“It’s in the mail,” quipped Patrick.
Smiling, Ann said, “I gave him a short extension on the ring part since it’s kind of hard to shop from a hospital.”
“Not with the convenience of the internet these days,” teased Rachel, motioning to the laptop carrying the live feed of Patrick at that very second.
“She even let me propose without the one-knee bit,” said Patrick.
“I didn’t want to have to haul you off the ground if you passed out,” said Ann, shrugging.
Smiling at that, Rachel asked, “When’s the wedding?”
“As soon as possible,” answered Patrick, half-wistful and half-joking.
“We talked about it at length this afternoon. We’ll probably get married in a few months. There’s so much to think about, not the least of which is what happens afterwards …” Ann trailed off as the other guests arrived.
As Dr. Verni, Dr. Anderson, Dr. Joler, and Dr. Armstrong crowded into the room, Ann said, “But enough about us, let’s talk about you guys.”
Jon perched on the bed next to Rachel. Ann motioned one doctor to stand by the laptop. Then, she positioned Dr. Verni and the two others on the opposite side, to the right of Rachel and Jon.
I sure hope there isn’t a hospital emergency; most of the doctors are here.
“What’s going on?” Rachel demanded.
“An information session,” Ann replied. “Patrick, would you like to do the honors?”
He shook his head negative. “You did the hard work; I only claim the last one.”
Ann launched into her report. “Rachel, Jon, I know Emily’s death is a terrible blow for you. It hit the rest of us hard and we barely knew her.” She felt tears forming. “I hope that what we say tonight will bring you a measure of peace. In short, I want you to know just how many lives your daughter touched. I’ll start and then let the doctors have their say.
“I count myself among the first to be touched by this case. When the sniper took that last shot, I emptied my gun in his direction. One of the guys who attacked us also turned a gun on the sniper. After cuffing the young man, I checked on Emily and Patrick. Feeling helpless, I went to find the sniper. I was furious, wanting nothing more than to blow the man into eternity. But God helped me fight my feelings. He also worked in the life of the young man who had turned the gun on the sniper. I had a nice chat with him this morning, and while he didn’t immediately accept Christ, I think he’s searching hard.” Tears burned in her eyes. Unable to speak further, Ann waved to the short woman with auburn hair massed atop her head in a disheveled bun.
Dr. Joler’s voice sounded like flowing gravel, but her words were soothing. “We donated the child’s organs to other young people across the country. One kidney went to Jordan Basil in Tolstoy, South Dakota. The left lung was damaged, but there was enough healthy tissue for a successful transplant. Sasha Washington in Florence, South Carolina received the lungs. Her lungs had been failing rapidly and it is believed that her life was spared by a matter of days, maybe even hours.” Dr. Joler handed two pictures to Rachel and Jon.
Next, Dr. Armstrong gave his news. For a big man, he had a surprisingly gentle voice. “Skin went to Jessica Richter of Louisville, Kentucky. The corneas went to Maybelle Thatcher in Carroll, Iowa.”
It was Dr. Anderson’s turn. He straightened his shoulders, and said, “The liver was received by Jonathan Driver of Des Moines, Iowa. The other kidney went to Sarah Weller of Pea Ridge, Arkansas.”
“By my count, Jon’s conversion makes nine people positively impacted by the tragedy,” said Ann.
“Where did her heart go?” asked Rachel in a whisper.
“It stayed right here,” Patrick replied.
“It stayed here,” Ann echoed, forcing the words through a closing throat.
“Come on in!” Patrick yelled.
Nurse Lori Hewer walked in cradling a computer tablet. “This is Christopher,” she announced, handing the screen to Rachel. The irony of the name was not lost on the group. Leaning over and tipping the screen so she could peer into it, Nurse Lori said, “Chris, these are the people I told you about. These are Emily’s parents. Emily was the little girl who gave you her heart—” Lori stopped to sob, releasing her hold on the tablet.
Ann couldn’t see the screen, but she’d seen the boy as Nurse Lori entered. He couldn’t have been more than four-years-old.
“Thank you,” Lori said in a trembling voice. She could say no more so Dr. Verni took up her tale.
As usual, Dr. Verni spoke rapidly. “Lori’s husband Steve couldn’t make it tonight, but he also sends his deepest gratitude.
Christopher has been my patient since his birth. He’s had a heart defect all his life. His heart was simply too weak to pump blood constantly. Often, it would stall and skip. We were worried that time was running out.” He paused as emotion locked his throat. “We did everything in our power to get him to the top of the national heart donor’s list. Over a year passed with no donors, then all of a sudden there were two available hearts. However, due to Christopher’s blood type of AB+, the hearts would not have been compatible with his body, and then, Monday happened. Emily was AB+, and her heart was perfectly suited in every way for young Chris.” Dr. Verni pointed to the computer now held equally between Rachel and Jon.
“That makes ten,” Ann noted. “You are aware of the reporters who have been lurking around, right?”
Jon and Rachel nodded.
“Your story has generated a large response. Emails and comments have come in from all over the country. I’ve read only a few of them, but Patrick’s read a lot of them. He’s going to share some of his favorites now.”
Patrick read through several short printouts from the file she’d compiled at his request.
Ann was too busy watching Jon and Rachel to hear the letters.
This is the turning point.
Thus far, Rachel had cried silently, now she bawled openly. Jon’s face was a mask as he listened to Patrick. He wrapped Rachel in his arms and sobbed softly into her hair.
There’s nothing more that can be done tonight.
Ann quickly herded the doctors and Nurse Lori to the door. Then, she returned for Patrick’s laptop. He had stopped reading. They exchanged a hopeful glance before she closed the laptop and moved toward the door.
“Wait!” Rachel called out in a strangled voice. “Thank you.”
Smiling from ear to ear, Ann nodded acknowledgement to her friend and left to visit her fiancé.
You’re welcome, my friends. Lean on the Lord and He will help you heal.
Epilogue
As it turns out, Agent George Baker didn’t miss the action after all. While on duty protecting Mrs. Dales of Huntsville, Alabama, he caught two burglars trying to enter a neighbor’s apartment. Poor Baker surprised the two young men, sparking a scuffle that landed him in Crestwood Medical Center with a fractured arm.
Logan Dales came through the Stanley County shootout with a bullet wound in his arm, but he counted himself fortunate anyway. With a glowing statement from Rachel Parker about how helpful Dales had been, the District Attorney decided to cut him a deal.
Jonathan Parker worked for a week with a team of FBI computer experts until they fixed all the bank accounts. Fortunately, Jon had kept good records. Unfortunately, greedy people made false missing money claims for several weeks. Parker’s work impressed the powers that be so much that they offered him an IT job. He consulted his wife, accepted the position, and moved his family to Kensington, Maryland. They kept in touch with the Longs for a while but eventually drifted away.
Once he finally straightened out most of the legal mess he’d made, Jon wrote his mother the following letter:
Mom,
I’m back. So much has happened since I left. I’m sorry if this letter hurts you, but you deserve to know what I’ve made of my life. Mostly, I’ve made mistakes. I have so much that should be said in person, but I thought you should at least see my wife and c
hildren. Emily’s gone now. It’s my fault. My
mistakes and lies caused all this pain, but unfortunately, the pain is also felt by my wife and son. Rachel has been more gracious to me than I deserve. Losing Emily has destroyed something between us. I don’t know what will grow in its place, but I’m hoping it will be special. Please, forgive me.
Your loving son,
Jon
After the move, Mrs. Rachel Parker and her husband started the Emily Adele Collins Fund to raise money for families whose children need expensive surgery. The tragedy made Rachel reprioritize. She continued medical work in a volunteer capacity and spent more time with her family.
Thomas Randle spent many years in prison. Agent Davidson delivered the promised Bible which became his light and hope in that dark place. He freely shared that light with all who would listen. During his prison stint, he earned his high school diploma and a ministry degree. No one truly knows how many hardened men he saved through his ministry.
Thursday morning, Agent Davidson returned to work, and her stubborn partner came back three weeks later. Even as he brought them the toughest cases, AD Morgan practically handcuffed the pair to their desks.
Three months later, they were fully back in business handling all sorts of cases as Special Agents Duncan and Duncan.
THE END
About the Author
Julie C. Gilbert is a writer as well as a chemistry teacher. When not writing either Christian, science fiction, or YA stories, she enjoys reading, making tests, making projects, drinking tea, doing puzzles, collecting Legos, writing emails, and playing video games.
Other Books by Julie C. Gilbert
Devya’s Children Series
Ashlynn’s Dreams
Nadia’s Tears
Heartfelt Cases Series
Book 1: The Collins Case
Book 2: The Kiverson Case (coming January, 2014)
Connect with the Author
Thank you for reading. As always, I appreciate the time you put in as a reader and value your honest opinions.
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Blog: https://julie20201.blogspot.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4111900.Julie_C_Gilbert
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