Along Came Love (19 page)

Clint nodded. "I'm danged tired of seeing
that strange expression on your face and I want to see a smile
again. Sammie Jo and Clay…well, they're gonna be baptized as soon
as you become a full fledged preacher. They want you to do the
honors, so you see, you've got to put this behind you and get back
to the business of living again. You've got a lot to do. Hannah
wants you to christen the baby. There's a lot of work to be done,
and I've never known you to shirk your responsibilities. Samantha
had about got that house looking so good, you'll hardly recognize
it. The whole congregation went over and helped last Saturday
night. So, you owe us. And the only way to repay such a huge debt
is to get your butt out of bed. Okay…?"

Each Travers tried to improve the senses by
bringing something that Jake could put a hand on, smell, or
see.

Samantha and Selma became part of the Travers
family. And everyone kept telling Samantha Jake would pull through
this.

She smiled and laughed and carried on like
nothing was wrong, while with Jake.

Then she'd trudge home bone weary tired and
trying to keep a stiff lip.

One day when she came in and flopped down in
a chair with a scowl on her face Selma approached her with a frown.
"Now what's this all about?"

"He hasn't responded to anything yet…it's
been days now Mom…"

"All in good time, honey. He'll snap out of
this…I just know it. Why, his face is almost back to normal. And
the exercises you've been giving him are really helping him keep
his muscle tone and circulation. Quit fretting. God's handling
this."

"I know you are right, but day after day,
it's hard to keep my chin up, especially when I look at him and see
him so still." Samantha cried.

"We have to keep the fatih, you know he'd
want us to."

"How can you be so strong, all the time,
mother?" Samantha asked hugging her to her.

"I guess because I looked at death real hard
and didn't like it. I decided Iwasn't ready to die and God surely
didn't need me yet. And it's the same with Jake. He has too much to
live for. So much to make his mother proud." Selma smiled and
pushed Samantha hair back from her face. "Now dry your eyes go take
a bath and relax, then we'll have some supper and go visit him
together."

"Okay, mama, …thanks." She hugged her mtoher
to her.

But this visit was different, all the nurses
were huddled around him and the doctor flew into the room and read
the chart. Then he ordered everyone out of the room before Samantha
and Selma could even visit.

"What's going on?" Selma asked one of the
nurses as they gathered in the hallway.

"Oh…you haven't heard, "He moved his little
finger…" the nurse smiled at her.

"Oh…did you hear that Samantha?" Selma
grabbed her daughter and hugged her.

"Is this a good sign?" Samantha gasped.

"It's a very good sign," the nurse smiled.
"I'll have the doctor speak to you when he comes out."

"Thank you," they both choired.

Selma was hot on the phone with the news to
the Travers. There were shouts of glee and Selma could barely hear
them for the noise.

Sometime later the doctor came out and met
them. "Jake is showing signs of coming out of it. He has some
reflex now, not to mention he is moving parts of his body around on
his own. It's still too early to talk about a full recovery, but it
is definitely a good sign. Naturally, he is going to need a lot of
rehabilitation, but things are looking much better now."

Samantha closed her eyes and said a prayer of
thank yous, then squeezed her mother's hand.

"I've been in this hospital for over thirty
years, and I have never seen a family more devoted to each other
than your bunch. I think it has a lot to do with recovery in these
cases." The doctor winked and left.

Little by little, Jake began to respond, to
light, to darkness, the lifeless look in his eyes began to take on
a more seeing quality. His grip on Samantha's hand began to
tighten, and even though he still couldn't talk to them, one day,
he smiled.

"He's coming back to us, Mama," Samantha
cried aloud one evening.

"Yes darling, he is. But you still must be
very patient. It won't be a instant recovery. His leg is still bad,
he'll have to learn to walk all over again, and maybe even talk.
But I do think the worst is over." Selma beamed at her
daughter.

Recovery began slowly, with more exercises,
and Clint knew exactly how to help him with them too. He'd been
through most of it himself. Each day Jake seemed better. And Clint
knew he recognized everyone now. Eventually he got out of the bed
and began to try to walk, with a walker.

As Samantha was reading to him one day, she
noticed he squeezed her hand a little tighter, and when she looked
up at him, he was smiling…and crying.

"I—love— you…" he said simply.

"Oh darling….I love you too," she scrambled
across the bed and kissed him tenderly on the lips. "We're going to
survive this, Jake…you'll see."

From that day on Jake began to talk first,
one word, then another and in a few days he was carrying on
conversations as though nothing had happened to him.

Selma was sitting with him one afternoon and
he smiled over at her, "You are quite a woman, Selma." Jake
said.

Selma glanced at him in surprise, "Me…what
are you talking about?"

"I loved your reading the bible to me…"

"You knew…you heard…?" her eyes were big and
rounded.

"I heard. I couldn't respond, I couldn't do
anything, except listen." Jake smiled.

"How wonderful Jake…" Selma shook her
head.

"All of you have been wonderful to me. I
couldn't ask for a better family, you and Samantha included." Jake
responded.

"Well, now, all that's left for you to do is
get well, and get out of here. Aren't you tired of all those nurses
waiting on you hand and foot?" Selma asked.

Jake laughed out loud, a melodious sound that
echoed the hallways.

"Oh I intend to get out of here, very soon.
I've got a wedding to go to, don't I?" Jake asked her.

"You bet…."

"I can't wait to see what everyone has done
with the house," Jake smiled.

"It looks so grand…"

"Selma, we'd be pleased to have you live with
us…." Jake said quite seriously.

"Oh now…that's no way to begin a marriage,
with me on board." Selma shook her head.

Jake raised a hand slowly, marveling at his
own actions. "Maybe, but there's a room, sort of off to itself,
where you can have your privacy, and yet still join us. And I know
that as much as Samantha worries about you, she'd be much happier
if you were with us. We're family, you know…" Jake insisted.

Selma dropped her head a moment, "It isn't
time to worry over me, but I'll consider it."

"Thanks."

Weeks of rehab had Jake sometimes frustrated
and sometimes eager to do better. His leg was beginning to mend and
he was able to walk with only a walking stick. When he was told of
the truck driver he decided then and there that his first visit
would be to the cemetery and his next to the man's family to pray
with them. Samantha agreed, she was eager to help Jake adjust to
the sad news.

"I'd also like to see the young men who were
driving the car." Jake insisted.

"Is that wise?" Samantha frowned.

"Honey, everyone carries around certain
guilts. If we let them feel guilty the rest of their lives, what
good is accomplished. We have to forgive and forget and move on.
That truck driver died instantly, from what they've told me. And it
was his time, no mattered how it happened. But those kids will go
on living and perhaps in jail for some time. Wouldn't it be better
to forgive them and let them know that God forgives them than to
let them live a life of guilt that could lead to more
problems?"

"That is so…generous of you…." She gathered
him to her and kissed him tenderly on the lips.

"Don't put a halo on my head. I'm human too.
I'll make mistakes along the way, as we all do. But as a Sheriff
I've seen some of these things happen, and usually the ones at
fault feel such an overwhelming sense of guilt that they don't
forgive themselves, even though God already forgot what they did.
And they become worse and fall further and further away from the
good life they could have. These boys will probably be in jail a
while, but knowing that God forgives and man can to, is a start in
the right direction."

Samantha stared into Jake's somber face,
"Darling, you are so amazing. Now I know why God brought you back
to me."

"Why is that?"

"You make me see things straighter. You and
Mom are so amazing."

"Well, your Mom sure is…" Jake laughed. Then
he reached for her hand, "So, I want to start planning our
wedding."

Samantha smiled and a tear ran down her
cheek.

"Hey, what's this all about?"

"I'm just so happy…." She cried and kissed
him again.

"Me too…"

The weather was just turning cooler the day
Jake visited the grave of the truck driver. He stared down at the
name, the simple stone and then glanced about. A big pine tree
stood tall and serene overlooking and shading the gravesite. His
frown turned into a smile, as the birds chirped in the trees.

"You're in a better place now…no more hot
days on the road. Rest in peace…" Jake smiled down, then turned to
Samantha and they walked slowly out of the cemetery.

He was still using a cane, but he stood
straight now and nothing could pull him down from his euphoria.

He had Samantha drive him over to the truck
drivers sister's house and they visited a long while. The lady was
so happy to meet him and know he had recooperated.

"Looks like you've decided to stay here in
Sweetwater…"

"How'd you know," she asked.

"The flowers outside. They look lovely, fall
flowers." Jake smiled.

"Yes, I just wish Rudy could see them…"

"Your brother?" Samantha asked.

"Yes…."

Jake smiled, "He sees them…I'm sure of
that."

Then a few days later Samantha drove him to
the jail to visit the boys who had been sentenced to five years in
prison and were soon to be transported to the state prison. They
were all just approaching their twenties and the looks on their
faces were showing signs of fear and guilt.

Jake stared at the young men who barely met
his glance. One was a red head with freckles, one was dark haired
and had a tatto on his arm, a sword and a cross, and the other was
more clean cut looking. They all looked young and vulnerable.

"Boys, I know you have a long time to sit
here and think about what happened. Sometimes that can be a good
thing. Sometimes that can be a bad thing. But I want you to know
something. Something that is very important."

The three young men looked up at him,
something in their glances speaking of their guilt and hurt.

"God forgives you." Jake said simply.

The young men stared, their mouths hanging
open. Words seemed on the tip of their tongues, but nothing came
out at first. It was as if they hadn't expected him to say
something like that.

"People can forgive too." Jake extended his
hand to them.

The boys looked at him strangely at first,
then slowly they shook his hand.

One of them seemed moved to tears, "You came
here to tell us that?"

"Yes I did. Because even though you face
prison, it isn't the end of your life. And once you forgive
yourself, you begin to heal. We all make mistakes in life. We all
make them. No one is immune to them. God knows this. But the
important thing to remember is that…God forgives us. Confess your
sins to him, and he forgives them. When you leave the prison, go
with your heads up, your back straight and your eyes forward.
Remember what I have told you…God forgives, people can forgive
too."

He started to leave, and one of the boys
reached out and touched his shoulder, "I'll remember…"

"Good…" Jake smiled, and walked out of the
holding cell with a smile.

Samantha shook her head in the car, "What a
man I'm marrying…" she smiled.

"You sure you are okay with a fall wedding?"
Jake asked, knowing her answer before she gave it.

"The season has little to do with it, as far
as I'm concerned. I can't wait…" she smiled, cuddling up to
him.

"Hmm…me either." He cradled her against him
as he took the wheel this time. "Are you sure you are up to
driving?"

"More than sure, let's go see our house…" he
invited.

"Sounds terrific." She agreed.

Jake had seen the outside paint job, but he
hadn't gone inside and he couldn't wait to see all the improvements
Samantha had made.

The little room he had wanted to save for
Selma was all fixed up for her.

"I have to tell you, Mom is almost as excited
about this as we are." Samantha chuckled.

"I'm glad. I can't imagine her not being with
us," Jake said as he kissed the top of Sam's hair.

"Thank you for welcoming her into our home…"
Samantha said as she smothered him with a kiss that surprised and
delighted him.

Since his accident Sam had come completely
out of her shyness with him and kissed him anywhere any time. In
fact, he could barely keep his hands off of her. Right now it was
tempting to just carry her to their bedroom, but he loved and
respected her too much to ruin her wedding night.

As they settled on the leather couch in the
living room they cuddled. Samantha wasn't shy now as she reached
for his kisses. Their lips met over and over as Jake's hand slipped
down to her breast, where he reverently covered it with his hand.
He felt the nub of reaction through her clothes and he felt the
need of intimacy. It shocked him for it was the first time he'd
reacted with such fire since the accident.