A Song Of Redemption

by Todd Kirby

around Jeremy’s arm.  As the blood began seeping through the towel, Ratchet said, “Kid, I’m afraid you’re gonna need some stitches, this looks bad.  Can you ride?”

  “The hospital is only five miles down the road, I’ll be alright that far.” said Jeremy.

  Ratchet and Jeremy got on their bikes and rode quickly to the emergency room.  It’s a good thing that the hospital was close, because as they pulled into the parking area near the ER, Jeremy started feeling a little light-headed.  Ratchet helped him off his bike and into the ER check-in area.  Luckily it was late and there weren’t a whole lot of people there.  A woman in scrubs who was sitting behind the glassed-in area immediately came out and asked what happened.

  “Knife wound.” said Ratchet.

  The woman grabbed a wheelchair and sat Jeremy down in it.  Looking up at Ratchet, she said, “You’ll need to check in with the receptionist...”  Ratchet nodded and watched as the woman wheeled Jeremy over to the ER door and badged in.

  Once in the ER, the woman wheeled Jeremy into an area and helped him onto a bed there.  Then she said, “I’m going to have to remove this towel to take a look, okay?”  Jeremy nodded,  As she slowly removed the towel, blood began pouring down Jeremy’s arm.  The woman placed the towel back on his arm and applied pressure.  She looked up in time to see two more women in scrubs entering the area with a cart.  Jeremy recognized the first one, although it had been several years since he had seen her.  She looked a little shocked to see him as well, but she quickly came over and asked the first woman, “What do we have?”

  The woman who had looked at the wound first said, “Laceration, approximately one inch long, but it’s pretty deep.”

  “Jeremy,” the woman he recognized said, as she slowly pulled the towel away from the wound to get a closer look, “what sort of excitement have you gotten yourself into this evening?”

  “Long time no see, Allison,” Jeremy said with a smile. “How’ve you been?”

  Allison looked at the first nurse and said, “Go ahead and prep the wound.” Then she turned to the second nurse and said, “I need some sutures ready.”   Allison reached over to the cart and grabbed a syringe and a bottle as the other two quickly did as they were asked.  As she drew some of the liquid from the bottle into the syringe, Allison said, “It looks like a knife wound, do you want to tell me what happened?”  She poked the syringe into Jeremy’s bicep close to the wound.

  “I fell…” Jeremy lied.

  “On a knife?” Allison said, raising an eyebrow. “I guess I should be relieved you only fell on it once…”  After the nurse had the sutures ready, Allison took the needle and began stitching up the wound.

  “So…” Jeremy tried making conversation. “You’re a doctor now…”

  “P.A.” Allison replied.

  “So that’s like a doctor, right?” Jeremy said.

  Allison rolled her eyes as one of the nurses smiled. “Yes, it’s like a doctor.”  She continued stitching.

  “You look pretty.” Jeremy flirted.

  Allison sighed, then she turned to the nurses and said, “I’ve got this under control, can you please check on the patient in number three?”

  “I just checked,” the nurse said, “he’s fine.”

  “Well check again…” Allison firmly suggested.

  Both nurses walked out of the area.  Allison finished her sutures and grabbed a clean bandage.  She unpackaged it and started wrapping it around Jeremy’s arm.  Still looking for something to say, Jeremy awkwardly continued with, “So… how’s your church?  You still singing?”

  Allison said, “Church is great, you should come some time.”

  “They get a lot of bikers there, do they?” Jeremy teased.

  “They get a lot of people who need Jesus, yes.” Allison countered.

  “You gonna tell your mom about this?” Jeremy asked.

  Allison finished with the bandage and looked sternly at Jeremy.  “Ever since that day we argued in high school, Jeremy, I’ve been thinking about two things” she said spitefully.  “The first is that I wish I could take back whatever I said that made you hate Christians.”

  “I don’t hate Christians,” Jeremy said.  “What’s the second thing?”

  Allison crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. Then she took a deep breath and let it out.  Suddenly she grabbed Jeremy’s shirt with both hands and kissed him square on the lips, like it was a chore she didn’t want to do, but knew it had to be done.  Jeremy’s eyes grew wide with shock.  When she was done, she let go of his shirt and leaned back.  Wiping the corners of her mouth with her finger, she said,  “Well, that wasn’t exactly how I imagined it would go…”

  The two heard a gasp and looked at the doorway.  There was one of the nurses from before, standing in shock.  After a moment, she said, “The patient in number three is good...”

  “Great.” said Allison.  “Can you check number five please?”

  The nurse rolled her eyes and left the room.

  “Jeremy, come to church with me this Sunday.” Allison begged.

  “I don’t need your pity, Allison.” Jeremy countered.

  “It’s not pity.” Allison said.  She furrowed her brow and thought for a minute, then she continued, “Jeremy, why did you come see me tonight.”

  “Because I needed medical attention.” he replied.

  “Because if you didn’t get that medical attention,” Allison said, “you could die, right?”

  “Yeah, I guess.” he agreed.

  She continued, “You need spiritual attention too, Jeremy.  Right now you’re dying spiritually, and you need help.”

  “What does that even mean?” he questioned.

  Allison thought for a minute, then pointed at the wound and said, “The person who did this to you tonight, did you think about their family and how fighting them was going to impact the ones they love?”

  “Uh… no.” Jeremy said dryly.

  “Dying...  If your biker friend in the waiting room came in here, shot a couple of nurses and said ‘let's go’, would you be concerned about their husbands or children?”

  “Probably not.” he replied.

  “Dying...” Allison said. “And is your friend in the lobby giving some bogus name and address to the receptionist so you won’t be held responsible for paying for all of this?”

  “No.” he said. “He’s probably telling her he doesn’t know me, and that he just found me like this.”

  “Dying...” she finished.  “Jeremy, a conscience is the most obvious example of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives.  It’s the ‘image of God’ he planted in us at creation.  It’s the ‘counselor’ that Jesus promised in the New Testament.  Some people believe that extinguishing that spirit is the only unforgivable sin, because once you lose it completely, there is no getting it back.”

  Jeremy frowned and looked down, not sure how to respond.  Finally he looked back up at Allison and said, “You know, normally if a girl kissed me like you just did, it would mean we were about to go back to my place.  But I’m guessing a night at my place wouldn’t work for you.”

  Allison smiled and looked away.  “No,” she said, “that wouldn’t work for me.  Not that I haven’t thought about it, but I don’t think that’s the part God wants me to play in your life right now.  I know too many Christian girls who get involved with non-Christian boys hoping they can change them.  It never works.”

  “So you have thought about it though?” Jeremy teased.

  Allison stifled her smile and looked Jeremy in the eyes.  “I’m saving myself for marriage, do you know why?” she said.

  “Because you can’t go to heaven if you’re not a virgin when you get married?” Jeremy guessed.

  “Hardly,” Allison laughed.  “Although the Bible is pretty clear that God’s plan for sex was for it to be within a marriage relationship, so I believe that’s still the way He wants it.”

  Jeremy shrugged.

  Allison tried a diff
erent approach.  “When Mrs. Berry was still alive,” she began, “did you like going to church?”

  “Not particularly.” Jeremy responded.

  “Then why did you go?” she asked.

  “Because Mrs. Berry took me.” he answered.

  Allison smiled and said, “And you loved Mrs. Berry, and wanted to do what pleased her?”

  “Love’s a strong word.” Jeremy said.

  “Strong men aren’t afraid to use strong words.” she fired back.

  Jeremy smiled uncomfortably.  “What’s your point?” he said finally.

  “I love God,” Allison replied, “and even though I may have other desires, I know that saving myself for marriage will please Him.  That’s why I do it.”

  Just then, a nurse came rushing in.  “We need you in two!” she said urgently.

  Allison headed for the doorway.  “Those stitches need to stay in for at least a week, Jeremy.” she said.  “And you need lots of fluids to replenish your blood.”

  “Hey,” he yelled after her.  As she stopped and looked back at him, Jeremy said, “Thanks… for the first aid.”

  Allison’s smile returned and she said, “You’re welcome.”  As she was walking out of the area, she ended