After Shock- Ellie's Chance

by Vikki McCombie

  Lynda: R U home? How did it go?

  Ellie: Just walked N the door. Not good.

  Lynda: Want 2 talk?

  Ellie: I’ll call U in 10 minutes.

  After Ellie hung her coat, she went to her room, washed her face, then changed into her comfy flannel night shirt. If there was ever a time she needed her creature comforts, it was that evening.

  Once she crawled under her fluffy down comforter, she pulled up her recent calls and touched the screen. Before the phone barely had a chance to ring, Lynda answered. “What happened?”

  Ellie sighed, her heart aching. “After I told him about Connie, he said he had to go, that he couldn’t talk. Then he walked out. He hates me, Lynda.”

  “Jason doesn’t hate you,” she assured her. “He may be confused and possibly hurt. Did you tell him you were donating one of your kidneys to your sister?”

  “I didn’t have a chance.” She could still see his immoveable face in her mind.

  “What do you mean you didn’t have a chance?” she replied, surprise in her tone. “What did you tell him?”

  She went back to that moment, trying to remember what she’d said. “I told him I had a sister and that she thinks I died on 9/11. He didn’t say anything, just remained perfectly still. That’s when he told me he had to leave. Then he walked out.”

  “Oh, dear. Did you mention you and your sister were estranged?” she asked.

  His dull, lifeless eyes flashed through her mind. “He didn’t give me time to tell him anything. He left, Lynda.”

  “Maybe he just needs time to think about everything you told him,” she mused. “You did tell him about Zach’s father, right?”

  “That’s where I started my story. I started crying; he moved beside me and slipped his arm around my shoulder. He listened to everything, including the part about Amy. He stiffened when I told him I’d assumed her identity, but he didn’t seem mad, just disappointed. Then when I told him about Connie, and that I didn’t tell her I’d survived, well that’s when he left.”

  “That was a lot for him to take in. Maybe he’ll be ready to talk when he sees you at church tomorrow evening,” she told her, her tone sounding positive again.

  What if he left as soon as she walked in? How would she explain his actions to Zach? The man she’d grown to love would never leave without making his excuses, but her appearance would surely make him uncomfortable. “Maybe I shouldn’t go.”

  “You’re not staying away from church,” she huffed. “You have every right to be there. Jason, no matter how much he may be hurting, would never want you to stay away when you’re just beginning your spiritual journey. And, Zach loves the youth group. You can’t disappoint him.”

  If she didn’t go, she’d have to explain everything to her son, and she didn’t want to do that. “Okay. I’ll be there. Although it’s bound to be uncomfortable. Lynda?”

  “Yes?” she asked.

  Her hand tightened around her phone. “Can we pray?”

  “Of course,” she replied, her tone softening. “I’ll go first. Dear heavenly Father. Ellie’s opened herself up tonight, and it didn’t go well. Be with Jason as he works through his confused feelings. Give Ellie patience while he considers what she told him. Let her know she’s doing the right thing even if it hurts now. Let them feel Your comfort as they sort through everything. In Your Son’s name. Amen.”

  Ellie grabbed a tissue for the tears now streaming down her cheeks. “Dear Lord, thank you for getting me home after my meeting with Jason. Heal his hurting heart as I ask You the heal mine.” Then thinking of her sister, she added, “Connie needs Your strength in the coming weeks. Let me remember that all will work out as it should, even if it doesn’t seem possible at the moment. In Jesus’s name. Amen.”

  “Ellie, what did you find out when you saw the doctor?” she asked. “Are you a match?”

  At least something had been good about the day, and her spirits lifted a bit. “I am. My doctor is giving Connie’s physician my information. Dr. Shultz believes this will move quickly. Evidently my sister isn’t doing well at all, and she needs the transplant right away. I’m telling my manager tomorrow I might need to leave without much notice.”

  “What a blessing you’re a match. I’ll pray the surgery is soon and it’s successful. Just a minute.” Ellie heard a male’s rumbling voice. “Ellie, I have to go. Samantha needs me. I’m cooking a good part of the day tomorrow but call me if you need anything.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow at church. Bye.” Ellie disconnected the call and dropped the phone on the bed beside her.

  She heard the front door open, then close. A moment later, she heard Zach engaging the alarm. He jogged up the stairs and stopped at her door. “Hey. You’re in bed early. You okay?”

  She nodded. “I’m fine, just tired and making an early night of it. Did you get your homework done?”

  “Yeah.” Zach yawned. “I’m tired as well. I’m going to bed. See you in the morning. Love ya, Mom.”

  “Love you, too. See you in the morning.” Zach grinned then strode across the hall to his room.

  Ellie opened her nightstand drawer and withdrew her new Bible. While she still mostly read the New Testament, Lynda had mentioned several psalms and the book of Proverbs, so last week, she’d gone to the bookstore and bought the Bible she’d suggested. She’d also bought her own Book of Common Prayer for church.

  Opening the Bible, she turned to Proverbs. Although her talk with Jason hadn’t gone as she wanted, God had been with her then, as he was now and would be tomorrow. She read for an hour, then after saying her nightly prayer, she turned off the light and fell into a fairly restful sleep, considering the eventful day.

  * * *

  Jason wasn’t sure how he’d made it home without having an accident after he’d left Ellie. His mind had not been on his driving. That was for sure. When he’d arrived home, the kids had kept him from giving into his roiling emotions. He’d had to push them away.

  Now that Brian had gone to his room, and Kelly was tucked in for the night, he gave up the tight control and went to his bedroom. After he’d prepared for the night, he dropped on the bench at the foot of his bed, staring into the flames of the gas fireplace, another feature he’d added to the original plans, and stewed.

  What she’d told him had blasted his preconceived ideas regarding Ellie’s character. While he’d had a hard time with her Amy story, that…he could understand—a little. She’d gone through so much, between the situation with that controlling dipstick of a boyfriend and losing her friends that way, then her job all at the same time. Any one of those events could mess with one’s judgement, and being alone with no one to turn to, not even God being a nonbeliever at that time, could only have made it that much harder.

  However, how she could have been so overwrought to let her sister believe she’d died in the towers was beyond anything he could ever understand. She’d been the only family she had.

  Nope, not acceptable.

  Something dug at his gut. Verses from the Bible came to him regarding throwing the first stone and turning the other cheek.

  Am I without sin?

  Who made me judge and jury?

  He hung his head. His thoughts troubled him so much. Jesus taught his followers they were supposed to forgive over and over again, but how could he blindly accept what Ellie did? It was wrong on every level. Family was family, and they needed to stick together.

  If he’d had a brother or sister, no way could he simply forget them, to let them believe he’d died. Again, those verses tugged at his conscience, regarding forgiveness. There was only one thing he could do.

  He fell on his knees before the glowing fire. “God, I’m struggling with this. I have too many conflicting emotions over what Ellie told me tonight. I know I’m supposed to forgive her, and on the surface, I can because You ask it of me. Letting it go and accepting it is another thing. I’m so torn and confused. Why did You bring her into my life when she’s m
ade so many bad decisions? Help me, Lord. Show me how. In Your Son’s name. Amen.”

  He didn’t gain the clarity he wanted, nor the calm. Clearly, he was at war between what he believed and his emotions. He rose and sat, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

  There was only one thing he could do since prayer alone hadn’t help. He needed to talk to someone. And, it needed to be someone he trusted. While he was closest to Cam, he couldn’t be the individual since his mother had grown so close to Ellie. It certainly couldn’t be Russ either.

  It also needed to be someone who wouldn’t judge him or her, who believed as he did as well. That only left two men. Henry or Jeff. While he didn’t know Jefferson well, the man was an attorney and had to keep his client’s confidences.

  They’d had several conversations since they’d met at church, but they’d bonded the past Sunday when they’d talked while watching their daughters play. Jeff had mentioned Veronica wasn’t Sarah’s mother. That had been a surprise. He’d said he’d always be grateful to her because she’d selflessly helped him when he’d gotten custody of his daughter.

  Jeff would be the best choice, even over Henry. While he liked his pastor, he wasn’t as comfortable sharing intimate details concerning Ellie. It should be Ellie’s choice to do so.

  He could continue mulling his doubts and confusion forever, or he could reach out to Jeff. When he’d first met Jefferson, the man had given him his business card, and he’d added it to his other contacts in his study. He glanced at the time. Surely, the guy wasn’t asleep yet. It was only a touch past nine.

  He jumped to his feet and rushed to his home office. Flipping through his stack of cards, he found Jeff’s. No cell phone listed, just his business number. Dang it. Maybe he wrote it on the back. He flipped it over and found his cell.

  Got it.

  Yes.

  He started to enter the number then paused. Maybe he should text first and ask if he had time to talk. Opening his texting app, he entered the number, then typed:

  Jason: Do U have time to talk?

  He waited a moment, then saw the three dots.

  Jeff: Sure. Call me in 5.

  Jason paced around his desk as the minutes crept along. He’d never imagined a minute took so long. Every time he checked his phone, barely any time had passed. It had been a long time since he’d experienced such turmoil.

  He’d become much more vested in his relationship with Ellie than he’d thought. Then it hit him. He didn’t just enjoy her company and like her. Dang it. He’d fallen in love. Now what did he do? First the obstacle had been her lack of faith, now it was her past. He paused.

  That’s the point, isn’t it?

  Decisions she’d made before she asked God into her heart.

  Man, he needed to talk to somebody. He checked the time, and at last, the five minutes had passed. He entered Jeff’s number and it rang once, then he answered, “Hey, Jason. What can I do for you?”

  “Hey. Glad you had time to talk.” He paused a nanosecond. “I know we haven’t known each other long, but I really could use a friend right now.”

  “Of course. I’d like to think we’ve become friends.” He hesitated, then said, “I can hear you’re bothered by something. I’m a good listener if you want to talk about it.”

  Jason gripped his phone tighter. “You know I’ve been seeing Ellie for a while now, right?”

  “I do,” Jeff replied. “She’s a great addition to our group. Are you having doubts about her?”

  “Not about her sincerity and dedication to understanding our faith.” He drew in a breath, then told him. “It’s something involving her past. I’m not sure I can move beyond it.”

  “Hmm. It’s something she did before attending our church, right?” he asked.

  “Yeah, something that happened years ago.” He sat behind his desk. “You’ve probably figured out she’s from the New York area. Her accent comes through, at least I hear it.”

  Jeff chuckled. “Oh, yeah, but what does that have to do with your dilemma?”

  “She worked in one of the towers when they fell.” He waited for Jeff to comment, but when he remained silent, he went on. “The only reason she wasn’t at work that day…she’d stopped at her bank. She went through a lot right before and after, and some of her decisions, well, I’m not dealing with something she told me she did.”

  “I see. Is this a moral dilemma or something illegal?” he asked.

  Now, that’s the attorney talking. “I guess both. But it’s the moral part I’m struggling with. I hesitate to say too much, but I really need help. Can I trust you to keep what I’m about to tell you in confidence?”

  He hesitated, then asked, “Is the illegal part something that would be a problem today?”

  Was there a time limit on assuming another person’s identity, and taking their money, almost twenty years ago? “I can’t be sure.”

  “Okay. Go ahead, but maybe only give me an overview of that part,” he replied. “I’m listening.”

  He cleared his throat, then told him about the ex-boyfriend. That her best friend died when the towers fell. How Ellie took things that didn’t belong to her, but it didn’t affect anyone since the woman had died and had no family to inherit any of her stuff.

  He told him while that hadn’t set well with him, he could understand why she’d done that part. Then he told him the rest, the part he didn’t know if he could move past. “When Ellie left New York, she didn’t tell anyone she’d survived.” He drew in a breath. “That included her sister. She allowed her only family to believe she’d died. She told me the sister still doesn’t know she’s alive. How could she turn her back like that?”

  “What did she say when you asked her?” he inquired.

  His heart dropped to his feet. “Well you see, I didn’t ask. I became so angry, I left her in the middle of dinner. Just walked out. I didn’t wait to hear excuses. There’s nothing she could have said that would have made her actions okay—”

  “What a minute,” Jeff declared with a sharpness to his tone. “You can’t know that. Let me share something concerning Sarah’s mother.” He proceeded to tell him how the woman hadn’t told him he had a daughter.

  For the first five years of Sarah’s life, he hadn’t known she existed. He’d only learned he was Sarah’s father when the woman called to tell him she was dying and that he needed to take the child.

  That he’d barely made it to Florida before she’d died. How there was no way he could act on his anger. “I had to act fast. Fortunately, I had time on the plane to work through some of my anger before I saw Susan. She had good reason for not telling me, even though I didn’t want to take that into account. Jason,” he sighed. “I’m a recovering alcoholic. That’s why she didn’t tell me.”

  “But that’s different than letting one’s own sister believe you’ve died,” he protested.

  “That’s true, but how do you know Ellie didn’t have a legitimate reason?” he asked. “Perhaps she believed the sister would be a danger to the child she carried? As a parent, we do whatever we must to protect our kids, wouldn’t you agree?”

  Jason’s chest grew tight and his pulse pounded in his veins. Could Ellie’s sister have been a threat to her or her unborn child? He’d let his emotions rule him that afternoon and hadn’t given her the chance to explain why. “I need to ask her why, don’t I? You’ve gotten through my thick skull. I reacted too fast. I’m calling her as soon as we end our conversation.”

  “Wait a minute,” Jeff cautioned. “I believe you should wait until your emotions aren’t ruling your decisions. Maybe take time to ask for God’s guidance. He will help you find the words. He’s never let me down yet.”

  He’d already let his emotions rule him earlier. Once was enough. “When I prayed earlier, I went to him angry and confused. I hadn’t let go of my judgmental attitude. I’m sure that’s why I didn’t feel any peace when I finished praying. Thanks, Jeff. You’ve been a great help.”

  “
You’re welcome. Now, take this to God with an open heart. Will you be at church tomorrow evening?” he asked.

  “I wasn’t going, but after I talk to Ellie, I hope that’ll change,” he replied with determination. “I’ll let you go, so you can resume your evening. I’m praying my conversation will resolve our differences. Maybe I will see you at church with Ellie at my side. Bye, Jeff.”

  His friend wished him luck and ended the call. Jason returned to his room where he again took his troubles to the Lord. This time…with an open heart and mind.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Ellie went to work early that morning, so she could take care of any issues that may have come up through the night and clear her calendar in case she needed to leave right away. That way, she’d talk with her manager as soon as she arrived. Fortunately, Tabitha arrived earlier than normal, and Ellie requested a meeting as soon as possible.

  “I have time now. This sounds important. Let’s go to my office.” Ellie followed Tabitha and took a seat in front of her desk, but her boss sat in the other chair next to the one she had taken, indicating she believed their meeting may be of a personal nature. “Now, tell me what’s going on.”

  It was so like Tabitha to intuitively know. It was one of the traits she most admired, and it made her a great manager. Ellie explained she would be donating one of her kidneys to her sister, and that it could happen at any time. “I’m expecting a call from Connie’s doctor, possibly as early as this morning. From what my physician told me he’ll want to act fast. My sister’s condition has become much worse in the past week.”

  “Keep me posted.” Before she could reply, Ellie’s phone vibrated, and she saw a New York area code. “Go ahead. Take the call if you believe it could be from her doctor.”

  “Thanks, Tabitha.” She touched her phone and accepted the call, her heart jumping. “Hello.”

  “Have I reached Ellie Branson?” the voice on the line asked.

  Ellie tried to keep her tone professional and calm, although inside she trembled, praying for a small miracle. “Yes, this is she.”