Free Uncle by E. M. Leya Page A

yet. You will be back here Wednesday."
    "Can't you just tell them I don't want to live there?" Jason looked at Evan.
    "You can tell them that, but it's my job to just see how you live at both places. When I'm there with you, I don't want you to act any different than you would normally."
    "Is that why Grandma was so mad at you at church today?"
    Travis nodded. "Yes, that was some of it."
    Jason pulled his hand free and swiped the back of his hand over his eyes. "They can't make me stay there. I won't stay there."
    Travis's heart broke watching the tears fall from the boy's eyes. "I know, Jas. And I will do all I can to make sure you don't have to stay there. But right now we just have to wait. I want you to go to their house tomorrow and have fun. I don't want you to think about any of this. I just wanted you to know why Evan was going to show up."
    Jason looked at Evan. "So you're not really my uncle's friend?"
    Evan smiled and glanced at Travis. "I came here to do a job, but once I got to know you and your uncle I became friends with you both. I promise that once this case is over and we have everything worked out, I will still come by and visit you guys."
    Travis reached over and took Evan's hand. "Do you think Evan would come over and swim with us or go horseback riding if he didn't like us? He would just drop in, look around and leave."
    "I'm not going anywhere, Jason." Evan gave Travis's hand a squeeze.
    "My mom and dad said they would never leave me." Tears fell hard down Jason's cheeks.
    Travis released Evan's hand and was around the table on his knees and pulling Jason into a tight hug as fast as he could. "Your mom and dad didn't want to leave you, Jas. It was a horrible accident. They love you so much and would be here with you if they could. They didn't leave you. They are with God now."
    "I miss them." Jason smeared his wet face over Travis's chest.
    Tears stung Travis's eyes. "I miss them, too. And that is okay. You will always miss them. But it will get easier. You and I are going to help each other get over losing them and missing them, okay?"
    Jason nodded and sniffed. "I'm mad at God."
    Travis pulled back. "Why?"
    "Cause my Sunday school teacher said that God needed my mommy and daddy and called them home. So I'm mad that God took them from me. I needed them. God should have took someone else."
    Travis pulled back, stunned to hear Jason say such a thing, but at the same time understanding his anger. What he didn't know, was how to explain to him that this wasn't God's fault and somehow find a way to make it so that Jason didn't go through his life blaming God for his parent's death.
    "Jason. You can't be mad at God. You don't know His plans. We don't know why the accident happened or why your mom and dad died. Isn't it unfair to blame God when you don't have all the facts? Would your mom want you blaming God?" Travis wished he had more background and faith to know better how to handle this, especially at a six-year-old level.
    He glanced up at Evan again, seeing his worry matched in his eyes.
    Evan leaned forward and spoke softly. "Jason. I know it's hard to understand, and right now, not a lot of this makes sense. It's hard for us to understand, too, but you need to remember, God's ways are not our ways and there is always more to things than we know or see. God didn't do this to hurt you. He loves you." Evan smiled as Jason looked over at him. "You have to remember, you're not alone. Your uncle is hurting, too. It's good that you finally opened up and told him how you feel. Now the two of you can find a way to deal with the pain together."
    Jason lifted his head, his blond hair falling down over his eyes, reminding Travis he needed to get the boy a haircut.
    "You miss my mom and dad, too?" He looked up at Travis with swollen eyes.
    "Horribly. I used to talk to your mom all the time. I would call her almost every day. I miss hearing her laugh and telling me about all the new things you were doing." Travis