him down into the water, and Jesse came up feeling like heaven had just come home to roost.
Jesse slowly healed as he studied his Bible; he prayed almost constantly. He bought himself a car, one much different from the Corvette. Joe modified the ’91 Chevy van so Jesse could drive it. He took out all the seats but the driver’s, which he motorized to swivel. He then motorized the sliding side-door. He built a lift that would slide out and then down to the ground. He also modified an electric scooter for Jesse, and then tied all the mechanisms he had devised, into one remote control on the scooter. Gil paid for the work and provided a crew to do the job.
One of the crew crammed in a custom stereo and speakers, and the van and the scooter were ready to go. Joe drove it back to the apartment, rode the scooter in, and handed the keys to Jesse.
Jesse looked with amazement at the modified scooter with its panel of gleaming knobs and switches, and the chrome joystick in the middle of the panel. He hauled himself onto the scooter and ran it outside. He popped a little wheelie, and then looked over at Joe and laughed. That was the first time since the accident Joe had seen him laugh.
Joe showed him how the controls worked. Jesse rolled the scooter onto the lift, hit a button, and the lift slid into the van. He hit another button, and the door closed smoothly. He crawled into the driver’s seat and started the van, racked the pipes a couple of times, and then looked at Joe with a big smile on his face.
“You’re cookin’, dude,” Joe said, jabbing his thumb into the air. “You’re on your own now.”
“I got wheels again.” He sighed as he caressed the custom steering wheel. It was cut from a solid aluminum casting, and the polished aluminum gleamed in the morning light. The hand controls for the brake and gas pedal were machined smooth and worked with great precision. It was the best piece of work Joe had ever accomplished.
Jesse drove the van around the block a time or two and then parked the van in the drive. He looked at Joe through the passenger window and asked, “Joe, have I ever thanked you for all you’ve done for me?”
“No, I don’t believe you have, dude. I don’t remember asking for it, either.”
“Well, I’m thanking you now, Joe.”
“That’s ok, dude. Now we got to fix you up with a girl.”
Jesse laughed so hard he almost lost his gum, but Joe was as serious as a sore toe. That night Joe prayed long and hard for the woman of God’s choice for Jesse Smallwood, and the next Sunday a new girl showed up at church.
She was a beautiful woman, and as soon as she met Jesse, she locked eyes with him. They were married in six months. A year later a healthy baby girl was born. Four Sundays after that, Jesse and Teresa Smallwood dedicated their beautiful little girl to the Lord.
Jesse had life and that more abundantly.
The End
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends