with the reason.’
‘Well I don’t care for our God anymore and I’m not going to chapel ever again and if he wants to strike me dead with lightning for saying so he can,’ I said defiantly.
‘You shouldn’t talk like that, Dai. It’s not nice. And of course you’ll go to the Chapel as soon as you’re better again. You have to thank God for making you better.’
‘Tell me, auntie,’ I said slyly, ‘is God responsible for everything that happens on earth? I mean, he’s allpowerful, right? So when he sees something is going to happen that isn’t right he could use his power to change it, right? So he probably gave me pneumonia in the first place, so why should I thank him for curing me? It was the doctor who cured me, not God.’
She looked a bit dubious, whether this was at my logic, or because she did not understand my argument, I was unsure. ‘Well, never mind that now,’ she fussed over me, straightening my blankets and pillows. ‘All I do know is you’ll be in Chapel with the rest of us in no time at all,’ she said cheerfully.
A short while later Sion came into the room. He was sleeping downstairs until I was better.
‘I was hoping you’d be awake,’ he said. ‘Can you play yet? Or do you have to stay in bed still?’
‘I’ve got to stay in bed. It’s a pity but I’m going to be here for a bit longer.’
He nodded. ‘You know it’s lonely without Sian. I know . . . I know we used to fight and things but at least there was someone to talk to.’ He looked sadly at the bits and pieces he was holding, the beginning of a new kite. ‘I wish she was here now. I’d never tease her again, or get angry with her. I’d let her do anything she wanted, even fly my kite. And I’d play with her dolly if she wanted me to, instead of me always telling her I was too busy.’ I could see his lower lip trembling. ‘I wish I hadn’t been so nasty to her now’.
‘You weren’t nasty to her,’ I said. ‘She’s gone to heaven and is probably looking down on us, telling us not to worry about her.’ I hoped the difference in our ages would let Sion believe me, even if I had not believed my aunt, who was smiling encouragement at me. ‘I’ll soon be well and then I’ll play with you, all right?’
‘All right, Dai. I guess you’re right. Uncle James said the same thing to me a couple of days ago. And Mam and Da did, so I suppose it’s right. Do you want anything? The atlas or a book maybe?’
Before I could reply Aunt Nancy answered. ‘No he doesn’t, thank you Sion. It’s time he rested again, before the doctor gets here. So off with you now.’
He gave me an uncertain smile and left. ‘I feel much better now. Couldn’t I just have the atlas to look at for a bit?’ I pleaded.
‘No, you close your eyes and try and rest,’ she said firmly.
‘But . . .’ then I stopped, to keep her happy. I was asleep within seconds.
The next few days were a procession of relatives, uncles, aunts, boy cousins, girl cousins, Grandmother Osborne, Granddad and Grandma Griffiths. They all brought me little gifts like a packet of biscuits or the loan of a book. On the fourth day, the doctor said I could get out of bed for an hour and sit in a chair. He emphasised that it did not mean I could walk around or go out of the room.
‘You’ve been pretty ill, Dai, and you’ve got a lot of strength building to do yet. So you just take it easy and do what I tell you, and we’ll have you on your feet again in no time.’
I nodded. We were alone and I took the opportunity to ask him something that still bothered me. ‘Doctor, do you believe in God?’
‘Why do you want to know? Having doubts yourself are you?’ he asked kindly.
‘Sort of,’ I replied cautiously. ‘What with Sian and the other little kids and me getting ill like this. I just can’t make what’s happened and what we’re taught about God make any sense. If you see what I mean,’ I finished lamely.
‘Aye, Dai, I see what you
‘Well I don’t care for our God anymore and I’m not going to chapel ever again and if he wants to strike me dead with lightning for saying so he can,’ I said defiantly.
‘You shouldn’t talk like that, Dai. It’s not nice. And of course you’ll go to the Chapel as soon as you’re better again. You have to thank God for making you better.’
‘Tell me, auntie,’ I said slyly, ‘is God responsible for everything that happens on earth? I mean, he’s allpowerful, right? So when he sees something is going to happen that isn’t right he could use his power to change it, right? So he probably gave me pneumonia in the first place, so why should I thank him for curing me? It was the doctor who cured me, not God.’
She looked a bit dubious, whether this was at my logic, or because she did not understand my argument, I was unsure. ‘Well, never mind that now,’ she fussed over me, straightening my blankets and pillows. ‘All I do know is you’ll be in Chapel with the rest of us in no time at all,’ she said cheerfully.
A short while later Sion came into the room. He was sleeping downstairs until I was better.
‘I was hoping you’d be awake,’ he said. ‘Can you play yet? Or do you have to stay in bed still?’
‘I’ve got to stay in bed. It’s a pity but I’m going to be here for a bit longer.’
He nodded. ‘You know it’s lonely without Sian. I know . . . I know we used to fight and things but at least there was someone to talk to.’ He looked sadly at the bits and pieces he was holding, the beginning of a new kite. ‘I wish she was here now. I’d never tease her again, or get angry with her. I’d let her do anything she wanted, even fly my kite. And I’d play with her dolly if she wanted me to, instead of me always telling her I was too busy.’ I could see his lower lip trembling. ‘I wish I hadn’t been so nasty to her now’.
‘You weren’t nasty to her,’ I said. ‘She’s gone to heaven and is probably looking down on us, telling us not to worry about her.’ I hoped the difference in our ages would let Sion believe me, even if I had not believed my aunt, who was smiling encouragement at me. ‘I’ll soon be well and then I’ll play with you, all right?’
‘All right, Dai. I guess you’re right. Uncle James said the same thing to me a couple of days ago. And Mam and Da did, so I suppose it’s right. Do you want anything? The atlas or a book maybe?’
Before I could reply Aunt Nancy answered. ‘No he doesn’t, thank you Sion. It’s time he rested again, before the doctor gets here. So off with you now.’
He gave me an uncertain smile and left. ‘I feel much better now. Couldn’t I just have the atlas to look at for a bit?’ I pleaded.
‘No, you close your eyes and try and rest,’ she said firmly.
‘But . . .’ then I stopped, to keep her happy. I was asleep within seconds.
The next few days were a procession of relatives, uncles, aunts, boy cousins, girl cousins, Grandmother Osborne, Granddad and Grandma Griffiths. They all brought me little gifts like a packet of biscuits or the loan of a book. On the fourth day, the doctor said I could get out of bed for an hour and sit in a chair. He emphasised that it did not mean I could walk around or go out of the room.
‘You’ve been pretty ill, Dai, and you’ve got a lot of strength building to do yet. So you just take it easy and do what I tell you, and we’ll have you on your feet again in no time.’
I nodded. We were alone and I took the opportunity to ask him something that still bothered me. ‘Doctor, do you believe in God?’
‘Why do you want to know? Having doubts yourself are you?’ he asked kindly.
‘Sort of,’ I replied cautiously. ‘What with Sian and the other little kids and me getting ill like this. I just can’t make what’s happened and what we’re taught about God make any sense. If you see what I mean,’ I finished lamely.
‘Aye, Dai, I see what you
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