The Shadows Trilogy Box Set: A Christian Romance

by Juliette Duncan

  Finally a doctor she hadn’t seen before stood in front of them. Lizzy looked up expectantly, desperate to hear that Daniel had pulled through, but scared to hear he hadn’t. The look on the doctor’s face didn’t tell her anything. Her eyes pleaded with him for an answer.

  How long can he just stand there for? Her heart screamed out for an answer, and yet she was unable to speak. Everything happened in slow motion.

  Through the thick fog, his voice came to her.

  “Mrs O’Connor, your husband is one lucky man. We got it just in time.”

  It was a dream. Had he really said that Daniel was going to be okay? Why had she doubted? Lizzy slowly came out of her fog and absorbed the wonderful news. Daniel had survived! Tears of joy and relief rolled down her cheeks as she hugged Nessa tightly. Her heart felt like it would break, such was her elation.

  Although Daniel had survived the blood clot, he was still in a coma. Lizzy determined to stay at his bedside, and despite pleadings from Nessa to come home and sleep, she stayed there, night and day, only catching a few hours’ sleep here and there in an armchair the nurses brought in for her.

  Two weeks after Daniel’s accident, Lizzy felt a twitch in his fingers while reading to him. She jerked her head up, wondering if she’d imagined it, much like the first time she’d felt the baby move. She peered into his face as she called out to him, but there was no reaction. Maybe she’d imagined it.

  She continued reading, but then it happened again. This time she called a nurse.

  It was true. Daniel was starting to regain consciousness, and Lizzy was delirious with joy. Her prayers had been answered! But then, her elation was short lived when the doctor told her it could still take days, possibly even weeks, for him to fully regain control over his body and mind, and they still weren’t sure if he’d suffered any lasting brain damage.

  But it didn’t matter! He was coming back, and she didn’t care how long it took. When the doctor left, she leaned her head gently on his chest, and carefully draped her arm over his body. Her smile stretched from ear to ear and her heart filled with love for him as she caressed his body and listened to his strong heartbeat.

  That evening, Daniel opened his eyes, and Lizzy was ready for it. She’d been waiting all afternoon, ever since she’d felt that first movement. But she wasn’t prepared for the empty stare she received when she looked into his eyes. Yes, the doctor had warned her not to expect too much too soon, but shouldn’t there be at least be some sort of recognition? But there was nothing. Her heart cried out for Daniel to see her. Really see her.

  Once again, she’d need to be patient. It seemed God was using Daniel’s injuries to work on her own issues.

  Daniel’s eyes didn’t remain open for long, but Lizzy remained alert for any further movements, and was rewarded as he occasionally lifted an arm or twitched a finger. She whispered to him constantly, encouraging him to come back to her. She fell asleep with her head beside him on the bed and her arm draped over his chest.

  Sometime during the night, she was woken by a nurse checking on him, and she moved back into her chair. The baby must have been squashed, as it began to kick once she sat up. Lizzy gently rubbed her tummy, and her heart warmed as she thought ahead to the time when the three of them would be a real family together.

  Over the next few days, Daniel gradually regained consciousness, and Lizzy was elated. Very slowly, he became aware of her and his surroundings, and with every improvement, Lizzy gained hope that he would make a full recovery. She continued to read to him from the Bible, even though she knew he might tell her to stop at any moment. But she couldn’t think of any better book to read. She prayed that God’s word would be embedded in his soul, and would breathe new life into his heart and mind.

  As she read, God was also speaking to her. Verses 2 and 3 in James 1 pointed directly at her. ‘Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.’

  Maybe God was indeed growing her through the trials she and Daniel were experiencing, but how did He expect her to ‘consider it pure joy’? Did it really mean she should be welcoming these trials in order to grow in perseverance and character? But who in their right mind would welcome suffering in their life? She would have preferred to grow without it, if truth be told.

  Maybe this was part of the journey she was on, and she should be open to whatever God wanted to teach her. How could she expect God to work in Daniel’s life if she wasn’t open to Him working in her own?

  Two days after he first opened his eyes, Daniel spoke to her. Lizzy wasn’t sure at first, but she stopped reading, and waited to hear it again. Daniel slowly reached his hand out, and as she looked down and gently took hold of it, he spoke her name. It was faint, but it didn’t matter. Daniel had spoken to her.

  She looked into his eyes and knew in that moment he’d be okay. His body was still a mess, but his eyes held a promise that he would be coming back to her. Lizzy couldn’t hide her joy. Her face beamed, and warmth radiated through her body.

  The next day, he spoke a few more words, and by the end of the week, he was able to put together a sentence. The doctors were confident he didn’t have any permanent damage, and once his physical injuries had improved a little more, they’d try to get him up. In the meantime, they would move him to a lower care ward.

  Lizzy called her mother and told her the good news. Gwyneth was ecstatic, and said her father would also be pleased.

  “Will he really?” Lizzy asked, hoping that somehow this might actually be the case.

  “Yes, dear. I had a good talk to him when I returned, and I believe he’s now a little more accepting of the situation. I think he’s realising he might have judged you both a little too quickly.”

  Could this really be happening? Could God be at work in her father’s life as well? It was too much to hope for but it sure sounded as if He was!

  “Mother, that’s great news! I’m so pleased to hear that.” The grin on her face stretched from ear to ear.

  Nessa and Riley were also regular visitors at Daniel’s bedside, and encouraged Lizzy to come home for a good sleep. Lizzy agreed to think about it, but she had no choice. The privileges she’d enjoyed in the Intensive Care Ward weren’t extended to the lower care ward and she wasn’t allowed to stay with him over night.

  Lizzy went home with Nessa the day Daniel was moved.

  “We’re so glad Daniel’s pulling through, Lizzy,” Nessa said as she drove towards her home. “He certainly had us worried for a time.”

  “Not as glad as I am!” Lizzy sat quietly for a moment before continuing. “I hope this is the rock bottom you mentioned he’d have to hit, Ness. I can’t imagine it getting any worse.”

  “I think so, Liz, but there’s still no guarantee he’ll stop drinking. You’d think if something like this happened to you, it’d really make you stop and think about what you’re doing, and hopefully it will, but it’s still totally up to him to make the decision.” Nessa shot Lizzy a glance as she turned a corner. “Don’t push him, Liz. Be patient. Let him go at his own speed.”

  Lizzy grimaced. What Nessa was saying was right, but oh so hard.

  “That’s my problem, Ness. I just want everything to happen straight away. I think God’s trying to teach me to be patient.”

  She took a deep breath and looked at Nessa. “You’ll need to talk to me about those boundaries you mentioned, but maybe not now. I’m just happy he’s awake and improving every day. He’ll probably still be in hospital for weeks anyway.”

  “Hopefully he’ll be out before the baby comes,” Nessa said as she pulled up in front of their house.

  “That would be good - very good!” Lizzy opened the door and climbed out.

  Although she would have enjoyed Nessa and Riley’s company, the sight of a proper bed was too much, and as soon as she’d eaten, Lizzy excused herself and went to bed.

  The pillow felt so soft, and she snu
ggled into the blankets, pulling them right up to her neck. Within minutes, she was sound asleep, and didn’t stir until the following morning when the sounds of young children jolted her awake.

  Lizzy spent some time with Nessa and the children, but couldn’t keep her mind off Daniel.

  “Ness, I need to go back to the hospital. Do you mind?” Lizzy asked when she could get a word in over the din the children were making.

  “Of course not, sweetie. We’ll get ready and go.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  When Lizzy arrived at the hospital mid-morning, Daniel was sitting and looking much better. The bandages around his head had been replaced with smaller patches, and the stitches had been removed from the cut on his forehead. He was clean shaven, and his hair had been brushed. But best of all, he was reading the Bible Lizzy had left behind.

  He started as she walked in and put it down. Was he embarrassed, or did he just put it down because she’d turned up? She recalled Nessa’s words. ‘Take it slow. Don’t push.’

  Lizzy walked over to him, and bending down, kissed him gently on the lips, allowing them to linger on his just a little longer than they possibly should in public, but she didn’t care. Daniel was alive and well, and no one was going to stop her from kissing him.

  She pulled up a chair and took his hand. Leaning close, she traced the outline of his face with the tip of her finger, her eyes not letting go of his.

  “You don’t know how much I’ve waited for this day, Daniel O’Connor.”

  He squeezed her hand and the faintest of smiles grew on his face.

  Lizzy rested her head against his chest, and he lifted his hand and stroked her hair. Warmth radiated through Lizzy’s body as all the tension of the previous weeks slipped away.

  They could have stayed like that forever as far as Lizzy was concerned, but eventually she had to sit up. The baby was making itself known, and she was in discomfort.

  Daniel was asleep, so she carefully extricated herself from his body and once standing, gave her back a good rub. Was she ready for this baby? Her preparation had certainly been interrupted, but all seemed to be going well, although she was behind in her check-ups. She made a mental note to call the clinic. But what did she know about being a mother? The thought concerned her now the time was coming near. She really knew nothing about caring for a baby, but then, she’d have Daniel to help her, and he should know. She looked down at him and her heart overflowed with gratitude to God for bringing him back to her.

  He stirred, and his eyes opened. She took his hand and gently squeezed it.

  A short while later, once Daniel had eaten the lunch he’d been given and Lizzy had been to the cafeteria to get a sandwich, the time had come to ask Daniel for his version of what happened. She’d heard from various people that he’d been on the A63 heading west when he veered off the road and hit a pole. But where was he going, and why?

  She sat beside him, leaning slightly forward, his hand in hers. Her heart rate had increased slightly, and it took a while for her to speak, being unsure of where it would lead.

  “Daniel, do you remember anything at all about the accident?”

  His eyes lifted and his body tensed.

  “It’s okay. I’m not angry, Daniel. I just want to know what happened, and where you were going, that’s all.” She stroked his hand with her thumb and leaned her arm on the bed beside him.

  He looked away and Lizzy’s heart fell a little.

  “If you don’t want to talk about it, it’s okay, Daniel.” She continued stroking, but pulled back a little. Maybe he wasn’t ready just yet, and she’d have to put some of that patience into practice.

  Just when it seemed he wasn’t going to answer, he cleared his throat. She lifted her head and her gaze caught his. His mouth was downturned and he shook his head.

  “I don’t know Lizzy. I really don’t. It’s a blur in my mind.” His eyes had that faraway look, as if he was in another place and time. “I remember being at the pub. I’d had a few, and I decided to go and find you.” He looked into her eyes. “That’s about all I remember.”

  Lizzy didn’t know what to feel. Part of her was elated that he wanted to find her, but then she also carried guilt that she’d indirectly caused his accident. No, she couldn’t let herself think like that. She recalled her mother’s words - ‘it was his choice to drink, not yours’.

  She squeezed his hand and her smile grew warm.

  “Thanks, Daniel. At least I know where you were going.” She took a deep breath and grimaced. “The Police want to talk to you.”

  Daniel closed his eyes and hung his head. Lizzy sat still, her heart beating rapidly.

  Opening his eyes a few moments later, he lifted his head slowly.

  “I’ve wrecked everything, haven’t I?”

  She leaned forward and clutched his hand. “No, you haven’t, Daniel. Please don’t think like that. As long as we’re together, we’ll be okay. We can work it out, I promise.” Her eyes pleaded with him, and her breathing was heavy. She just wanted to hug him and assure him of her love, but his ribs hadn’t quite healed.

  Tears welled up in his eyes.

  “I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve you, Lizzy. You had every right to leave me.” The remorse in his eyes was genuine and warmed Lizzy’s heart. “But I was so glad to see you here. I didn’t ever expect you to come back.”

  “Oh Daniel. I said I would. It was never in my mind to leave you forever. I just didn’t know how to cope with your drinking, not being used to it and all.”

  “I’m sorry Lizzy. I really am. We’re in a mess now because of me.” He turned his head to the side and gulped.

  “Daniel, look at me.” She waited until he looked at her before continuing. “It doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t matter. We can sort out the mess. The main thing is that you’re okay and we’re together.”

  Daniel held her gaze and then nodded slowly. He held out his arm and she leaned into him gently. Yes, as long as they were together, it would be alright. It might not be easy, but they’d be alright. Thank you, God.

  Daniel’s recovery continued slowly, but each day he grew stronger. He asked Lizzy to read to him, as he couldn’t keep his eyes open long enough to read much for himself. She was surprised when he asked her to read from the Bible. “But don’t get your hopes up,” he said when she raised her eyebrows and smiled excitedly.

  “I’m just figuring it didn’t work my way, so maybe I should try a different way. But I don’t want you preaching to me, right?”

  Lizzy nodded her head vigorously.

  “Right. I promise.”

  She chose to read the book of John to him, but had to stop regularly to answer his questions. When she got to the story about Nicodemus, he asked her to read it again, and wanted her interpretation of what it meant to be born again.

  This was really putting her on the spot. She’d expected God to somehow just change Daniel, but now he was wanting her to explain things. If she stuffed up, she’d lose her chance. No, she couldn’t think like that. God was here with her. She loved Him, and her faith was strong. She’d never doubted Him, ever since she’d committed her life to Him when she was at university.

  But her faith had been more private. Apart from praying for people and going to church and reading her Bible, she’d never really shared her faith with anyone. Would she be able to get the right words out so they made sense, or would she make a mess of it and as a result, lose Daniel’s interest?

  No, she had to trust God to give her the words. After all, she really just had to share what in her heart she knew was true. If she was honest and genuine and sincere, surely God would bless that.

  Okay, here goes… “When Jesus was talking to Nicodemus, he tried to make it easy for him to understand by using an illustration of a newborn baby entering life. What He was saying is that to begin a new life with God, we have to start again. Jesus called it being ‘born again’, but these days it’s also called ‘being saved’. We don’t li
terally have to go back to being physical babies, but in a spiritual sense, we do. Being ‘born again’ or ‘being ‘saved’ is the actual moment we start that new life, but understanding how God made it possible is the first step.”

  “Alright, I think I’ve got that. I guess you’d better tell me how, now that we’ve started.” Daniel straightened himself a little and then settled back against his pillows.

  Lizzy smiled inwardly. How exciting it was to be sharing about Jesus with Daniel after all this time.

  She breathed deeply before continuing.

  “The simple answer is just a few verses down, in John 3:16: ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’

  “There must be more to it than that. Just believing doesn’t sound enough.”

  “Well, yes and no. I guess it comes back to what ‘believes in him’ actually means. It doesn’t mean just head knowledge. It means that you really believe in everything about him. How he came, why he came, and why he died. Oh, and also that he rose again. Just a minor point.” Lizzy lifted her eyes and realised she may have confused Daniel. Why had she joked at a time like this? She quickly went on to explain.

  “Not really. Jesus rising from the dead is the key to it all, because if it’s not true, and he didn’t, well then, all the other stuff is meaningless.”

  Daniel tilted his head.

  “Why did he die in the first place? I know it has something to do with being saved, but it’s never made sense to me.”

  “Well, basically it’s because without his death on the cross, no one could have eternal life. The whole reason for His birth, death, and resurrection was to provide the pathway to heaven for sinful mankind who would never get there on their own. It all goes back to Adam and Eve.”

  Daniel rolled his eyes.

  “Stop it!” She waved a hand at him. “Hear me out!”