by Riker, Becky
He looked back at her, “Yeah.”
The door opened, and Abigail walked in.
“How is he?” Tag figured he must be at least stable for her to leave him.
“He’s holding his own,” she sat down nearby. “Thanks for staying.”
“His parents are with him?” Josie spoke up.
Abigail nodded, “It’s a good thing he’s got more gumption than those two. He’d have been gone at the first sound of a bullet.”
Tag surprised himself by laughing, and he felt Josie’s fingers tense in his own.
She stood abruptly, “I’m going to run to the vending machine for a snack – either of you want anything?”
Abigail responded in the negative, but Tag realized Josie probably needed something to work off some restlessness.
“Could you grab me something with peanuts?”
The door closed behind her.
“So, that’s the Josie I keep hearing about.”
Tag chuckled.
Abigail lay her head back, “Tell me about her.”
“Listen, Abs. I didn’t come here to talk about – ”
“Just talk, Madden,” she ordered him. “I need a distraction.”
He could understand that, “Okay, fine.”
He folded his arms across his chest, “I’m not sure where to begin. You can see she’s beautiful and short and has long dark hair.”
He paused for a couple seconds to think.
“Does she like chicken?”
Tag barked out a surprised laugh, “What kind of question is that?”
“I was just trying to help you along.”
“Well, then. Yes, as a matter of fact, she does like chicken. She made me some once. It was very good.”
“So, she can cook.”
“Yes, but she doesn’t enjoy it for the sake of cooking; that would be her sister’s realm. Josie isn’t really into traditional roles.”
“Harry said she’s a stunt double.”
“Yep. She’s fearless, so it’s probably a good fit. I’ve never watched her work, but I’ve seen some of her stunts.”
“Like what?”
He thought about it, “You see This We’ll Defend?”
She nodded.
“You know that scene where Sergeant Keller gets thrown from the helicopter into the river?”
Abigail sat up straight, “No way.”
“That was her. Actually, I think she did all the stunts for the sergeant – what’s that actress’s real name?”
“Bonnie Lord. Did she really have to fall from a chopper?”
“I guess so, but it wasn’t up as high as it looked.”
“What’s she working on now?”
“She’s been doing stunts on The Force since February.”
Abigail’s eyes lit up, “You’re kidding me.”
He shook his head, “I don’t know if anything she’s done has been on yet, but she’s been at it a few months.”
“Does she do the fight scenes too?”
“I’m not sure,” he admitted, “but she could’ve. She’s got a couple black belts.”
“Biker chic, huh?”
Tag didn’t like the categorization, “Not really. She’s physically tough, but she really is a girl.”
Abigail let out a loud laugh at that.
He felt the back of his neck heating up, “I mean she likes sappy movies, and she’s mushy and sentimental. She’s not crass; she doesn’t hang out at the gym trying to sound like one of the guys. She’s very feminine.”
Abigail was still smiling, “You’re a lost man, Tag.”
“I know it, but I don’t care.”
Josie arrived a short time later.
“I brought you a couple choices,” she dumped everything on the table. “Go ahead and take what you want.”
She was obviously including Abigail in the statement.
“Thanks,” Abigail reached for a bag of Skittles. “Maybe a little sugar will help this headache go away.”
Josie stood up and walked to the counter, “Do you usually eat a lot of sugar?”
Tag could see the surprised look on Abigail’s face, “Not usually.”
Josie filled a cup of water and brought it back to Abigail, “Then it’s probably not a symptom of sugar withdrawal, and that won’t help. Water, on the other hand, is usually a good remedy for a headache – especially since you most likely have forgotten to drink anything since you’ve come.
Abigail sipped the water and then held up the package, “Do mind if I eat these anyway?”
Josie took a chair next to her, across from Tag, “Be my guest. Just don’t expect any healing powers from them.”
“I’ll try to keep my hopes down.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Josie spent the night in the hospital with Tag and Abigail. They all took turns sitting with the patient and praying over him. By seven the next morning, Prince and Granger had come to take over.
Josie watched Tag press Abigail to go rest.
“I’m going to drive you home. You can change your clothes, get a shower, and get what you need for the rest of the day.”
Abigail shook her head, “Harry’s mom can get all that and bring it to me.”
Josie rested a hand on Abigail’s arm, “He’s going to wake up, Abigail. That’s when he’s really going to need you. Go get your things together – maybe even take a nap at home. That way you can be rested when he is awake and asking for you.”
Abigail hesitated in indecision, “What if he wakes up while I’m taking a shower?”
“Jeremy will call you at the first sign of him waking up. We’re not going to leave his side for a second.”
Abigail nodded, “Okay. I’ll run home, but I’m coming right back.”
Josie and Tag walked her down to the lot.
“Oh,” Abigail stopped suddenly. “My car is still at the school.”
Tag pulled her along, “No, you gave your keys to Jeremy last night. He drove it home for you.”
Josie watched Tag’s watchful care of Abigail and smiled. If there was any doubt in her mind that she was in love with this man, it completely disappeared after witnessing how he behaved toward his partner’s wife.
Tag dropped Abigail off first and then drove Josie home.
“Thanks,” she started to slide out of her seat, but he caught her.
“Thank you, Josie. I don’t know how I would have gotten through last night without you.”
“I can do all things through Christ Who gives me strength,” she quoted.
“I know that’s true,” he grinned at her, “but it really helps to have a warm body next to me.”
Josie leaned across the console and brushed a kiss across Tag’s cheek, “Catch you later.”
She went inside, pulling her sweater from her body as she went. She was due on the set in three hours, and she still needed a shower.
Josie was about to get under the spray when her cell rang. She glanced at the i.d. It was her sister. Josie hurried through her shower and called Molly back.
“How is Harry?”
“No change,” Josie dressed as she spoke.
“Is that good or bad?”
“I think it’s good right now, but I’m not sure.”
“And Tag?”
“He’s good. Changed.”
Molly was silent.
“Spit it out, Mol.”
“I’m just wondering – how has he changed?”
“Well,” Josie couldn’t keep the smile from her voice, “he’s accepted Jesus, Molly.”
“That’s great, Jo.”
Molly’s tone did not match her words.
Josie didn’t want to ask, but she had to, “What’s wrong?”
“Do you think he was just saying what he thought you wanted to hear?”
“No,” Josie reminded herself she had asked.
“No? Just like that. It didn’t even cross your mind?”
“Molly, why would he do that? He would have
to know I’d figure it out eventually.”
“Maybe.”
Josie pulled her tennis shoes on, “He’s doing a discipleship program with one of his pastors, Molly. How would he even come up with a story like that?”
“I’m not saying it isn’t genuine,” Molly attempted to smooth her sister’s feathers. “I hope it is. I’m just warning you to be careful.”
Josie checked her purse to make sure she had her keys, “I’ve been careful, Molly. I’d rather jump in with both feet now.”
Molly laughed, “Leave it to you.”
“Speaking of treading carefully, how’s Dave?”
“He’s good. Sure we should get married right away, as usual, but good.”
“You step lightly, I’ll jump with both feet,” Josie headed for the bus stop. “Why should our love lives be any different than the rest of the disparity between us?”
“True, true,” Molly’s voice still held a note of concern.
“Don’t worry about it, Mol. Tag asked me if I could wait a little longer for him. He’d like a chance to grow spiritually before we get serious.”
“He did?”
Josie laughed at the sound of her sister’s surprise.
“Maybe he has changed, Jo.”
Josie ended the call with a laughing goodbye and got on the bus.
Lem chastised her for coming to work, but she assured him there was nothing she could do at the hospital anyway.
“So it wasn’t your friend that was injured?” he walked her to wardrobe.
“No. It was his partner, but there’s a lot of family there,” she handed her director his jacket. “I really appreciate your understanding yesterday.”
Lem clapped her on the shoulder, “You’re a hard worker, Drake. You do your job well, and you don’t complain. I think a day or two of being human is acceptable.”
Josie went in and changed her clothes. She was apparently going to be jumping out of windows in a ball gown today. It was a new experience, so it promised to be fun.
By the fifth take, Josie had changed her mind. It was definitely not fun.
“Take a break, people,” Lem called out.
Josie thanked the stage hand for the bottle of water.
“That’s quite the dress,” a voice sounded from behind her.
“Hey, Dad,” she spun around and smiled. “What brings you by?”
“A car.”
“Ha ha,” she lifted up on her toes to give him a kiss.
“Molly called.”
“I figured,” she led him to a bench. “The timing was too perfect to be coincidental.”
He sat next to her, “You’ll give it a little time before you commit to anything, won’t you?”
She raised her eyebrow in question.
“I assume you’ll start dating now,” he elaborated on his concern. “Don’t agree to marry him before you are sure his faith is going to endure.”
Josie took another drink while she was considering her answer, “We’re not going to be dating, Dad. At least not right now.”
It was Sol’s turn to lift his brow.
“He wants time to grow, Dad. So,” she stood up, “you don’t have to worry about me jumping into marriage, and engagement, or dating, and you didn’t have to come all the way down here to put on the brakes for me. Tag’s already done that.”
Sol’s lips twitched, and Josie was certain he was laughing at her.
“You wanna come see the murder scene?” she figured he would love that. “It’s extra gory today.”
Sol stood and held his arm out, “Lead the way.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Tag went back to the hospital right after his shift was over. He was disappointed to see that Harry hadn’t wakened.
“I keep reading into every eyelid flutter and breathing change,” Abigail admitted. “And then it turns out to be a hiccup, or a spasm, or my imagination.”
Tag rubbed at the back of his neck, “Why don’t you let me sit with him a while?”
Abigail chewed her lip in hesitation.
“C’mon,” he urged her toward the door. “I’ll threaten him with embarrassing stories if he doesn’t wake up soon.”
Abigail laughed.
Tag shrugged, “They say people who are in a coma can hear you.”
“Thanks, Tag,” she brushed a kiss on his cheek.
Tag alternated between talking to his friend and reading the Bible he had brought with him. There was so much to be learned from the Scriptures, and Tag felt he had wasted enough time already.
He was now reading the Psalms on the recommendation of his pastor.
He began at chapter 146. When he got to the third verse, he stopped and laughed at the picture of himself, “Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.”
Tag sighed at the memory of all the times he had put his trust in men – no, in one man. Tag Madden. He had trusted in himself when there was no justification for it. He had simply done it because he didn’t want to put his life into someone else’s hands.
“I guess it doesn’t matter, does it, God? Even if I hadn’t given you my life, you still control everything.”
Tag looked down at the next verse, “Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.”
“God, Ernie told me that ‘blessed’ meant to be made happy. I don’t know if I’m any happier, but I sure feel more comfortable in this life you’ve given me here.”
The machine next to him made a beeping noise.
Tag frowned up at it. It didn’t sound like all the other noises. He looked at Harry’s face. What he saw scared him into action.
“Nurse!” he screamed, running to the door, “Harry’s turning blue.”
They were already on their way with a crash cart. Tag was shuffled out of the way. The team came in worked on Harry for a few minutes before rushing him from the room. He didn’t want to see what was happening anyway, but Tag needed the shove from a couple nurses to get him out the door.
Forcing himself out of the daze he was in, Tag pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed Harry’s wife.
“Tag?” Abigail sounded hopeful.
“Abs,” he choked out the words, “they’ve taken him into surgery again.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know,” Tag was pacing the hall. “He was just sleeping and then. . .I don’t know.”
He was still pacing when Josie arrived, but he had moved from the hallway to the OR waiting room.
“What’s going on?” she grabbed his arm to stop his motion.
“I don’t know; I have no idea,” he shook his head. “He was just laying there and then one of the machines started to beep. Next thing you know. . .”
His words drifted off as he frowned at her. “How’d you know something was wrong?”
“Abigail sent out a mass text. I gave her my number yesterday.”
Tag resumed his pacing.
“Tag,” she grabbed at him again and pulled him down to a chair. “Worrying does no good and pacing does about as much.”
He buried his face in his hands, “I don’t know what else to do.”
Josie didn’t have time to answer because a voice sounded behind Tag, “Praying is always a good place to start.”
Tag looked up to see Sol Drake standing next to him, “Sol.”
“I was with Josie when she got the call – thought I’d join her.”
Tag nodded.
“I also found your pastor.”
Tag really looked at the man now, “How?”
“You said his name was Ernie,” Josie reminded him. “How many pastors named Ernie can there be in New York City?”
Tag couldn’t answer that.
“Four, as it turns out,” Sol took a seat next to his daughter.
Tag couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by the support he
was getting from Josie and her family. Sol had never even met Harry, but he was here to pray.
“You pray, and we’ll agree with you, Tag,” Sol suggested.
Tag shook his head, “I don’t really know how. I think God’s probably more used to hearing from you.”
Josie smirked, “The prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
“From James,” Tag murmured, “but I’m not a righteous man.”
“Tag,” Sol laughed at him, “I hope you’re not still trying to become perfect on your own.”
Tag was surprised the man would say that.
“Because you can’t save yourself, and you can’t make yourself clean.”
“I know that,” this conversation was beginning to irritate Tag.
“What God does, He does completely. He made you clean. You’re right with Him now. Righteous.”
Sol dragged out the last word so Tag would get it.
Tag didn’t argue any further. He just bowed his head.
“Father, I know you’ve already done a lot for me, and I appreciate it. I’m beginning to see things a little more clearly, and I thank you for all the help you’ve sent my way along those lines.”
Tag ventured a peek at Josie whose eyes were closed tightly.
“What I’d like to ask now is that you’d heal Harry’s heart. I’m not even sure what happened to him in there, but it’s not working the way it should. Please help those doctors do whatever has to be done to fix the problem. Please help Harry to hang on while they’re working on him. Please help Abigail deal with Harry’s parents ‘cause I’m sure they’re freaking out right now.”
He swiped a sleeve across his face to mop up the tears. Tag couldn’t continue.
“Lord,” Sol stepped into the gap, “you know exactly what is wrong with Harry and how to fix it. You could touch his heart and solve the problem right now if you desired. God, you tell us to pray for the sick that they might be healed. We’re obeying that command, so please heal Harry.”
Josie rested a hand on Tag’s shoulder, “Jesus, you said that those who ask will receive. We’re asking for Harry, God. I know your plan is best, but we aren’t ready to give him up yet. Please leave him here with us a little longer, God. Please give him back his heart, so he can continue your work here on earth.”
As Josie prayed, Tag felt the presence of a body on the other side of him. He didn’t look up, so he was surprised to hear the next voice.