Love in Healing

Chapter 10 (Continued)

"International model Chandra Moore found in her apartment this morning beaten within an inch of her life! The alleged suspect is none other than the model she had been going out for several months now Luigi. She was found by her colleague Marco who she told that she would be going back to get some things. Apparently Luigi had been there waiting for her and did not take the fact that she told him it was over very well! Ms. Moore was rushed to an undisclosed hospital in New York but we do not have any update on her condition!"

Pastor Gary Mitchell read and reread the report and felt as if everything in his body was shattering into tiny pieces! it was Friday and he was supposed to be somewhere but he could not for the life of him remember where! With trembling hands he searched for his phone and dialed Caroline's number.

"I was just about to call you," the girl's voice sounded shattered.

"Where is she?"

Caroline told him.

"How bad?"

"They are not telling me over the phone. I am going to her now."

"I will pick you up. Where are you?"

"I am at home. Marco called me."
"I will be right there."

"Thanks Pastor Gary."

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Caroline kept looking at his profile. He had not said anything to her since he picked her up and his expression was unreadable. Her sister had ran away from this beautiful man and ended up with a prick who beat her maybe to death! Caroline turned and looked at the passing scenery. It was May and the smell of flowers in bloom permeated the air. But that did not make an impression on her. Her sister had ended up in the hospital again because of her lifestyle. When Marco had called her and told her she had lashed out at him.

"This is on you!" she had screamed at him. "You came here dangling some glamorous lifestyle in her face and got her to leave. If she dies I will never forgive you."
"You are right," he had told her quietly. "I will never forgive myself either."

"Do you still love her?" Caroline asked quietly.

He did not turn to look at her but kept his eyes on the road. She wished she knew what he was thinking. "Does one ever really stop loving a person?" he asked softly.

"I suppose not."

He did not respond but continued driving.
"She left you and hooked up with another man." she saw the tightening of his hands on the steering wheel.

"That she did."

"You are not going to answer the question are you?"

"No," he smiled at her briefly. "Because I think you already know the answer."

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"You can speak in front of him. He is our pastor," Caroline told the doctors.

The eldest nodded his head. "She has several broken bones and contusions all over her body. She also has several broken ribs and her nose was broken. The good thing is that her eyes are intact but she sustained bruises all over her face. She is still unconscious and we are waiting until the swelling goes down to operate. I am afraid she will never be the same again. This man had a lot of rage and he took it out on her."
"She is going to be okay?"

"Physically yes. It is going to take several weeks before she can even be moved. I am sorry."

"Can she be transferred?" Caroline asked him.

He looked at her in surprise.

"We have some of the best doctors here Ms. Moore."
"I am sure you do but it would be nearer to our home and where we can visit her whenever we can."
"It will be a week before she can be moved."

"Thank you."

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"He is in custody," Marco looked at the silent man sitting in the corner of the waiting room a little apprehensively. he had not said a word since they had been there the past two hours. "He surrendered himself to the police so it is all cut and dried."

"it is not cut and dried. he almost killed my sister!" Caroline told him coldly. "You knew he was abusive?"
"I knew a little about his dark side and I tried to warn Chan about it but she would not listen." he glanced over at Gary again. He hit her and she asked if she could come and stay with me. I should have gone over there with her-"
"You should have," Gary said coolly as he got to his feet. "You were the one who wanted her to come here and you did not look out for her. I need some coffee," his blue eyes were wintry as he looked at them both before leaving.

"I have a feeling he wants to run me through with a pointed sword." Marco said a little wryly. He was still trying to get his wits together after seeing Chandra in a crumpled heap on the floor in her bedroom with blood all over her face. He had stood there staring at her still form and had thought to himself that surely she could never be alive.

"I want to murder you myself but most of all I want to skin that son of a bitch who did this to her."
"Get in line sister." he said grimly.

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"I have to get back," Caroline told him fretfully. It had been four days since they had made the trip but she had her work piling up on her and she was supposed to be in court tomorrow. Chandra had done the surgery but she was still in a medically induced coma. She would be transferred to their local hospital over the weekend.

"I will stay." Gary said quietly.

"Are you sure?" she looked at him in surprise. "People are going to start talking."
"Let them. I am not leaving her."

"You love her very much don't you?"

He shrugged. "Take the car. I will find my way back."
"Thank you," she said quietly as she reached out and touched his arm lightly.

"It's nothing."

When she left he took up his position by her bed and he read to her. he did not only read the Bible but he found some Shakespeare from the library and read to her. And he talked about what had been happening in the community. "Sister Jean died a month ago. You remember her don't you?" he looked up from his book and looked at her face swathed with bandages. She had been the most beautiful woman he had ever met! The doctors had worked on her as best they could but he was sure there were going to be scars but more than the physical ones there will be the ones inside! "How could you allow him to do this to you?" he said suddenly. "I love you so much and I would much rather cut off my right hand than hurt a hair on your head. Why didn't you see that?" he whispered agonizingly.

His mother had called the other night just as he went into his hotel room.

"How is she?"

"She is recovery but still in a coma."

"You are with her."

"Of course."

She had paused. "What are you going to say to her darling?"

"I am going to make sure she is okay and then get on with my life."
"You and I both know that won't be possible."

"I have to make it possible Mother. She left me and went to him."
"And you are mad."
"You are damned right!" he had told her heatedly.

"She is going to need you darling."
"I will be praying for her."

Now he looked down at her and he felt tears clouding his eyes.

"I can't forgive you."