BACK AT THE ESTATE ON Spaulding Drive, Richmond put on the movie “Frozen” for Isabelle and CJ, and they happily sat on the floor inside the living room, watching it for the umpteenth time. Wondering why it’d taken Kayla so long to go back to her home just to get an overnight bag, he walked over to the window and closed the blinds.
Thunder crackled. Lightning flashed. Sheets of rain poured from the sky, drenching the land. Becoming worried about Kayla driving in the nasty weather, an eerie feeling swept over him. Chills engulfed him. He’d be so glad when Kay returned and walked through the back door.
Listening for the sound of the kitchen door to open, he turned and headed for the front. Standing inside the living room, he eased the drapes to the side and put two fingers between the slits in the blinds, separating them. Wishing Kay would hurry up and pull into the driveway, knots twisted at the top of his stomach. “The weather is terrible. Hurry up and get home, Kay.” Trying to shake the bad feeling wrestling inside him, he shook his head.
Thunder roared, shaking the house. White lightning zigzagged over the estate. Weary, his heart thudded in his chest.
Terrified, Isabelle and CJ came running inside the living room. Right when he hefted them in his arms, he gazed out the window and saw lightning strike an oak in his front yard. Yikes! Backing up into the foyer, holding the children tight, he watched in horror as the huge tree fell on the house with a loud bang, puncturing the roof.
Splinters of bark protruded through the ceiling. The outside rain now poured into his living room. Suddenly, the lights blew out.
On edge, Richmond’s cell buzzed inside his pants. Placing the kids on their feet, he told them everything would be fine. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I promise.” Without looking at the Caller ID, he hurried to answer the call. “Kay. Where are you?”
“Richmond. It’s me, Chelsey. Your father has had a heart attack. You need to get to the hospital now.”
A heart attack? Jesus Christ! “Russell had a heart attack?”
“Yes.”
The bad news shook him to the core. “How’s he doing?”
Chelsey’s voice cracked. “Not good. Just hurry up and get here. Get here as fast as you can.”
“I’ll get there as soon as I can.” Richmond’s whole body stiffened.
“It’s raining horrible outside!” Kayla burst through the side garage door. A second later, she entered the room and walked up to Richmond. Water soaked her hair and clothing. Tilting her head, she observed his face. “I pulled in the garage right before the tree fell on the house.” The skin on his face strained. “Baby, what’s wrong?”
Richmond’s heart tempted to shatter. “It’s Russell.”
Her round eyes grew wide with concern. “What about Russell?”
“He had a heart attack.”
Kayla slapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh God. When? Is he okay?”
“I don’t know. I’m on my way to the hospital now.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“No. You need to stay here with the kids. I don’t want them going to the hospital, especially in this bad weather.” After Richmond placed several candles throughout the downstairs part of the house, he returned to the living room, where Kayla and the kids still were. He pulled his keys from his pocket. “I’m glad you made it home safe.” Kissing her on the cheek, gloom ate his insides up.
In a hurry to get to the hospital, he flung open the front door and jogged down the stairs. Rain pelted his scalp as he scurried to his Range Rover. Sliding between the steering wheel and seat soaking wet, he stuck the key in the ignition and drove away.
Driving down Spaulding Drive, Richmond’s mind flashed back to the night he’d found Salina in their bed dying. Salina’s death had destroyed the relationship he’d had with God prior. Halfway believing in God and halfway not, he hadn’t really spent much time with God since that horrible night she’d died in his arms. Now, he needed God. He needed God to save his father.
“Dear God. If you save my father…I promise I’ll never doubt your existence again.”