An Awakening

by Laura Sweat

  “Actually, I do.” Lydia finally decides to ask if there is any change in Jeriley’s condition. She has tried to be patient up to this point, but the waiting is getting to her.

  “Sure. What would you like to know?” She puts her things away and discards the wrappers, syringes, and gloves, giving Lydia her full attention.

  “I know it has only been a few days, but has there been any change in her condition?”

  “Without boring you with a lot of the details and medical jargon, she appears to be holding her own. She is very strong.”

  “Is there any way to know how much longer she will be like this?”

  “I don’t know right now, but I’ll be here for the next few days and I will see if I can get an answer for you.”

  “Thank you. I would really appreciate it.”

  “It’s no trouble at all. In fact, it is about time for her doctors to meet and review her progress. I’ll find out when that will be and we can get more information then.”

  “Thank you again. I know she will be okay. It’s just hard to see her like this.”

  “Are you family?”

  “No. We work together. I’m actually her assistant, but we’ve recently become good friends.” Lydia looks over at Jeriley and smiles slightly.

  “She’s lucky to have you.” She smiles and leaves the room.

  Lydia says a prayer of thanks before she opens her Bible and begins reading in Psalms. This is her favorite of all the books. She has always found comfort in it. She reads for a while, sitting back in the chair until she dozes off.

  A little later there is a soft knock at the door, but no one hears it. After waiting just a moment, Alex peaks in and sees Lydia asleep in the chair by the bed. He looks over and finds Jeriley the same except that today she looks peaceful. He enters the room quietly trying not to wake Lydia. He can’t imagine how tired she must be. He places her food on the table closest to the chair and the work she asked for on the other table.

  He walks over and stands by Jeriley on the opposite side of the bed from where Lydia sits. He wants to take her hand, but as he is finding to be the case these days, he is unsure. He hesitates. After the briefest of moments, he reaches down and covers her hand with his own. The warmth of it comforts him and he wants to leave it there longer, instead, he pulls it away.

  He notices that Lydia’s Bible is open in her lap and this makes him smile. He expects no less from her. It only took getting to know her briefly for her faith to become evident to him. He admires her for it. Everyone should believe in something. He believes. He just doesn’t practice it the way Lydia does. Maybe he should work on that. After all, when does Alex Donovan ever do anything halfway? He doesn’t.

  Lydia’s eyes open and she soon spots Alex. She smiles shyly and sits up, closing her Bible. “How long have you been here?”

  “Not long. I didn’t want to wake you.”

  “Thanks. I guess I needed a little nap.” She really hasn’t slept all that comfortably at night since she’s been here, but she’s not one to complain.

  “Are you hungry?”

  “Yes. Some food would be nice.”

  “Good. I brought you something from Cheddar’s.”

  “Cheddar’s is always good. Thank you.”

  “I thought you’d like it. I also brought the work you asked for, but not much.”

  “I appreciate it, really. I need a little something to keep me busy.”

  “I get it. Becca offered to do some for you.” He understands the need for something to keep her mind occupied. “She also sends her love. Everyone is asking about you two.”

  “I knew she would. I should call her.” Lydia finds it funny, that her friend is so predictable.

  “You should. I did tell her to get easy work together. No need to be stressed over anything right now.”

  “That’s fine. I can live with that.”

  “Good. Well, I know you’re hungry. Let’s eat.” He walks over and starts unwrapping the food. He looks over at Jeriley while he takes out the potato soup and club combo for Lydia and the veggie plate he bought for himself. She still looks peaceful and he is relieved.

  They eat and discuss a little about work, but Alex wants to hear about Jeriley. “Has anyone said anything to you about how she’s doing?” He looks back over towards her and hopes for good news.

  “Her nurse today is very nice. She says that she is very strong and sounds optimistic.”

  “That’s great news.”

  “I know. The doctors should be meeting to discuss her condition soon and she said she would let me know what they think.”

  “Keep me posted.”

  “I will. I’m really hoping for good news.” Lydia says this with faith that everything is going to be fine. She has prayed and believes that it will work out.

  They finish eating and Alex stays for only a little while before he decides to head back. He leaves Lydia with the small stack of work she requested and makes her promise to call if there is any change.

  “You will be the first to know,” she assures him.

  “Thank you.” He turns to take one last look at Jeriley before he opens the door to go.

  CHAPTER 20

  Zain and his master are nose-to-nose and the anger is almost tangible in the air. Adrian remains a safe distance away from them and watches, eagerly awaiting the outcome. He wants to enjoy this.

  Zain has not said anything since his secret was spoken. The one word that his master spoke, let him know that he was found out. His assignment in Tibet was a lofty one. He was responsible for a major take down some decades ago and he was sloppy. He failed in a big way and thought he had it covered up. How long had Adrian known? How did he find out? It didn’t matter. None of his questions did. It was over. There was no way he would escape the punishment for this.

  “You have nothing to say in your defense?” His master asks the question strictly out of curiosity, not really caring what his answer may be because his decision is made.

  “What is there to say?” Zain’s answer is short.

  His master backs away from him and stares. He wanted a fight. He expected one. He is disappointed. “There is nothing to say.”

  He turns his back to him and crosses his arms. Zain stares straight ahead. Without one more word, his sentence is set. He has been stripped of his duty and purpose. He is no longer useful to his master’s cause. Two of his peers approach him, one on each side, and take him away. He will merely exist from here on out.

  Adrian watches silently, standing ever so still. He has never witnessed this simple but tragically final sentence before and he is struck speechless. He is satisfied with the result of his meddling and waits for permission to be dismissed.

  His master remains in his current position for just a moment before turning to face Adrian. “I will be awaiting a report from you. Until then I have other business to attend to.” He flicks a hand as if he is shooing Adrian away. He wastes no time and leaves before the boss changes his mind. He does not want to discuss his assignment with him in his current mood.

  CHAPTER 21

  Alex arrives back at the office late in the afternoon. He pulls into his parking spot, shuts off the car, and sits there. He has thought about Jeriley the entire trip back. She is becoming the center of his thoughts more every day. It is completely out of his character to dwell on things other than work. He has always been very disciplined and stable; maintaining an impeccable amount of self-control. He doesn’t know what has gotten into him. Even more troubling is the fact that he doesn’t know what to do about it. It is obviously an issue that he needs to deal with since it doesn’t seem to be going away.

  He gets out of the car with a rare sense of frustration and walks slowly up to the building. He is in no hurry to go inside so he pauses and turns his head in the direction of the water. After staring out at it briefly, h
e feels compelled to take a stroll. Without giving it a second thought, Alex puts his hands in the pockets of his black designer slacks and takes off towards the beach.

  He looks both ways before crossing the highway. It is the middle of the week and it isn’t quite time for tourists to start coming into town. This stretch of beach doesn’t usually get busy with sunbathers or the usual beach crowd. His building is in the center of the business district that makes up several blocks along this particular stretch of highway. It is the tallest structure, accompanied on both sides by other buildings of various sizes and styles. It’s a nice area with a quaint and cozy atmosphere.

  He reaches the walk leading down to the sand and studies the boards as he reaches them step after step. Thoughts of simple things take over his mind. He notices how the cracks in the weathered wood hold the sand from feet that have come before his. He watches as some of the sand is carried off by the breeze. The sound of the waves crashing draws his attention to the water. The usually gentle surf is not so gentle and he notices that the wind has picked up since this morning.

  Turning left and ambling on, he lets his eyes and ears take in his surroundings. It has been a long time since he has taken a leisurely walk on the beach or anywhere else for that matter. His days are filled with meetings, the demands of the business, and the needs of his employees and clients. He loves it. His job and position are very satisfying. Up until just a few days ago, he hadn’t given any thought at all as to whether or not he was lacking anything. Suddenly, though, he finds himself wondering about what he doesn’t have. There have certainly been people in his life that filled a space, but that was when he was younger, before the demands of running a successful business.

  It isn’t as if he has been running from that part of life. Things just worked out this way and he has been perfectly happy with it. Life is good and he is fortunate. Does he really want more? He begins to imagine what it might be like to have that missing component added to his current situation. He hasn’t let his mind entertain such thoughts since he got serious in college. Once he decided to take over the family business, Alex took it seriously. His responsibilities in the company grew quickly, and he hasn’t slowed down. It occurs to him that it might be nice to have someone to share it all with.

  He walks down to the place on the beach where the water has stretched the farthest, wetting the sand before receding back again. He stands there, hands in his pockets, head tilted down; just listening. His eyes are closed and he concentrates on the sounds of the gulls and the waves and the feeling of the wind blowing against him. The wind is constant, tugging and pulling at his hair and clothes. After an undetermined amount of time, Alex lifts his head and looks up at the sky. It is overcast now and there are storm clouds gathering all around. He relates. He seems to have his own storm building and he just can’t figure out what to do about it. The one thing he wants to avoid is being hasty and careless. He has always been very careful in his decision-making processes; thinking things through carefully.

  Alex takes a couple of steps back as the waves begin to reach farther up the sand. Turning he continues on in the direction he was heading. As he meanders, he considers that a decision to pursue something with someone could change his life. This is no small choice. He has been plagued with thoughts of Jeriley since he got the call the night of the accident. There has been no escaping it. Stopping to look both ways down the beach, he runs a hand over his face and through his hair, relenting. He can’t stop thinking about her and he doesn’t want to try any longer. Perhaps it is the fact that she might not make it through or simply her absence from the office. Whatever has brought this on, he doesn’t foresee it going away.

  Maybe he should not ignore his feelings. Maybe he should just go with whatever is happening here. In the very next moment, he finds himself feeling lost. He is accustomed to chasing ventures with a pretty good indication of how things will turn out. He has taken risks before, but he was well educated and sure of the outcomes. This is different. There is no way to predict the outcome. He is not one to normally feel fear, but it is a natural response to the unknown. Alex walks along a little farther and begins to pray. He silently apologizes for not taking the time to pray more but doesn’t offer excuses. There are none. He simply says he is sorry and admits that he needs guidance. He doesn’t ask if he should pursue Jeriley. He simply asks for direction. He asks that she wake up from all of this alright. Finally, he ends on a thankful note; giving thanks for things he has been taking for granted, and for Jeriley’s survival so far. Finally feeling a sense of comfort, he heads back to the walk leading to the road. He hears thunder and knows there will be rain soon. He walks on back to the office and forces his mind to focus on work.

  A little over an hour goes by when he looks up from his work to check the time. It’s well after five and he is tired. He twists in his chair slightly to glance out the window and sees that the expected rain has come and gone. He shuts his computer down and looks at the paperwork on his desk. He leaves it just as it is, grabs his coat and heads home.

  CHAPTER 22

  I look solemnly at Stephen as the weight of what I have learned bears down on me. I realize that I have been given a special opportunity. My life has been spared so that I can have another chance to make the most important decision of my life. I cannot ignore this any longer. I know from the example of the lives of others that I have some work to do. A sense of gratefulness fills me and I feel indebted for the chance I have been given.

  I begin to think about what I will do when I wake up; about the people in my life. Lydia and the people at the office are the first to come to mind, then my thoughts shift to Adrian.

  “Stephen, what do I do about Adrian?” The idea of him alarms me now that I know who he really is.

  “He will be dealt with.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “You will. Some things take time.”

  “Alright. I trust you.” Somehow, I’m able to let the subject of Adrian go at that, but I feel a little anxious.

  “Once you make the decision to answer the call, He will be fully obligated to you. He will move Heaven and Earth for you. You will have his protection and His promises as long as you remain faithful to Him. Once you have truly made your decision, Adrian will have no power over you, nor will he be able to harm you.” Stephen assures me and my anxiety is calmed.

  Stephen explains that he may not be around as often as before since his job is done, but he assures me that I will never be alone. He explains that even during the past months when I didn’t see him, much of the time, he was near. He also confirms what I remember from long ago talks with Grandma when she would tell me that the Lord was with her all the time. I am comforted by this and I begin to have questions about what I should do next.

  “I don’t know what to do,” I admit.

  He just looks at me questioningly, prompting me to go on.

  “Once I wake up. I don’t know what my next steps should be.”

  “He will guide you. All you have to do is talk to Him. You also have a reliable friend who can help you. Talk to Lydia. Confide in her. Ask her questions. Most importantly, though, read the Book and rely on Him. It holds all of the answers you need. Trust what it says. If you still feel lost, pray. He wants nothing more than to be close to you.”

  “Thank you, Stephen. I don’t know what else to say. It’s all so very overwhelming. I don’t deserve—”

  “Shh.” He places a finger up, stopping me. “No one does.” He says simply.

  We sit quietly for an undetermined period of time and the reality of what I have learned takes shape in my mind. The thought occurs to me again, that my life will never be the same. As I start to think of the ways my life will be different, questions arise. These questions lead to more until I feel astounded again.

  “I have so many questions. I don’t know where to start,” I admit.

  “There will be ti
me and the answers will come. Some you will find very easily and others will come with a price. Don’t worry. You will understand.”

  “Okay. I’ll take your word for it, I guess.” I feel more puzzled by his answer than I expected I would be, but I do trust him.

  “You will be waking up soon and you will have some time to think about all of these things.”

  “Is this a dream?”

  “No. It is not a dream. You are simply in a different place.”

  “I don’t think I understand fully, but I don’t think I can ask right now. I’m just too stunned by all of this.”

  “Just remember that everything is going to be alright. Do not be afraid.”

  With those words, our surroundings begin to fade into darkness. I feel no sensation of falling or moving, but visually, it appears that I am. Then all is dark.

  CHAPTER 23

  It is the later part of the week, in the middle of the afternoon. Lydia has been told that Jeriley should be waking soon, so she decides to stay by her side until she does. She doesn’t want her to be alone when she wakes.

  She passes time reading and praying. She works on requisitions and plays on her phone. After hours have gone by, she goes to the window and stares out. The sun is going down and her eyes search the scenery for who knows what. Dusk, she thinks, is a beautiful time of day. The colors created by the setting sun are so pretty. She looks in every direction, taking in the scenes. She considers the people walking below, the trees stretching upwards, the street laying low, and finally the birds flittering about. It all looks so peaceful. She feels comforted in the fact that the coming darkness doesn’t have to be scary.

  With a sigh, Lydia turns to face Jeriley just in time to see her head turn. It is the slightest movement, but there is no doubt that she moved. With a start, she walks over and pulls the chair as close to the bed as it will go. Gently taking her hand, Lydia watches for any other motion. She thinks about calling a nurse, but she doesn’t want to startle Jeriley so she waits. There is no more movement for several minutes; making Lydia anxious.