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While they waited, AJ rocked back and forth, spun on one foot and jabbered to his new stuffed Dinger the Dinosaur about gummy snacks

Macy fiddled happily with her tea the purple beads back and forth on her wrist, hugged her teddy bear and preened in her Rockies ball cap that matched Brooke’s

Times like this made all the years of hard orth the effort As a boy, he’d never been able to afford a baseball, lad he could give these things to the people he cared about

He laced his fingers with Brooke’s and enjoyed the ratitude to God for finally bringing him out of the darkness the past four years had produced

His cell phone jingled He groaned Please, no problereat time with Brooke, the best time he’d had in years

The voice on the other end was a familiar one

“Reverend West?” he asked, curiosity rising Why would the pastor be calling this late?

Brooke heard the name and lifted an eyebrow in question Gabe shot a concerned look toward Macy and shook his head Brooke frowned, sensing his unease Fortunately, the little girl was distracted by the dozens of things going on around her and the pile of toys in her arms

Heart sinking, Gabe listened to the e “Okay Where? When? As soon as we can”

He slid the phone closed and sighed Why now, Lord? Why at all?

Brooke moved close and softly murmured, “Gabe?”

He took her arhtly away from the children

“It’s Macy’s mother”

“Darlene?”

He nodded, grimly “She’s been taken to the hospital”

Chapter Thirteen

The waiting room in the county hospital boasted six plastic chairs and a brown vinyl chair with acouch AJ lay sprawled asleep on the one stuffed chair while Macy sat in wide-eyed fear between Gabe and Brooke on the couch

The trip fro their best to reassure the frightened little girl, but the car had been thick with her worry Now, they waited along with Reverend West and his wife for word that the testing was co to the pastor, Darlene had left work early with a fever When Mrs West had gone to check on her, she’d found Darlene too ill to answer the door