The Road to Mercy (36 page)

Bedlam surrounded Beth. People scrambled around her hospital room, laughing and bumping into each other while they prepared for her and baby Rose—as she was to be called—to go home.

Her mother had volunteered to transport all of the flowers, plants, and teddy bears in her SUV. Friends, family, and even fans of Josh’s music had sent more flowers, cards, and e-mails than Beth could fully comprehend. One special arrangement had come from his new record label, AMG Records. Josh had finalized the deal earlier this week during Beth’s hospital stay.

Beth saw the relief on her husband’s face the day he received that call. He had told her their financial future, and Rose’s, would be secure for a long time if things went well.
On the other side of the hill, the view will be much different
, her husband had said. It had become his favorite saying.

With Bob Bradford’s help, Josh had devised a financial plan that would allow Beth to stay at home with little Rose for as long as she chose. He had presented it to her the day after her daughter was born. That same day, she had told Josh about her call to Pamela Morris.

“Everything’s ready. All we need are the release papers,” Josh said, settling into the chair beside her bed. Her mom had just left with the last cartload of flowers.

“Dr. Myers’s nurse will be here soon,” Beth reminded him. “Would you hold the baby for a few minutes while I get dressed?”

Josh smiled and reached out to receive his daughter.

“She looks a lot like you. A lot like your mom.” Beth marveled at the resemblance. “I’m so—”

“Great! I didn’t miss you.” Dr. Abrams strolled into the room. He had a broad smile on his face. “How are you feeling?”

“We couldn’t be better.” Beth spoke for all three of them.

“I’m glad everything worked out so well for you.”

“We’re blessed,” Josh stood up to shake the doctor’s hand, juggling Baby Rose as he did.

“That’s why I’m here.” The doctor took a seat on the edge of Beth’s bed. “I want you to know I’ve been blessed, as you would say, too.” He paused to reflect. “Without the two of you, I wouldn’t have met Alexandra.”

Josh and Beth shared a knowing smile.

“You make a great couple,” Beth grinned. “We already feel like you’re part of our family, Dr. Abrams.”

“It’s Ben.”

“I don’t think I can call you by your first name,” Josh said. “It doesn’t seem respectful enough for the man who saved my wife’s—and my best friend’s—life.”

Ben Abrams shook his head. “I didn’t save Bethany or Danny Stevens. God did.” He cleared his throat. “I’ve been humbled in the past few months to watch him working in so many lives, including my own.”

Beth had heard samplings of this from Alex, but she had no idea to the extent Ben Abrams had come to believe.

“I’ve come a long way since I lost my parents and siblings more than fifty years ago. I think they would be proud of me.”

Beth noticed tears in the corner of his beautiful blue eyes.

“I can’t imagine how awful it would be not knowing your parents.” Josh glanced down at the baby in his arms. “Who raised you?”

“My grandparents,” Dr. Abrams said. “Both devout Jews by an odd twist of fate. I knew, even during my childhood, that my parents had become Christians. But I only learned recently they were also evangelists. They devoted their lives to the ministry.”

Bethany and Josh exchanged glances again.

“That had to be mind blowing,” Josh said. “How did you find out?”

“Shortly before my grandmother died she told me several things I had never known. That my parents’ airplane crashed
in a hayfield outside the small town of Mercy in Southern Illinois—”

“Mercy? That’s close to where my grandparents live.” Beth sat up in bed.

“Really?” Dr. Abrams looked surprised. “I would love to hear about it. I have to admit, I’ve always been curious to learn more about the accident, and the place where it happened.”

“I can understand that,” Beth said. “But it may be more of a coincidence than you realize.” She dug back into her memory for the story her grandfather had always told. “My grandfather—”

“Oh, sorry . . . I didn’t realize you had company. I’ll be right out here.” Liz McKinney spun around to exit the room.

“Mom, please join us. I need your help with something.”

She gave her daughter a puzzled look and stepped closer to the bed.

“Remember the story Grandpa used to tell? You know, the one about him saving a baby from a plane crash. Do you remember the details?”

Ben Abrams looked from Beth to her mother.

“Yes . . . let me see,” Liz McKinney said. “It would have been in 1959. I was four at the time and don’t remember it very well. But Daddy has told the story over and over.”

Color drained from Ben Abrams’s face. “That would have been my parents’ plane,” he said almost matter-of-factly. “I was the baby your father saved.”

The Neimann farm had been bought and sold twice since Mrs. Neimann passed away in 1963. Even though few in the community still remembered the plane crash, a call to the new owner and a quick explanation gained access to the upper pasture.

Jack Randall moved slower now. Arthritis had settled into his hips more than a decade ago. But his memory was unaffected by the years since he had last walked this farm.

The old, wooden barn had decayed and fallen into itself. It had been replaced by a large, steel building. Pipe and cable fencing encircled the lot, instead of the sagging wire and wood fence that had once been there.

The new tenants were taking good care of the place. Jack believed that Albert Neimann would be proud.

And so would Ben Abrams’s parents. Their son had grown into a fine man.

Jack studied his guest. He appeared to be keenly interested in everything around them. His intense blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight. They were moist with tears that had probably been a long time coming.

Jack wiped a few of his own from his cheek.

“The plane was over there.” Jack pointed to the center of the grassy field. “By the time I came upon it, your family had been respectfully taken away.”

The doctor nodded.

“Over there, in that fencerow, was a large bale of hay.” Jack spread his arms as far as he could reach. “A big, loose stack that had been around for a year or two. Soft, yet supportive.”

Ben Abrams shook his head. “I don’t know how I survived it.”

“I’ll tell you something, young man,” Jack said. “You landed on the prayers of your mom and dad. And God’s will.” He looked into the blue eyes that had haunted him for fifty years. “You were supposed to be here.”

“It’s humbling,” Ben said. “I’m not sure I’ve kept up my side of the bargain.”

“God’s ways are not always understood in this life. I think you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.”

Ben smiled at him. “I hope so. I want to think I’ve become the man my parents would have wanted.”

Jack laid a hand on the doctor’s shoulder. “You’ve got plenty of time to accomplish more, Lord willing,” he told him. “And a fine start at it with that young woman you brought with you.”

Ben’s eyes sparkled again, and he turned to look behind him where Alexandra, Josh, Beth, and Baby Rose were waiting at the car.

“Let’s ask them to join us.”

“I’ll go get them,” Ben said.

“I’ll walk with you,” Jack winked. “There’s still a lot of mileage left in these legs, but it’s just in lower gear.”

Ben laughed as they turned to walk back toward the road to Mercy.

1. In the prologue, Jack Randall is compelled to go to the site of the plane crash. How might his life have been different if he hadn’t gone? Have you ever been prompted by God to do something unusual or unexpected? If you responded to that urging, how did your life change because of it?

2. In
chapter 1
, Josh Harrison feels confident that he has made the right choices in life. But doubts set in quickly. Why? How could Josh have been better prepared to face his trials?

3. Bethany Harrison had a near-death experience in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. Why did this experience leave her torn between the possibility of going to be with the Lord and returning to her earthly existence? How did this affect her actions later?

4. Early in the book, Dr. Ben Abrams holds little regard for people of faith. Why did he feel that way? What happened to change his beliefs? Did this happen through one event or a series of events?

5. Who besides Bethany Harrison planted a seed of faith in Dr. Abrams’s life? Who influenced him positively as a child?

6. Bethany’s unexpected pregnancy brought back memories of her “secret sin” from the past. How did this make her feel? Did she believe that God had forgiven her? Why did she have a difficult time forgiving herself?

7. What did the rust-colored teddy bear represent to Bethany? How did burying the bear play a significant role in her healing? Do you think she should have asked Josh, or even Alex, to be with her when she buried the bear, or was it something she needed to do alone? Why?

8. Alexandra Hayes provided assistance to Bethany in many ways. Can you list three? Was one of those roles more important than another?

9. How did Nell Stevens’s death affect her son Danny’s faith? How did Danny’s faith subsequently have an effect on Josh?

10. Isaac couldn’t understand why his grandfather would disown his daughter, Isaac’s mother. Isaac felt that his grandfather had “thrown her away like a faded flower,” an analogy from Isaac’s work in the flower shop. How is this ironic in light of Dr. Abrams’s recommendation that Bethany abort her pregnancy? How is it different?

11. In
chapter 37
, Josh realizes that a detour doesn’t have to alter our destination—it may merely change our path. Can you think of an example of this in his life? In Bethany’s life? In Ben Abrams’s life? In your own life?

12. During and after the bus wreck (
chapters 42
and
43
) Josh’s nightmare/dream coincides with the physical trauma of the storm going on around him. What other symbolism is represented in the dream? How did the dream reassure Josh in the midst of the storm?

13.
Mercy
is often defined as “loving-kindness,” especially when it is not deserved. In
chapter 46
, Josh tells Ryan that he is offering mercy because he has been shown mercy. In what ways did Josh believe God had given him mercy? Did others receive mercy as well? In what way?

14. Bethany was confronted with an extraordinary number of problems within a short period of time: a life-threatening illness, medically related drug addiction, an at-risk pregnancy, marriage difficulties, and even guilt from her past. Yet, despite her doubts and fears, her life became a witness to her doctor. Who else did Bethany’s faith affect? Who might it affect in the future?

15. In
chapter 38
, while walking through the cemetery, Josh contemplated if it was possible for our testimony to continue even when we are no longer alive. Can you think of an example of this happening in the book? What examples can you give from the Bible? How about in contemporary society?

16. In the epilogue, Jack Randall tells Ben Abrams that he landed on “the prayers of his mom and dad.” Do you believe that prayers can transcend time? Can you think of examples from your own experience?

17. Throughout most of the book, Bethany sought forgiveness from God. Had it been there for her all along? If so, why did it take so long for her to accept it? Read Romans 3:23 and 1 John 1:9. How do these verses apply in your life?