“Dear Lord, I’m not so good at this. I know you hear everyone though, according to my wife anyway. She is an amazing woman,” John’s voice broke. Chastity couldn’t control her emotion and had to put her hand over her mouth to keep from crying out.
“But God - you already know that. I know heaven would be a great place with her in it, but I’m not sure I can handle earth here without her.” John sniffed and continued. “God, I’m not worthy of anything…not her, not my family, but some day I hope to be. I hope to be a dad that my girls can look up to.”
Chastity’s head popped up at the word ‘girls’. Her chin started to quiver as she tried to hold back the emotions tearing through her.
“I’ve been begging for Andie’s life God. I want her here…our baby girl needs her here! But Andie would tell me that you’re in control and I can’t demand anything. I can tell you that I love her and she makes me a better man! You know I’m a work in progress. You know my faith is small so God please just give me stronger faith!”
John’s voice cracked and this time his shoulders definitely shook. Chastity sat up on the edge of her seat. She wanted to comfort him. She felt a pull in her heart but wasn’t sure.
“God please make Andie better! I am asking for you to please let her stay here with us! I would be eternally grateful, and I know this is something you can do. You perform miracles all the time…I know because I hear about miracles that happen every day at church. Real miracles that happen in real time – not just in the Bible. I just need a miracle God.” John sobbed, unsure what else he could do.
He sat back on his heels and pulled back from the altar, sobbing, when he felt a hand on his back. John turned his head to see a miracle. It wasn’t the one he was asking for, but it was an amazing miracle just the same. He saw his daughter’s eyes, filled with tears, for him and he couldn’t hold back any longer.
He sobbed harder knowing God had given him an answer to prayer he’d been praying for – for a very long time. He’d prayed to have Chastity with him in his life, but never imagined it would take a family trauma to make it happen.
Chastity couldn’t hold on to the anger anymore. All she felt for this man was empathy and sadness for his heart. She kneeled down next to him and put her hand in his. Their fingers had the same long gentle shape. It felt very natural to be holding his hand, and a part of her immediately clicked with recognition and closure, that she didn’t even know she needed.
“Can I pray for her - with you?” Her voice was thick with emotion.
John couldn’t even speak. All he could do was nod and say thank you with his eyes. Chastity smiled through her tears.
“John, it’s going to be okay. She’s not your mom, and she’s going to make it. You just have to have faith.” Chastity reassured him.
“I prayed for you.” He ruggedly whispered.
“Thanks.” She squeaked out between tears. “I really appreciate that. I mean it.”
Timothy waited long enough to be respectful but couldn’t wait any longer. He had to make sure his wife was okay. He rounded the same corner to peek into the chapel. What he saw melted his heart for his wife. She and her dad were knelt in prayer, holding hands. He saw Chastity slip an arm around her dad’s shoulders, and smiled.
He turned to leave them to their privacy and returned to the waiting room. Jesse stood up anxious to get a report. Timothy put his hand out and gave the okay sign. He nodded for Jesse to sit back down.
“They’re praying together.”
Jesse sighed in relief. “Do you think we should join them?”
“No, I think we can pray right here. I think Chastity needs this.”
The three of them leaned their heads together and began to pray. They knew that when two or more came together, that God always answered prayer. Timothy, Jesse, and Lauri all three joined in faith that Andie would be okay.
And that’s how the surgeon found them, huddled together in the waiting room with their heads bowed. It was a sight he never got tired of seeing … family in prayer. He was a man of prayer himself, and throughout the long but successful surgery he prayed the whole time through. It was close but he was about to deliver some really good news to a very deserving family. He waited politely until they’d finished and lifted their heads.
Jesse said his ‘Amen’ along with the rest of his family. When he opened his eyes, they rested on the best thing he’d seen in hours… a tired but smiling surgeon. He was so afraid that the first time he saw anyone from Andie’s medical team that they would have a sober look in their eyes, which meant bad news.
Jesse stood to cross the room with high hopes. “What the news doc?”
“Andie is resting, comfortably sedated in ICU. She’s really weak, but her vitals are getting stronger. ICU is just a formality at this point. There was a touch and go moment during surgery, but she’s young and strong. And I know she was fighting to see that little baby of hers.”
Lauri breathed a sigh of relief along with Timothy. He’d never met the woman, but he knew she was part of his family now. Timothy squeezed Lauri’s hand and smiled.
“Where is John?” The surgeon asked politely.
Jesse pointed toward the chapel hallway. The surgeon knowingly nodded.
“Then how about I go tell him that the mother of his child will be ok?”
“Can I do it?” Jesse asked. “We have a history. You see our mom died in childbirth, giving birth to John.”
The surgeon’s eyes widened. “Sure. You just tell him to call me when he wants the details. I’m going to go back in to make sure my staff has everything taken care of for Andie and then I’ll be available. Let him know he can see Andie as soon as she’s out of post-op but it might be a while – so take him back to his baby. It’ll do them all some good.”
“Thanks so much.” Jesse ran his hand through his hair.
“Anytime. I completely understand.” With that the surgeon left through the double doors leading back to the surgical unit, and Jesse made his way down to the chapel.
Jesse quietly stepped inside to what was obviously a tender moment between father and daughter. His entire being warmed when he saw the two hugging and pulling apart at the front of the small chapel. He heard John whisper something to Chastity, which brought a grin to her face. He knew they were going to be okay. It might take time for them to have a strong bond, but they were on their way to having a relationship.
“Excuse me?” Jesse softly said as he made his way toward them. John turned expectedly with pure anxiety written across his face. “You want the good news or the good news first?”
John held his breath. His chest felt so tight that he didn’t think he could handle much more. “Have you heard anything?” His voice was raspy from the tears he’d already shed. Chastity looked to her uncle with hope.
“The surgeon just came out to the waiting room and gave Andie the green light. She’s in ICU for now, but they expect her to recover. Her vitals are getting stronger. He said she fought through the whole surgery.” Jesse smiled down at his little brother. He extended his hand to help him up from the pew. “Come here little brother.” He helped John up and wrapped him in a big bear hug.
John couldn’t believe how blessed he was. All in one moment, he had the love of his brother, Chastity, and news of Andie’s recovery. Plus he was a new dad!
Thank you Lord for answering my prayers. Thank you! For the first time in his life, he felt whole. He felt redeemed from his past and he felt grateful instead of having unending guilt. He was a new man and planned on owning up to all the blessings in his life. He knew this was God’s plan all along – to show him how much love he could give and receive in life.
As John pulled out from Jesse’s embrace, he clasped his hand down on his shoulder. “Thank you Jesse. I was so afraid…that what happened to mom would …” He almost broke down again, but wouldn’t let himself. Andie was going to be okay!
“John, what happened to mom was part of her history – not Andie’s.”
“I know you’re right, but I was the reason …” John’s voice trailed off.
“No, you weren’t the reason. Mom hemorrhaged. And the doctors weren’t fast enough or good enough to help. It just happened. You were not the reason John. Get that through your head. And because she died and you lived does not make you responsible for your entire life. You know that, don’t you? And that doesn’t mean Andie was destined to have the same fate. This was pure coincidence and an entirely different medical issue. And this time, you had doctors who were fast enough and skilled enough to save her.”
John smiled for the first time in hours and nodded. “You’re right. I know it.”
Chastity sat back taking in both men, in awe. They were so similar in nature and mannerisms. It was such an odd feeling to finally have a connection to a whole family again. For the last couple years, she’d convinced herself that Jesse was enough – but having both of them in the room with her was awe-inspiring. A peace settled deep into her heart and Chastity realized that hole that had been there and ached for so long was gone.
“So why don’t you tell me more about my little sister?” Chasity’s soft words immediately pulled both brothers from thoughts of their past.
“I am so ready to see my little girl. It’s not that I didn’t want to be with her this whole time,” John said gesturing to the chapel around him. “But I had to be here for Andie first.”
“Of course.” Jesse consoled John. He patted him on the back and gently made his way toward the door. “You can’t see Andie just yet, per doctor’s orders, but he said you can soon. And I’m more than ready to hold my niece.”
“I haven’t even seen her yet. They rushed me out before she was born because Andie started to go into …” John sighed and shook his head in remembrance. “I’m so glad she’s gonna make it.”
“So let’s go see her!” Chastity shrugged her shoulders in excitement.
John nodded, and then paused. “Hey is Timothy here? I’d like to meet him too.”
“He’s in the waiting room with Lauri,” Chastity responded slowly. She wasn’t sure how Timothy would feel about meeting John. They’d had a lot of history that surrounded her feelings about her dad. She just hoped he’d cope with it okay.
John smiled down at his daughter. He towered over Chastity by more than a few inches. He looked into the eyes that were identical to his own, and felt like the luckiest man on earth. “You look like our mother you know.”
“I do?” Chastity looked from both John to Jesse. They both nodded and smiled at her. She brushed her hair back from her eyes and cocked her head, as if to show off her looks. Both brothers laughed and rolled their eyes, with the same expression. The family resemblance was hard to get past, but Chastity knew she had plenty of time to get used to it.
All three of them made their way to the waiting room to gather the rest of the family. They were about to meet the newest little member of the Mikale family.
Chastity waited her turn to hold her little sister. She was third in line after John and Jesse. As soon as Jesse transferred the newborn into her arms, she was full of emotion. She looked down at the sweet innocent baby in her arms and craved for one of her own. Timothy watched the woman, he loved cradling the newborn, and felt a tug for a child of their own.
“Hi there sweet girl.” Chastity whispered. Tears escaped down the bridge of her nose and dripped off her face. Chastity laughed softly. “Sorry about that.” She apologized and wiped the wetness away from her sister’s neck, where the tears slid and rolled down.
John’s throat caught when he saw the two of them together. He knew the next best thing would be to watch the mother of his child with their daughter, but seeing both of his girls was monumental. He was afraid to close his eyes for even a second because when he opened them it may not be real.
“Pinch me,” he whispered to Jesse. “I can’t believe she’s here with us.”
Jesse nodded. “I know. I still feel that way and she’s only my niece.”
Chastity looked up to John. “Have you guys decided on a name yet?”
“Andie and I were going to name her Lanie, after Andie’s grandmother, but without Andie to give the nurses the official name – I just couldn’t do it yet. Andie wanted us to see our baby’s face before we made it official.”
“Well, I think she looks like a Sadie or a Maggie. You could call her your little magpie!” Chastity giggled and talked sweetly to her little sister. “I might just call you my little magpie no matter what they name you.” Chastity leaned down to whisper into her new baby sister’s ear. Her sister opened her tiny eyes and made a noise you might hear from a new puppy in response. “Oh!” Chastity exclaimed. “I think she likes it.”
Laughter erupted from the whole room. They all agreed that the nickname could stick. After a few minutes of everyone getting to hold baby Mikale, the family returned little magpie to the nurse for her nap.
“If you guys don’t mind, I’m going to find the doctor and check on Andie.” John said. His eyes were tired but all the tension had left his body. He knew it was from seeing both his daughters and being surrounded by family. Everything was going to be okay. “Chastity, Timothy? Will I see you again?”
Timothy who hadn’t really had time to speak to his father-in-law wasn’t sure how to react to the man Chastity hated for so long. He recognized that his wife absolved her father, and so he knew he, too, had to let go of the feelings that had lingered for so long.
“Sir?” Timothy started.
“Sir? Son, I’m not in the military anymore and I’m nobody’s sir.” He chuckled. “Call me John please.”
Timothy nodded cautiously. “I think we’re going to stay a couple nights in a nearby hotel, to make sure we can stay here for Andie … and you.” He hesitantly added.
John sensed his watchful demeanor. It made him respect the man Chastity married. He knew Timothy was watching out for his wife. He was sending a silent message to tread lightly. He was already Chastity’s protector. John felt an immediate liking for Timothy and smiled widely back at him.
“Well I’d appreciate that young man. You’re gonna do alright by her. I can already tell, and that says something.”
Timothy, thrown slightly off guard, stammered in return. “Um okay. Well I better get us back to the hotel and let you take care of your family.” He looked to Chastity. She recognized his anxiety-ridden face and knew it resulted from her father and the fact that they were in a hospital. She smiled up at him, wondering how he would be when it was her turn to have a baby.
Chastity hugged Jesse and Lauri goodbye with a full heart. She turned to John and smiled. “I’ll see you soon.” She said softly. John nodded in return. It was more than he ever expected, and it was enough for today. He watched the two leave, hand in hand, and reached for his brother’s hand.
“Thank you Jesse,” John started. Jesse shook it but frowned.
“Don’t thank me. This had nothing to do with me. It was a God thing. I could have never orchestrated this.”
“Ain’t that the truth?” Lauri said with a sigh. “What a day. Now go get to your wife and we’ll get to our hotel room too. Make sure you get some rest.”
“I will.” John said and turned to go find Andie.
Chapter 62
John spent the night next to Andie’s bedside. Her parents had come and gone, with the promise of returning in the morning. He promised to call if anything happened. Visiting hours were over, but there was no way he was leaving Andie until he knew she would be okay. His body craved sleep, but John had no intention of closing his eyes – not until he saw Andie awake and alert.
Throughout the night her nurses made their routine rounds, checking her vitals, giving her meds, and taking hourly reads. Each time they’d visit he braced for the news. Is she still okay? And every time they’d finish up, they’d smile down at him with warm assurance. He heard more than once that he should get some sleep. They brought him a blanket and some pillows to make his stay mor
e comfortable, but all he could do was lean over to stroke his wife’s face.
Thank you God for answering my prayer. I’m forever grateful and know you gave me more than one miracle. John scooted his chair up to the edge of Andie’s bed and leaned his forehead against her mattress to continue in prayer. With all the best intentions of being a stronghold in prayer, John kept talking to his God and thanking him for the previous day’s events. However, his body slowly took over as John slowly slipped into a quiet slumber. The next thing he knew - someone was opening the blinds and morning sun was pouring in the room. The whooshing sound of the privacy curtain being pulled back alerted his brain that it needed to start kicking out of REM and start waking back up. He lifted his head and squinted in Andie’s direction.
“Morning sleepy head,” she mumbled softly. She weakly smiled down at the man who fell asleep hunched over on the side of her bed.
“Oh I hear someone’s finally awake!” The morning nurse almost sang out to her patient. “That’s really good news! That means you’re getting stronger.” She smiled down at her patient. “I’m nurse Brooke and I’ll be here until noon. I see your man never left your side.” She smiled down at John, who almost creaked as he straightened up.
He rubbed his neck and moaned for only a second though, as it hit him that Andie was awake. John quickly reached for her hand and slipped his free hand up her arm. John gently moved on to the bed next to her.
“Is it okay if I sit?” He asked unsure.
“Sure, she won’t break.” Nurse Brooke replied with a beaming smile.
“How do you feel?” John asked. Andie saw the worry flash across his face.
She nodded and took a deep breathe in. “Like I’ve been drugged, but okay.”
“That’s normal.” The nurse started. She listened to Andie’s heartbeat and smiled. “They told me you were awake!” Andie’s surgeon walked in carrying her chart.
“Good, how do you feel?”
Andie smiled. “I just told John I feel a little loopy … sluggish.”
Facing Redemption Page 28
