in a scratchy whisper she began to speak. “Cody …”
She knew his name! A fierce sense of protection and caring came over him. This precious girl had been through so much, so many seasons of heartache. How could she face the days ahead without someone who looked out for her, who understood and appreciated her? He ran his thumb over her brow. “I’m here for you … I’ll stay no matter what.”
Peace filled in the pained lines on her forehead and she nodded, more slowly this time. Her eyes looked deep into his soul, to the places that might’ve doubted the wisdom of being here. “Please … stay.”
“I will.” Cody felt the commitment to the outer edges of his heart. He put his hand alongside her face, speaking close to her, directly to her lonely soul. “You have my word, Chey … I’m not going anywhere.”
She was still looking at him when her eyes gradually closed again. With a soft exhale, she seemed to fall back asleep. This time Cody acted quickly, pushing the call button and summoning the nurse. Over the next hour, the doctors did tests, assessing her in every possible way. They woke her up and managed to hold a conversation with her while Cody watched from the other side of the room.
“You were in an accident, Cheyenne … do you know that?” The doctor was a tall thin woman with compassionate eyes. “Do you remember the accident?”
Cheyenne looked across the room at Cody, and then back at the doctor. “I … remember the truck.”
Again Cody’s heart rejoiced. If Cheyenne could remember the truck, then she could remember just about anything, right? Which meant maybe her brain had survived without any damage at all! He stood, watching the scene play out, realizing how much of Cheyenne’s future rode on the assessment.
When it was over, when she was asleep once more, Tara arrived. She seemed to take in the commotion in Cheyenne’s room as she rushed in, breathless, right up to Cody’s side. “My baby girl … did she wake up?”
“Yes.” Cody led her outside Cheyenne’s room where they could talk. He smiled bigger than he had in a long time. “She remembered me.”
“Cody.” Tara raised one eyebrow at him. “What are you … a crazy man?” She gave a single chuckle. “Of course she remembered you. Do you own a mirror, Cody Coleman?”
He laughed quietly. “No, but that’s not all. She remembered the accident, the truck … she seems exactly the same.”
Tara grew very still and she closed her eyes. This was what they’d worried about, that Cheyenne would wake up somehow damaged, different. Less than she’d been before the accident. But by all signs, Cheyenne’s personality — at least that much — was intact and Tara looked beyond relieved.
Tara brought her hands to her face. “Thank You, Jesus … You brought her back to us.” When she opened her eyes she hugged Cody’s neck. “God’s going to work out the details, Cody … see? It’s just like I told you.”
The doctor called them out into the hall then, and explained her initial thoughts on Cheyenne’s condition. Chey was cognitively whole — a tremendous relief and a resounding miracle. The doctor smiled, and her eyes seemed to give a glimpse to her own personal faith. “I’ve seen God work in hospital rooms, and this was a tremendous example.” The woman’s smile dropped off some. “However, the physical tests didn’t go as well. She couldn’t respond to simple commands — touching her finger to her nose, lifting her good leg … that sort of thing.”
“What does that mean?” Tara’s eyes were wide again and her hands began to shake.
“This was another possibility.” The doctor hesitated. “Her brain damage may be in the area of her brain responsible for motor skills.”
“So … she might never walk again?” Cody wasn’t afraid of the possibility. After his own injuries in Iraq, he didn’t view physical trauma as anything more than another mountain to conquer. But still, he wanted to know.
“I believe she can learn to walk in time.” The doctor looked over her notes. “But I don’t think she’ll walk out of this hospital room.”
Tara asked how Cheyenne was doing right now. “Can we see her again?”
“I gave her something for pain. She’ll sleep for the next several hours.” The doctor smiled again, empathetic to their concerns. “You’re always welcome to stay.”
A sense of exhaustion came over Cody and he leaned against the wall. He hadn’t slept well last night, so