Reckless and Brave

XV. Don't Fear The Reaper (Part II)

Roy, Dean, and Holly were sitting on the couches and Sue Ann stood to fill a glass.

Dean said, "We feel great. Just trying to, you know, make sense of what happened."

Sue Ann smiled at the siblings. "A miracle is what happened. Well, miracles come so often around Roy."

Dean turned to Roy. "When did they start? The miracles."

Roy smiled. "Woke up one morning, stone blind. Doctors figured out I had cancer. Told me I had maybe a month. So, uh, we prayed for a miracle. I was weak, but I told Sue Ann, 'You just keep right on praying'. I went into a coma. Doctors said I wouldn't wake up, but I did. And the cancer was gone."

Roy took off his glasses to reveal white eyes. "If it wasn't for these eyes, no one would believe I'd ever had it."

Holly said, "And suddenly you could heal people ."

Roy nodded. "I discovered it afterward, yes. God's blessed me in many ways."

Sue Ann spoke again. "And his flock swelled overnight. And this is just the beginning."

"Can I ask you one last question?" Dean wondered.

"Of course you can." Roy answered.

"Why? Why me? Why her? Out of all the sick people, why save us?"

"Well, like I said before, the Lord guides me. I looked into your hearts, and you two just stood out from the rest."

"What did you see in our hearts?"

"A young man and a young woman with an important purpose. A job to do. And it isn't finished."

Holly tilted her head slightly. "I get the feeling that you usually save one person. Not two. So why did you heal me, as well as Dean?"

Roy turned to her. "I wasn't planning on it, but God told me that it wasn't your time to die. You still have a purpose in this life."

They left Roy's house and saw Layla and her mom outside. Layla smiled at them. "Dean, Holly, hey."

"Hey." Dean and Holly said.

"How are you two feeling?"

Holly shrugged. "Pretty good, I suppose. Cured."

Dean nodded, agreeing with her. "What are you doing here?"

Layla smiled. "You know, my mom, she wanted to talk to the reverend."

Sue Ann walked onto the porch and called, "Layla?"

Layla answered softly, "Yes, I'm here again."

"Well, I'm sorry, but Roy is resting. He won't be seeing anyone else right now."

Layla's mom frowned. "Sue Ann, please. This is our sixth time. He's got to see us."

"Roy is well aware of Layla's situation. And he very much wants to help, just as soon as the Lord allows. Have faith, Mrs. Rourke."

Mrs. Rourke narrowed her eyes at the siblings. "Why are you two still even here? You two got what you wanted."

"Mom. Stop." Layla protested.

"No, Layla, this is too much. We've been to every single service. If Roy would stop choosing these strangers over you. Strangers who don't even believe. I just can't pray any harder."

Dean turned to her. "Layla, what's wrong?"

Layla's voice wavered. "I have this thing..."

"It's a brain tumor." Mrs. Rourke interrupted. "It's inoperable. In six months, the doctors say..."