Critical Condition

by Richard Mabry

  “I wanted to do it. It was important for me, and I didn’t have any problem. I guess this was what they call getting back on the horse after you’ve been thrown. Besides, I had to save my fiancé.”

  It took Mark a few moments to process her last words. “You mean . . .”

  “I’m so sorry I’ve kept you dangling for this long.” Shannon took his hand, careful of the IV. “The past two weeks have been the most difficult of my life. But it’s over now, and I’m stronger for having gone through it.”

  Mark started to say something, but she stilled him with a finger to his lips. “I’ve discovered that I love you more deeply than I ever thought possible. I can’t imagine my life without you in it. If you’ll still have me, I’d love to marry you.”

  “I’ve been waiting for this day,” Mark said. “Of course I want to marry you.”

  Shannon paused. “You know, there’s still the shadow of my HIV exposure hanging over us.”

  “As I’ve told you, the odds of that turning into infection are too small to even consider. We’ll have our answer in just a few more weeks. Meanwhile, I have faith that God’s going to get us through this, just as He has with everything else in our lives.”

  “I don’t think my faith will ever be as strong as yours,” Shannon said. “But I’m trying.”

  Mark smiled. “It’s a long journey, but just remember that the Bible tells us two are better than one, for if one falls, the other can pick him up.”

  Shannon smiled. “I don’t know as many scriptures as you—at least, not yet. But you can teach me.”

  EPILOGUE

  THINGS WERE GOING WELL FOR SHANNON. SHE’D JUST RECEIVED the results of her six-month HIV test, and there was no sign of disease. Theoretically, she had nothing further to worry about in that respect. However, as a surgeon, she knew there was always a chance she’d be exposed again. That was a risk all physicians took.

  Her father’s prognosis was good since he’d undergone a bone marrow transplant—with Megan as the donor. He’d had to take a leave from preaching, but he was gaining strength each day.

  Megan was still clean and straight, determined to keep her life turned around while making good decisions. She’d been out on a few dates with Steve Alston. They sat together at church, but Megan had yet to ask him to come with her to Sunday dinner at their parents’ home. Meanwhile, Shannon was keeping a big sister’s eye on the relationship.

  Mark had recovered from his gunshot wounds, although he still had occasional pain from adhesions. They’d set a wedding date and would be married in another month. Shannon felt both nervous and hopeful as the day approached.

  But there was one more thing Shannon needed to do before her marriage, something she should have done long ago, yet had been unable to carry out until now.

  Shannon’s stomach was turning flips as she drove down the tree-lined street. She hadn’t been here in years, but she had no trouble finding the house. Put the two-story Austin stone home in the midst of West Dallas and it would stand out like the Taj Majal. But in this quiet area of Highland Park it was probably the least expensive structure in the neighborhood, sitting among others that would fetch a couple of million dollars.

  She pulled her coat about her against the winter chill as she stepped from her Toyota. Shannon paused in the semicircular driveway in front of the home. What if Todd’s mother didn’t want to see her, didn’t want to be reminded of what might have been? What if she was angry about the extended silence from Shannon since the shooting? Was it possible that the Richardsons in some way blamed Shannon for not saving their son’s life?

  Shannon squared her shoulders and strode purposefully toward the house. She hurried onto the porch, not stopping for fear she’d panic and turn away, and rang the doorbell. Her heart was still hammering when a white-haired woman in a sweater and slacks opened the door.

  “Yes?” She dropped her head to peer over her metal-rimmed glasses, and recognition lit her face. She stepped forward and extended her arms. “Shannon. What a wonderful surprise.”

  After a hug that Shannon thought might fracture her ribs, Mrs. Richardson said, “Come in. Come in.” She gestured through the door. “Let’s sit in the living room. There’s a fire going in there. Would you like some coffee?”

  Shannon eased into an armchair with a view through sliding glass doors of a beautifully manicured back lawn shaded by trees now bare of leaves. “Nothing for me, thanks,” she said. “I thought—”

  “It’s so good to see you. How are you? I haven’t seen you in . . .”

  Shannon knew this wasn’t going to be the quick in-and-out visit she’d hoped for. “I know—not since a few months after Todd died. I probably should have kept in touch, but . . . frankly, I couldn’t face those memories.”

  Mrs. Richardson looked down at her hands, loosely clasped in her lap. “I understand. We still miss him. The hurt never fully goes away.” She was silent a moment, then said, “But life goes on. His sister . . . you remember Alice? She’s married now, and we have two wonderful grandsons.”

  “I know. I got the invitation to her wedding. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to make it.” Get on with it. Do what you came for. Shannon reached into her purse and pulled out a small box. “Mrs. Richardson, you sent me this ring shortly after Todd died. I appreciate that, and I’ve held on to it for years. But . . . but now I’ve met someone. We’re going to be married, and I don’t feel right keeping this.”

  The expression on Mrs. Richardson’s face was hard for Shannon to read. Then she smiled. “I’ve thought about you a lot over the years. I know you and Todd would have been happy together. That didn’t happen, but I’m glad you’ve found someone else. We wish you nothing but the best.”

  Shannon held out the box. “Do you think one of your grandsons might want to give this to his fiancée one day?”

  Mrs. Richardson shook her head. “I have a better idea. I heard from a friend that your father had been ill. Leukemia, wasn’t it?”

  “Yes. But he’s much better now.”

  “Do you think it would be appropriate if I took this ring to a jeweler friend of ours and sold it, then gave the money for leukemia research?”

  Shannon smiled at the simplicity of the solution. “I think that would be wonderful.”

  They chatted for a bit longer until Shannon said, “I have to go. I’m meeting Mark for dinner. But I’ll be back. I promise.”

  When Shannon left, she noticed the winter clouds had parted and she could see the sun shining. That was a perfect image of the way her life had turned around—for too long her soul had been mired in winter, but now she felt the warmth of the sun. For the first time in a decade she felt free of a burden she hadn’t even been aware she was carrying—the burden of perceived failure, of a promise unfulfilled.

  As she drove away, Shannon thought about the changes in her life since that fall evening ten years ago when she knelt helplessly at the side of the man she loved and watched him die. She remembered the vow she’d made then—to Todd and to herself. Shannon recalled the lives she’d saved since that time. Just as important was the way her life had changed.

  Todd, some battles I won, some I lost. But I wasn’t helpless in the face of death. And I’ll never be again. I have the talents and the training, and I’ll use them. I think you’d be proud of me.

  READING GROUP GUIDE

  1. Shannon and Megan are PKs (preacher’s kids). Have you known any PKs? Did they demonstrate behavior and character traits that you (or they) ascribed to growing up in a preacher’s home? Do you think Shannon and/or Megan showed any evidence of such traits?

  2. Mark fell away from faith when he went to college, but instead of continuing his slide while in medical school (which is often the case), he returned to a deeper relationship with God. What things might affect the faith of a physician in training? Would they be more likely to draw a believer away from God or closer to Him?

  3. The name of the rehab facility where Megan met Barry Radick was First Step
. The first step in the Alcoholics Anonymous twelve-step program (http://www.aa.org/en_pdfs/smf-121_en.pdf) involves recognizing that the individual is powerless in the face of their addiction. Six of the remaining eleven steps mention God. Do you think that’s important? Should addiction therapy be God-centered? Why or why not?

  4. Shannon prayed that her boyfriend’s life might be spared after he was gunned down, yet Todd died. This caused her to erect a wall between herself and God. What would you say to her if she voiced this anger with God to you? Do you think this is a common feeling?

  5. There’s a saying that there are no atheists in a foxhole. Megan admitted that she prayed when she thought she was going to die handcuffed to a drainpipe. Shannon prayed for her sister while she was in jail, but had to be reminded to thank God after Megan was released. We’ve all been in situations where we called on God to save us, to help us out of a jam. In your particular situation, did you have to be reminded to thank Him when He came through? If He didn’t come through in the way you wanted, were you angry?

  6. Shannon had problem after problem heaped on her. Do you believe that God never gives us more than we can handle? How do you think that works (or doesn’t work)?

  7. Through all their problems, Pastor and Mrs. Frasier seemed almost placid in their faith at times. Do you think they were hiding their anxiety, or were they really content to cast their burdens on God? Do you think a minister should have (and demonstrate) deeper faith than a layperson? What do you think are the hallmarks of faith under fire?

  8. Mark resented Megan’s intrusion into his and Shannon’s lives. He was frustrated by Shannon’s failure to commit to marriage. He seemed to hide both these things well, though. Do you think he should have been more vocal? Is freedom from outward evidence of faults the hallmark of a Christian?

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  THOSE FAMILIAR WITH THE CAMPUS WILL NOTE THAT I’VE TAKEN some literary license with the setup of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. This was necessary because that campus is now changing almost from month to month, and what I depicted at the time of writing might not be accurate at the time of publication. I decided it was simpler to make the description fit my needs, so I did.

  My son, Allen Mabry, is an avid practitioner of geocaching, and I’m indebted to him for his advice about that activity, including furnishing the GPS coordinates for Greenwood Cemetery in downtown Dallas. I’ve changed the coordinates slightly from the true ones so as not to interfere with genuine geocaches in that location, but if you follow the ones listed in the book you should find a beautiful old historic cemetery that’s worth a visit. However, you won’t discover loot from a bank holdup there—at least, I don’t think so.

  I’m indebted to my agent, Rachelle Gardner, for her hard work on my behalf, as well as her friendship. I’m grateful to all the authors who have taught, befriended, and encouraged me along my road to writing. And, as always, my thanks go to you, my readers, for your support.

  A great deal of credit for this novel goes to my wife, Kay, my first reader, who suggested a number of improvements to the storyline. I continue to be grateful for the support of my children: Allen and Lynne, Brian and Catherine, Ann and Benny, David, and Shelly, as well as the patience during my writing time of my grandchildren: Cassie, Kate, Ryan, and Connor.

  I’m truly blessed to work with the excellent people at Thomas Nelson. As Critical Condition came together, the editorial work of Amanda Bostic was outstanding—she continues to make me look better than I deserve. I appreciate the editing touch of Deborah Wiseman as the manuscript took final form. Becky Monds, Jodi Hughes, and the crew did a great job of actually putting the book together. Kristen Vasgaard designed an eye-catching cover. And, of course, no one would have heard of this novel without the efforts of Laura Dickerson and Katie Bond.

  As I’ve said in other books, I can think of no better final acknowledgment than the one adopted by Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel for their works: Soli Deo gloria. “To God alone be glory.” May it always be so.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Photo by Jodie Westfall

  A RETIRED PHYSICIAN, DR. RICHARD MABRY IS THE AUTHOR OF SIX previous critically acclaimed novels of medical suspense. His previous works have been finalists for the Carol Award and Romantic Times Reader’s Choice Award, and have won the Selah Award. He is a past vice president of American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of the International Thriller Writers. He and his wife live in North Texas.