Chapter 39
On Tuesday morning, Chuck called Andrew. Andrew wondered why Chuck would be calling so early. He answered the phone and asked, “What’s up, Chuck?”
“Andrew, I don’t know how to tell you this.” He paused. “Alyssa has had an accident.”
Andrew’s stomach tied itself in knots and he gripped the phone tightly. “What happened?”
“A truck ran a red light a few blocks from her house. She was driving to pick up a friend for breakfast. The truck hit the driver’s side of her car, and he was going pretty fast.”
Andrew felt himself falling, and he felt dizzy. He sank into a kitchen chair and put his elbows on his knees. “Is she-,” He couldn’t continue.
“No buddy, she’s alive. But she’s hurt pretty badly. I figured you’d want to come right away.”
Andrew thanked Chuck for the call and then called his mother. “I have to go,” his said, dazed. “Alyssa, she’s…” He started crying.
His mother asked him, concern in her voice. “What is it? What happened?”
“She was hit by a truck. Chuck says she is hurt pretty badly. I don’t know how badly. I have to go. Now.”
“Of course,” his mom said. “Can I help do anything?”
“Pray, Mom. Pray harder than you ever have.”
Within two minutes, Andrew was on the road. He did his best to stay within the speed limits, but he had never been so scared in all of his life. He knew he would die inside if Alyssa wasn’t okay. After all the changes, all the restoration over the past year, he just couldn’t lose the first girl he had every really loved. He prayed desperately that God would save her, heal her. He wiped the tears that blurred his vision.
Ten minutes later, he was in the hospital waiting room. After Alyssa had been stabilized, she was sent to surgery to have her spleen removed. Her parents spotted Andrew and called him over.
“She was asking for you,” Alyssa’s father said hoarsely. “I’m so glad you’re here. She didn’t want to go to surgery until you came, but the doctor told her she couldn’t wait.”
Andrew tried to speak, but he couldn’t. He squeezed Alyssa’s father’s hand and hugged her mother. Then they sat quietly, their heads each bowed in prayer. The waiting seemed endless. Andrew tried to focus on his prayers, but horrible questions filled his mind. Would she die? Would she ever recover? How would he make it if he lost her? How would her family make it? Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the doctor came out.
“The surgery went well. She’s still sleeping, but we’re hopeful. She’s in ICU, but you can all go in for a few minutes.”
Andrew hung back as her parents went in, knowing they needed time alone with their daughter. After a few minutes they motioned for him to come into the room. They all held hands and took turns praying. Then her mother and father patted him on the shoulder and left, giving him time alone with Alyssa. He slid a chair close and took her hand. She looked so pale, so fragile, but she was so beautiful. He could have almost imagined that she was simply sleeping had it not been for all the tubes and monitors. He whispered to her, begging her to get better, telling her how much he loved her. The doctor came in and told Andrew it was time to end the visit. Reluctantly Andrew stood and then leaned over and kissed Alyssa, smoothing her hair.
During the next few days, Andrew and Alyssa’ parents stayed at the hospital round the clock. She was moved out of ICU and into a private room, but she was still sedated most of the time. Mr. and Mrs. Morrison and Andrew took turn sleeping in Alyssa’ room. Andrew treasured the nights he spent there, waiting for Alyssa to awake for a few moments and squeeze his hand. He brushed her hair and helped her sip water. They talked very little because Alyssa was still so weak. Andrew prayed unceasingly that she would recover fully.
After ten days, Alyssa seemed to be making improvement. Mr. and Mrs. Morrison told Andrew to go home and rest. They promised to call him if anything changed. Andrew went home and took a shower, something he had only done once since the accident. He called his family and updates them on Alyssa’s progress. Then he stepped into shower. As the hot water sprayed over him, he cried from exhaustion and worry. He had almost lost her. He made a decision standing there. As soon as Alyssa was feeling well enough to talk, he wasn’t waiting any longer. He was going to ask her to marry him. It didn’t matter how long they had known each other. She was God’s woman for him; he was surer of that than ever. Even though the Morrison’s hadn’t called, Andrew went back to the hospital. He knew he needed to talk to them before he talked to Alyssa.
“Andrew, we thought you would rest for a while. What are you doing back here so soon?”
“I just,” he paused, gathering his courage. “I wanted to talk to both of you.” He sat down in an empty chair across from her parents. They exchanged knowing glances, but they let Andrew talk at his own pace.
“I love your daughter. I love with everything I am. I know that might seem strange after such a short time. But I have prayed, and I know this is real.” He lost a little steam and wondered how to proceed. “I just wanted you to know that, and I wanted to ask you,” he looked at his hands and took a deep breath. “What I mean is, I want to ask your permission,” again he paused.
Mr. Morrison reached over and patted Andrew’s shoulder. “Are you trying to tell us you want to marry our daughter?”
Andrew smiled with relief. “Yes sir, that’s what I am trying to say. I want to marry your daughter. And I am asking your permission.”
Mr. And Mrs. Bowling held hands and studied Andrew for a moment. Mrs. Bowling spoke first. “You may not know this, Andrew, but Alyssa called us after your first date. She told us she had met the man she was going to marry. We were skeptical at first, but as she told us about your relationship, how much you had prayed together, how much she loved you, we knew.”
“In other words,” Mr. Morrison smiled, “Yes, you may marry our daughter.”
Andrew couldn’t move, but he felt like he was flying. He was going to marry Alyssa, that is, if she said yes. But something told him that God had already taken care of that. It was at that moment that the doctor stepped out and said, "Alyssa is waking up. She wants to see you.
Andrew nodded at the Morrison’s. “You go first,” he said.
“Nervous, are you?” Mr. Bowling joked. He squeezed Andrew’s shoulder, and then he and his wife went into Alyssa’s room. While they spoke with her, Andrew paced, trying to come up with the right words. He didn’t have a ring, but it didn’t matter. When Alyssa got out of the hospital, they would pick out the most beautiful ring anyone had ever seen. After several minutes, her parents came out of the room. “Your turn, son,” Mr. Bowling said, a twinkle in his eye.
“Hey, stranger,” Andrew said as he sat on the edge of her bed. “Glad to have you back.” He leaned down and kissed her lightly. Then she pulled him closer and gave him a kiss that left him breathless. “Well, you are feeling better, aren’t you?”
“Now that you’re here,” she said. “I love you, Andrew.”
“I think you’ve mentioned that,” he said. Then he grew serious. “When Chuck called…I have never been so scared in all my life. I think it’s the hardest I have ever prayed.”
Alyssa squeezed his hand and looked into his eyes. “I couldn’t leave you Andrew. There was no reason to worry.”
“Alyssa, I am so sorry. Sorry that you are having to go through this, sorry that I let you down, sorry for everything,” he choked.
Alyssa reached up and touched his face tenderly. “You know what I was thinking while they were trying to stabilize me in the emergency room? I was thinking that if God allowed me to get better, nothing was going to keep me from you – nothing. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone in my life.”
Andrew cleared his throat. This was his opportunity. “I’m glad you feel that way, because…Alyssa, I love you more than I ever thought i
t was possible to love a human being. You are God’s gift to me, and I don’t want to waste another day. Alyssa, will you marry me?”
Alyssa smiled. She struggled to sit up, and tears were in her eyes. She threw her arms around Andrew and shouted, “Yes!”
Mr. and Mrs. Bowling heard her from the waiting room, and they rushed in excitedly. All of them embraced and talked at once and celebrated the good news. Then, automatically, they joined hands and prayed.