so only Annalee and maybe Tommy could hear. “It kills me to cut your hair, Annalee. You have the prettiest hair of any girl I know.”
Again Annalee’s tears came. She closed her eyes. The strength she needed couldn’t come from any human. Not in light of her brother’s words. Help me, Lord. So much love around me, but so much sadness. Please, help me.
Everyone sang as the song changed. This one was about God being the king of everything. Even the hearts of His people. Austin breathed in sharp through his nose. Like he was trying to find the strength to voice his prayer. “Dear Jesus, I know You love my sister. Even more than I do.” He sniffed. “God, she’s the nicest person I know. And I believe with everything in me that she has much to do on this earth for the next hundred years. At least.”
Annalee felt a smile tug at her lips. She loved her brother so much.
“So please”—Austin gritted his teeth—“kill off this cancer. Every cell of it. So that Annalee never, ever has to go through this again.” He cut one section of her hair and set it on the ground. Then he handed the scissors to their uncle Roger, Lily’s husband.
The music continued to fill the room, reminding them with one song after another that God was sovereign. He was here and He was carrying Annalee. Holding her, no matter what happened. While Uncle Roger cut three areas from Annalee’s hair, he told a story about getting together for a day at Lake Monroe, and how Annalee and her friends had used sticks to make Pippi Longstocking braids. “Those sticks stuck straight out to the sides of your head.” He chuckled. “And even then your hair was beautiful.”
“Sticks again.” Annalee laughed. The respite from crying felt wonderful. “Seems to be a theme.”
The sadness lifted and against the backdrop of a song about healing from heaven, Annalee took a deep breath. She looked into Tommy’s eyes and felt hope fill her heart. Yes. She could get through this. No girl had ever been surrounded by so much love.
Tommy whispered close to her face. “Remind me to get you a box of sticks later.”
Bit by bit, section by section, her head felt lighter. Colder. Next came Tommy’s parents. His dad did a few cuts and prayed the entire time for God to bring good out of this situation. “We believe in Romans 8:28, Father. You make all things work to the good for those who love You.”
Tommy’s mom took the scissors and with great care she cut a section from the side of Annalee’s face. “Your beauty, Annalee, comes from inside you. God has made you one in a million, and so your beauty will continue to shine till you’re old and gray.” She paused. “But your hair matters. I’m honored you would ask me to be here today. And one day—when you’re better and your hair grows back—I’ll be here to celebrate that, too.”
Her prayer was one of gratitude, thanking God for the healing ahead and for the things Annalee had yet to do. The ways she would change the world in years to come.
Her friends were next. They worked together, reminding Annalee of the time they all used food coloring to dye their hair blue for their school’s spirit day. “I thought we’d have blue hair forever.” Carly laughed. “But nothing could ruin that beautiful blond color of yours.”
Iris said something that touched Annalee to the core. “Your hair will still be there.” She wiped at the tears on her cheeks and cut a part of what remained of Annalee’s hair. “Still that same pretty color. Only now it’ll be shorter. And it will live just beneath the surface. Because life is like that sometimes.”
Finally it was Tommy’s turn.
He released her fingers and stood just in front of her. Then with his dry eyes lost in hers, he took her face in his hands. “Remember that first day in the school’s theater room?”
“Yes.” Everyone else seemed to fade away. “You… were looking at me.” Her voice was steady. “I thought you were the cutest boy I’d ever seen.”
Tommy smiled. “I thought I was dreaming. Because… a girl as beautiful as you didn’t just show up on the first day of freshman year.” He paused. “And every one of my friends thought you had the prettiest hair of any girl they’d ever seen. So pretty.” He ran his hands over what remained of it.