"I'll expect your call soon." The lawyer picked up his briefcase and strutted out the door.
"Yes." JD let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He was certain of one thing. If he saw Joella again, he wouldn't tell her about the lawyer's visit to his office.
Chapter Fifteen
JD hooked sunglasses behind his ears and descended Larson Hall's concrete steps into bright light. Only three more weeks of class.
The campus library, one of the first buildings erected at NCU, sat to the south of Larson Hall. Steep, stone steps led inside the stately old edifice. A couple of study guides might be advantageous for the CPA exam. Maybe he'd find a few titles about the lives of the eleven founders, too. He walked through the security station and nodded at the woman at the information counter.
Switching his backpack to his other shoulder, he examined the shelf for a book on Exalted Brethren. Dad's voice buzzed like a bee ready to sting. Don't date anyone but EB girls. If JD wanted a marriage in heaven, he had to find a wife from his church in this life.
What if I choose to be a bachelor in eternity, would that be so bad? Yes. Only married men could serve as apostles under Exalted Father in heaven. And a man had to first prove his leadership skills with his own family on this earth. Exalted Father didn't honor irresponsible men.
JD sucked in a breath and held it. The next life—it lasted for all eternity so he'd better get things right now.
The clerk scanned his library card for the borrowed titles. With the books stowed, he trudged down the steps. A couple of blocks away, the towering elms of Lindsay Park emerged. He took in a cleansing breath. For once, he had a free afternoon.
In college, those benches in the secluded environment had provided time to relax and get his thoughts together. His thoughts together? What was the chance of that now? His purpose on this earth, the EB doctrines, Exalted Father—still so many things he didn't understand.
If he were wise, he'd get it over with—call Joella and tell her about EB then never see her again. Though the idea ripped his heart to pieces, it was for the best. The day would come sooner or later anyway.
A few more steps along the paved path through campus led to the park. JD's feet adhered to the grass. Not more than thirty feet from him, Joella relaxed on a bench, a book in her hand. The opportunity presented itself, but did he have the strength?
He took faltering steps toward her, his mouth dry. He could still walk away. She hadn't looked up yet.
No, he had to do it. "Joella…?"
The rest of the words froze on his lips. An involuntary swallow suffocated all other utterances. He couldn't … not today. I'll tell her another time. Maybe she hasn't seen me. A U-turn would take him back to Larson Hall.
"Hey, JD. Is that you?"
Oh, man. His feet skidded to a stop on the path. He slowly rounded toward the voice. "Hi, Joella. Is your class over?" His heart hammered as he stepped toward the beautiful woman in white shorts and a tight blue top. Her amber eyes stirred a mix of emotions in his chest.
She patted the space on the bench beside her. "Three more Saturdays to go. I'll be glad when this is over, though I shouldn't complain. I'm learning a lot I can apply to my job." She brushed a strand of shiny dark hair from her face. "How's Tannon?"
"He's such a trooper. Doesn't even complain about the cast."
"That's good." She yawned and stretched out her legs. "I'm getting so tired of studying and waking up early on Saturday."
He raked his fingers through his hair and straddled the bench beside her. "Yeah, I'll be grateful for some spare time to get out on the weekends."
Her face brightened. "Hey. No time like the present. I need to work off some job-related stress. I think I'll challenge you to that bike race we talked about."
JD swallowed. He remembered the day—when he'd allowed his passionate desire for her to get out of control.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. Why had he mentioned spare time now? If he said he couldn't go, it would be a lie. He'd put off ending things with Joella a little longer. "Well, okay."
"Let's do it. Who cares about homework this afternoon?" Joella jumped to her feet and tugged him up.
"I left my bike in my parents' garage. They're out of town for the weekend, but I've got a key. I'll come pick you up." His heart did a nose-dive. He merely procrastinated in doing the inevitable—telling her he couldn't see her again.
*****
Joella glanced at JD's furrowed brow when he pulled into the parking space at the park. Maybe he was afraid she'd beat him. Nah.
The trails on the Upper Ormond would be gorgeous today. Since it hadn't rained, the paths would be free of mud puddles. Even the temperature cooperated—upper 70's. And the chances of a fire were still slim this time of year.
Had she been too forward asking him to go riding? They knew each other well by now. To spend the afternoon with him brought a twinge of exhilaration. "Hey, you're not worried I'm going to win?"
"You'd better not. My male ego couldn't take it."
Joella jumped out of the truck. "I'll even lift my own bike out."
He raced around the truck and stepped in front of her. "No, you won't. Chivalry isn't dead yet." He grinned and brought both bikes out from the truck bed, setting the kickstands. "Do you want to try the five mile loop again?"
"Yeah. We'll see who makes it to the end first. No stopping for breaks this time." Joella's face warmed when she remembered the last time in the meadow.
"You're going to be eating my dust." He lifted his finger. "I'm warning you."
A laugh bubbled up from her throat. "Oh yeah? You don't scare me."
"We'll see." JD marked a line on the trail a few steps from the pavement. "Okay, let's start from here. This is going to be my win."
The glorious spring day sent a cool breeze to caress Joella's skin when she steered her bike next to his. "I'm ready when you are."
JD gripped the handlebars and balanced himself on the ground. "I'll count us off. On your mark, get set, go." He wheeled out in front of her.
Joella jumped up on the seat and peddled hard, propelling herself forward, but not enough to catch JD about fifteen feet ahead of her.
She'd better conserve air, but she didn't want to fall too far behind. The trail would be fairly level for awhile, but they'd be in for some bumps when they got closer to the canyon.
The dirt-packed route took a slight incline. Joella drew in a deep breath. Though she wanted to keep up, at this rate JD would probably win. That guy's in shape.
A ground covering of yellow buttercups grew beside the trail. A monarch butterfly captured her thoughts, and her bike wobbled. Pay attention, Joella. Even if she didn't win, she couldn't have an accident.
JD glanced over his shoulder at her and raised his hand. "Come on, slow poke." His words coasted on the breeze. "You're not staying up with me."
In the distance, an outcropping of rocks formed small peaks, giving the horizon a hilly appearance. Though they'd ridden about a third of the way, the trail's halfway point neared. It would hug the canyon drop-off, but not close enough to be dangerous.
Still behind, Joella pumped her bike harder. Each pull on her lungs produced a shallow intake of air. She might have to concede to JD with his twenty foot lead.
He rounded the section that paralleled the canyon. Joella barely took notice of the little meadow where they'd had their picnic. The temptation to holler at JD and tell him she'd had enough became enticing.
Finally, the end of the circular trail and the parking lot became visible. She slowed, no longer able to stay even twenty feet behind.
JD glanced back again, a wide grin on his face.
Wise guy.
She smirked and trained her gaze toward the lot. In an instant, a scream caught in her throat. JD steered to the right, but too late. The front tire of his bike collided with something. As she rode nearer, a boulder became visible through strands of grass that grew around it. The sudden stop in momentum sent h
im over the handlebars. He landed sideways, his head slamming hard against the sharp edge of the boulder. "Ugh."
"JD," she screamed. Braking, she threw the bike to one side. The last ten feet, she sprinted then knelt beside him.
JD leaned against the rock, held his head, and groaned. Blood oozed near his left ear.
Joella gulped. What should she do? The scenario seemed all too familiar.
She whipped out her cell and pushed 9-1-1. Though going in the truck seemed faster, she hesitated to move him.
She gave their location to the emergency operator and tried to think. "I'll get your keys to see if you have anything in your truck I can use as a compress until EMS gets here."
He groaned. "Um, hum."
Joella slipped her hand in his pocket and found keys. The truck sat at the end of the parking area. Rummaging through the back seat, she grasped a box of tissues, folded several, and ran back.
When she dabbed the makeshift compress on his head, he groaned.
Tears stung the back of her lids. She'd injured JD once when they first met. And today, he took a blow to his head. Maybe a bike race hadn't been a good idea. Lord, this is serious. Please have mercy on him.
*****
Though the soft blue upholstered chair was comfortable, Joella squirmed. Dim lights, muted green walls, and paintings of quiet country sides in the waiting room did nothing to ease her discomfort.
She'd followed the ambulance in JD's truck, parked, and watch in anguish as the hospital aid helped him into a wheelchair at the ER's entrance. The sight had threatened to constrict her throat and steal her breath.
Since the ER nurse shooed her away, she had nowhere else to go.
At least the RN promised someone would let her know when the doctor finished his examination and she could go back. What was taking so long? He'd been in there well past an hour.
The chair's cushion supported her head. JD. His stunning blue eyes and wide grin waltzed through her mind. Then, like a nightmare, his bloody head tormented her. What would she do if something happened to him? The truth became plain. She couldn't live without him.
A tissue caught the moisture on her cheek. JD was a wonderful Christian man, and if he ever asked her to spend her life with him, she knew her answer. Yes. Though in all honestly, she feared his father would not approve, especially after his cold treatment when they'd found Tannon.
She wrapped her arms around her shoulders. One thing she loved about JD—he made her feel important, as if he wouldn't hold her past against her.
Her past. She allowed the memories that usually remained locked away to surface. Her face warmed. It hadn't been hard to give in to her boyfriend when he said he loved her. Ha. But when the test came back positive, he wanted no more to do with her. "Get an abortion," he'd said. He would even pay for it. To make things worse, many of her friends recommended getting rid of the child, too.
Thank God she came to her senses in time. But now she'd always wonder about her baby boy she carried for nine months. The agency hadn't given any information on his adoptive parents … only that they were Christians from Montana.
"Miss Crawford?" A nurse stood at the door to the treatment area, a clipboard in his hand.
Still in a surreal world, Joella lumbered toward him.
The man's face held no expression, nothing that gave a hint of JD's condition. "Yes, I'm Joella Crawford." Was JD okay? Her frazzled nerves eroded her confidence.
"Mr. Neilson said his family is out of town and unreachable at the moment. He's asking for you. We moved him to a hospital room. Go down this hall to the main section. Take the elevator to the second floor. Room 212."
Her heart pounded as she followed the RN's directions and stopped at his door. She peeked in. JD lay on a hospital bed, his eyes closed. A roller bandage wound around his swollen forehead which had already begun to turn purple.
Dear Lord. Please let him be okay. He looked so helpless and vulnerable. If she could, she'd rather be the injured one lying there. She tiptoed forward. His hand rested on top of the blanket. When she wrapped her fingers around his, he groaned and squeezed.
"JD, I'm here," she whispered.
JD opened his eyes and blinked a few times.
"They're keeping you overnight?"
"Yeah. The doc … wants to observe me." He lifted his hand to the bandage. "Some symptoms … of a concussion." He opened his mouth and heaved.
She found a cloth on a shelf in the bathroom, dampened it with cool water, and positioned it on his forehead away from the wound. "The nurse said your folks were unavailable."
"Yeah." He groaned again. "They're in … Portland. Don't want to … worry them." He coughed. "Idiot. How did I … do something so stupid?"
Joella adjusted the cloth. "It's not your fault. I'm so sorry this happened." She gulped two large breaths and held the last one. If she could only reverse this afternoon's events. A few steps took her to the window. In the distance, the mountains bordering Ormond Park loomed, sending a bite to already raw emotions.
"Joella … come here." The usual rich tones of JD's voice sounded thick.
She wheeled around and grasped his hand again. "I'm here."
He blinked and slowly rolled his head from side to side. "Everything is blurry."
Chapter Sixteen
Joella bent over the bed peering at JD. Maybe the lighting in the room wasn't the best. That's what he meant.
After a succession of rapid blinks, his brow furrowed. "I can't see you. Everything in the room is hazy. This will go away in a minute, right?"
Gall crowded up in Joella's throat. Hazy? Dear Lord, is he going to lose his vision?
"I'll be right back, JD." She gave his hand a squeeze and stepped out in the hall. With a few quick paces, she walked toward the nurse's station.
The on-duty RN behind the counter looked up.
"I'm sorry." Joella tried to swallow the tennis ball in her throat. "My friend in 212 says his vision is blurry. He told me the doctor diagnosed a concussion."
The nurse's gaze met Joella's. "Yes. That's to be expected. Fuzzy vision, nausea, sleepiness, headaches. His physician wants to keep him overnight, to make sure his condition doesn’t worsen. Doc has ordered a CAT Scan." She gave Joella a reassuring smile. "I've seen lots of patients with the condition. His symptoms are not uncommon." She glanced back at her computer screen. "I'll be right down to check on him."
Joella returned to JD's bedside, feeling only a fraction better. She squeezed his cold hand. "Just rest and don't worry. You'll be okay." Though she spoke the words, she couldn't believe them with certainty. "The nurse said blurred vision is caused by the concussion." But would his sight improve later?
He lifted to his elbows, trying to get up. "I wish I had your optimism. I've never even worn glasses, Joella. What if this gets worse?"
The anxiety in his voice frayed Joella's composure. She pulled up the spare chair and slipped her hand in JD's. "I'll be right here."
He groaned and tightened his fingers. "What if my vision doesn't get any better? How … how can I work on … do my job?"
Her lips trembled. Seeing JD frightened and vulnerable clarified her feelings. "No matter what happens, I'm here for you." She whispered the words she could no longer hold back. "I haven't told you before, but I need you to know. I love you." She'd taken a big step in telling him, but she didn't care anymore.
"Joella, I … I …" He blinked his eyes and then rubbed them.
"Shh. Don't try to talk now." Maybe he didn't share her sentiments, but that didn't change how she felt. Joella traced circles over the back of his hand. "Lord, I pray for JD and ask You to heal him by Your mighty power. Draw near to him as he gets better."
He moaned. "Thank … you."
"You're welcome." Joella closed her eyes. His dad already didn't like her. What would happen if he discovered her confession to his son?
He lifted his hands and massaged his forehead. "I … Please. Don't stop praying for me." He pressed a hand
to his stomach and blew out a breath. "I feel nauseous."
A plastic pan sat on the counter near the sink. She dampened another washcloth with cool water and laid it over his forehead again. "I have a container here if you need it." She'd gladly hold it and mop up his face afterward if he threw up.
He moved his head toward her. "What will my life be like if my vision doesn't get better?"
Joella leaned closer. "We'll face it together … whatever happens. The Lord is aware of everything that takes place in our lives. He'll see you through this." She pushed a strand of his hair away from the damp cloth then rested her head on the edge of the bed closing her eyes. The Bible told her to seek, ask, and knock. She'd storm heaven's door asking God to restore JD's vision.
*****
The sun shone through the hospital room windows. Joella lifted her head. She'd dozed more than once during the night as she prayed. After the doctor visited JD's room, an attendant rolled him out for a CAT scan and brought him back an hour later. A steady procession of nurses began after that—checking vitals and changing his bandage.
His lashes rested on his cheeks. Even with the obvious swelling on the side of his face, he was handsome. The steady rise and fall of his chest told her he was asleep.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. One prayer had melded into the next until she'd drifted off. For the hundredth time she studied his profile.
Lines creased his brow. A groan slipped from his lips. His eyelids fluttered as he struggled to open them. "Joella?"
She rubbed his shoulder. "I'm here," she whispered. "Did you sleep?"
"Yes, I think I did. What about you? Were you here all night?"
"Where else would I be?"
He moved his head from side to side, his eyelids fluttering again. After a couple of blinks, he reached toward her. "Joella, I think …" He grinned and looked at her. "You're the most gorgeous lady in the world. Perfectly in focus." His lips parted in a half-smile. "I never thought I'd wake up in the morning to see a beautiful woman holding my hand."
*****