walked to her car, she felt a burden lift from her shoulders.
She was glad she’d come, glad she’d taken time to spend an hour at the hospital.
Nothing had changed with the injured, and she hadn’t been able to help with the Hanovers or the Strykers. But she’d done something else.
She’d made a friend.
Katy crossed the waiting-room floor and stared out the window at the parking lot. She watched Ashley climb into her car and drive away. It felt good sharing an hour with her, talking about Tad and Dayne and the events that had led to her place with Christian Kids Theater. Ashley was wonderful, kind and funny with an artist’s eye for detail. And she’d been through hard times herself—more than Katy would’ve guessed.
She turned and faced the doorway. Had the nurse found Mr. Stryker? And why was she looking for him, anyway? For the past two days she’d never gone more than an hour without an update. Usually Mr. Stryker or the Hanovers would stop in and tell her about any changes or what the doctors were hoping for.
The families had given her permission to visit any of the injured. Katy wanted to go see Sarah Jo, but the girl could have 81
KAREN KiNGSBURY
only limited stimulation. Instead she took the elevator down to the second floor and walked to Alice Stryker’s room. The woman was sleeping, so Katy kept her steps as quiet as possible as she entered. Wires ran from both her arms, and a constant beeping filled the room.
Katy came up to the side of her bed and took the woman’s hand. “Hello, Alice.”
Her voice was low and soft. “You’re doing so much better. Just a few more days and you’ll be up and around.”
Alice moaned. She slowly moved her head from one side of the pillow to the other. “Sarah Jo…” Compassion rang in the woman’s tone, and that brought another wave of sorrow for Katy. Why hadn’t she shown that sort of compassion for Sarah Jo before the accident?
Katy leaned in a little closer. “It’s okay. Sarah Jo’s getting the best possible help.”
Mr. Stryker entered the room then, his face lined with weariness and fear. He must’ve heard her, because he nodded. “She’s getting wonderful help.”
“Have you seen Sarah Jo?”
“Yes.” He grabbed his forehead with his thumb and forefinger. His eyes shifted to Alice and then back to Katy. “Can you come out in the hall for a minute?”
Katy braced herself for whatever was coming. She followed Mr. Stryker into the hall and down a ways, out of earshot of Alice. Katy searched his eyes. “Is Sarah Jo worse?”
“Yes.” He fell against the wall and dropped his head in his hands. He stayed that way for a few seconds. Then he lifted his eyes to hers. “She’s in bad shape, Katy. Her brain isn’t responding at all.”
A heaviness settled over Katy’s heart. She drew a quick breath, holding back her tears. “We can’t give up.”
“That’s what I keep telling myself.” He motioned toward Alice’s room. “Let’s get back inside.”
82
FORGIVEN
They did, and Mr. Stryker moved to one side of the bed. “They’re easing the sedation. Her stats are good, and she’s out of danger.” He brushed a section of hair off his wife’s forehead and looked up at Katy. “I don’t know how she’s going to take the news.”
An arrow of fear sliced through the moment. Katy was trying to think of something positive, something that would give them reason to believe that Sarah Jo would be all right.
But before she could, Alice Stryker moaned again. This time her eyelids moved just enough to be noticeable. “Sarah Jo…”
It was all she seemed to say. Despite the sedation and the trauma from the accident, did Alice know Sarah Jo was in the worst trouble?
Katy took a step back and let Mr. Stryker handle the moment. He leaned in and took Alice’s hand. “Honey, I’m here. You’re okay. Joey’s okay too. He gets to leave the hospital today.”
Alice blinked and her eyes opened partway. First in slow movements,
She was glad she’d come, glad she’d taken time to spend an hour at the hospital.
Nothing had changed with the injured, and she hadn’t been able to help with the Hanovers or the Strykers. But she’d done something else.
She’d made a friend.
Katy crossed the waiting-room floor and stared out the window at the parking lot. She watched Ashley climb into her car and drive away. It felt good sharing an hour with her, talking about Tad and Dayne and the events that had led to her place with Christian Kids Theater. Ashley was wonderful, kind and funny with an artist’s eye for detail. And she’d been through hard times herself—more than Katy would’ve guessed.
She turned and faced the doorway. Had the nurse found Mr. Stryker? And why was she looking for him, anyway? For the past two days she’d never gone more than an hour without an update. Usually Mr. Stryker or the Hanovers would stop in and tell her about any changes or what the doctors were hoping for.
The families had given her permission to visit any of the injured. Katy wanted to go see Sarah Jo, but the girl could have 81
KAREN KiNGSBURY
only limited stimulation. Instead she took the elevator down to the second floor and walked to Alice Stryker’s room. The woman was sleeping, so Katy kept her steps as quiet as possible as she entered. Wires ran from both her arms, and a constant beeping filled the room.
Katy came up to the side of her bed and took the woman’s hand. “Hello, Alice.”
Her voice was low and soft. “You’re doing so much better. Just a few more days and you’ll be up and around.”
Alice moaned. She slowly moved her head from one side of the pillow to the other. “Sarah Jo…” Compassion rang in the woman’s tone, and that brought another wave of sorrow for Katy. Why hadn’t she shown that sort of compassion for Sarah Jo before the accident?
Katy leaned in a little closer. “It’s okay. Sarah Jo’s getting the best possible help.”
Mr. Stryker entered the room then, his face lined with weariness and fear. He must’ve heard her, because he nodded. “She’s getting wonderful help.”
“Have you seen Sarah Jo?”
“Yes.” He grabbed his forehead with his thumb and forefinger. His eyes shifted to Alice and then back to Katy. “Can you come out in the hall for a minute?”
Katy braced herself for whatever was coming. She followed Mr. Stryker into the hall and down a ways, out of earshot of Alice. Katy searched his eyes. “Is Sarah Jo worse?”
“Yes.” He fell against the wall and dropped his head in his hands. He stayed that way for a few seconds. Then he lifted his eyes to hers. “She’s in bad shape, Katy. Her brain isn’t responding at all.”
A heaviness settled over Katy’s heart. She drew a quick breath, holding back her tears. “We can’t give up.”
“That’s what I keep telling myself.” He motioned toward Alice’s room. “Let’s get back inside.”
82
FORGIVEN
They did, and Mr. Stryker moved to one side of the bed. “They’re easing the sedation. Her stats are good, and she’s out of danger.” He brushed a section of hair off his wife’s forehead and looked up at Katy. “I don’t know how she’s going to take the news.”
An arrow of fear sliced through the moment. Katy was trying to think of something positive, something that would give them reason to believe that Sarah Jo would be all right.
But before she could, Alice Stryker moaned again. This time her eyelids moved just enough to be noticeable. “Sarah Jo…”
It was all she seemed to say. Despite the sedation and the trauma from the accident, did Alice know Sarah Jo was in the worst trouble?
Katy took a step back and let Mr. Stryker handle the moment. He leaned in and took Alice’s hand. “Honey, I’m here. You’re okay. Joey’s okay too. He gets to leave the hospital today.”
Alice blinked and her eyes opened partway. First in slow movements,
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