Truly, Madly, Deeply (The Baxters #31) - Karen Kingsbury Page 0,74

shivering was worse. “I feel cold.”

“You’re burning up.” He focused on the road ahead of them. He needed to get her home, but he had to be safe, too.

Annalee closed her eyes and leaned her head back. She was asleep by the time they pulled into her family’s driveway. Tommy threw the Jeep into park, cut the engine and ran up to the front door. What is this, God? Why now? Are You turning Your back on her again? He stopped himself. Help her, Father. I trust You, please help her.

Her dad was immediately at the door, as if he’d been waiting.

“She’s sick. She has a fever.” Tommy was breathless as he raced back to the car with Annalee’s dad beside him.

“I was taking a nap, watching the Pacers. Something woke me up.” Her dad sounded as frightened as Tommy. “I knew it was Annalee.”

Her mother was at the mall with a friend, so she met Mr. Miller and Tommy and Annalee at the hospital. The cancer ward. By then, Annalee’s temperature was 103 and rising. She was restless in the bed, groaning from aches that had come over her without warning.

An hour later they knew.

Annalee had pneumonia. She was put on IV antibiotics and given a series of breathing treatments. Her doctor joined them, and his concern was written in the lines on his forehead.

“It’s all my fault.” Tommy paced the room. “I never should’ve taken her out.”

“No.” Annalee sat partially up in bed. “It wasn’t you, Tommy.”

Her dad went to her. “Please, honey. Lay down. You need to rest.”

Annalee did as he asked, but she shook her head. “I need you to hear me. All of you.” She was wheezing now. Tommy had never seen an illness move so fast. “I felt perfect all day. Tommy”—she looked at her father—“he knew I was sick before I did. He… he’s the reason… I got here in time.”

Her dad put his hand on Tommy’s shoulder. “We don’t blame you.” He looked at Annalee. “Honey, of course it isn’t Tommy’s fault.”

Tommy still wasn’t sure. The speed of this thing made him feel dizzy. How could she be making progress against Stage 4 cancer and then be fighting for her life because of pneumonia? A few minutes later he and Annalee’s parents followed the doctor out into the hall. That’s when they knew how serious the fight actually was.

“We’re doing all we can.” The doctor’s face was grim. “Her life is on the line with this infection. The next two days will be critical.”

“Is there some other medication, something that could help her?” Annalee’s mother sounded desperate.

But the doctor only shook his head. “Since you believe in miracles, I’d ask one thing of you all.” He paused. “Please… Pray.”

23

The breakthrough in Annalee’s pneumonia came late Saturday night. Until then Luke had stayed in the waiting room with Reagan, and Annalee’s parents—praying and reading Scripture. Anything to storm the gates of heaven one more time for the girl they loved.

Her doctor had told them that if they’d found the right antibiotic, and if Annalee’s compromised immune system responded, they should know quickly. So when her fever broke Saturday night the doctor was thrilled to share the news.

“We don’t always get the answer we want,” he told them. “But God is always listening.”

Luke liked that. God was always listening.

Since then, Annalee had continued to improve, so on Sunday night Luke did something he hadn’t done in years. He asked Reagan to go dancing. The strain between them had passed, but they needed time together. Time to rebuild the love and laughter that had been missing since mid-September.

Luke wanted the date for another reason, too.

After dancing, he and Reagan planned to meet Mike Lockwood and his wife for dessert. Luke had talked to Mike a few weeks ago about the four of them getting together. Mike knew about Reagan’s fears. “Time together might help her see.” Mike had liked the idea from the beginning. “Police officers don’t live with the what-ifs. We go to work and do our job the best we can. It’s a job we love.”

Now Luke walked to the family room mirror and adjusted his tie. Tommy was staying home to be with his siblings, and the three kids were playing Sequence on the oversized coffee table.

“Big date, huh, Dad?” Tommy grinned at him.

“It is. And overdue, for sure.” Luke looked in the mirror. His hair had stayed blond all these years. A few lines at the corners of his eyes, but