The Look Of Hope

Chapter 13: Miracles Part 2

Life is fragile. Trauma leaves disorder and disruption in its wake. Some people survive and talk about it. Others go silent, while still others create. Everyone deals with pain in their own way. 

While some people look calm on the outside and sit quietly. For others, it's a swelling storm brewing. It does good to remember the ocean. How vast, how calm, how furious, in different places. While somewhere the waves are calm, in another place they're the size of a towering wall. 

The minute Bobby saw his wife's eyes gazing at him, the floodgates opened. All the emotions he had withheld, burst forth. He buried his head on her hospital mattress. Careful, gentle fingers, slowly brushed over his hair. Even with a sprained wrist, and tired body, she still showed love.

He cried until he couldn't cry anymore. It came out in dry heaves. "Shhh," he heard her raspy voice say. She needs water. His head shot up and searched the room. Not finding any, he buzzed the nurse. 

She came in and saw an awakened Mary. The nurse immediately called for the doctor and brought her some water. Less than four minutes later, Dr. Smith stepped inside. He shooed Bobby out, while he examined his patient. He told him it would be about fifteen or so minutes. 

His friends were currently with Jimmy, so Bobby went to the only place he could think of.  With silence, he launched himself into the hospital chapel. Reverently he staggered to the front and knelt down. Sitting felt too disrespectful for what he needed to say. 

It's funny because he interns at a church, yet he's never really spoken to God as he did in his younger days. Sure he does churchy things and knows churchy words, but speaking to God himself...well that's a different story. Yet, he felt the need to give thanks. 

Kneeling he bowed his head. With no one else around, he spoke out loud. "God it's me, Bobby." He thought it's a good start but then realized there must be millions of Bobby's around the world. So, he added "Brown, Bobby Brown here. God, I know I haven't spoken to you as I should. I know I've neglected it. But God, my wife was in a car accident with her friend today." He got choked up. "My wife is my life. And I just... I want to thank you. You didn't have to save her, but you did. You're so good to do this, not for me but for my baby girl. She needs her mother. I need her too, but she needs her more." 

He wiped at his eyes with his shirt. The tears kept coming as he thought about his baby. He kept speaking to God in his heart and giving thanks. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he looked up. Johnny is there. 

Standing up, they both moved to a pew. "How's Mary?" Johnny inquired. He wanted to know.

Struggling to compose himself, Bobby answered him. "She woke up a bit ago. The doctor is in with her now. I came here while he's there examining her." Wiping at his eyes again, he said "She's awake and she's alive. That's all that matters. I thought I had lost her Man. I thought..." He buried his head in his hands. 

Johnny cried too. He pulled his brother in for a hug. They hugged and cried together. After a bit, they pulled away and dried their eyes. "Do you want to know how Jimmy is?"

"Yeah. How's Gwen? I haven't been able to think of anything but Mary," Bobby stated. 

Sighing, Johnny detailed the other couple. "It's sad Man, really heartbreaking. Gwen is unconscious. She flatlined when they brought her in. She's stable now, but both legs are broken. Her lungs were punctured which they repaired and her knee is dislocated. That's not the worst though." His tears returned.