Seeing Sunday’s smile made me forget about everything except my pudgy fingers. That’s because I was reminded of them when I held out my hand to show him my orange cast.
“Riley Mae, you need to be more careful. Girls will never buy shoes if they think they come with broken bones!”
Everyone in the room laughed. Even the kid in the curtained area next to Sunday.
Sunday leaned over to whisper to me. “That is Joshua. He is not doing well. I try to make him laugh, and I talk to him about Jesus every night. He is very interested in the Good News.”
That reminded me that I had some good news to share with Sunday. “Guess what? Rusty asked Jesus into her heart when I was playing ping-pong with Flip. Can you believe that?”
“I believe most anything when it comes to God,” Sunday said. “Where is Rusty?”
“She’s waiting down in the lobby with her dad. He flew in to surprise her yesterday.”
“Go get her. I want to welcome a new sister in Christ!”
I looked around at the crowded room. The nurses had told us that we could only have a few in at a time, so Rusty and her dad had offered to be in the second group of visitors, along with Brady and my dad.
“I don’t think we can add any more people to this room.”
“We’ll leave,” Flip said. “We get to see this kid all the time.” Flip stepped over and grabbed Fawn by the shoulder. “I heard Diane was on her way. Let’s go find her.”
“All of my favorite people are here,” Sunday said. “We should have a party.” Then he yelled over in Joshua’s direction. “Joshua, we are going to have a party. Would you like to come?”
“Sure,” a weak little voice said from behind the curtain.
“Good,” Sunday said. “Diane will find us some ice cream if I ask her.”
Visiting group number two arrived, with Rusty, her dad, my dad, and Brady with the Cheetos. Brady slapped Sunday on the arm. “Hi buddy! Look what I brought for you!”
Sunday cringed and grabbed his arm. “Hit me on the other arm, please. This one has my IV filled with orange soda pop.”
“Oh, sorry,” Brady said. He examined the IV bag, which actually held some orangish-red liquid. “Can you taste that?”
“No, but I am sure that is a good thing. May I have some of those Cheetos?”
“Sure!” Brady said as he tore the bag open.
Both boys crunched Cheetos like they hadn’t had a thing to eat in days. Orange powder now covered Sunday’s white hospital sheets and gown.
“Did they give you one with a back?” I asked.
“No,” Sunday said. “Hospital garments are highly insufficient.”
“Sunday,” Rusty said, “this is my dad, Richard Peterson.” Mr. Peterson stepped forward to shake Sunday’s newly powdered hand.
“It is nice to meet you, young man. My daughter tells me that you are very brave.”
“She is the brave one. She climbed out of the box to save us from Herod.” Sunday turned toward Rusty. “And now I hear that you are a Christian. Soon you should be baptized!”
I laughed, remembering when Sunday jumped into the water with Diane.
“Did somebody in here order Orange Sherbet?” Diane squeezed by Brady and plopped a carton on Sunday’s lap. She also leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. “I know you’re the most popular kid in the world, but we can’t have all your friends in here at the same time. I’m going to have to kick some of them out. You think this is a party or something?”
“Actually, it is,” Sunday said.
Diane straightened up and looked at me. “How’s your hand?”
“Chubby.”
She crossed her eyes as she looked at my fingers. “They look just about right.”
She laughed and then glanced toward Rusty and her dad.
Then she backed up a few steps — and froze.
Rusty’s dad stepped forward toward Diane. “Cheryl?”
Diane gasped and put her hand over her mouth. Then she turned and ran out of the room.
Rusty looked at her Dad. “Dad?”
“I’ll be right back,” he said. And he ran out of the room too.
Rusty pushed her fingers into her temples and looked down at the floor. She closed her eyes and grabbed her locket. She looked like she was praying. Then she raised her head, glanced over at me, and ran out the door.