sigh, she sank back against her pillow and stole a few extra moments under the downy warmth of the fluffy comforter. In the past seventy-two hours, she was lucky if she’d managed more than twelve hours of fitful slumber. She hadn’t been able to find a comfortable sleeping position in the bus on the way to Washington. But she’d figured she’d be so tired after standing for hours in the cold that she’d have no problem sleeping Saturday night on the way home.
However, that theory was never put to the test. Because only a couple of hours into their return journey they’d had to pull into a truck stop when light snow suddenly turned into a blizzard. And they’d been stuck there until Sunday morning. They hadn’t gone hungry, but sleep was difficult. When they’d finally resumed their trip, many of the people were so exhausted that they slept all day. But by that time, A.J.’s hip was feeling the effects of the march, the cold and the confined conditions. She’d had to keep standing to prevent her muscles from cramping.
A.J. didn’t normally think much about the accident and its aftereffects. But today it was hard not to, when her hip was throbbing so painfully. Carefully, she turned over and scrunched her pillow under her head. Even after eight years, the nightmare was still vivid in her mind. She closed her eyes, swallowing as the memories engulfed her, willing her frantic pulse to slow.
Dear Lord, please stay with me, she prayed. Please see me through this dark moment, like You always do. Help me to feel Your care and Your love. To know that I’m not alone. Help me to be strong and to accept Your will, even when I don’t understand it. To trust in You and not be afraid. Help me deal with the pain and the loneliness. Let me feel the warmth of Your presence, especially today, when I am hurting and the memories are so vivid.
Slowly, A.J.’s breathing returned to normal and she gradually released the comforter that was bunched in her fists. It had been a long time since the pain had been so stark. Not just the pain from her hip, but the pain of loss. For a few moments it had felt so fresh, so intense, so raw. Prompted, she was sure, by the bus trip this weekend and the blizzard. But she’d get through this. God hadn’t deserted her before. He wouldn’t now. She might be exhausted and hurting and shaken by the flood of memories, but she’d been through worse. Far worse. She could make it through today.
And tomorrow would be better.
By Wednesday, A.J. had caught up on some sleep, and the burning pain in her hip had diminished to a dull throb. She was beginning to feel human again.
But Blake didn’t see it that way. He’d been watching her since her return, and she didn’t look good. There were dark smudges under her eyes, and she was limping. But she’d brushed off his careful questions, assuring him she was fine. Obviously, she wasn’t going to talk.
But he figured Nancy might. A.J. confided in her. So she was his best source for information.
“Blake, when you have a minute could you help me move that box in the back that just came in? I need to check on a special order for a customer, and it’s blocking the computer.”
He turned to Nancy. Perfect timing. “Sure. Be right there.”
When Blake joined her, she gave him an apologetic look. “Sorry to interrupt you while you were with a customer. Normally I would have asked A.J. But I didn’t want to bother her. She still looks so tired.”
“Yeah, I noticed. What happened?”
“Didn’t she tell you? They ran into a snowstorm on the way back to St. Louis and had to spend Saturday night in a truck stop. So they drove all day Sunday to get home. I doubt she had much sleep from Friday morning to Sunday night.”
That explained the dark circles under her eyes. But what about the limp?
“Did she hurt her leg on the trip?”
“Not that I know of. Why?”
“Haven’t you noticed her limping?”
“No. Is she?”
He shrugged.
However, that theory was never put to the test. Because only a couple of hours into their return journey they’d had to pull into a truck stop when light snow suddenly turned into a blizzard. And they’d been stuck there until Sunday morning. They hadn’t gone hungry, but sleep was difficult. When they’d finally resumed their trip, many of the people were so exhausted that they slept all day. But by that time, A.J.’s hip was feeling the effects of the march, the cold and the confined conditions. She’d had to keep standing to prevent her muscles from cramping.
A.J. didn’t normally think much about the accident and its aftereffects. But today it was hard not to, when her hip was throbbing so painfully. Carefully, she turned over and scrunched her pillow under her head. Even after eight years, the nightmare was still vivid in her mind. She closed her eyes, swallowing as the memories engulfed her, willing her frantic pulse to slow.
Dear Lord, please stay with me, she prayed. Please see me through this dark moment, like You always do. Help me to feel Your care and Your love. To know that I’m not alone. Help me to be strong and to accept Your will, even when I don’t understand it. To trust in You and not be afraid. Help me deal with the pain and the loneliness. Let me feel the warmth of Your presence, especially today, when I am hurting and the memories are so vivid.
Slowly, A.J.’s breathing returned to normal and she gradually released the comforter that was bunched in her fists. It had been a long time since the pain had been so stark. Not just the pain from her hip, but the pain of loss. For a few moments it had felt so fresh, so intense, so raw. Prompted, she was sure, by the bus trip this weekend and the blizzard. But she’d get through this. God hadn’t deserted her before. He wouldn’t now. She might be exhausted and hurting and shaken by the flood of memories, but she’d been through worse. Far worse. She could make it through today.
And tomorrow would be better.
By Wednesday, A.J. had caught up on some sleep, and the burning pain in her hip had diminished to a dull throb. She was beginning to feel human again.
But Blake didn’t see it that way. He’d been watching her since her return, and she didn’t look good. There were dark smudges under her eyes, and she was limping. But she’d brushed off his careful questions, assuring him she was fine. Obviously, she wasn’t going to talk.
But he figured Nancy might. A.J. confided in her. So she was his best source for information.
“Blake, when you have a minute could you help me move that box in the back that just came in? I need to check on a special order for a customer, and it’s blocking the computer.”
He turned to Nancy. Perfect timing. “Sure. Be right there.”
When Blake joined her, she gave him an apologetic look. “Sorry to interrupt you while you were with a customer. Normally I would have asked A.J. But I didn’t want to bother her. She still looks so tired.”
“Yeah, I noticed. What happened?”
“Didn’t she tell you? They ran into a snowstorm on the way back to St. Louis and had to spend Saturday night in a truck stop. So they drove all day Sunday to get home. I doubt she had much sleep from Friday morning to Sunday night.”
That explained the dark circles under her eyes. But what about the limp?
“Did she hurt her leg on the trip?”
“Not that I know of. Why?”
“Haven’t you noticed her limping?”
“No. Is she?”
He shrugged.
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