Far Country (65 page)

           
They got off the elevator and she led them through the doors to ICU, as if she
worked there. The nurse on duty looked up with a frown on her face, ready to
scatter the invaders, but as soon as she saw Deborah, her face broke into a
smile, and she nodded at Steve and Kelly as if she knew who they were. She put
a finger to her lips and pointed to the third window. Deborah nodded and
whispered excitedly to her friends.

           
Of course, we thanked God for that miracle, but this morning, we got another one!
Look in there!”

           
Kelly and Steve peered into the room where they could see Pete, still and pale
on the bed, a half a dozen tubes protruding from different parts of his body.
Seated on his left was his father, Andre Bergen, still wearing his tuxedo. But
there on his right was a middle aged woman. Her dark hair was streaked with
gray and her large brown eyes seemed to be fixed on every breath that Pete
drew. Steve studied her features and read hunger there. Hunger mixed with love
and regret.

           
“Is it his mother?” He asked in wonder, glancing hopefully at Deborah. She
nodded, the happiness bubbling from her soul as she watched her new

husband and his family.

           
“It seems that the idea she might lose her second son to a gun as well broke
something loose in her heart.  She got here a couple of hours ago, and
hasn’t let go of his hand since.”

           
“What did Pete say when he saw her?” Kelly asked Deborah in awe at the sight.

           
“He doesn’t know yet,” Deborah whispered gleefully. “They have him pretty
heavily medicated. But she’s going to be the first person he sees when he opens
his eyes.  God is so good!”  Deborah’s eyes shone with happiness.

           
They took the elevator back to the ground floor, and Deborah led the way to the
waiting room. As he rounded the corner, Steve saw Gracie, standing impatiently
in the door watching for him.

           
“Daddy!” She screeched joyfully as he came around the corner. Her face lit up
and she raced down the hall, flinging herself into his arms and wrapping her
arms so tightly around his neck that he had to struggle for a breath.

           
Steve held her tightly against his chest, realizing that more tears were
sliding down his cheeks. He looked up to see his mother, the Grahams and the
Boltons
, all their face lit with joy and relief to have him
back safe. Robert Graham strode forward, his eyes brimming with unshed tears of
relief. He wrapped Steve and Gracie in his strong arms and sighed.  “It is
good to have you home at last, son.” He muttered gruffly, finally stepping back
and clapping Steve on the shoulder.

           
And then his mother was holding him and crying, and Lee Ann and even poor
Richard, his face misshapen from the swelling and gauze, gathered around Steve
and Kelly, with genuine smiles of welcome and relief to see that they were
safe.

           
It
had
been a long journey back, he thought suddenly. Six long years!
And through it all, Reverend Graham had prayed for him, and his mother had
waited for him. Even the Bolton’s had cared enough about him to be angry that
he had never come back to grieve with them.  People he’d never even met
had taken time to pray for his safe return. Now he stood here, surrounded by
family, friends, a woman who would soon be his wife, and a daughter he’d come
to love more than life.

           
How awesome to know that even when he’d been alone in a far country, God had
prepared a place for him and called him back by name.
     

           
Almost as if she knew what he was thinking, Kelly leaned forward and rested her
head on his shoulder. Steve rested his cheek on hers for a moment and let out a
long slow sigh.

           
He looked down and found Gracie watching his face with her huge gray eyes, so
like her mothers’ that he could almost believe that she was there in the room
with them.

           
“It took you a long time to come home!” She told him reproachfully, snuggling
contentedly against his shoulder.

           
 “I’m sorry, Gracie,” he comforted his daughter. But I’m back now.”

           
And he was.