Roller Coaster 9

Continued from 6/12 post…

Wendy slept fitfully for the rest of the afternoon and into the night. She didn’t want to leave her oasis in the dark living room. She never heard her mom come in. Every time she awakened, she would try to get back to sleep, to escape the pain.

At 3:00 in the morning, her mind wouldn’t allow her any more sleep. She stared straight up at the ceiling. She felt so hollow, so desperate for answers. “God?”

There was no answer. She felt a little silly, speaking into the darkness, but felt compelled to continue. “I know. I haven’t talked to you since I was a kid. I just don’t know where else to turn.”

She paused, taking a deep breath. “God, I love my daddy. I can’t imagine my life without him. Please let him make it. Take away the cancer. Please, God.”

She stared into the darkness. There were no flashes of light, no ringing bells, no indication her prayer had reached past the ceiling of her house. She knew it was irrational to believe that God would do anything for her. Yet, somehow, a glimmer of hope flickered within her, and she dared to hold on to it.

Wrapping her afghan around her, she traipsed to the office. Her mother’s desktop computer sat there. She turned it on, her eyes aching at the bright glow emanating from the monitor. She began searching online for any information about her father’s disease, including symptoms, treatments, and the prognosis. She read article after article until she felt like her head was going to explode.

She did one final search. She looked up the church around the corner, finally locating a website that included service times. If she was going to ask God for a miracle, she was going to have to prove she was worthy.

It was still early, but she started the shower. She took her time getting ready, wanting to do the church thing right. There was a knock on the door.

“Wendy, what on earth are you doing?” asked her mom sleepily.

“I’m going to church. You wanna come, too?” Wendy asked hopefully.

“Church?” Her mom paused. “I can’t go to church. I have to go back to the hospital. There’s a chaplain there, honey, if you want to talk to someone.”

Wendy considered the idea briefly. “Nope, I’m going to church today. It just seems like the right thing to do.”

Continued on Fiction Fridays…