Page 100 of A Boy Called Lovesong

From the doorway, Maybelle appeared. “Noah! You’re awake. I thought I could hear Lovesong hollerin’ from down the hall.” She hobbled up to the bed with her cane. “How you feeling, hun?”

“Sore. But… alive.”

“You weren’t for a minute there,” said Maybelle. “The pickup threw you ten feet into the air. When Lovesong got to you, you weren’t even breathin’. He gave you CPR till you came back to us. I guess the kiss of life works after all.”

“You did?” I smiled at Lovesong. “You saved my life?”

Lovesong was blushing. “It was nothin’. I didn’t really know what I was doing. I’ve never given anyone CPR before. I accidentally stuck my finger up your nostril a couple of times when I was trying to pinch your nose. But I guess it worked in the end.”

I laughed and my side hurt. “Ow!” I winced.

“The doc says you got a couple of broken ribs, but that’s about it. He said it’s a miracle you ain’t more beat up.” Lovesong paused, remorse settling over his face. “Noah, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for gettin’ all mad at you. I feel like this is all my fault.”

“No. Don’t say that. It’s not your fault at all.” I suddenly remembered what we were arguing about in the first place. “The letter and the note. The Bible. The tape. Where are they?”

“I have them,” Maybelle said. “Lovesong was already on the way to the hospital with you in George’s truck. Earl was on his way with Cybil, and Leroy had already rushed Chet to the vet. I got a ride with Auggie. I saw your things on the side of the road near where the accident had happened.”

“Where are they now?”

“Still in Auggie’s truck. Why?”

“The note. It’s the original note that was found in Lovesong’s basket when he was a baby. Everybody thinks it was written by Harper, but it wasn’t. It was Reverend Jim who wrote it. It’s his handwriting. He’s been covering up what really happened at the crossroads all these years. He’s been lying to everyone. Not only that, when I was at their house last night, there was a gun missing from the wall. I think the reverend has done something terrible. And I think he’s capable of doing the same again.”

“What are you saying?” Maybelle said in a hushed voice.

“I’m saying I think Lovesong is in danger. I think we need to get him out of here. Before the reverend finds out the note is missing.”

Lovesong shook his head. “This ain’t true. It can’t be true. Noah, none of this can be true.”

I took his hand. “Lovesong, I’m sorry. But you need to see this—sensethis—for what it is. You need to remember each and every time the reverend bullied you, belittled you, told you that you weren’t enough… that your dreams were unachievable, unimaginable, that you were nothing more than a simple, blind cotton picker in a small town, and that was all you’ll ever be.”

I could see on his face he knew it was all true. A tear streaked down his cheek and I quickly brushed it away. “It’s time you proved him wrong. It’s time you proved to yourself and the world what you can really do. Are you ready?”

He nodded, wiping away the rest of his tears himself. “Yes. Hell, yes.”

I sat up in pain, then yanked out the IV and the cords taped to my chest and swung my legs over the side of the bed.

“What in the hell do you think you’re doing now?” Maybelle whispered harshly.

“I’m getting out of here, and I’m taking Lovesong with me. We’re going back to town, packing our bags and leaving. We canpick up Chet on our way back through Baton Rouge.” I looked at Lovesong and squeezed his hand. “Are you with me?”

He didn’t hesitate this time. “Yes. I trust you. I have faith in you.”

I kissed him, then said, “Go find Auggie and tell him we need to borrow his truck.”

Lovesong disappeared as Maybelle shook her head at me… while at the same time helped me out of bed. “Noah, you can’t just walk out of a hospital?”

“I broke into the reverend’s house, I can sure as hell break out of a hospital.”

“Well, you sure as hell can’t drive in your condition, and if you ain’t gonna let Jesus take the wheel, you might as well hand it over to me.”

“You can’t drive.”

“Why not?”

“Your hip.”

Maybelle lifted her walking stick. “What the hell do you think the cane’s for?”

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