The Truth Seeker (37 page)

Life was more powerful than death. She could feel it, the wonder of it, as she curled her toes just to enjoy the sensation of moving. Eternal life.

The promise had an incredible meaning having now come so close as to touch it.

She wanted to be able to hug the man and convince him to give She blinked as the sky changed colors and realized with surprise Sadness suddenly flooded through Lisa as her heart broke. So It was getting hard to breathe.

Lisa tried to rein back the emotions. Now wasn’t the time to give

She’d made a mistake, drawing a line in time and dealing with her past by pushing it all away. Faith was a choice. It was a decision. It had taken years to make, but in the end it was simple. Jesus was alive. She knew more about death than anyone should. Now it was time to learn about life—the abundant life Jesus had promised. Her curiosity was full blown. And Quinn was showing her the steady way it could flourish.

her a kissing lesson, to swat his arm for being late to find her, to replace his intense worry with a smile. She’d risk the words now, when she could say them. She’d risk I love you and not worry about his reaction.

He wouldn’t let her down.

that the dawn was grabbing the sky in a moment of time, turning it alive. She had seen it before but had never lain on her back and watched it happen. She’d missed something.

Jennifer said she liked waking early to watch the sunrise because dawn was the new day Jesus promised. A new day. A new life.

She understood now why Jennifer was so confident in spite of the circumstances. She was holding on to Jesus. And He was still healing today, bringing life, restoring hope. Jennifer needed a breath of new life and she’d sought the One who could give it. Jennifer had brought a miracle to the O’Malleys by stepping out to believe.

many years had been lost. I’m sorry, Lord. I got so angry at Kate for bugging me about You when she was just trying to love me. Is she going to forgive me?

way to the emotions. Not yet. The swamping sensation across her chest was more than just emotional, it was physical. She was losing her ability to breathe.

Quinn’s face reappeared, swimming across her vision. “Enough.” It was a curt order, and she could hear the fear underneath it. He wiped at her tears. “Calm down, Lisa.”

Lisa locked her gaze on his. Jesus, he prayed for me in the hospital and the pain eased. I’m the one asking this time.

Quinn suddenly leaned across her and the world filled with noise and wind. It was a sound she had heard many times in the past. At least she would be awake for this helicopter ride. Quinn leaned back and she got her first glimpse of the red and white markings on the helicopter —they’d called in one of the Chicago trauma teams.

Marcus appeared in her line of sight. His hand gripped hers. She wished she had the strength to return the grip. “Ten minutes, Lizzy, and you’ll be fussed over by the experts. Stephen and Quinn are coming with you. Kate and I will meet you there. I’ve got to deal with Christopher first. He’s got a hangover that is making getting straight answers out of him impossible.”

At least Christopher was still alive. She was incredibly relieved at that. She blinked slowly to let him know she understood.

“Good girl.” He looked at the paramedic. “Get her out of here.”

Quinn was praying.

Lisa angled her hand on the hospital bed toward his, nudging his first finger up with hers. It was about the extent of her energy. It was such a blessing to know the man was consistent through thick and thin.

He looked up. The relief that crossed his face was incredible.

“Welcome back.”

She blinked slowly in reply. She was in the ICU on a trachea respirator.

That fact registered slowly. She was relieved to have the help to breathe. Her stressed body hurt.

He looked so tired.

She smiled with her eyes and carefully, just a glimmer, with her

Quinn reached across her for the buzzer. She wished he hadn’t done that.

He gently brushed the back of his hand against her cheek.

“Everything is going to be fine, Lizzy. I promise.” She held his gaze, searching to see if the reassurance was forced but found only calm confidence.

mouth, for any movement that caused the trachea respirator to shift would hurt. Stephen had done a good job, but he’d been forced to work in the field, and it had been fast surgery.

Quinn smiled back. “I’ve been praying for you to wake up. Sorry.

I know you need the sleep, but it’s so good to see your pretty eyes.”

That Montana drawl over tenderness

she loved listening to it.

“Lisa, I’m Dr. Paulson.” She shifted just her eyes. The man was smiling at her. “You’ve slept away about twenty-two hours now. How are you feeling?” She decided she liked the patient voice.

She closed her eyes, then opened them. All things considered, she wasn’t feeling too bad.

“The swelling has been going down since you arrived. Did you know you were allergic to turpentine?”

She wrinkled her forehead.

“That choke hold started the swelling, but the turpentine aggravated things.”

No wonder she’d panicked when she smelled it. Her subconscious would have been screaming a warning as the smell enveloped her.

“Everything is going to heal just fine. You won’t have more than a faint scar when this is over.” He checked the monitor behind her.

“You’re reading at percent oxygen in the blood. Would you like to try breathing on your own for a moment, get a feel for how you’re doing?”

She blinked several times, and his smile widened. “I thought you might.” He squeezed her hand. “I hear you make a lousy patient, wanting to play at being your own doctor, so listen carefully to the real doctor —that’s me.” She wanted to laugh but couldn’t.

“This might make you a little dizzy,” he said gently. “That’s normal.

The swelling is down, but it will go down a lot more in another twelve hours. It’s still going to feel like you’re struggling to get air. I’m going to keep you on the trach respirator until the morning regardless, so don’t try to prove you’re fine. I know better. Still want to try this?”

She blinked more slowly.

With a smooth movement, the doctor disconnected the respirator and covered her trachea. “Breathe for me.”

It burned, her airways were so swollen, but she was able to get her first natural breath. She took another breath, as deep as she could, and felt the relief.

“Very good.” He let her stay off a minute, watching the equipment behind her. “Okay, just relax.” Moments later the respirator was breathing for her again.

The doctor wiped her eyes. “You held at percent oxygen. By tomorrow, you’ll be left with a sore throat, a headache, and my bill.”

She had a comedian for a doctor. Quinn chuckled for her.

She squeezed one finger of the doctor’s hand in thanks.

“Get some sleep,” Dr. Paulson advised.

She had more important things to do at the moment. She turned her gaze back toward Quinn. Two minutes ago he’d looked tired, every one of his years; now

his relaxed, comfortable smile was back as he lifted her left hand and slowly entwined their fingers. “I brought you candy corn and sweet water taffy, but I had to use them to bribe the nurses so I could stay.”

He was staying. She’d been afraid he would take the doctor’s word as gospel and leave her to sleep.

“The family is out in the waiting room.” He looked at her, his expression turning serious. “I hope you don’t mind. I asked to be the one to stay.”

She loved him for it. She wanted so badly to be able to talk, to With a frown, Quinn got up and leaned over to try and hear.

“I’m sorry, Lizzy. I don’t understand.”

The worry in his voice

It hurt too much to try and say the words She let her smile bloom not caring that it hurt. Quinn’s hand had

share the decision she had made. It would matter to him, and she didn’t want to wait until tomorrow. Jesus, just a couple words. Please. It matters. She struggled to form the words.

again. She closed her eyes, trying to think of something else, and felt him brush the back of his fingers across her cheek. She couldn’t even turn her head to press against his hand in appreciation. It was frustrating.

She opened her eyes, locked her gaze with his, and used most of the energy she had to lift her hand. She pointed. He’d left his Bible on the table beside his chair.

“The water?”

She kept pointing.

“The card? The Bible?”

She blinked fast.

“The Bible. Okay.” He reached for it and she closed her eyes, relieved. She heard him sit back down. He moved the chair closer. Now what? She opened her eyes. He solved her problem by lifting her hand and setting the Bible on the bed. The item she sought she found by touch. The folded piece of paper was still inside the front cover where she had placed it when he let her borrow the Bible. She put it in his hand and rolled his fingers around it, the paper crumbling. She smiled at him.

It was a simple message. And he’d always been a smart man. She wasn’t expecting to see him blink away sudden moisture in his eyes. “It makes sense?”

a fine tremor in it as he intertwined his fingers with hers. This time when she managed to say a couple words they were clear enough to understand. “I believe.”

He laughed, squeezed her hand, leaned close, and just smiled at her. She could drown in those fascinating eyes. “I’m glad.”

She had so much to say and no way to say it. About faith. Andy.

What she had thought during the darkness as she waited for him to come.

He turned their joined hands and kissed the back of her hand.

“Who cares if it’s hardly the appropriate place,” he said abruptly. “I love Only Quinn. She looked at him and silently formed the words I you. And if you walk into trouble like that again

”

love you too.

“You’re turning into a Jennifer on me.” He wiped the tears, looked frustrated when the Kleenex turned soggy before her eyes were dry, then reached over to retrieve the box. “Did you really have to spoil my big speech? I’ve been practicing it for weeks.”

She caught his wrist, the power and strength in it impressive, wanting to laugh, yet having to settle for a gentle tug to bring him down to her.

The kiss was a brush when she wanted a real one. “Tomorrow.” It was a promise. He wrapped his fingers through hers. “Be good, and I’ll stay here to see the dawn with you.”

She closed her eyes. This was what it felt like to be treasured. And it felt good.

“I think I kind of like you being forced to whisper for a while.”

In the last three days she’d learned to be quite expressive with her body language. Lisa caught Quinn’s shirt collar with her fingers and tugged him down toward her. “Hear this whispered shout. You’re heading toward trouble.”

He laughed softly and kissed her. She leaned into it, loving it, then she regretfully pulled back. “Don’t take away my breath.”

“You take away mine.”

It was a lovely compliment. She had napped on the flight back to Jesus was so good. She’d found her verse, the one she remembered

the ranch. Quinn had invited all the O’Malleys to come out for a long weekend at the ranch. Jennifer and Tom had arrived the day before.

She couldn’t wait to see them. She wanted to hug Jennifer.

from her childhood, in Psalm :. It was her verse, claimed and held tight. “He brought me forth into a broad place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.”

She hated to memorize, and the three-by-five card had been plastered to her bathroom mirror to help her out. It was the delighted part that had thrilled her as a child, and as an adult she appreciated it even more. Delight was a powerful word, and yet it could barely do justice in describing the depth of emotions she felt toward God. To know He felt the same about her was priceless.

Lisa slid her hand comfortably around Quinn’s forearm. “Where’s my dog?”

“Your dog, huh? I thought we were going to share.”

Marcus had driven down from the ranch house to meet the plane.

He opened the back door of the jeep and Old Blue jumped down and shook himself. Quinn whistled, and the dog came trotting over, ignored him, and nearly knocked her over. She knelt down to return the affection.

“Traitor.”

She tilted her head to look up at Quinn and laughed at his amused disgust.

She straightened and slid her arm around his waist. “We’ll get you your own dog.”

He tugged at a lock of her hair. “I have a feeling every animal on the ranch is going to become a pet. Just don’t make a pet of my horse.”

“Now that’s impossible. He blows on me and I fall over.”

“Lizzy, before we get up to the house: You do realize Dave is carrying an engagement ring for Kate.”

She leaned against him to whisper the truth. “I talked her into saying yes.”

“Did you?”

She nodded. She was proud of herself. Payback. She had owed her sister a big one, and she’d been able to deliver. Kate nervous

she hadn’t known her sister had it in her to get cold feet. But she had.

It had taken just a few carefully chosen whispered words. “You were right about Jesus. I’m right about Dave. Get off the fence.” Lisa was still doing a little private dancing that she’d been able to push Kate so smoothly back on track. Although it had probably helped that Kate wanted an excuse to be pushed.

“Let’s go to the house.” Lizzy snapped her fingers and Old Blue fell in beside her as she walked to the jeep. She wanted to see Jack.

There were now two groups within the O’Malleys—those who believed and those who didn’t. It was time to close the deal with Jack, Stephen, and Rachel. It was Lisa’s new mission in life. She now understood the passion that drove Kate, Marcus, and Jennifer, that burning desire to share the Good News. Lisa wanted to grab Jack’s arm and drag him to church. Kate had laughed at that pronouncement and turned the tables, pulled her back, and reminded her rather bluntly how Lisa had reacted when pushed too hard. Lisa knew Jack. It would just take some creativity. Jack was a challenge. She was ready for a challenge.