Page 71 of Hidden Chance

“Peter.”

“Who?”

“I told you, Peter Black.”

“The old guy?”

“He’s not that old, he’s just retired. I’m sure he’s kept himself sharp.”

“You’re sure?”

“It can’t hurt to ask.”

“I’m not happy about bringing someone in I don’t know.”

“What other options do we have? We don’t have much time to move on this. Once they know I’m alive, who knows what changes they’ll make.”

Robby turned a frustrated circle before he came back to stand in front of her. “Okay. You can call him, but I’m not making any promises.”

“You won’t regret it. He’s the best there is. I promise.”

“We’ll see.”

Peter stood at the threshold of Jemi’s room. She was almost never awake anymore. When she was, she always tried to smile for him, and it broke his heart. Every time.

Part of him wanted her to let go of life and be free of the pain, but another part of him couldn’t bear to be without her. Even this shell that remained.

He stepped into the room, his stocking feet sinking into the thick carpet.

After taking her bony hand in his, he knelt beside the bed, running a finger gently along her fragile skin. Tears spilled down his cheeks. Every time he cried, he thought he’d run out, but the tears kept coming.

“I don’t know how to do this anymore, God. I’veprayed every prayer and given her over to you a thousand times, but nothing changes. The weight only gets heavier. I don’t know how a heart can continue to break into smaller and smaller pieces.”

His phone rang in the other room, and he closed his eyes, pushing more tears down his cheek.

Answer it.

The voice whispered in his mind, but he was too tired to stand. He was too tired to speak to anyone anymore. The only reason he kept going was because he’d discovered that giving up hope took more strength than hanging onto it. He was just so tired.

The ringing stopped, and he rested his head on the side of the bed. The doctors said it could be any day now. Her body was done fighting. He couldn’t do anything else for her, but he couldn’t give her up.

“There’s still time, God. Please. Save her.” The words had passed his lips a thousand times, so they barely held any meaning any more.

He used to daydream about the day she would be healed and how he would respond. She would run into his arms, and he would scoop her up, swinging her around as they rediscovered life together.

His phone dinged with a message.

Go.

He lifted Jemi’s fingers and kissed them. “I’ll be right back, my love.”

It took him a minute to push himself to standing. Then, he trudged into the living room. He couldn’t remember a time when he hadn’t obeyed God’s voice, but the weariness of continued obedience was a weightalmost too heavy to carry. And whoever was on the phone couldn’t give him what he wanted. What he needed.

Still…he obeyed.

He listened as the voicemail connected, looking out into the yard where he used to sit with Jemi before she was confined to her bed.

“Hey, Peter. This is Hannah. Uh…Hannah Reynolds. I know it’s been a long time, but I really need your help.”

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