“I really need to get going now, if that’s okay? I’m sorry about having to cut lunch short, but I need to be with my brother.”
“No that’s fine,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. “If you could just swing by my place, I’ll grab some clothes and we can go.”
Bob furrowed his brow in confusion. “You want to go with me?”
“Of course. You’re going to need someone to watch Kyle while you are at the hospital, and your parents aren’t going to be able to do it since they’re going to want to be there as well. Let me do this for you.”
Bob was so shocked by the offer that he rose silently from the table, unable to even form an argument against it. This had been what he had hoped for from her all those months ago; a partnership. It wasn’t until he was back behind the wheel with Kyle strapped safely in his car seat that Bob’s shock wore off enough for him to make a move. Unbuckling the seat belt he had just buckled, he leaned across the space between them. Without giving Lily a chance to reject him, he cupped her face between his hands and sealed his mouth over hers. He tried to pour all of his love for her into that single kiss, just in case he was never allowed to repeat the experience. Easing back slightly, he touched his forehead to hers, holding her gaze. “I’m sorry,” he told her breathlessly, “for everything that has happened between us.”
“It was my fault,” she whispered.
He shook his head “No, I shouldn’t have assumed that your love for me would automatically extend to Kyle.”
Moving away, Bob shifted into drive, missing the devastated look upon Lily’s face.
The door swung open, and Weave glanced up as the man entered the room followed closely by Kera’s doctor. He was dressed in a manner that announced him as some sort of holy man, but not of any specific religion that Weave could place. His clothing was the only thing that spoke of religion—everything else about him screamed danger. His skin held a golden hue that made him appear to be of Asian descent but his eyes were a violet color that seemed to almost glow, and one side of his body was covered completely in tattoos with an intricate design running through it.
“Uncle Jazz, you’re looking very monkish today” Kera said jokingly, her words coming out in barely a whisper. Weave realized this was one of the uncles that he had missed meeting during the visit with Kera’s family. Jazz smiled. “Why are you giving up?” he asked, but the question almost sounded like it wasn’t meant for her, but for the room in general. He turned slightly, as if inviting the doctor to join their conversation. The doctor smiled brilliantly at having Jazz’s full attention and closed the distance between them in order to be closer to him. It was as if Jazz had poured hope and peacefulness into the room merely with his presence, making others want to bask in the light. Weave mentally shrugged at his own thoughts—maybe that’s how he had recognized him right away as a man of God. Jazz reached out and gently lay his hand on the doctor’s shoulder, “You’re good at your job. Do not allow doubt to cloud your judgment.” Just like that the doctor’s smile widened, and he turned his attention to Weave. “May I speak with you out in the hall Mr. Sparks while Kera spends a moment with her spiritual advisor?”
Weave nodded, worry eating at his mind with every step, but as soon as the door closed behind him the doctor turned to him smiling. “I have an idea. I’d like your permission to start Kera on an experimental drug. It’s still undergoing trials but it’s showing great success, and if we could strengthen her heart enough to withstand surgery, we could repair the valve.”
“Could you really do it?” he asked, hope beginning to flare in his chest.
He nodded. “I think we have a good shot, and really, what do we have to lose at this point?”
Weave didn’t hesitate “Let’s do it.”
Jazz leaned over the edge of her bed taking one of her hands between his. Jazz never touched anyone unless it was necessary, but when he did, you felt a sudden sense of euphoria that immediately lifted your spirits. He was immune to her talent, but she had always suspected that his touch brought you one-step closer to heaven, and for a second you were able to feel God’s light. He bowed his head over their joined hands as if he were saying a prayer for them both. When he lifted his head to meet her eyes, they seemed to be a bit more luminous. “Did you know that your husband prays more than any man I’ve ever met?”
Kera smiled weakly at the question. “Technically you haven’t met him yet since you haven’t been properly introduced.” For some reason this dying business made her want to lighten everyone else’s mood.
He kept hold of her hand. “Ah, but I know him well. He is a good man, full of strength. He does not ever pray for himself because he does not believe that he is worthy of God’s notice. If I allow you to die today, no longer will he seek God’s friendship, and he needs him; they need each other. Do you wish to stay or have you grown too weary?”
Tears gathered in Kera’s eyes as she realized she was being offered a second chance. “I wish to stay.”
“If you do this you’ll be paying a huge price.”
“What kind of price?” she asked warily.
“When I cure you it will cure you of everything.” When she only stared at him blankly, he added, “including your gift of sight.”
Lose her gift of sight? She couldn’t even begin to fathom a normal life. “How will I help Weave if I can’t see what’s coming?”
He smiled wryly “Why don’t you try going on faith.”
“I can’t deny that I’m scared, but I want to stay with him.” She sounded desperate, even to her own ears. Jazz pulled a syringe from the inside of one of his pockets. “You are about to make a miraculous recovery.” He connected the syringe that appeared to be filled with blood to her I.V. and pushed the plunger down. “Now, when the doctor comes back in he’s going to inject you with some more medicine, but it will have no effect.”
She watched the procedure, hoping Weave didn’t walk in before Jazz finished. She still had something she needed to discuss with Jazz before he returned. Luckily, when he disconnected the syringe they were still alone “I need a favor Jazz, something I can’t do myself. I need you to find a man named Shannon Smith.”
Jackson Station-
Weave leapt upon the bed sending Kera nearly bouncing off the edge.
“So this is your childhood bedroom. Is this the same bed that you slept in as a little girl?”
“No, they bought this bed after I moved out.”
“Good,” he said, breathing an inner sigh of relief. “I think making love to my wife is a bit too kinky for me if it takes place in her childhood bed.”
“Does that mean you intend to spend a chaste night with me?” Kera asked pouting. Weave leaned over and sucked her bottom lip in between his teeth, nipping it lightly before admitting, “I’m not giving up any naughty time with you, even if I’m forced to sell a kidney in order to get us checked into one of the cabins you were showing me earlier.”
“We probably could’ve stayed there for free since my uncle Dimitri owns that place, but I wanted to stay here with my parents since I don’t get to see them that often and I don’t know when it’ll be the last time, you know?”
Hearing the sadness in her voice, Weave covered her body with his and stared down into her eyes. “This is not the last time you’ll see them, I promise.”
Kera blinked away a tear. “You can’t promise that; you don’t have any control over those sort of things.”
“I certainly can promise it. I’m going to fight, Kera. I’m fighting for you until the bitter end, and I’ll make sure your parents are right there with me. There is nothing that I wouldn’t do to keep you happy and alive,” including selling his soul, he added silently.
It’s funny how life always manages to bring you full circle. He had sat in this same hospital chapel when he had found out Daniel had died from his injuries, and here he was again. Back then, Weave had been unable to pray for anything, much less forgiveness, but now he prayed non-stop for his wife’s recovery. He liked the chapels they had inside of hospitals—they weren’t intimidating the way a regular church was and no one tried to talk to you. He hated when people tried to save him when he was beyond saving. When he had been living in Manhattan, he’d been forced to endure way too much daytime T.V. as he’d tried to recover, but as he’d been flipping through the channels one day, he had come across a taped version of some church’s Sunday services. He wasn’t much for church himself, and he couldn’t even remember what denomination the church had been, but he had been sucked in by the man’s words. The sermon had been on how to pray. Weave had always associated prayer with the beginning of Thanksgiving dinner and such, but this guy was telling him to talk to God as if he were a friend; that there were no rules since God already knew what was in your heart, and going on with your life, there was no reason to try to gloss the situation over. He said if you’re angry with God then tell Him you’re mad. If you are in need, tell Him you are in need. He’d gone on to talk about how there was no need to hide your real self from Him, so Weave had tried it, and it had brought him so much comfort that he hadn’t stopped since. He felt sure that God heard every one of his prayers, and even though Weave was just as sure he’d never get into heaven, he did feel as if he had a friend there. Glancing down, Weave checked the time on his watch and decided Kera was probably wondering where he had gone. He made his way back to her room and found Jazz still there. He was sitting silently in the corner but his energy could be felt all the way across the room. Kera slept peacefully, and a quick check of her monitors let him know she was stable.
“Did the doctor come back while I was gone?”
Jazz nodded. “Yes, he gave her some medicine and she was unable to stay awake afterwards, but he seemed to have high hopes that this would work, and indeed her vital signs have already improved.” Weave breathed easier at Jazz’s words.
He chose the chair closest to Jazz so their conversation wouldn’t disturb Kera’s sleep. “When Kera was describing her family to me, I had always pictured you as an elderly preacher.” Jazz appeared no older than twenty-eight and couldn’t look less like a preacher.
“Where I am from, religion is viewed very differently than it is here.”
Weave listened to Jazz’s flat American accent, unable to even guess at where that was, “Where are you from?”
Jazz looked thoughtful, and Weave wondered momentarily if he were about to be lied to. “China,” Jazz answered, finally.
“You don’t have an accent.”
Jazz met his eyes but showed no sign of annoyance at his obvious disbelief. “I speak fluent Cantonese, but I have lived here for so long that any hint of accent is long gone.” He motioned toward the bed. “Kera mentioned that you work in security and that you have fought professionally. Have you ever considered coming to work for Safe Haven?”
“Jacob offered me a job once, but I turned him down since it didn’t sound like my kind of lifestyle. I wasn’t aware you worked for them,” Weave said a bit surprised. What would a man of God even do for a company like Safe Haven?
“I do not, but my wife does. She is a counselor, and after hearing all about your past I wonder if you couldn’t assist in that area as well. Helping others seems more fitting for you than protecting people’s material things.”
Weave groaned. “This is starting to sound a lot like you’re trying to save my soul.”
“Saving people is not really what I’m known best for,” Jazz said dryly.
CHAPTER SEVEN
They sat silently, crowded around the waiting room, each of them watching their own spots upon the wall, lost in their own thoughts. Lily shifted a sleeping Kyle higher on her shoulder, and Bob glanced over at the movement. “Do you need me to take him?” she shook her head, not wanting to answer out loud and wake Kyle up. She had kept Kyle away from the hospital until today but while Kera was in surgery she wanted to sit with Bob and offer what support she could to Weave, even if it was only adding her prayers to everyone else’s.
When she had arrived at the hospital, Weave had looked at her in surprise but had welcomed her with open arms, and now all that any of them could do was wait. Lily took the opportunity to more closely examine Kera’s family; they were a strange lot. There was a lovely woman with whitish-blonde hair that was heavily streaked with red; she had been introduced to Lily as Kera’s mom, Lena. Lena held Weave’s hand while Weave sat with his head bowed as if he were lost in his prayers. Lena’s father, Dan, paced the room like a caged lion. He had salt-and-pepper hair that did nothing to distract from his powerful presence, and Lily thought Kera must be wonderful indeed to have come from such parents as these. The truly odd factor in the room was Kera’s uncle, Dominic; he had hair that was a strange mixture of blonde, red, and black. He also had one green eye and one blue, but he was beautiful; there was no other word to describe him. He kept his hands covered by a pair of gloves even though they were inside and he wasn’t wearing a jacket. He was a mystery to her. Bob and Weave’s parents, Lucy and Ace Sparks, were also there looking worried but hopeful.
Lily focused once more on the bare wall, becoming lost in her own worries once more. It was strange how a few simple words spoken could create a serendipitous moment of clarity. Bob hadn’t said anything she didn’t already know. Lily had known he had felt that she should have loved Kyle automatically the way he had, simply because she loved Bob, but not until he had said the words aloud did she fully understand that he was right.
Kyle was only a baby, and he was a part of Bob. Kyle needed Bob more than she ever would, and looking at Kyle now she realized he needed her too. Why hadn’t she seen him as the blessing he truly was? She couldn’t have children of her own and she had lived in constant fear that Bob would reject her when he discovered that little tidbit, but God had handed her this beautiful child to love as her own, to make them a family, and she had thrown it all away. She hugged Kyle closer and placed a light kiss on his head. He let out a tiny snuffling noise in his sleep, and her heart melted at the sound. She was such a fool. Lily suddenly felt as if she were being watched. She snuck a quick look around the room and caught Dominic’s gaze. He seemed to be looking right through her and she felt as if her entire soul had been laid bare. She held his stare, refusing to be the first to look away. He rose and moved to sit in the empty seat next to her. Bob was preoccupied with his mom and Dominic leaned closer as not to be overheard. “He has already forgiven you. You should forgive yourself and allow yourself to love Bob the way he deserves.”