Reconnecting The Past With The Present: Chapters 11-12 : Finale free porn video

Chapter 11 Sarah stared at the papers in Dana's outstretched hand, knowing what they meant. She knew that Dana wasn't lying now, but if she took the letter and it confirmed everything that had just been said, that meant everything that she had known and felt had been a complete lie. It would also mean that all the anger that she had felt towards her parents, most of it at least, was misplaced. Yes, her parents had kicked her out, but she had thought that it had been permanent. All this time she had thought they hadn't wanted anything to do with her, but that seems to have not been the case. She just continued to stare at the letter, frozen and unable to do anything. Dana finally shook the letter at Sarah trying to snap her out of her daze, and said, "Here take it, she wanted you to read it..." Sarah shook her head. "I don't want it... Why? Why did she do it Dana?" Dana smiled sadly. "Because she loved you... She thought she was making the best decision... It's all in the letter... Here take it..." Dana then took Sarah's hand in hers and placed the letter directly in her palm, and then squeezed her hand slightly so her hand would close on the letter. After a moment, Sarah gently opened the letter, she immediately recognized her sisters handwriting, plus the date she had put on the top. Seeing it was the same date as the one on both her and her parent's letters, she knew it was written the same day as theirs. Quickly she closed the letter back, and looked up at Dana. "How long have you known? How long have you had this?" She asked accusingly. Those questions caused Dana to wince slightly. "It was postmarked a couple of days after she died..." Sarah blurted out, "You've had it for three months?! So, you decide to let me know AFTER they show up?!" Dana whimpered, "I wanted to tell you, but I didn't know if they'd ever come... I kept thinking that if I told you, and they didn't want to reconnect, how that would affect you... What if you got your hopes up and they didn't want to connect after all this time...? It would also change what you thought about April, like it did for me... I didn't want any of that to happen... Not unless I had to..." Sarah sat there fuming for a few seconds before she said, "That should have been left up to me Dana, they are almost as much a victim in this as I am... You know what? I wish you'd all quit trying to protect me, I'm not that fragile, broken teenage anymore, and I haven't been in a long damn time!!! How dare all of you keep deciding what's best for me?!?" Dana fully broke down in tears trying to apologize, Steve put his arm around her protectively. He looked at Sarah and she could tell that he was pissed, he exclaimed, "That's it Sarah, ENOUGH! Dana doesn't deserve that shit from you, so how dare YOU treat her like that!" That caught Sarah completely off guard, while Steve had been angry at her before he had never raised his voice to her like that. Unfortunately, her anger had worked up too much momentum for her to stop. "How dare I? You're actually going to go there Steve?! I've been thrown out, lied to, not only by my sister, but my supposedly best friend, and you... You... YOU decide to tell my parents about the girls without even asking me what I thought about it first! Every-one keeps telling me how they're protecting me but all I feel like is that I've been played like a fiddle my entire life, so you can get off your damn high horse right now!!!", she yelled out, almost screaming at him. Steve stood up facing her, but she refused to back down and stood up to her full 5'8" height to his 6'0 stature. He was about to yell back, but then Dana doubled over clutching her belly, pain etched on her face. The stress and the tension of the evening, coupled with an already difficult pregnancy, had overwhelmed her and the baby. She whimpered out, "Oh god that hurts!!!" The anger that had been fueling Sarah's rage was quickly overcome by concern for her friend, that and the realization that whatever was happening to her pregnant friend was directly the result of all the stress and tension of the moment. Sarah quickly moved to Dana. "What's wrong? Dana I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." Steve was already by her side with his arm around her shoulder trying to console her the best he could. Looking at Sarah he told her, "Just give her some space okay..." Distraught Sarah feebly asked, "What's wrong?" After a few tense moments passed, Dana visibly relaxed enough to answer, "Being almost 40 and pregnant is most of it..." Dana paused as a momentary look of sadness passed over her face, she quickly recovered and gave Sarah a pained smile. "That and she isn't a fan of all this excitement..." Sarah covered her mouth with one hand in surprise. "She?!?! You found out it's a girl?!? I thought you didn't want to know..." Dana replied softly, "We didn't at first... Things changed though, but yes it's a girl." Sarah wanted to go and hug her, and place her hand to see if she could feel her newest goddaughter moving, but she was afraid. With everything that had happened, the last thing she wanted was to cause her anymore pain. "Dana I'm so sorry... Are you going to be okay?", she asked. Steve was gently rubbing Dana's back, he suddenly looked really tired when he looked back to Sarah. "Yeah she'll be fine, she's just really tired... Today was just too much... Look why don't you just go home and get some rest, I'll get her upstairs to bed and let her rest." Sarah nodded. "Steve... I'm sorry for what I said..." He stood up and placed his hand on her shoulder and gently told her, "Look its just been a long day for all of us, more-so for you... Just go home okay, we'll see you tomorrow." She was actually a bit surprised. "You still want me to come over? Even after all this?" She looked at Dana, who was still obviously in discomfort. With a tear starting to run down her cheek, she repeated, "I'm sorry..." Steve gently pulled her into a hug, where she started weeping on his shoulder. He softly whispered to her, "Hey friends fight, it's fine... I'm sorry too..." When she finally broke from the hug, she did feel more relieved that things were going to be okay between them. After saying her goodbyes, and triple checking that Dana was going to be okay, she finally climbed into her truck for the drive home. She was about half way there when she realized she was still clutching April's letter to Dana. She quickly threw it into the passenger floorboard, wanting nothing to do with whatever April had written. Once home and cleaned up, Sarah climbed into bed. The more she tried to forget the letter, the more she kept focusing on it. She didn't want to read, in April's own handwriting, how her sister had deceived her for all those years. After half an hour of tossing and turning, the question she couldn't answer and that she had to know was why... Why did she do it? So, she threw on a tee shirt and shorts and went back to get the letter out of the truck. Fifteen minutes later she was back in her bed with the letter in hand. After taking a few deep breaths she started to read... *********************************************** Dana, I hope and pray this gets to you and if you're reading it, that means my crazy plan has a chance of working... I need to come clean to you, and to Sarah and Mom and Dad... I had hinted to you the last few months that I had been struggling with something and that I was going to need your help with... Then they found the cyst that has led me to being bedridden waiting for whatever fate has in store for me... I have been wanting to do this for a few years, but I've just been too afraid. I'm afraid though my time has run out, and this is my last-ditch effort to atone for what I've done to Sara and our parents... And you as well... It all started the day that she was kicked out and called me, then her phone and bus problems which led to us not knowing where she was, till she showed up on our doorstep. I was so angry at Mom and Dad for what they did, but I had every intention of trying to get them to reconsider what they did, well right up until Sarah came out to us... For the first time in my life I had seen such a sense of happiness in her that I had never seen in 'Brian', and I knew I couldn't let her go back until I got our parents to accept her... There was no way I was going to make her go back to being him, I couldn't do that to her. It broke my heart to finally know why she had struggled so hard when we were younger. All I ever wanted was to keep seeing that smile on her face that she had sitting with us at the Theta house that night. I did actually call them that night after she had fallen asleep, I know I had always told you that we had quit talking after that night... I'm sorry for lying to you... I just thought that you would have tried to make her go back, and I couldn't risk that until I was sure they would accept her. So, I told you and Sarah that I had cut them out of our life, I had also told them that Sarah didn't want to talk to them either, and would only relay messages through me... I was so angry at them, I wanted them to feel the pain that Sarah was feeling. I thought that dealing with that they might start to listen and realize that Brian had never truly been their son... To my surprise, it started actually working though, while they were still upset and not happy with the idea, they had agreed to meet and talk with me. They wanted 'Brian' to come, but I refused, keeping up the ruse that any messages were to come through me. I was half way to Lake City to meet them the night you found her and called me... I immediately turned around and when I walked in and saw her so broken in your arms... Something changed in me, I thought that they had caused her to feel that that was her only choice... I decided then my job was to protect her, totally and completely... That night I shut our parents out of both of our lives, I occasionally would talk to them, maybe 3-4 times a year, but I kept up the lie that 'Brian' wanted nothing to do with them, and likewise with Sarah... That lie was easier I thought for everyone... I never even told them her name... Dana, I swear to you that I thought I was doing the right thing... My entire life up to that point I had appointed myself as my sibling's protector, and I got so mixed up... I want to make excuses because I wasn't even nineteen yet and blame it on youth, but I can't. I know now just how wrong I was, and I can't blame that night solely on my parents... Had she known that they wanted her to come home, even if they weren't open to her being Sarah, it might have changed everything... She might not have attempted what she did. I don't know. They say that your life flashes before your eyes in the end, and it might be right. I know my end is close, and these last few months that's all that has crossed my mind. I started to see so many things differently, like my eyes were finally opened... I'm too sick to get everyone together at once, so this is my last hurrah, so to speak. I'm writing Mom and Dad a letter, and one to Sarah, explaining some things... I don't know if Mom and Dad will get the letter or since it's been so long if they will try, but I'm hoping they will. They have to... If they do, I need you to tell Sarah all this... This is another reason I'm writing, I know shes going to be hurt, but she needs to understand that its all my fault and not yours. Show her this letter if you must. I hate to ask you to do this, but ultimately it's for Sarah... She needs Mom and Dad, and they need her... They just don't realize it yet. I'm getting tired, and I have two more letters to write, so I'm going to say one last thing before I end this. Dana, I've had everything so wrong for so long, I'm thankful that I got sick so I could finally see things clearly. My entire life I had thought I was the strong one, and it was my job to protect Sarah. I know now, that I was never the strong one, Sarah is the one that had always been there when I needed her, and for you as well. She has always been the bravest of us all. I can't believe that I ever thought she was weak, especially when she came out to our parents at 15 years old. I'm 38 and on my deathbed, and I'm terrified to tell them why I never found 'Mr. Right'. Sarah never needed us, at least not near as much as we needed her. I love you, my sister from a different mister, I always have. Dana, I hope one day I'll see you again. Until we do, please keep an eye on the squirt for me. Love, April Leanne Richardson *********************************************** Sara read and reread the letter several times, unaware that she was crying the whole time. When she couldn't read it anymore, she sat there clutching it to her chest thinking about all the things that had happened since that night when she told her parents her secret. Even though she had read the words, and even heard them from Dana, she was still struggling to understand why she lied. Why she kept it a secret for so long. Then she thought about how everyone kept referring to that one night that she had tried so hard to forget. It was the one night in her life she had been at her absolute lowest and weakest. She didn't even like to acknowledge that it ever happened, so her memories over the years had grown hazy. She put the letter on her nightstand and turned the lights off hopefully to get some sleep for the busy day tomorrow she had planned. As she lied there trying to go to sleep, her mind kept drifting back to that one night... The last few weeks since she had arrived and been taken in by the Theta's had been her dream come true, sort of. She was finally free to be herself, but the cost had been too great. She had lost her parents, the look of disappointment on their face haunted her memories. The first week at the sorority, the girls had been so nice and protective of her, it had felt amazing. Then all her self-doubts started kicking in. Even with the niceties the girls all had been showing, Sarah had started feeling self-conscious and started to doubt their motives. Feeling like their own life size Barbie had been fun at first, then she started mistaking their enthusiasm for something darker. She started to feel like each time they complimented her that they were just teasing her, after all when she looked in the mirror all she saw was Brian in a skirt. She didn't think that it would ever be possible for her to fully transition and she'd be stuck, looking like a guy in a dress... Then there was April, she had been so great and protective of Sarah, but Sarah being here was jeopardizing April's school and possible future. Sarah didn't want to risk hurting April's life by being here. She had even offered to sacrifice her school so it wouldn't impact April, that had caused one of their biggest fights that they had ever had. Between her self-doubts and misconceptions of everyone's motives, Sarah had sunk into a really bad depression for the last week. The girls had been occupying so much of her time she hadn't had time to think, and constantly putting on her happy face was draining her more quickly than she could have imagined. She had been in the sorority now for just over two weeks and it had been the first time since she had arrived that she was by herself. April had ended up going on a date, and with it being Saturday night all the girls were out for the night. That left Sarah time to think. Unfortunately, with the fatigue and depression her mind could only focus solely on the negatives. She felt lost, and empty, and that she was a burden to anyone around her. Those were the thoughts that permeated her mind for the next few hours, until she couldn't take it anymore. Since she had been doing some of the handyman duties for the house, she knew where some rope and a small stepladder was, and in her darkened state she was convinced that this was the best thing for everyone. So, she quickly set out to collect what she needed, and went outside to the back yard to the only tree out there. It took her almost thirty minutes to get everything in place, with the stepladder she had, she couldn't reach the lowest limb so it took several throws and knot attempts to get it secure. Then trying to get the noose high enough took her several attempts at tying it. Finally, she had everything just how she thought she needed. She wrapped the noose around her neck, and praying that it would hopefully be quick, she stepped off the ladder and immediately felt the noose swing and tighten around her neck. Then to her horror, her feet drug the ground for a split second, then she was pulled back into the air, it was at that moment she realized that the limb wasn't as rigid as she had thought. As she started bouncing, she started to panic and realized seconds too late, that she truly didn't want to die. She managed to get one hand worked under the noose on one of the bounces which allowed to to get a tiny breath each time her toes touched the ground. She started trying to get the limb to break by pushing up with her toes each time she touched the ground to try to get the limb to bend more with each decent. Each jump though she started feeling weaker and weaker, at the thought of her sister and friends finding her hanging from the tree, she renewed her efforts even though her vision was starting to blur. It was when she knew she had only a few bounces left in her, she heard what sounded like someone yelling from the bottom of a well. Her vision was blurred enough she could only see light and dark shapes, her body was feeling numb so she didn't feel the arms wrapping around her legs. She did feel that she had quit bouncing, and when she started to move upwards, she had just enough conscious thought left to rip the noose from around her neck before everything when dark... She had only been surrounded in darkness for what felt like a split second before she heard a voice, it was indistinct and she couldn't place who it was or what it was saying. It was something for her to focus on though, and the more she focused on it the clearer it became until she realized it was Dana's voice calling to her in the dark. She focused even more trying to understand what Dana was trying to tell her, and why was Dana even here. She knew that she had died when everything went dark, so why was she hearing Dana? She concentrated on her voice, and then the words starting coming into focus. "Don't you dare die on me, don't you fucking die..." She tried to call out to Dana, but no sounds came out. "She's breathing... She's making sounds... Please hurry... C'mon Sarah stay with me, don't you fucking die... Please God don't let her die!" Sarah tried again to call out, but again nothing... She noticed that she started feeling warmth around her, now that she could understand Dana's words she started focusing on the warmth she felt. "Get your ass here now, call everyone else... She fucking tried to hang herself... I'm calling her sister... Get everyone here NOW!!! Dammit stay with me Sarah... Please!!!" She again tried to call out, this time she heard herself moan, the warmth she was feeling she could tell that it was wrapped around her shoulders and chest. Focusing on that she reached out and tried to touch it. "That's it Sarah, stay with me... I'm here..." As feeling started returning she realized the warmth was coming from arms wrapped around her, she tried to reach and touch them again and then felt a hand clasp hers. "That's it, squeeze my hand Sarah, I'm not letting you go anywhere!!!" As her senses started returning to her she noticed light colored blobs in her vision, then she started hearing other voices, some familiar and one that wasn't. "Dana relax, let me check her out... It's okay... She's breathing on her own." Then a bright flash appeared in her vision which made her try to turn her head but she was too weak right now to move it. "Pupils have a good reaction. She's moving her limbs on her own... Dana, I think shes going to be okay. Let's get her inside, everyone help lift her" Sarah felt many hands on her arms and legs, then a feeling of floating. A few moments later she found herself sinking down onto the couch she had been sleeping on. As her vision started returning, everything else had returned to almost normal. As she looked around she saw Dana who was only sitting a foot away from her and refused to let go, and she was surrounded by other Theta's with more coming in with each passing moment. All of them were crying and staring at Sarah, they all kept coming up and hugging her. The strange voice she had heard, was coming from an older woman, who had a stethoscope and a penlight in her hand, and she was checking all of Sarah's vitals. She looked at Dana and said, "All her vitals are good, If you had been a minute later... It was a miracle you found her when you did... You need to get her to see someone tomorrow, here is a friend's number, she's also alumni. I guarantee you that she will take her in. Whatever you do though, do NOT leave her alone..." Dana nodded. "Yes ma'am, thank you so much... I don't know what I would have done... Had I not..." Her voice caught, and she broke down sobbing. Some of the other girls started to console her. The older lady continued to observe and check on Sarah, and other than her voice being raspy she soon had most of her faculties back. The older woman had just finished packing up her things when the door burst open, and Aprils voice filled the house. "Is she okay?!?! Where is she?!?" Sarah heard April exclaim, and before anyone could answer, Sarah felt her sister wrap her arms around her tightly. "Sarah what were you thinking?!? I'd never be able to live with myself if something had happened..." Sarah apologized the best she could, but held on to her sister with everything she had. They held on to each other while the Dr. woman observed her a bit longer before she finally left. All the girls had gone and gotten blankets and had filled the floor with pallets so they could all stay down there with Sarah. It wasn't long before the fatigue from the stress of the night impacted Sarah and she started to fall asleep. April and Dana had been talking, but Sarah hadn't really been paying much attention to their conversation. Right before she passed out she distinctly remembered hearing April tell Dana, "I swear to God and everything holy, they will NEVER get a chance to hurt her ever again." Chapter 12 Dana and Steve were sound asleep when two bundles of energy burst into their bedroom in the early morning, both young girls were acting like it was Christmas morning. They had remembered that today was Sarah's birthday, well at least Larissa remembered and had reminded her sister. Larissa pleaded with them, "C'mon get up! We have to get ready for church!" Steve groaned, but looked at the clock and saw it was over an hour before the family had to be awake. He mumbled, "Rissa it's still early, we've got plenty of time. Just let us lie here a bit longer." The small girl wasn't having any of that though. "But it's Sarah's birthday... The sooner we go to church, the sooner we can start her party..." Dana giggled. "Baby, church will start the same time as it always does, no matter how early we get there." Larissa groaned, "But mooooom, it's Sarah's birthday!!!" Steve shook his head. "It will be her birthday all day, we have plenty of time." Undeterred, the stubborn six-year-old said, "Okay fine... C' mon Ally, I'm gonna give you your bath." She then grabbed her little sister and started to pull her out of the bedroom. Steve quickly remembered the last time she was going to help and bathe her sister, and the flood that occurred. He sat straight up in bed. "No!" Dana chuckled again. "She's just excited, and wants to help." Steve slid his legs out from under the covers. "Fine, Ally I'll give you your bath. Rissa stay here with Mommy." Ally just squealed and ran towards the bathroom, while Larissa just smiled at her victory and nodded at her Dad. Dana looked to her daughter and asked her, "Sweetie come up here and snuggle with mommy, okay." Larissa just grinned and hopped up in the bed with her, and as she snuggled up to her she felt the baby move. She exclaimed, "Momma the baby kicked me!!!" Dana smiled at the wonder in the young girl's face. "She's just excited to meet her big sister." The little girl's eyes grew wide. "It's a baby girl?" Dana nodded, then Larissa bent over with her face right up to her mother's belly button and said, "I wanna meet you too, but quit kicking Mommy okay..." She then felt the baby move again, and looked towards her mother and stated, "She doesn't listen, just like Ally..." They laid there for a few minutes, Dana staying tickled at how Larissa kept scolding her belly. After a few minutes, she noticed how Larissa's face had scrunched up, so she asked, "Whatcha thinking sweetie?" Larissa looked up at her mom, still in deep thought. "I was thinking whats her name gonna be..." Dana realized they hadn't even talked about it yet, she had an idea but hadn't voiced it to her husband. She smiled. "Daddy and I haven't decided yet, what do you think we should name her?" Larissa's face scrunched up for a moment before she said, "I was thinking.... You know how sad Sarah gets when she thinks about Aunt April since she went to heaven?" Dana nodded, and the girl continued, "I was thinking that if we named her April, that anytime Sarah missed Aunt April she could hug baby April and she'd be happy again..." The sweetness of her daughter's comment made her eyes start to water, she told her, "That's a really good idea... We'll have to ask Sarah what she thinks about that okay?" Larissa nodded excitedly as Dana motioned her in for a hug. In another neighborhood about twenty minutes away, Sarah had already been up for a while. She had had a very restless night, so she had gotten up very early and started her yoga routine. While she rarely did yoga on consecutive days, she really needed to clear her head so she could prepare for the day. While she knew why April had done what she did, knowing didn't make it any easier to accept. That and now she could only imagine what her parents had gone through on their own, she imagined that they shared the same loss that she had felt for the last two decades. The revelations that her parents had wanted her back had drained most of the anger she had felt towards them, now she was feeling remorse at what could have been. When she had first given up trying to sleep any longer, she had strongly considered to call today off and just stay at home alone. While that's what she wanted to do, she knew how many people were counting on her showing up today. Her fear of letting anyone down, quickly overrode that idea. Thankfully her morning yoga exercise had helped clear her mind enough to focus on her day and what she had to do. With her mind in a much healthier place that the previous night she started preparing for the first part of her day. *********************************************** Bill and Joan had also woken up early, they too had had a rough night. When they had gotten to the RV from the pre-party, they both were emotionally wiped out. Joan had been crying the entire drive back to the RV and Bill tried his best to console her while driving and also dealing with his own emotions. Once they had gotten into the motor home, they had both collapsed in each other's arms. They both had been amazed at being able to meet their child that they had thought had been lost to them forever. While Sarah had been so different than the son that they remembered, those things about Brian that were the best parts of him were still apparent in Sarah, even more so. They both knew the meeting would be difficult and that Sarah would be angry at them, but they had been willing to do anything to get to know their child again. Sarah had exceeded any expectations they had ever had for Brian, her dedication to her school, work, but most importantly the amount of people she had in her life, and how much those people thought of their daughter. It was if the best parts of the son that they remembered, had been multiplied exponentially into something so much greater. Bill had been the first to wake up that morning, to find his wife snuggled up to him with her head on his chest, and his arm around her. While they had never intended for it to happen, they hadn't had that closeness with each other for years. He had laid there for about half an hour before he had to disturb her so they could start getting ready to meet the McMasters's for church. *********************************************** The Richardson's were about ten minutes early arriving at the Unity Church that Steve had given them the address to. With Bill's incessant idea to always be thirty minutes early to everything, that meant they had almost forty minutes till the service was to start. Being as early as they were, they decided to wait in their car until they saw Steve, Dana, or the kids. They spent their time waiting in the small Prius talking and holding hands with each other, something else they hadn't really done in a long while. By the time Steve and the girls arrived, the Richardson's had only been waiting about fifteen minutes. They had been so caught up in their conversation, they both jumped when Steve knocked on the window. After a few laughs and hugs between the couples they walked together to the entrance of the church. Bill and Joan both were surprised at how friendly everyone they had met were, they had forgotten how a church was supposed to feel. They had tried multiple different churches back home but had stayed within the fundamentalist churches, and had never felt as welcomed as they were right now. Once inside the main building Steve spilt off from them carrying Ally to her Sunday school class, and Dana and Larissa showed them all to their pew. They had barely gotten settled in before Steve had returned and taken his seat with his family. Curious, Joan asked him, "Does Larissa not have a school here?" Steve chuckled softly. "She does but she's got something she's going to help with at the beginning of the service." Joan looked at the small girl, and had to stifle a bit of laughter. She hadn't been sure what she was doing, but she realized that she was telling Dana's belly to behave for church to her mother's amusement. Joan then looked around at the sanctuary, amazed at how beautiful the scene was. There were huge picture windows on two sides of the large room, and the view of the church grounds gave the impression that you were almost in an outside service. She then started to take notice of the people filing in, there were many couples holding hands, and quite a few same-sex couples holding hands. She was amazed at how everyone was greeting them with hugs and smiles all around. She couldn't help but utter, "You would never see that at our old church..." The sight almost brought a tear to the older woman's eyes. Dana didn't quite hear her, and asked, "What was that?" Joan had blotted her eye's carefully as to not damage her makeup and softly said, "I just said you would never see couples like that being welcomed like that at any of the other churches we'd been to..." She smiled and blotted her eyes again before saying, "It's beautiful... I wish Sarah was here... They'd accept her here, right?" Dana saw the worry on Joan's face so she tenderly grasped her hand in hers and reassured her, "They do accept her, completely... Like Steve told you, she normally sits with us... She just had something else to do this morning so couldn't sit here with us today." Joan looked at her husband, and saw that him and Steve were in a conversation about work. She went back to happily watching her grandchild talk to her unborn baby sibling through her mother's belly. About five minutes before the service was to start, a man in his late thirties came out and sat at the piano and started to play. Dana leaned over to Joan and whispered, "That's Jason, the music director, he's another friend of ours, and Sarah's. He'll be coming this afternoon as well so you'll get to talk to him at the party." Jason finished playing a couple of minutes before the service was to start, then he swung the mic that was on the piano over and spoke into it, "Good Morning Unity, I hope you all are having a great morning. I wanted you all to know that we're all in for a treat this morning." At that time a lady, probably in her early fifties, came out of the side door and following her was Sarah. Jason continued, "Our very own prayer chaplain is going to sing us our call to worship, so let's wish a great Unity blessing for her before she starts." At the sight of Sarah walking in behind the minister, Joan reached over and squeezed her husband's hand, which he returned just as much. As the minister moved on towards her seat, just to the right of the pulpit, Sarah went up on picked up a guitar that was sitting in its stand, and wrapped the strap around her. She was beaming as she walked up to the microphone as she glanced around to everyone. She paused just a second when she saw her parents sitting with her friends. Her parents noticed her pause and flinched, wondering if Steve had done the right thing by inviting them. Then she broke into a sincere smile as she nodded to them, that caused them to breathe a small sight of relief. Looking back over the congregation she smiled as she spoke into the mic, "Good morning everyone!!! I hope everyone's in a great mood today... If not, you're going to be." Then Jason interrupted her on his mic, "Oh and everyone I have it on good authority that its also her birthday today. You're what twenty-four today right?" He said smiling, while the whole congregation yelled out happy birthday. Smirking at him, she said, "Thank you everyone, and don't listen to him... I'm glad to announce that I'm thirty-five today, and I'm good with that... Just as long as I still look twenty-five." The congregation laughed along with her joke, then she continued, "I'm going to play an older contemporary song, it's Open the Eyes of My Heart. It's a pretty easy song to sing, so once you all get the words down please help me by singing along... Speaking of help... Is there anyone out there that would like to come up here and help me out, I have a microphone right..." A shrill young voice shouted out, "Me! Me!" As Larissa bolted out of the pew and sprinted up to Sarah. Everyone was chuckling at the young girl's enthusiasm. Grinning at her as she was making a beeline to her, Sarah said, "Let's give a warm welcome to my good helper Larissa." The young girl immediately wrapped Sarah in a hug, and then eagerly took the microphone from her as the congregation clapped. Both of Sarah's parents were amazed at seeing their daughter up on stage, and how confident and at ease she was. This was something they would never have imagined of their child, at least the she one they had known. They just sat there in awe, still clutching each other's hands tightly. Dana and Steve both glanced over at the older couple and smiled. It had only taken Sarah a few seconds to get Larissa situated, and as she got her guitar ready she asked through the microphone, "Okay are you all set?" Larissa nodded excitedly and not realizing she still had the microphone up to her face, she told Sarah, "Yup, just try and keep up okay..." The entire congregation started chuckling, they had seen this before from the two ladies. Sarah just gave her a sideways grin, and joked "You have been spending way too much time with your daddy." Everyone heard Steve say, just loud enough to be heard, "Hey!!!" Larissa just nodded, and said, "I'm ready..." With that, Sarah started the opening, with Jason accompanying her with the piano, and started singing the words. She had been so unsure of herself when she had arrived this morning, and had contemplated calling off performing due to how conflicted she had been. Reverend Kathleen, or Kate as she preferred, had been there and had seen how troubled she had been. That had been why neither of them had been out earlier, after a long talk with Kate, Sarah decided to perform. While still conflicted, she was much more at peace than she had been since her parents had shown up the day before. As always, once she started playing, and Larissa started singing, all her conflicts went away and she joined the young girl. "Open the eyes of my heart Lord, Open the eyes of my heart, I want to see you, I want to see you..." While she had sung those words countless times, in that moment they suddenly struck home... She had kept her heart so closed off towards her parents for so long, it had been so hard for her to let them in again. The more she played, the more resentment she was able to let go of. As she looked around at everyone here eyes locked onto her parents, and when she saw them singing along it almost brought tears to her eyes. Her voice caught for a split second, not enough for anyone to catch it, but she continued to sing. When she started the last verse, she quit singing to let the little girl's high soprano carry the song to the end. Once they finished the whole congregation stood and applauded, which only caused Larissa to ham it up and start bowing dramatically. Which only caused the adults to giggle. Sarah stepped away from the mic and shouted, "Give Larissa a hand everyone." She then bent over and gave her daughter a hug before shooing her back to her parents. She ran up to Steve who scooped her up and started to take her to her class. Sarah then spoke again, "Ok, now everyone let's stand and sing the first hymn, I'm going to stay and accompany Jason if he doesn't mind." Right before Jason started to play, Steve had gotten to the side door and he paused as he leaned his back up to the door. He then nodded to Larissa, so she then yelled out, "Rock on Sarah!!! Rock on!!!" The crowd again burst into chuckles, Sarah's squinted her eyes to her friend. Sarah then spoke back into the mic, "Yeah, definitely too much time with your Dad..." She was still smiling, and the congregation continued to laugh at their shenanigans. Steve just looked hurt for a split second before he nodded to his daughter and as he backed out of the door, they both shouted, "Rock on Sarah!!!" Sarah just shook her head laughing. "Okay now that the troublemakers are gone lets get started." Jason then started playing a jazzed-up version of This Little Light of Mine, while Sarah switched to playing lead guitar along with him. Joan and Bill were amazed at the energy that was in the church, then again, they were initially taken back by the behavior, but realized that that was contributing to the amazing feeling that resonated throughout the building. Once the hymn was finished, Sarah put the guitar down and went to sit next to Reverend Kate, while another person came up for the announcements. Right after those were finished, they then moved to welcoming newcomers to the church. There were about half a dozen people who stood up, including Bill and Joan after they were nudged by Dana. Everyone was asked to stand and sing the next hymn, and once it was finished Sarah was looking for her Daily Word book. She knew she had it earlier, but it wasn't anywhere by her seat or in her backpack. After a few seconds of looking Kate reached to her small stack of books and grabbed hers to hand to Sarah. "Here take mine, I have a post it stuck to todays page." Sarah thankfully took the book and as she made her way to the podium, no one noticed Kate reaching behind her to put Sarah's book back with her things. When Sarah got to the podium she said, "Hi everyone, I'm Sara Marks and I'm your prayer chaplain for the day. I, and the other chaplains, are here for anyone that needs private prayer or someone to listen. We will all be here after the service for anyone that needs us, just come find anyone of us and we'll be there." She started to open the book to where the post-it note was stuck, then she read what was written on the note. *********************************************** I think there should be a change for today, I want you to read yesterday's word. I think it's highly appropriate for you right now. Also, the lesson afterwards, don't you think that should go both ways? K. *********************************************** Confused as to why Kate would want her to read yesterday's lesson, she pulled the note off and the Word for yesterday make her heart skip a beat. She then looked towards her minister, who just smiled kindly and nodded her head. Sarah spoke, "Okay, wow... Today I've been asked to read the word for yesterday, I hadn't prepared to read this one so please bear with me..." She then quickly scanned the page and immediately got choked up at the thought of what it said. She cleared her through, and started to speak, her voice cracking slightly, "The word for yesterday was Family... Our expanded concept of family includes all people... The people we call family are united by birth, like minds, or spiritual connectivity. We are all children of God, linked in spiritual oneness with each other and kindred souls regardless of our perceived differences..." She had to pause to wipe her eyes, before she continued, "As with immediate and extended family, we may not always see eye to eye or connect heart to heart. During those times, let's remember that those who may be the hardest to relate to as family could very well be the people needing our compassion and prayers the most..." She looked out into the congregation, and once again locked eyes with her parents. She was doing her best to hold back the tears, but seeing both of her parents wiping their own eyes caused the damn to break. She then looked at the bottom of the page and saw the lesson, and with the message Kate had written, it took her about a minute to compose herself. She wasn't aware that Kate had come up until she placed a hand on her shoulder. Kate asked her gently, "Are you okay? I can finish this." Sarah shook her head no. "No, I'm okay, just give me a second." She cleared her throat and blotted her eyes again, she then said to the crowd, "I've got a confession to make to everyone... I almost couldn't be here today... I know that it's one of my responsibilities to be here and help anyone in need... Today I didn't think I could do that... I'm sorry..." She glanced at Kate, who nodded her head for her to continue and gave her a supportive smile. Sarah started up again, "The lesson I was supposed to read was about the prodigal son... But Reverend Kate brought it to my attention that it should go both ways... The story talks about a son who decided to take what was his and walk away from his family... When he realized what he threw away, once he had nothing, his father took him back without question..." She smiled through her tears, glancing around she saw how everyone was transfixed with what was going on, finally she focused on her parents. She then said, "I've failed that teaching... Most of you know my story, to those that don't... I wasn't born Sarah Marks... My parents named me Brian... Due to some severe miscommunications we split our ways almost twenty years ago... I had never thought I'd see them again... I don't think they thought they would see me again either... Well yesterday they walked back into my life... I let anger win... I couldn't let it go... I behaved and said some cruel things..." Sarah started crying in earnest now, which made it hard for her to continue, but she did her best. "I couldn't forgive them... Mommy... Daddy... I've missed you so much... I'm so so sorry for all the things I said... Can you forgive me?" Bill and Joan stood up and started to walk towards her, they were both motioning her towards them. Sarah quickly glanced at Kate, who smiled again and nodded to her. Sarah quickly stepped down from the pulpit and raced to her parents, where they all three embraced. Bill spoke, "We're sorry too, for everything... We love you Sarah... We never stopped." Joan just nodded, she was unable to speak from the tears. Sarah smiled and returned their embrace. "I love you too... I can't tell you how much I've missed telling you that..." With Kate looking down at Sarah and her parents, she noticed almost everyone in the congregation was wiping their own tears. She just smiled and took over at the pulpit, but not before wiping her own eyes. *********************************************** Due to the overall lack of interest this story has gotten, I'm going to end it here. To the few who have been following, I want to say thank you for your comments, those are greatly appreciated it. I did want to finish this last section for you, at least to end it on a positive note. Rebecca Jane.