Legacy of the Dreams

Chapter 148 - A Minor Miracle

Susan awoke abruptly from her dream. She was still in the easy chair in Melody's hospital room and it was the middle of the night. Clearly she had been dreaming, but the dream was so vivid!

Susan sprang from the chair and hurried to Melody's bedside with the sound of her daughter's voice still in her head.

"Melody?" Susan said. "I'm here."

Melody's eyes didn't open, but her hand twitched.

"I know that you can hear me now. Try to sleep. Let the Lord heal you enough so you can speak to me. There are so many people who want to talk to you before you go with Azrael to return home. I understand now that you will stay in the heavens when you are home for good," Susan said.

"Momma," Melody whispered. It was very faint. After a heartbeat, Susan wasn't entirely certain she'd heard it.

She picked up her daughter's hand and held it. It twitched again. Susan leaned across the bed to hug her little girl, and Melody's hand closed over a lock of her hair.

"I love you with all my heart, my Angel. I was glad to have you here, to be your Mama, to have you live with us for a little while, but I know now that the Lord has been missing you. You've done his bidding while you were here and He is pleased. Azrael will be here soon. Tomorrow, maybe ... or maybe the day after," Susan said.

"Momma," Melody whispered in her ear.

Susan smiled. She released Melody's fingers from her hair then folded her hand across her chest so that she was holding her Raggedy Ann.

Melody took a deep shuddering breath. Her arm twitched so that she was holding Raggedy Ann close. She closed her eyes completely and she slept.

Susan glanced at the clock on the wall opposite the bed. It was 4:00 am Monday morning. Melody survived the night. The Lord promised another day, perhaps slightly more. Feeling more confident she wouldn't miss an opportunity to spend time with her, Susan went back to sleep in her chair. She would call Greg in the morning ... tell him about the dream. But for now, she and Melody would take the opportunity to rest.

c

Susan called Greg while he was on his way to his singing lesson the next morning with good news to report.

"She's awake?" Greg said in surprise.

"Not exactly. She's sleeping now, but it's a more normal kind of sleep. The medications are finally having an effect. Her fever is down. Dr. Bowers thinks the infection is under control. She's still fighting the cancer, but he thinks that's all at the moment. It should give her a day ... one more day to spend with us," Susan said.

Greg hesitated to reply. "Susan, does this have something to do with the dream you told me about first thing this morning?"

"Yes ... probably ... I don't know, but I think it does, Greg. I feel the Lord was speaking to me last night ... me and Melody. He's given her one more day to say goodbye ... maybe a little more," Susan said. "Should I call Julie and let her know?"

Greg didn't respond right away. "Maybe we should wait until she does wake up to do that."

"If you think that's best."

Greg could hear her voice fade from hope to disappointment as she replied. He couldn't tell just from talking to her if Susan's dream was just a dream, the work of her subconscious desire to talk to Melody once more, or if it was something more. Their dreams often were, but given the situation, reason told him to be cautious.

"I'll be there as soon as I can, Susan," Greg promised, and he hung up the phone.

Susan sighed as she sat beside Melody's bed. "Papa will be here after a while," she said. "Matt is coming too after class. Do you know, by Friday, he'll be finished with school? He'll have earned his degree, even if he doesn't have the parchment saying so in his hand. Won't that be nice? He's worked really hard to earn that."