Saving Grace | ✓

Chapter Eleven

{ Chapter Eleven }

I kneel beside my sister's hospital bed, watching her body. She hasn't moved an inch in the past few hours. All I can hear is the beeping of the machines and my heartbeat in my ears. She has been unconscious for two days now.

I sigh, running a hand through my hair, and sink back into my chair. My hand mindlessly runs across my belly. Caleb walks in and touches my shoulder lightly. "You should go home and get some rest. Take a shower, get something to eat besides hospital food. She'll be fine, I promise."

I shake my head, keeping my eyes on Alexis's face. "I can't leave her again. I promised I wouldn't. How could you even think that I would leave her alone and unprotected here with all these doctors?"

"There would be people here with-"

"No." I say sternly. "I'm not going anywhere."

Caleb sighs. "Fine." I hear a door open and close behind me.

As soon as he is gone, I sigh loudly and rub my face with my hands. It's going to be a long day.

The door opens again and Preacher Miles walks in. His mouth stretches into a smile when he sees me. "Ah, Miss Grace. Hi."

"What do you want?" I ask.

"I also work as the pastor here in the chapel. I always go around and personally visit patients." He explains.

"Well, she won't want to hear anything you have to say. So leave before she-"

"Grace." I hear a soft groan. I turn around and see Alexis awake, blinking slowly. "Let him stay."

"But, sweetheart-"

"Grace." She whispers again, shutting me up. She smiles weakly at the pastor. "Hello."

"Hi, princess. Your name is Alexis, am I correct?"

She nods.

"My name is Pastor Miles. Would you like to talk with me about Jesus?"

"Sure." She says. He drags a chair over beside mine and opens his Bible. "Are you saved, pretty girl?"

My sister shrugs. "I don't know."

"Well, my favorite verse is-"

The door to Alexis's hospital room opens and a doctor walks in. "Pastor Miles."

The preacher stands with a groan and nods. "Doctor." He slips a small brown Bible - identical to mine - out of his pocket and lays it beside Alexis. "Read this, okay? We'll talk later."

"Bye." Alexis says weakly. The preacher leaves and the doctor smiles at us.

"It seems that all that was wrong is that you were dehydrated, Miss Alexis. You will be put on a special diet, but besides that nothing will change. Drink two liters of water and then you may go home." He smiles, shakes our hands, and walks out.

-

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-

I walk into my room and see Alexis curled in a ball on my bed. "Hey, sweetheart." I say quietly. She turns her head and smiles. "I brought you a sandwich."

"I'm not hungry." She shrugs, hugging me. "Thanks though."

I nod slowly, watching as she turns back to her book. It is a book Eliza got for her a few days ago. According to the back cover, it is about a young princess who escapes from the kingdom in search of her real parents and falls in love with a wanted man.

"Is that book good?" I ask softly. When I don't get an answer, I lean over her body to see her face. Her eyes are closed and she is breathing softly; she fell asleep.

I take the book from her hands and lay it on the table beside the bed. Kissing her cheek briefly, I close my bedroom door after me and go to find Caleb.

I knock on his door with my knuckles. After a few second, it swings open and he is standing in front of me, shirtless.

"Oh." I say, stepping back.

"Hi." He says, his voice lower than normal. He must have been asleep.

"Hi." I squeak.

"What's wrong?" He asks, his eyebrows coming together.

I shake my head and lean against the wall, suddenly breathless. "Nothing."

"Here, come sit down." He lays a hand on the small of my back and leads me inside his bedroom. The walls are a cream color, some posters and a bulletin board covered in photos hanging on the wall. A TV sits in the corner with a few controllers and a game console. His bed has a simple black bedspread and a guitar lays on top.

Caleb grabs the guitar and sets in on the floor before ushering me to his bed. "Sit."

I do as I am told, closing my eyes for a few seconds to catch my breath. My hand rubs over my belly.

"Are you okay?" He asks, leaning against the wall.

I nod and lean back. "Yeah. Now."

"So what's wrong?"

I shake my head. "I'm worried about Alexis."

"Why?"

"She isn't eating. She's puked four times since she got home, and she fell asleep talking to me just a minute ago. It's not like her." I explain.

"She's recovering." He says sincerely. "She'll get better in a few days."

I nod slowly, watching the floor. "Sure. Of course."

-

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-

The familiar building stands tall in front of me. I sigh, pulling on the handle, and walk in. Pastor Miles is pacing the stage, speaking. I catch a few words here and there.

"Now in this passage, a poor woman hears that Jesus is in town nearby. It states that she is a very sinful woman. When she hears the news, she- Oh, Grace. I didn't notice you there."

I nod, sitting down on a pew a few rows back. "Keep going."

He grabs his Bible and sits beside me. "Is everything okay, Miss Grace?"

I sigh, shaking my head. "No. Not exactly."

"What is it?"

"I'm worried about my sister." I blurt out. "Alexis. She's really sick. She's only been home for a few hours and she's already vomited four times. She fell asleep just talking to me, and doing anything drains her energy like a battery. I'm scared that something will happen to her and I won't be there with her."

The preacher nods slowly, staring at our shoes. "Well, you certainly have a problem on your hands. But I'm no doctor. I-"

"I don't want a doctor!" I interrupt him, angry. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and begin again. "I know God don't care about me. But I know he cares about her. I need you to pray for her. Talk to her about God, the Bible. She needs help."

He smiles at me. "As I said, I'm no doctor. But I am a preacher. Would you like to pray now?"

I shake my head quickly, but his eyes are already closed. 

"Dear Lord, I thank you that you brought Grace here with me into Your house. Thank You for giving us another waking day. I ask that You will bring peace to Grace and calm her nerves as Alexis recovers. I pray that You will lay a hand upon her and heal her that she may do Your works. Alexis is a bright young girl with a unique spirit. If You would make her better, we would be eternally grateful. All these things we ask in Your mighty name, amen."

I watch Pastor Miles as he raises his head and opens his eyes, smiling. "God is here today. His spirit fills the room we are in."

I blink a few times, looking around, before saying, "So, is he going to help her?"

He smiles. "I truly believe that He will bless your sister with a long extraordinary life."

I grin, sighing. "Thank you." To my shock, I wrap my arms around him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."