look the other way. As long as there is breath in my body, I need to keep looking for a way.”
He sat staring at the Bible then closed his eyes for a while. Finally, an idea popped into his head. It might not be the right thing to do, and perhaps Joel would never change, but at least Eustace could find solace in making an attempt to bring Joel to the Lord. Rising from Effie’s chair, he turned off the gas lamp and made his way down the hall to get ready for bed.
Dover, Ohio
“Wh–where am I?” Joel moaned when someone’s cold fingers touched his forehead. “Kristi, is that you?” He was surprised when he opened his eyes long enough to see a middle-aged woman with short brown hair looking down at him.
What’s going on here?
“You’re in the hospital. Please lie still. I’m Karen, your nurse and I need to take your vitals now. Dr. Blake, your attending physician, doesn’t want you to try and get up yet.”
This couldn’t be true, even though Joel’s body hurt in places he didn’t know he had. A small attempt to shift his weight made every muscle scream out in pain. “Wh–what happened? How’d I get here?”
“You were in an accident and brought here to Union Hospital by ambulance.” Her touch was gentle as she lifted Joel’s arm and took his blood pressure.
“Oh, yeah, now I remember.” Joel squeezed his eyes shut as he attempted to block out the pain. “A crazy driver swerved into my lane and came straight at me. I’ll bet he was drunk.” Joel moaned, a little deeper this time. “How bad am I hurt? Was there much damage to my truck?”
“Your condition isn’t serious, but you do have a mild concussion, so we are keeping you overnight for observation. If you’re having a lot of pain, we can give you something to help. I’ll get in touch with the doctor and see what he will allow for the discomfort.” The nurse gently patted his arm. “Try to rest now. The doctor will be in to see you soon.”
“But what about my truck?”
“I’m not sure, sir. I imagine a tow truck was called, so your vehicle was probably taken to the impound yard.”
“Great.” Joel grunted in frustration, turning his head to the side. “Where’s my cell phone? I need to make a call.”
Speaking softly, the nurse replied, “When you were brought to this room, only your clothes and wallet were with you.”
“I have to call Kristi so I can let her know what’s happened. Maybe she can find my car, and my cell phone, too.”
“Is Kristi a relative?”
“No, she’s my girlfriend. I don’t have any family. At least none who care about me.” Joel couldn’t keep the bitterness from his tone. After the way he’d been treated at Dad’s tonight, he didn’t care if he ever saw any of his family again.
“There’s a telephone right here you can use to call your girlfriend.” She gestured to the phone near his bed.
A searing pain shot through Joel’s head as he shook it vigorously. “Her number is programmed into my cell phone, and I don’t have it memorized.”
“If she has a landline, we can look it up in the phone directory.”
Joel clenched his teeth, which also made his head hurt. “It’s a good idea, but Kristi only has a cell phone.” A sense of panic rose in his soul. He felt trapped here in the hospital with no cell phone, unable to get ahold of Kristi. Joel needed her now, more than ever.
Akron, Ohio
“I appreciate you coming over to help me today.” Kristi Palmer’s mother smiled and leaned on her hoe. “These weeds are getting the best of my garden, and since your dad’s back is hurting, he’s not up to helping right now.”
Kristi dug her shovel into the ground. “I’m glad I could do it, Mom. Since Joel spent the night out of town somewhere, I won’t be seeing him until later today.”
“I figured he must be doing something else, or you would have been with him, like you are most Saturdays.” Mom’s tone wasn’t sharp, but Kristi sensed an underlying message. Her
He sat staring at the Bible then closed his eyes for a while. Finally, an idea popped into his head. It might not be the right thing to do, and perhaps Joel would never change, but at least Eustace could find solace in making an attempt to bring Joel to the Lord. Rising from Effie’s chair, he turned off the gas lamp and made his way down the hall to get ready for bed.
Dover, Ohio
“Wh–where am I?” Joel moaned when someone’s cold fingers touched his forehead. “Kristi, is that you?” He was surprised when he opened his eyes long enough to see a middle-aged woman with short brown hair looking down at him.
What’s going on here?
“You’re in the hospital. Please lie still. I’m Karen, your nurse and I need to take your vitals now. Dr. Blake, your attending physician, doesn’t want you to try and get up yet.”
This couldn’t be true, even though Joel’s body hurt in places he didn’t know he had. A small attempt to shift his weight made every muscle scream out in pain. “Wh–what happened? How’d I get here?”
“You were in an accident and brought here to Union Hospital by ambulance.” Her touch was gentle as she lifted Joel’s arm and took his blood pressure.
“Oh, yeah, now I remember.” Joel squeezed his eyes shut as he attempted to block out the pain. “A crazy driver swerved into my lane and came straight at me. I’ll bet he was drunk.” Joel moaned, a little deeper this time. “How bad am I hurt? Was there much damage to my truck?”
“Your condition isn’t serious, but you do have a mild concussion, so we are keeping you overnight for observation. If you’re having a lot of pain, we can give you something to help. I’ll get in touch with the doctor and see what he will allow for the discomfort.” The nurse gently patted his arm. “Try to rest now. The doctor will be in to see you soon.”
“But what about my truck?”
“I’m not sure, sir. I imagine a tow truck was called, so your vehicle was probably taken to the impound yard.”
“Great.” Joel grunted in frustration, turning his head to the side. “Where’s my cell phone? I need to make a call.”
Speaking softly, the nurse replied, “When you were brought to this room, only your clothes and wallet were with you.”
“I have to call Kristi so I can let her know what’s happened. Maybe she can find my car, and my cell phone, too.”
“Is Kristi a relative?”
“No, she’s my girlfriend. I don’t have any family. At least none who care about me.” Joel couldn’t keep the bitterness from his tone. After the way he’d been treated at Dad’s tonight, he didn’t care if he ever saw any of his family again.
“There’s a telephone right here you can use to call your girlfriend.” She gestured to the phone near his bed.
A searing pain shot through Joel’s head as he shook it vigorously. “Her number is programmed into my cell phone, and I don’t have it memorized.”
“If she has a landline, we can look it up in the phone directory.”
Joel clenched his teeth, which also made his head hurt. “It’s a good idea, but Kristi only has a cell phone.” A sense of panic rose in his soul. He felt trapped here in the hospital with no cell phone, unable to get ahold of Kristi. Joel needed her now, more than ever.
Akron, Ohio
“I appreciate you coming over to help me today.” Kristi Palmer’s mother smiled and leaned on her hoe. “These weeds are getting the best of my garden, and since your dad’s back is hurting, he’s not up to helping right now.”
Kristi dug her shovel into the ground. “I’m glad I could do it, Mom. Since Joel spent the night out of town somewhere, I won’t be seeing him until later today.”
“I figured he must be doing something else, or you would have been with him, like you are most Saturdays.” Mom’s tone wasn’t sharp, but Kristi sensed an underlying message. Her
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