“You have taken him to a doctor?” he asked. She shook her head, eyes intent on his face. “To hospital? When this happens, you take him to hospital, right?”
“We don’t,” she said with what sounded like shame. “No medical interventions. It’s part of what we—whatthe Churchbelieves. God takes care of his own.” That last bit came out echoing and grand. Like she was imitating a preacher. “But Sammy can’t take care of himself, Luc. He can’t. He’s young. Like a little boy. I have to do something. Tell me what I can do.”
“He needs medication. Against seizures. A doctor would prescribe it, I’m sure.”
Her eyes lit up. “There’s medication? It would save him?” She looked so hopeful that he wanted to give her medicine for Sammy right there.
“I don’t know, Abby. I’m not—”
“But there’s a chance?”
“It might save him, but it could be other things. I don’t know why people have seizures, but I do know they live and they survive, if they’re helped.”
Nodding, she spun toward to the door, a whirlwind of excitement, took a few steps, and then spun back more slowly. “Do you think it’s part of His design, Luc?”
He blinked. “Design?”
“Yes. Is it God’s will? Do you think He intends for us to suffer?”
He had no idea how to respond to that when God didn’t even exist in his world. “I don’t know.”
“Could this really be what He wants for us? For someone like Sammy to be in pain when there’s a cure just beyond the fence? Could it be God’s will?”
“No, Abby. I don’t think this at all. We have science and medicine, and I think you use the tools you have. It’s—”
“Okay,” she interrupted with a decisive nod. “Thank you, Luc. I’m sorry. I have to go.” She started toward the door again, leaving him to follow, dumbfounded, in her wake.
“You’re leaving?” He could hear the disappointment in his voice.
“Yes!” she said with laugh. “There’s a way to save Sammy! I have to do something! At least tell someone. They’ve got to know there’s a way to save him. We need to help him. They’ll understand. Theyhaveto.”
“If there’s truly no medical treatment at your…”Merde, he didn’t know what to call it. Could he saycult? Was that offensive to her?
“At the Church? There will be,” she said, determined. “I’m going to make sure of it.”
He trailed after her to the fence, where he and Le Dog waited while she prepared to crawl through.
“Uh…don’t watch me do this. Okay?”
After a short hesitation, he nodded and turned, giving her privacy. Which was odd, after what they’d just done. Odd like this entire day. No—the whole week had been strange. Since the morning she’d stepped onto his land and into his life, nothing had been normal.
He had the feeling nothing would ever be normal again.
* * *
Abby ran back, elated.
There was a cure!No more pain for Sammy.
And oh, by the way, I had my firstrealkiss!And it was better than anything she’d ever imagined.
Oh Lord, she wanted to skip her way home, get into bed, and…and…and think about it, with her hand pressed to that place between her legs. But there wasn’t time for that. She had to go to Mama or Isaiah. She’d tell them and make them understand that Sammy hadn’t chosen to suffer, like Hamish had until the end. God would understand. Surely he would.
And if she could convince them to let Sammy take the medicine, then she wouldn’t need to take him away.
She went straight to Isaiah and Mama’s cabin. Mama’d be sure to see reason.
When she got there, it was dark and cold. Nobody home. Rather than head to her own place, she tromped down the path to the Center, where the smell of cooking made her mouth water. Perfect. She’d talk to Mama and get a full meal. Even better, so would Sammy.
