eyes. I took one giant deep breath in and exhaled.
Today was my final day on set. I was just as nervous about it ending as I had been about it starting. I’d learned so much over the last couple of months and I wasn’t really sure what life would feel like once this was all over. But I was excited to find out. I had made so many new friends, gotten a lot taller, and learned a lot about making movies and making friends.
I felt another hard push from below.
“Ouch!” I bounced forward again. “Who’s under there?” I bent my body in half, leaned forward, and poked my head underneath the bed to investigate.
“Austin!” I whispered. Austin was sitting on his bottom while spinning in small circles. I stretched my neck under the bed as far as I could in order to get a closer look at what he was doing.
When I realized he was nibbling on Ansley’s yellow sandal I patted my hand on the floor three times, as hard as I could, “Oh no. Stop it, boy!”
Austin looked at me with a mix of sadness and fear. His head drooped down
and he slowly backed away from the sandal.
“Good boy.” I smiled to let him know that I wasn’t upset with him. After all, I did understand his desire to destroy those sandals once and for all. However, Ansley was still attached to them and I knew she would not be happy if Austin ate them for breakfast.
I pulled myself back up to the top of my bed and flopped flat on my back and smiled.
My smile spread across my face and I could feel little butterflies making themselves at home in the bottom of my stomach once again. I recognized the feeling from earlier in the summer when I first learned about this adventure. And now it was almost over.
I rested for a few seconds longer and listened to see if anyone else was awake. The only thing I could hear was Ansley smacking her lips together in her sleep and tossing her head a little from side to side on her pillow.
I kicked my legs straight into the air and hopped out of bed. I yanked Ansley’s blanket down from under her neck and ran straight out of our room, down the hall, and into my mom and dad’s room. I leaped into the air, landed on their bed, and positioned myself right in the middle of them.
“Rise and shine, sleepyheads!” I said while wiggling deeper into the small space between them.
“Lena, girl, move over,” Dad said. Mom never said a word but I knew she was awake.
“Come on, guys! It’s party day! Aren’t we are all going?” Mr. Fenway had told Mom and Dad that the entire family was invited to the last day of filming. We were going to celebrate after.
“Yes, go get your sisters up. We’re getting up now,” Dad said.
“Ok . . . Ansley, Ashton . . .” I started screaming before I was even out of their door.
“LENA!” I finally heard Mom’s voice, “It’s too early for that,” she moaned.
I smiled and headed down the hall toward my sisters’ room.
Eventually everyone was up and hustling about. Ansley and Ashton were discussing their breakfast options while Amber was sitting in the middle of the floor putting on her pink and white polka-dot socks. I was fully dressed in my jean overalls and long sleeve pink shirt with the little flowers on it. My teeth were brushed and I was ready to go.
I placed my star-shaped sunglasses on top of my head in order to hold my hair back, wrapped a blue plaid flannel around my waist in case it was chilly outside, and headed for the door. I could hear Austin rustling around behind me. “Come on, boy,” I said while bending down and giving his ears a gentle swoosh. Even he was invited to celebrate with us today and I am pretty sure he knew it! I scooped him up into my arms and squatted down by the door.
I was going to miss this house. I knew it wasn’t home but we had made so many memories there. I thought about the first day, when Mom and I were dropped off and it was just the two of us. I glanced at the sink where Mom was standing now and remembered bending over it as she scrubbed and pulled remaining pieces of grape flavored Yummy Gummy from my hair.
I slid back against the door with Austin snuggled in my lap and closed my eyes. I think even Austin knew it was our last day. He seemed a little sad.
“Let’s go, ladies.” Dad interrupted my thoughts. “I have a surprise!”
“What is it, Daddy?” Amber bounced up and down impatiently.
“If I told you, then it wouldn’t be a surprise now, would it?” he responded.
“Ok. Listen up, girls. I want to read something first.” Dad opened the Bible on his phone and started reading from Hebrews 11:
“Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see. God was pleased with the people who lived a long time ago because they had faith like this. Faith helps us understand that God created the whole world by his command. This means that the things we see were made by something that cannot be seen.
“I’m going to skip to verse 8. But I think this one is very important for us,” he said and then continued. “God called Abraham to travel to another place that he promised to give him. Abraham did not know where that other place was. But he obeyed God and started traveling because he had faith. Abraham lived in the country that God promised to give him. He lived there like a visitor who did not belong. He did this because he had faith. He lived in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who also received the same promise from God. Abraham was waiting for the city that has real foundations. He was waiting for the city that is planned and built by God.”
He slid his phone back into his pocket and continued, “Girls, I know this sounds really confusing and it’s probably a little hard for you to understand right now, but God has plans for our lives way past today. Think about this summer. How much fun it has been but also how challenging it has been at times for all of us. God knew every detail way before we did. That’s why He asked us to have faith and trust Him.”
Dad turned and looked directly at me. “Lena, I am so proud of you. You have grown a lot this summer. You have gotten much taller but I can also see God growing your heart. I know this has not been easy for you but God asked you to do something that made you uncomfortable so that He could use your life. And you let Him. That’s a big deal! Now many people will be blessed by your gifts and talents.”
Mom squeezed my hand.
“But girls, God’s not just pleased with Lena because she’s in a movie. He’s pleased with each of you. We left our home and all of our friends for an entire summer. He knew that wasn’t going to be comfortable or easy. But you guys did it, and you have loved each other and been kind all summer. That’s a big deal too!”
Amber and Ashton giggled.
“I’m proud of each of you and I know God is smiling right now! Let’s pray.”
Amber interrupted him, “Daddy, can I pray?”
He nodded his head and Amber prayed, “Dear God, thank you for my mommy, daddy, and my sisters. Thank you for letting Lena be in a movie and for all the people that are making it with her. Thank you for this house and for Austin. I pray that you keep us all safe and give us a good last day in California! Amen.”
We all repeated after her, “Amen!”
We each scurried out the door and piled into the back of the van. Mom slid into the front seat and closed the door.
“Blast off!” Mom said and began laughing hysterically.
The anticipation of Dad’s surprise had us all excited. The twins would not stop giggling and Ansley was attempting to ask me all sort of random questions about her upcoming transition into the fourth grade. The summer was almost over and her brain was preparing for back-to-school. I wasn’t really ready to think about it yet. I was just looking forward to being home.
Six minutes later Dad pulled up into the drive-thru window of a white shack with a big red sign that read, “DONUTS.”
“I’ll take two large coffees and eight glazed donuts,” he said while leaning out of the spaceship wagon’s window.
We all squealed. We had not had our traditional morning donut run in so long! Dad was right, this was a great surprise for us all.
I leaned forward to help him like I do at home. Even though Mom was in the car, it’s my job to pass out the napkins and donuts. As I leaned closer to the front seat, I glanced to my right and saw a man standing a few steps away from our van.
He was so close I almost screamed.
He wasn’t looking at us but while we waited for Dad to finish paying, I just kept staring at him. He was wearing something on his feet but they did not look like shoes and I could see his sockless feet through the large holes at the tops. His shirt was torn and his pants were a faded green with patches of dried dirt all over them. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I’d seen homeless people before but for some reason this man looked different. I wondered where he slept or if he slept at all.
“Why doesn’t he have a home,” I thought to myself. I wished I could help him.
I had gotten so lost in my thoughts that my dad’s voice startled me, “Lena, here are the donuts.” I turned quickly and grabbed the box.
My dad was waiting to drive away as I passed
two hot donuts back to Ansley, two to Amber, and two to Ashton. The remaining donuts were mine but I just kept glancing at the man outside my window.
Mom followed my eyes to see what I was looking at. When she saw the man, her eyes filled with sadness and she shook her head.
I looked out the window at the man again and back down at the two donuts.
I knew what I needed to do. As hard as I tried to ignore the voice in my head, my heart would not let me. I needed to give the man in the faded, green pants my donuts. I needed to help him and donuts were all I had.
I turned away from the window to ask Mom and Dad but they were both already smiling. Mom nodded before the words ever formed. Dad pushed the button for the back window to go down.
“Excuse me, sir,” I said as I held the two hot donuts out my window. He turned and reached his hands out. I think he was shy because he looked away and whispered, “Thank you.” He had a sad face but I could see a smile in his eyes.
I hopped back into the backseat and took a deep breath. My brain felt all foggy and I felt weird. I think it was a combination of sadness and satisfaction. I desperately wanted my donuts but when I closed my eyes, I could picture the man’s smiley eyes and his dirty pants. He needed them more than I did.
As Dad pulled out, I felt a soft tap on my shoulder. It was Ansley. “Here, Lena,” she said and she handed me one of her donuts.
“Thank you,” I squealed.
I slouched back in my seat and grinned.
As soon as we pulled into the parking garage of the set, I saw Kay B outside waiting for me as usual. She greeted each of us with a big hug and led the way while telling me what I could expect for the day.
“Today’s a really short day. We just have one last team meeting and we need to take a few photos. After that we will have the end-of-filming party. That is going to be a lot of fun!”
