Page 62 of Truly, Madly, Deeply
The conversation shifted to Maddie and Dawson. Tommy was sitting across from the guy, and he still had questions about how the two of them had started dating. “So… you two.” Tommy looked from his cousin to her boyfriend. “I know some of the details. But… maybe you could tell us.”
A sadness seemed to flash in Dawson’s eyes. He folded his hands on the table and exhaled. “It’s a story only God could’ve written.” He smiled at Maddie and then turned back to Tommy and Annalee. “But it started with tragedy. The greatest tragedy in all my life.” He took a breath. “My best friend—London… that day she and I spent the afternoon hiking.”
Dawson talked about how he’d been in love with London for years but things were never right between the two of them. “We went for ice cream after the hike, and as London got out of the car, she was hit by a truck.”
Tommy had never heard any of this before. Beneaththe table he took Annalee’s hand and kept listening. Dawson went on to say that London eventually died from her injuries. But not before her mother mentioned something about frozen embryos. Babies that could’ve been London’s siblings.
“I set out to find those siblings.” Dawson looked at Maddie. “And that’s how we met.”
Never had Tommy heard anything like their story. And after lunch, when they got Annalee’s wheelchair from the car and started walking around the zoo, Tommy was struck by the bond his cousin and this man shared. It was like Maddie and Dawson had been made for each other.
The way Tommy felt about Annalee.
Since Maddie worked at the zoo, she had access to all the behind-the-scenes places. With the sunshine on their shoulders, they went behind doors markedPRIVATEand got to watch trainers feed the lions. A man and a woman would put buckets of raw meat into an area covered in hay. When the trainers were safe, two lions charged into the area and immediately found their individual feeding troughs.
“You can’t be too careful with lions.” The woman wiped her hands on her khaki pants. “No room for error with these beautiful boys.”
As they returned to the main walkway, Annalee looked up at Tommy. “I always wondered how that worked.” Her eyes shone. “I like what she said. You can’t be too careful.”
It was that way with cancer, too,Tommy wanted to say. But he refused to bring up her sickness. Instead he kept a watchful eye on her, making sure she wasn’t yawning or leaning on her chair’s armrest. Any sign that she was getting tired, and he would take her home.
The moment came sooner than either of them had hoped.
They were backstage at the leopard exhibit, and Annalee was petting the zoo’s newborn cub, when Tommy noticed her face getting pale. He skipped his turn to hold the animal, and instead hurried the group back out to the main path. As he did, he felt Annalee’s forehead. It was burning up. “Hey. We need to get going.” He shook Dawson’s hand and hugged Maddie. “I loved this.”
“Me, too.” Dawson nodded. “I want to hear about those ride-alongs. Maddie says you’re thinking about being a police officer.”
“I am.” Tommy turned Annalee’s wheelchair toward the exit. “Let’s get lunch sometime. On a weekend, maybe.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Dawson waved.
Maddie did the same. “Glad you’re feeling better, Annalee. Nice spending the day together.”
“Definitely.” Annalee’s teeth were starting to chatter. No one else noticed, but Tommy could tell.
His heart began to race. He had to get her home. Now.
Annalee didn’t complain once about Tommy’s sudden change of plans. Not when they were saying theirgoodbyes and not as he practically ran her back to his Jeep. When they were in the car she turned to him. “I… don’t feel good.”
“I know.” He started the engine. “You have a fever.”
“How can you tell?” She lifted her hand to her forehead. Her shivering was worse. “I feel cold.”
“You’re burning up.” He focused on the road ahead of them. He needed to get her home, but he had to be safe, too.
Annalee closed her eyes and leaned her head back. She was asleep by the time they pulled into her family’s driveway. Tommy threw the Jeep into park, cut the engine and ran up to the front door.What is this, God? Why now? Are You turning Your back on her again?He stopped himself.Help her, Father. I trust You, please help her.
Her dad was immediately at the door, as if he’d been waiting.
“She’s sick. She has a fever.” Tommy was breathless as he raced back to the car with Annalee’s dad beside him.
“I was taking a nap, watching the Pacers. Something woke me up.” Her dad sounded as frightened as Tommy. “I knew it was Annalee.”
Her mother was at the mall with a friend, so she met Mr. Miller and Tommy and Annalee at the hospital. The cancer ward. By then, Annalee’s temperature was 103 and rising. She was restless in the bed, groaning from aches that had come over her without warning.
An hour later they knew.
Annalee had pneumonia. She was put on IV antibioticsand given a series of breathing treatments. Her doctor joined them, and his concern was written in the lines on his forehead.
