Josh sat beside the hospital cot, ending his prayer for Luke’s safety and thanks to God for watching over him during the accident. “Amen.”
Luke raised his head and met eyes with Josh. “Pretty dumb, huh?”
“What? Your accident?”
Luke nodded and started to study the irregularities in his coarsely woven hospital blanket.
“Accidents happen all the time. They’re nobody’s fault.” There was something about the kid that made Josh want to reach over, pat his shoulder, ruffle his hair. But he wasn’t really a kid anymore, and knowing Luke as he did, Josh was pretty sure those gestures of affection wouldn’t be welcome.
“It was my fault. I ran into the street without looking. Duh. How many times did my mom tell me when I was little, if you run into the street without looking you could get hit by a car?” He snickered. “Well, she was finally right.”
“Thank God you weren’t hurt.”
Luke nodded, then got pensive, like he was thinking through something big. “I was kind of at the end of my rope, you know?”
He’d spent enough time with youths to know that admission hadn’t come easily. “Why?”
He shook his head. “I was mad at my mom because I invited her to the Youth Rally and she said no. But it wasn’t just that—I’ve been mad at her for a while.”
Josh nodded. “Why?”
Luke turned then, looked straight at him, head-on for what seemed like a solid minute, sizing him up, probably wondering how much he should say.
Come on, kid. Tell me.
“You.” The simple word made his heart jump in his chest. “I’ve been mad at her ever since she broke up with you.”
“Luke, adults make decisions …” he swung into his spiel about relationships, but the kid was having none of it.
“That’s bull, and you know it. My mom really likes you.”
Despite the solemnity of the moment, Josh felt a glimmer of happiness at that statement.
“And you seem to really like her. She was happy when she was with you. Now all she does is read, read, read. Constantly. Sitting in her chair, either reading books for work or the Bible.”
“She reads the Bible?” He hoped he didn’t sound to Luke quite as surprised as he felt. So, Regan was reading the Bible. Interesting.
“Yeah. Or she’s at the soup kitchen. She helps there a couple times a week.”
Josh nodded, taking in that bit of news. “There’s nothing wrong with that, Luke. People need to help whenever they can.”
“I know!”
Josh knew the kid was frustrated because he couldn’t quite translate his thoughts into the right words.
Luke huffed out a short breath and tried again. “I’m just saying that knowing you was good for her. She never did that stuff before she met you. She only started doing that after you guys broke up.” He picked up a portion of the blanket and ran his finger over a rough spot. “So if you were so good for her, why did she break up with you? Why aren’t you guys together now?”
Josh knew what Regan’s answer to those questions would be—because she wasn’t confident in her faith in God, and she didn’t want that to harm his ministry or their future together. She feared she wasn’t right for him. But he wasn’t going to tell Luke. That was Regan’s story to tell.
But it sure was nice to know the kid was in his corner.
Suddenly, Luke’s big, burly dad lumbered into the small cubicle. He had his cell phone in his hand. “I called your mom, son. I’m not sure if the connection was entirely good, but we made contact and at least she knows you’re okay.”
Luke looked visibly relieved, at least, in a teenaged boy I’m-not-going-to-show-emotion kind of way.
Rick moved closer to Luke’s bed. “Look buddy, I’ve got something to tell you.”
Josh took a clue, stood up and said, “Look, I’ll be going now and leave you two alone. I’m really glad you’re okay, Luke.”
“No, stay. Please.”
At Luke’s words, Josh looked over at the big man, knew he probably wasn’t comfortable with him—his ex-wife’s ex-boyfriend—staying in the room while he had a heart-to-heart with his son. But, the boy wanted him there and he would support Luke if he needed it. Rick perused him, seemed to understand the dynamics, then nodded. Josh moved to the corner of the tiny cubicle, leaving Rick some room to stand next to Luke’s bed.
“Son,” he began, pulling up a chair next to the cot, “there are a lot of things I don’t do well. But heading the list is the way I’ve handled this divorce, and the whole custody thing. I never really knew it before. It took your accident to force me to open my eyes.”
He cleared his throat and ran a hand over his mouth. Luke lay quietly. “Look son, I’m not gonna go into all the details with you about why your accident hit me so hard. But I do intend to have a long talk with your mom.” He got up then, and turned away from Luke. Josh could sense that something big was on his mind, and maybe it would be easier to say it, if he didn’t have to face his son’s interested stare.
“All you really need to know is that things are going to change. I’m going to change.” He turned around then, and leaned in to his son. “You remember what happened to your mom a few years back?”
“Yes.” The word was out of Luke’s mouth practically before his dad’s question was formed.
“Okay. That’s what I’m talking about. We won’t go into all that now, but I guess what I’m trying to say is, I’ve always held her responsible for that. Made her feel like it was her fault. And I see now, just how easily those things can happen. It was an accident, you know?”
Luke nodded, mesmerized, it seemed, by his dad’s words.
A gasp escaped from Rick’s mouth and he said his last words with some struggle for control, “I just love you, buddy. I’m so glad I didn’t lose you today.”
Rick lowered his big body to Luke’s, lying on the cot, and embraced his son. Josh looked away, trying to somehow give the two their privacy. When they parted, Josh heard a soft, “Thanks, Dad” from Luke.
A father-son moment had occurred. One that sounded like it included Regan too. And Luke was happy about it, judging from the smile on his face. So, although Josh had no idea what had just transpired, Rick was obviously making an effort, and for that, he was thankful. When Rick approached him, Josh offered his hand, and Rick shook it heartily.
A doctor threw back the curtain and entered the cubicle, a clipboard in his hand, his green cotton outfit looking a little worse for the wear with various stains of dubious origins decorating it, remnants of a busy day in the Chicago ER.
“Hi, Crash,” he said to Luke with a smile, and the boy laughed. “Let me see what we got here, and maybe we can spring you from this joint soon.”
He took out his pocket flashlight and pointed it several times in Luke’s eyes, studying their reaction. He turned to Rick. “He’s ready to go, Dad. The nurse will be in with some release papers, and some instructions for his recovery.” He turned back to Luke and pointed an index finger at him. “And you—stay away from moving vehicles. You got it?”
Luke smiled and nodded.
Rick rubbed his hands together. “Great! I’ll take you home.”
“No, I want to go with Josh.”
Josh looked up, surprised.
“To the Youth Rally.”
“The Youth Rally!” In all the excitement about Luke, he’d totally forgotten. His gaze flew to his wristwatch. “We’re late! It’s six thirty already.”
“Will you wait for me, Josh? Brad and Jessica will be setting up.”
It was important to the kid to be there—that was obvious. And after the day he’d had, he certainly deserved for things to go his way. They would be late for the start of the Rally, but hey, the kids on the planning committee were helping out. He was needed here.
Father, this thing’s in Your hands. Your Will be done.