Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: CHILL (10/29/15)
-
TITLE: A Surprise for Mark | Previous Challenge Entry
By Lynn Smith
11/01/15 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
Mark had gotten sick with strep throat quite often over the past three years. Their family doctor advised her a year ago that his tonsils needed to be removed, but she hadn't liked the thought of surgery. Yet over the past couple of months, after Mark suffered from four cases of strep throat, she knew surgery was the only option.
Tess called, “Mark?” When he didn't respond, she ran up to his room but couldn't find him anywhere. “Mark, we are late now. You can't hide, Honey.”
She ran down to the basement, almost tripping on a toy, and looked in every corner. Nothing. Where could he be? Her mind was doing summersaults, making it impossible to think. She ran back up the stairs with her hand on her chest, struggling for breath. She shouldn't have wasted time checking the basement. Mark hated going down there because of the spiders they had started seeing the past couple of months. Just then she heard a noise from under the stairs, and when she looked between the cracks she saw two blue eyes peeking up at her.
“Sweetie, you know we have to go to the hospital now. Come,” she walked back down and reached out for his hand but he didn't respond. “You know I will be praying to Jesus the entire time and he will be with you.”
“Sure?” Mark replied in his little voice.
“Yes, and there will be a surprise in the fridge for when you get home.” One of Mark's favourite treats was jello and ice cream. She made some early that morning, which she had put in the back of the fridge to chill so he wouldn't see it before they left.
She smiled as Mark's little face brightened. When he finally took her hand, she led him upstairs and then outside to the car.
The ride to the hospital only took a few minutes as traffic was light, and they were in the room where the nurse would prepare him for surgery.
Mark pulled away when the nurse tried to insert the intravenous needle. “I don't want that.”
Tess could feel the tears begin to form as the nurse explained that it had to be done. Her chest ached for her little guy as she didn't want to see him suffer in any way.
Wrapping her arm around him, she squeezed. “It will be okay. Just a little prick,” she turned to wipe her eyes so he wouldn't see her upset. “You can do it... right?” She said, faking a smile.
Mark nodded and Tess gave him his teddy bear that he hugged tightly.
Tess was allowed to walk with Mark to the operating room, but that was as far as she could go. They waved to each other as the nurse led him through the door, and she could see that he was crying. It broke her heart that she had to leave him. The nurse assured her they would let her know as soon as the surgery was over, and that she could see Mark in recovery as soon as he woke up.
She let the tears flow freely as she walked into the elevator that took her to the main floor. When she reached the chapel, she sat down near the front, bowed her head and prayed. It was a simple surgery, but that didn't make it any less scary for her. Her boy was on that table— “Oh God,” she prayed. “Please make everything work out okay.”
A peace flowed through her, unlike anything she had felt before. She breathed deep, “Thank you, Lord.”
When the nurse came to let her know that Mark was awake, Tess jumped to her feet. “Is he okay?”
“He did FINE,” she said reassuringly.
As soon as she saw him, she rushed to his side and grabbed his hand. “How are ya doing, Honey?”
He opened his mouth slowly, “I... I...”
“It's okay, you don't have to talk. I know it hurts.”
He pointed up, “I saw him.”
“Saw who?”
“Jesus,” he mumbled. “I saw Jesus... and he had jello and ice cream.”
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
Thanks for sharing.
God Bless!