While watching Downton Abbey on her tablet in the living room, Kelsey's cell phone rang.  She answered quickly so not to wake Hannah.  “Hello?”

                     “Kelse, it’s Scott.”

                     “Hey, what’s up?”  She glanced at the wall clock.  “It’s after midnight.”  Then a thought came to her and she bolted from the couch.  “Are Tracey and the kids okay?”

                     “They’re fine, but-.”  An unbearable silence ensued.

                     “I’m sorry, but it’s Wade.  He was in an accident.”

                     Shocked, Kelsey flopped down on the couch.  Her mind spun, not accepting what Scott told her.  “No, no.  Wade left here over two hours ago with his mom and grandma.  He only lives a couple of miles from me, and almost no one in town drives at night here.  How could Wade get into an accident?  Was anybody else with him?”

                     “No.  I guess he decided to take a drive on our road, and that drunk, Hank Altman, came barreling down the middle of it, making Wade swerve off the road and hit a tree.  I was behind Hank and witnessed it all.”

                     “Wade?”   Kelsey's stomach heaved and she fought down nausea.  “Do his mom and grandma know?”

                     “No,” Scott said, hoarsely.  “I stayed with Wade until the ambulance arrived and took him to St. Mary’s hospital, and then I had to find Hank to arrest him.  You are the first person I have notified.  I think you should come with me to break the news.  Kelse, he looked bad.  It’ll be good to have someone they know to comfort them.”

                     Kelsey muffled a sob with her hand as images of Wade laying unmoving in his car, blood running down his head and onto the steering wheel, shoved their way into her mind.  Tears stung in her eyes.  She wondered how she would keep it together when they break the news to Eve and Miss Millie.  I must be strong.
                     “Kelse?”

                     She ran a hand over her eyes and sniffled.  “I need to talk to my mom and ask her to stay with Hannah.  I’ll meet you at Wade’s house in fifteen minutes.”

                     “All right,” Scott said softly.  “I’m sorry.”

                     A sob in Kelsey's throat prevented from replying.  Hanging up, she blinked back tears and breathed a few deep breaths.  Kelsey bowed her head and prayed with all her might that God would spare Wade.  I love him, Lord.  Please heal him.

                     Then with shaky thumbs, she dialed her parents’ number.

                     When her mom answered, she asked, “Kelsey, has anything happened?  Did Hannah have another seizure?  You never call this late.”

                     Kelsey broke down.  It took several minutes to convey to her mom what had occurred. 

                     “I need to meet Scott at Wade’s to tell his mom and grandma.  Could you come and stay with Hannah tonight?”  Kelsey wiped her tears. “I want to go to the hospital with them, and I know we’re closed for Good Friday, but-.”

                     “I’ll stay with Hannah as long as you need me to.”

                     Kelsey let out a relieved sighed.  “Thanks, Mom.”

                     Since Kelsey hadn’t changed for bed, she was ready.  She went to the kitchen door and waited for her mom.  Pacing back and forth, her brain was going over a myriad of things.  Would Wade be okay?  Should she tell Hannah?  Would she be able to help Wade’s family through this time?

                     Headlights beamed through the windows and Kelsey walked out the door, purse in hand. 

                    After her mom hugged her, she looked at Kelsey with worried eyes.

                    “It’s all right.  I need to be strong.”  Kelsey squeezed her mom’s hand.  “I had a good cry when I called you.”

                    “Just don’t hold your emotions back.”

                    “I won’t,”  Kelsey promised.

                    “What should I tell Hannah when she wakes up?”

                    Kelsey ran a hand through her hair, hating to make her daughter worry, but in a small town, there was no way from her finding out.  It would be on the front page of the newspaper-both online and the printed version.  Hannah should hear it from someone close to her.  “Tell her the truth.  I’ll call when I have more news.”  She checked her watch.  “I have to go.  Scott’s waiting for me.”

                    “I know.”  Her mom kissed her cheek.  “I texted Pastor Kellerman and asked him to put Wade on the prayer chain.”

                    “Thanks, Mom.” 

***

 

                   Kelsey sat in the waiting room.  Trying to maintain the appearance of calmness until the doctor came was torture.  All she could do was pray and comfort Eve and Miss Millie.  Kelsey's heart was heavy and she wanted to let the dam of tears break, but it wouldn’t do them any good.

                  Kelsey recalled Eve and Miss Millie’s reactions after she and Scott told them what happened to Wade.

                  “I shouldn’t have let him go.”  Eve had said, shaking violently and Scott guided her to the couch next to Miss Millie.  “It’s my fault.  I talked about his father and how he had changed.  That’s why Wade went for a drive.  He always does when he wants to think.”

                   Kelsey knelt by her, trying to keep her tears at bay, unsuccessfully.  “No, it’s not your fault.  That road is narrow and windy.  Hank was speeding and Wade did what anyone would have done.

                   “But that man,” Miss Millie spat, “is fine in jail with nary a scratch on him.” The older woman’s wrinkled face was soaked with tears.  “Oh, God, don’t take my dear boy.” With shaky hands, she pulled a tissue from its box and dabbed her eyes.

                    Eve wiped her own tears away.  “I can’t lose my last remaining child.

                    Kelsey remembered when her doctor whisked Hannah away the second she came out and performed CPR.   It felt like an eternity until Hannah cried. She knew she would have been devastated if her daughter hadn’t made it.

                    “Wade will be okay.   He’s a fighter.” Kelsey patted Eve’s arm while praying her words sounded upbeat than she felt.

                    “And stubborn.”  Eve smiled weakly, then gently nudged her away and stood.  “I need to go and be with Wade.  I’ll call Jordan on the way.  Could you drive us there?”

                    “Of course.”

                     Eve hugged her tightly.  “Thank you.”

                     The touch of Eve’s hand on Kelsey’s shoulder brought her back to the present.  Wade’s mom was pale, and her eyes were fixed on something.  Following her gaze, Kelsey saw a tall, red-headed doctor around forty, coming their way.  Miss Millie started mumbling a prayer, while Eve’s grip tightened.  In the back of Kelsey’s mind, she knew there would be bruises on her shoulder, but the growing dread she felt as the doctor neared overrode that concern.

                     “Hello, I’m Dr. Benjemin Kaufmann.  Are you Wade Ramsey’s family?”

                      “Yes, we are.  How is my son?” Eve asked her voice trembling.

                      The doctor took a seat across from them, his expression grave.  “Ma’am, your son’s brain has some swelling, and we put him in a drug-induced coma so the swelling can go down.”

                      Kelsey swallowed hard, wishing to calm her racing heart.  “Will Wade be okay?”

                      “I don’t know.  We’ll have to wait and see.  Brain injuries are unpredictable.”

                      Eve nodded with fresh tears in her eyes.  “My husband is a neurosurgeon, so I know.”’

                      “Jordan Ramsey?”

                      “Yes.”

                      “He is one of the reasons why I became a neurosurgeon,” he said fondly.  “My sister had a small tumor on her brain and your husband took it out.  My family and I will always be grateful that he saved her life.”

                      “It’s a small world.”  Eve brushed her tears away.

                      Someone called him on the P.A. system.  “I need to go.  Wade’s in the I.C.U.  You can see him, but only two at a time.”

                      “Okay. Thank you, doctor.”  Eve smiled.

                      Kelsey, a little more composed, glanced between Eve and Miss Millie.  “Why don’t you two go?  I need time to prepare myself.”

                      “Are you sure?” Miss Millie asked.

                      “I am.”

                      After they left, Kelsey thanked God Wade was still with them, and she prayed when he woke up that there wouldn’t be any adverse effects like memory loss.

                       But if there are, I’ll be there for him.  

***

 

                       Wade walked through a dense fog; the sound of beeping fainted.  The fog lifted and the beeping had stopped.  He stood in the middle of a gorgeous garden with flowers he couldn’t identify.  White clouds covered the grass and he saw the bluest sky he had ever seen.

                       “Where am I?”  What happened to him?   Suddenly Wade remembered driving and a truck came down the middle of the narrow road with great speed.  “Am I dead?”

                       “You’re not dead,” a voice from up above said.  The white light around him brightened and a figure came down.  It took a few seconds for the light to dim, but when it did, Wade saw one of the wonderful visions he had ever beheld.  Standing in her favorite blue dress, Christina smiled that crooked smile he had missed so much. 

                       Wade walked to her, tears welling in his eyes, and hugged her tightly.  “Oh, baby sister, how I’ve missed you.”

                       “I know, but I’ve been watching over you and our parents every day.”  Christina broke their hug. 

                       Wade hardly could believe his ears.   His sister spoke without shuddering or struggling for words as she had when she was alive.  Of course, she did, it was his dream.  A person could do anything in a dream.  Christina’s face glowed with Heavenly light much like he supposed Moses’ had after his visits to Mount Sinai.  Christina's face also radiated all the love she had for him and it warmed his soul.  This feels more than a dream.

                       Christina touched his arm.  “Wade, this is a visitation, not just a dream.”

                       “What are you talking about?”  He scanned his surroundings.  “What is this place?”

                       “You’re in a coma.  God likes to use times like this to speak to people’s hearts.  In extreme cases, Jesus himself visits, but He usually sends family members or friends who passed away.  Hence my presence.”  She spread her arms out.  “This is a replica of my favorite place in Heaven.  I thought it would calm you.” 

                       “I’m in a coma?”  Wade began to pace, not believing what Christina told him. 

                       “It’s drug-induced.”  She walked in front of Wade, stopping him.  “You’re going to be fine.”

                       “So, you’re in my head?”

                       “Yes, but I’m real and what you’re going to learn is real, too.  Please remember that when you wake up, or this will be for nothing.  I hope I’ll leave a lasting impression.  This is my first time.

                       “I promise I’ll remember.”  Wade smiled assuredly at his sister, but his mind was still reeling from the information she had told him.  I might as well go with the flow.  I will probably be in this coma for a while.  “Why are you visiting me?”

                       “I’m here to answer your prayer.”

                       Wade furrowed his brows.  “What prayer?”

                       “The one you prayed before your accident.  You asked God to help you to be less cynical so you could trust Daddy was changing and that he wanted to mend y’all’s relationship.”  Christina clasped her hands in front of her.  “I was sent by the Father to make you see.”

                       “See what?”  Wade felt foolish after asking that question because he knew what she meant, but he was still taken aback by her speech.   His sister spoke like a grown-up, instead of a ten-year-old.   I guess being in Heaven makes people wise.

                       “Here.  I'll show you.”   Christina waved her hand and a scene appeared in the white clouds. 

                       Wade saw his dad driving in his car, his white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel, tears flowing freely.  Stunned, Wade leaned down closer to the live picture.  Rarely had he seen his dad cry because he thought men should cry in private-that crying in front of people made it look like you were weak.  Wade disagreed.  It just made you human.

                       Wade's dad wiped his eyes and said, “Lord, I know I haven’t talked to you in years, but please, help heal my son quickly so that I can finally ask him to forgive me.  I know that sounds selfish, but I need to tell Wade the reason why I blamed him for Christina’s death was because I was blaming myself.  I was pushing him away because I felt I didn’t deserve him.  I know I’ve hurt my only son, but I want to be a better father and I pray one day he’ll forgive me.  Just please give me a chance.  Amen.”

                       Wade shivered at his dad’s words and a lone tear rolled down his cheek.  “Dad really has changed.”

                       “Yes, Wade.”  Christina moved up beside him.  “Dad has always loved you.  As he said, he blamed himself for my death, and he felt unworthy to be a father.  Dad said he blamed you, but he really didn’t.”

                       “Well, he was a darn good actor.”  He laughed sadly.  “I believed him every time we fought.”

                       “Our dad is a complicated man.”  Christina sighed.  “He doesn’t like to show his real feelings.  It stems from when his own dad died when he was three.  Dad and Granny Ramsey moved in with her parents, Opa and Oma Sauer.  You know they were German immigrants, and although Opa and Oma loved their children and grandchildren, they were strict and didn't express their love openly.  

                       “Dad loved Mom and us very much, but he was afraid that he would fail as a father.  Dad wanted to be a good and loving one and he wanted to give us everything he didn't have growing up.  Dad wanted to protect us."  Christina shook her head.  "When I fell from the balcony, he thought he had failed, and he built up a wall where you were concerned.”

                       Wade looked at his dad again with a new perspective.  Jordan Ramsey had been a good father before Christina’s death. 

                       Memories he had unknowingly repressed over the years came flooding back.  His dad teaching him how to pitch, how to fish, and how to swim.  He remembered laughing when his dad made a joke, and how his dad would tousle his hair and smile at him proudly whenever he came home with a good report card. 

                       How could he have forgotten those times?  Had it been a coping device so that he wouldn’t remember how good a father his dad was when he changed and started blaming Wade and started fighting with him?  Had forgetting made it easier for him to stay angry with his dad, and to harden his heart where his dad was concerned?  Wade guessed that was the answer, but it hadn’t really worked.  He loved his father and it hurt his heart when his dad picked a fight with him.  Christina was right.  Their father was a complex man.  Even when the time had been good between them, he remembered feeling his dad held back on truly being happy.

                       “You finally remembered those good times with Dad, didn’t you?”  Christina grinned.

                       “Yeah, I did.”  Wade gave Christina a sad smile.  “I’m sorry Dad’s career took off after you were born.”

                       “I’m not.  He saved a lot of lives.  He always spent time with me when he was home, remember?”

                        Wade nodded.

                        “I know Dad wished he could have been there for me more, but he knew you would be there for me.  You were the best big brother and I was lucky to have you.”

                        “I lucked out, too.”  He pulled her into another hug and kissed the crown of her head.

                        A tinkling sound came from above.  Wade glanced up.  “What was that?”

                        “A signal that my time is up.”  Christina stepped away and dabbed the first of her tears with a handkerchief.

                        “Do you have to go?  I want to talk with you some more.”

                        Christina bit her bottom lip and exhaled.  “Yes, our visits with our loved ones are brief and rare.”  She forced a smile.                              “Besides, you have Mom, Dad, Nana, and Kelsey to keep you company.  I love Kelsey, by the way, and Hannah, too.  They’re great for you.”

                        His chest burst with pride at his sister’s praise of Kelsey and Hannah.  It meant a lot to him.  “I know.”

                        “Well, don’t wait too long to ask Kelsey to marry you.  There are-.”  Christina covered her mouth.  “Oh, I almost said too much.”

                        Wade wondered what secret she nearly spilled out, but he didn’t want her to get into trouble, so didn’t ask.

                        “Well, I have to go.”  Christina stood on her toes and kissed him.  “Bye, brother.  I love you.”

                        With a wave of her hand, she and the garden were gone, leaving Wade in darkness once again.      

***

                        Caressing Wade’s hand, Kelsey studied him some more.  She had gotten used to his bruised up forehead and his swollen eye.  Three hours earlier, she winced when she saw him, hating he was hurt.  Kelsey had let the first tears fall since leaving house.  At first, she had just stared at him.  Her heart broke seeing his arms strapped to the railings and him being hooked up to ventilator and IVs.  But she forced herself to focus on letting him know she was there and that she loved him.  For a long time, Kelsey told him all of her hopes and dreams for them.

                         “I meant every word.”  She kissed his fingers.  “You just need to come back to us.”

                         Someone cleared their throat, Kelsey startled and turned to see who it was.  A man, in his late fifties with dark hair, stood at the foot of Wade’s bed.  His eyes, the same identical blue as Wade’s own, moved from Wade to her.

                         “You must be Kelsey.  I’m sorry to interrupt.”  He extended his hand.  “I’m Jordan Ramsey.”

                         She shook his hand and gave him a small smile.  “Good to meet you.”

                         “My wife and son have told me a lot about you.”  Jordan looked at Wade, clenched his jaw, and shut his eyes.  “What a fool I’ve been.”  Tears pooled in his eyes when he opened them.  

                         Kelsey rose knowing he needed time with Wade.

                         “Um, I need to make some calls and update people about Wade.  Eve should be right back.  She decided to check into the hotel next to the hospital.  Miss Millie was tired.  It was a long night.”

                         Jordan nodded.  “I want to thank you for being here for my wife and my mother-in-law.  I expect you were a comfort.”  He sighed.  “I wish I had been here.” His eyes drifted to Wade and he said, “I failed again.”

                         Not knowing what to say at that statement, Kelsey quietly left the I.C.U.