Healing Tides (16 page)

“It’s too tight. I don’t like this.” Bennie began to cry when a loud bang echoed through the room.

“Hang on to Glory, Bennie. We’re going for your ride now.” Jared closed the sides and began pushing, but passage grew difficult as ceiling litter blocked the wheels. He touched the radio. “I’ve got them. I’m coming back out. Meet me at the stairwell.”

“Roger that.”

When it was too difficult to push, he pulled. And when that didn’t work he manhandled the unit. Bennie’s yells let him know he at least was all right. Glory didn’t respond.

“Oh, God, help me,” he begged. “I have to get them out of here. This is a place for saving lives, a place of love. Agapé means love. Don’t let it become a place of death.”

A draft of air pushed through the room suddenly, clearing the smoke from in front of him, allowing Jared to see the IV pole that blocked the path. He tossed it aside.

“Thank You, Lord. Just a little bit farther.”

But the same draft that had cleared the smoke now fanned the flames. The temperature soared. They had to get out fast. Bennie was screaming.

Jared reached the door. It opened. Three men pulled him and the cart through the door then slammed it shut. Immediately chatter on the radio ordered the hoses on this section of the building.

Jared opened the door of the cart.

“Come on, Bennie. Time to get out now.”

“But Glory Mom. I want Glory Mom!”

“She’s coming, too, don’t worry.”

A pair of arms lifted the boy from him and passed him to the next man in the line. Jared bent, eased Glory from the lifesaving metal.

“I’ll carry her myself,” he insisted. The men stood aside so he could walk down the now-cleared stairs. Jared carried her toward the ambulance. “Head injury,” he gasped.

“We’ve got her, Doc. You sit down and catch your breath.”

But he didn’t. Instead, Jared hovered helplessly as they took her vital signs, checked her body for other wounds.

Finally her lovely eyes opened.

“Jared?” she croaked, wincing as she tried to speak.

“Hi.”

She tried to sit up. “Bennie, where’s Bennie?”

“Doc got you both out,” the paramedic told her. “Good thing, too. That end of the building is pretty bad.”

Her eyes widened in shock.

Jared took her hand. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “God protected us. All of us.”

“God?” Her eyes darkened to the forest shade he loved. “Really?”

He nodded. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here. I had to get some help for Viktor.”

“Help Viktor?”

“Look, Doc, we have to get her arm stitched up. You two can talk later.”

Arm? He saw the stain, the gash. How had he missed that?

“Take her,” he told the attendant. But first he bent, brushed his lips against hers. “I love you, Glory.”

She didn’t respond, but Jared knew the truth. She loved him. It would be enough, for now.

He watched them load her, saw the blood.

Glory winced, then fainted.

“Oh, God, please, not Glory, too.”

His will.

“S
omeone to see you, Dr. Cranbrook.”

“Bennie!” She’d been in hospital four days and hadn’t seen him once. The relief of knowing he was all right took her breath away. “Hello, sweetheart. How are you?”

“Good. Are you good, too?”

She laughed. “Very good, darling.”

Glory couldn’t stop herself from glancing at his shoulder. Of course, it was covered by his hospital gown at the moment, but she knew the unsightly damage that lay beneath. Maybe now that Jared—maybe.

She was so tired of the maybes.

“I brought you a letter.” He slid it out from under his leg where he sat in the wheelchair. “Here.”

He thrust it at her then asked the nurse to wheel him to the hospital window where he could look outside, as if he knew she’d want privacy.

Glory ripped open the envelope, pulled out the single sheet.

Darling Glory,

I’m going crazy. Why won’t you see me? I love you. I always will. I have so much to share with you.

Please let me visit.

Jared

Tears threatened as she folded the paper into the pages of her Bible. But she couldn’t weaken, she wouldn’t.

“Bennie, have you seen any of the other children?”

“Uh-huh. Some of us are going back tomorrow. A big man told me.”

“Back?” She frowned. “But—”

“Hello, dear.” Elizabeth stood in the doorway. “You look better today. How’s your arm?”

“It’s fine.” She ignored the sting of pain. “Elizabeth, how is it possible for some of the children to go back?”

“Well, thanks to many volunteers, we did a massive cleanup. Two of the wards are virtually untouched. We’ll begin using those tomorrow. The rest needs work, but the board is fully committed to getting Agapé up and running as soon as possible.”

“What caused the problem? Why didn’t the sprinklers stay on?”

“Some malfunction in the pump. I’m not exactly sure of the details, but it’s been rectified. We’re having additional fire-suppression equipment installed today.”

“Everything’s moving so fast.”

“It seems slow to me.” Elizabeth bent to speak to Bennie just before he hugged Glory. His nurse wheeled him away. “Your head, Glory. Have things straightened out?”

Her confusion and memory lapse scared Glory, but slowly everything was righting itself.

“I’ll be fine. Back to work in a day or two, I think.”

“I don’t want you back there until you’re fully healed.”

“Elizabeth?”

“Yes, dear.”

She struggled to say the words, knowing how difficult her request would be.

“I want to go home,” she murmured.

“You will, dear. Just be patient for a couple more days.”

“No, I mean my real home. The North. They have no one, Elizabeth. They need me. Agapé doesn’t. God’s will is for me to serve in the North and I can’t turn my back on that.”

“Have you really prayed about this?”

“I’ve tried.”

“Keep trying, Glory. And open your heart to His answers.”

“Thanks for coming. And for the flowers. Thank the others for me, will you?”

Elizabeth fluttered her hand and walked out.

The world had never seemed so bleak. Glory picked up her Bible and tried to read the words but she couldn’t see through the tears. Everything she loved was here, Bennie, Jared—but God was asking her to give up her own desires, to serve him.

She fought an inner battle until finally she surrendered.

“Not my will but Yours,” she whispered.

At last blessed sleep brought her peace.

Jared stood on the precipice overlooking the cove and watched the sun crawl over the horizon.

Easter morning.

In the weeks since the fire he’d had little time to ponder the changes in his life. But this morning he’d risen early especially to do that, and he’d never been more thankful.

Bennie’s surgery was first of many he’d done in the hospital where Glory had been taken. The boy was healing well. In a year it would be hard to distinguish him from any other boy his age. There’d been many more, each one a joy and accomplishment that fed his soul, kept him focused on God, the giver of life. Not that there hadn’t been complications, there had. But Jared was learning to do his part and leave the rest to God.

Viktor was doing well under treatment. Jared’s anger, the bitterness—all were gone through the mercy of God.

But Glory would not be swayed from her intention to return home. She treated every day as if it might be her last. She continued to keep the children busy, planned events for them, cheered them through their treatments, but with a detachment that was completely unlike her usual self.

Even with Jared she was distant, though he’d told her over and over how much he loved her, longed for her to believe that somehow God would work it out, that they would be together. She simply smiled and made an excuse to get away. She was biding her time.

Jared would gladly go north to be with her, except he belonged at Agapé and he knew it. This was where God wanted to use him. He could not disobey. At the same time he recognized Glory’s loyalty to her mother, the people she loved and the job she’d embraced. God had called her, too.

So he waited for God to do His will, shared as much of the island as he could with Glory. In those precious moments when her mask slipped, she returned his embrace, kissed him with heartfelt fervor and told him how much she loved him.

But they both knew time was running out.

Jared had clung to his trust in God, waited for an answer. But he’d found none.

That’s why he’d come here to pray.

He praised God for his mercy and gift of sacrifice then asked for what he wanted most.

“I want to marry her. I don’t care about having children or where we live as long as we both serve You. Your will be done.”

Like a dart of fire a voice exploded inside him.

Propose.

He couldn’t do that. Glory was leaving.

Propose.
The word kept singing into his brain.

Jared was God’s servant. He’d said he’d obey. He would propose and leave the rest up to God.

In the distance two whales surfaced, blew air out then dived.

“Jared?”

Glory stood behind him, her short wispy hair bathed in the golden beams of dawn.

The fire had changed all of them.

“Good morning, beloved.” He rose, slipped his arms around her waist and kissed her, savoring the sweetness of this moment.

“Elizabeth wants to see us.”

“Okay. But first I have to ask you something.”

Her eyes appeared twice as large with her hair so short.

“What?”

“I love you. I would die for you, Glory. You are my life, the best part of me. You are the woman God sent to bring me out of the darkness and into His glorious light.”

She lifted one small hand, touched his face. “Jared.”

“Will you marry me, GloryAnn Cranbrook?”

“But—”

“I don’t know how, I don’t know when, but I believe that somehow God will honor the love He’s given us. Will you marry me?”

Her troubled gaze studied him for a long time. “We can’t.”

He tilted her chin, touched his lips to hers.

“When did you stop trusting God, GloryAnn?”

Tears welled.

“I trust Him. With my life.” A tremulous smile transformed her face. “I will marry you, Jared. Soon, I hope.”

They kissed, sealing their pledge as the sun rose to its full glory and Japanese White-eyes began their dawn songs of tinkling praise and joy. Land breezes surrounded them with fragrant white ginger in celebration.

“We have God on our side, Glory. Let’s go hear what Elizabeth wants.”

“Yes.”

Jared smiled as he took her hand, drew her with him toward Agapé.

They found Elizabeth in the chapel, arranging flowers as she hummed an Easter song.

“Ah, there you are. Let’s all sit, shall we?”

He and Glory took the front pew. Elizabeth sat behind them. They turned to face her.

“I have some news for you, dear ones. Do you remember a board member named Harmon? He visited little Bennie in the hospital several times after his surgery. I think he even stopped by to say hello to you, Glory.”

“Yes, he did.”

“Harmon discovered he has a connection with Bennie.”

Glory’s body jerked. Jared leaned closer.

“Trust, remember?” He nodded at Elizabeth. “Please continue.”

“Bennie’s father saved Harmon’s life when they were both on a peace-keeping mission. When Harmon learned Bennie’s father and the rest of the family had died, he wanted to do something to honor his friend.”

“So he’s going to buy Agapé that new machine it needs,” Jared guessed.

“No.” Elizabeth’s brown eyes danced. “When he learned why Glory is so insistent on returning to the Arctic, he called together a bunch of his friends. Corporate sponsors have raised enough funds to build and furnish a health-care center in Tiska. They’ve had plans drawn up and approved for the Cranbrook Center. Construction will begin as soon as possible.”

Glory burst into tears.

“It gets better. Two young men, sons of missionaries your parents supported overseas, feel God has called them to Tiska to serve as community doctors. They’ve agreed to accept Harmon’s son as a third partner on condition that, from time to time, you return to give them a break.”

“They don’t want me to go back?”

“I think three doctors are enough for your town, aren’t they?”

“Abundantly beyond what I could ask or think. I’ll gladly help out whenever they need me. Thank you, Elizabeth.” Glory hugged her benefactor. “And please thank Harmon, too. It will be a wonderful tribute.”

“You’ll get to thank him yourself. He’s flying in this afternoon.”

She sniffed, patted away her tears. “I can’t believe this.”

Jared wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off her feet as he swung her around.

“Believe it because we are getting married. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” He kissed her until childish giggles broke them apart.

“Come on, darling. The children are waiting for their egg hunt.”

She wiped her eyes, gave him a brave smile and laid her hand in his.

“Then let’s not disappoint the children.”

They’d chosen an egg hunt specifically as an illustration that would help the children understand the real meaning of Easter. Glory finished the story then encouraged each child to open their egg.

“I hope you’ll always remember the special gift God gave us at Easter.”

Bennie crawled up on her lap.

“What about your egg?” Bennie asked, big brown eyes shining.

She knelt, cuddled him close, the precious child she loved more than her own life.

“I guess I don’t have one.”

“Yes, you do. There.” He bent, pointed under her chair.

The “egg” was a handmade concoction of papier-mâché painted with soft pastels and tied with a silver ribbon. Her name glittered on top.

“Did you make this?” she asked, twisting and turning it to get a better look.

“No.” He shook his head but his gaze swiveled to meet Jared’s. “He did.”

“You’re not the only one who can do crafts,” Jared teased, a lambent glow lighting his blue eyes. “Open it, Glory.”

She untied the ribbon, traced the crack and gently pressed the egg apart. Inside, on a bed of plastic grass, sat a glittering engagement ring.

“Happy Easter, Glory.” Jared leaned forward to kiss her, laughed when Bennie insisted he needed a kiss, too.

One of the nurses shepherded the other children out of the room, leaving them alone.

Jared slid the band on her finger. “If you don’t like it I could—”

“Dream on. You’re not getting this back and you’re not reneging on marriage, Jared Steele, so don’t even think about it.”

“Who’s thinking?” He glanced around the ward, made a face. “This place isn’t exactly romantic. Can we get out of here?”

“In a second.” Glory called Bennie over, showed him her ring and explained they were to be married.

“Then Dr. Jared will be my daddy,” he whooped and took off racing across the room to spread the good news.

“We could adopt him, Glory.” Jared took her hand, led her outside, down to the beach. “After we’re married we could adopt him as our son.”

“I’d like that.”

They sealed the deal with a kiss.

“You seem pensive. Is anything wrong?”

“Well, there is something that’s been bothering me.”

“Tell me,” he encouraged, wrapping his arm around her waist as they watched darkness fall.

“I was thinking about our wedding.”

“I’ve never been to the Arctic. Will you show me the sights?”

“What about the children? They should be present. They are a part of us. How can I choose between here and there?”

“Why do you have to?” He touched her nose, traced her lips. “We’ll have two weddings. One here, one there.”

“Two? But that’s hardly usual.”

Jared burst out laughing. “My darling Glory, there is nothing usual about us. We’re hardly typical. Arctic and tropical.”

“I like husband and wife better,” she told him.

“Me, too.”