Page 60 of Love on the Brain
“Okay,” Noah said.
“Let me help you remember the names. Repeat after me. Mommy.”
“Mommy.”
“Mimi.”
“Mimi.”
“Poppy.”
“Poppy.”
“Grandpa.”
“Grandpa.”
“Shelby.”
“Shelby.”
“Molly.”
“Molly.”
“Ryan.”
“Ryan.” Noah looked up at him and smiled. He smiled back, fully aware that all conversation around them had stopped.
“Wes.”
“Wes.”
“Pastor E.”
“Pastor E.”
“Mrs. E.”
“Mrs. E.”
“Good job, buddy!”
“Thanks, Daddy!” Noah turned to Ryan. “My daddy is so smart. All the people he says are here! ’Cept Molly, but she’s coming tomorrow, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Uncle Ryan? If you can’t fix my head, I’m going to go to Heaven to be with Daddy, right?”
Ryan’s tears spilled over. “When you go to Heaven, you’re going to be a very old man.”
Noah considered Ryan’s reply. “But it’s okay if I go early. ’Cause my daddy is there. It’s okay if you can’t fix my head.”
Ryan clung to those words, thanking God for speaking through Noah, confirming his choice to not operate was His plan.
“Hey.” He turned Noah toward him. “I’m so glad you said that. Because I found someone even better than me to fix your head. His name is Dr. Moreira. What do you think about that?” Ryan held his breath.
Noah tilted his head and nodded, then smiled. “Better than you? Wow, he must be AWESOME!”
