Through the Storm

Chapter 2

When Shannon woke up, she could hear her daughter playing in her room. She got out of bed and walked over to Faith’s room and peeked inside. She was rocking her baby doll to sleep. Singing her a lullaby.

                She looked up at her and said, “Hi, Mommy.”

                “Hi, baby girl.”

                “Hey, Mommy, can I go outside and swing?” For a three-in-a-half year old, she was pretty good at pronouncing her words.

                “Yep.”

                When they were outside, Faith ran to the swing set. When Shannon made it to the swing set and was getting ready to push her daughter, Faith stopped her.

                “Nope. I wanna try to do it by myself so that I can show daddy when he comes home,” she said with a smile on her face.

                Shannon stopped and looked at her daughter. She didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t break it to her daughter now. Not when she looked so happy. So instead, she walked over to the porch and sat on the porch swing. What was she going to tell her daughter? She couldn’t tell her that daddy will never get to see you swing on the swing by yourself. That would just be mean.

                Tears started to swell up in her eyes. God, please get me through this. Give me strength and the words to tell Faith that her Daddy’s with You. Please, Lord, help me.

                 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

                Peace washed over her. The verse was from Philippians 4:13. That verse always reminded her that no matter what trial she faced, Christ would always be there and get her through it. Not only would He get her through it, but He would also give her strength to get through it.

                 Shannon let her daughter play outside for about thirty minutes and then she told her it was time to go inside. She needed to get supper started. Faith ran inside and went straight to her room. Shannon opened up the freezer door and pulled out the chicken breasts. She could here Faith talking to one of her dolls in the living room. The whole time Shannon was cooking supper she thought of different ways to tell Faith that her daddy had died.

                “Faith, suppers ready,” she yelled.

                Faith came skipping into the kitchen with a smile on her face. “Mommy, can I ask you something?” she said while climbing up into her chair.

                “Sure.”

                “Why are you sad?”

                “What do you mean?”

                “It’s just that when I woke up you seemed so sad. Is it something that I did?”

                “Oh, no, honey. Mommy just has a lot on her mind right now. O.K.” Shannon said. She didn’t plan on telling her daughter yet. Not at the kitchen table.

                “O.K.”

                Tracy didn’t understand. Why did Dr. Luis want to see her tomorrow? And why did he want Rick to come with her? Maybe it was back. No, that was ridiculous. They told her that there was only one in a hundred chance that it would come back. But then again one in a hundred really wasn’t that much.