Page 63 of Truly, Madly, Deeply
“It’s all my fault.” Tommy paced the room. “I never should’ve taken her out.”
“No.” Annalee sat partially up in bed. “It wasn’t you, Tommy.”
Her dad went to her. “Please, honey. Lay down. You need to rest.”
Annalee did as he asked, but she shook her head. “I need you to hear me. All of you.” She was wheezing now. Tommy had never seen an illness move so fast. “I felt perfect all day. Tommy”—she looked at her father—“he knew I was sick before I did. He… he’s the reason… I got here in time.”
Her dad put his hand on Tommy’s shoulder. “We don’t blame you.” He looked at Annalee. “Honey, of course it isn’t Tommy’s fault.”
Tommy still wasn’t sure. The speed of this thing made him feel dizzy. How could she be making progress against Stage 4 cancer and then be fighting for her life because of pneumonia? A few minutes later he and Annalee’s parents followed the doctor out into the hall. That’s when they knew how serious the fight actually was.
“We’re doing all we can.” The doctor’s face was grim. “Her life is on the line with this infection. The next two days will be critical.”
“Is there some other medication, something that could help her?” Annalee’s mother sounded desperate.
But the doctor only shook his head. “Since you believe in miracles, I’d ask one thing of you all.” He paused. “Please… Pray.”
23
The breakthrough in Annalee’s pneumonia came late Saturday night. Until then Luke had stayed in the waiting room with Reagan, and Annalee’s parents—praying and reading Scripture. Anything to storm the gates of heaven one more time for the girl they loved.
Her doctor had told them that if they’d found the right antibiotic, and if Annalee’s compromised immune system responded, they should know quickly. So when her fever broke Saturday night the doctor was thrilled to share the news.
“We don’t always get the answer we want,” he told them. “But God is always listening.”
Luke liked that. God was always listening.
Since then, Annalee had continued to improve, so on Sunday night Luke did something he hadn’t done in years. He asked Reagan to go dancing. The strain between them had passed, but they needed time together. Time to rebuild the love and laughter that had been missing since mid-September.
Luke wanted the date for another reason, too.
After dancing, he and Reagan planned to meet MikeLockwood and his wife for dessert. Luke had talked to Mike a few weeks ago about the four of them getting together. Mike knew about Reagan’s fears. “Time together might help her see.” Mike had liked the idea from the beginning. “Police officers don’t live with the what-ifs. We go to work and do our job the best we can. It’s a job we love.”
Now Luke walked to the family room mirror and adjusted his tie. Tommy was staying home to be with his siblings, and the three kids were playing Sequence on the oversized coffee table.
“Big date, huh, Dad?” Tommy grinned at him.
“It is. And overdue, for sure.” Luke looked in the mirror. His hair had stayed blond all these years. A few lines at the corners of his eyes, but otherwise he was still the Luke Baxter he’d been when he married Reagan. He slipped on his dark gray suit coat, stood a little straighter, and turned to the kids.
“Well… how do I look?”
Johnny smiled at him. “You look ready, Dad. And you kinda look like Tommy.” He shot a look toward the master bedroom just off the family room. “What about Mom?”
“Finishing touches.” Luke shrugged. “You’ll understand one day, Johnny boy. Waiting on a woman is part of the deal.”
Johnny looked back at the game. “I’m the youngest, Dad. I’m good at waiting.”
At the same time, Malin glanced up from the gameand gasped. She stood and blinked a few times. “Dad… you look like the most handsome prince.”
Luke bowed. “Why, thank you.” He smiled and held his hand out to his daughter. “Perhaps the princess would like a dance with the prince?”
Malin giggled and scampered over to him. The flouncy layers of her pink dress bounced around her bare knees. It was the dress she’d worn to church that morning. Malin would’ve worn it to bed if they’d let her. She took hold of his fingers and curtsied. “The princess would, indeed, like to dance.”
For the slightest few seconds, Luke didn’t move. He only looked at this precious daughter, brought home from China when she was a baby. Her birth country and heritage were important to all of them. But she was a Baxter girl, through and through. All ribbons and bows, smiles and giggles.
The sunbeam of their home.
Luke took her hand and began to sing,Tale as old as time.He twirled her again and again and then she stepped lightly on his toes. “Dance me around the room, Daddy. Like we used to do when I was little.”
