“Between you and Hailey,” Granny Miller exhaled. “If the two of you ain’t careful, when my grandson needs you the most, y’all are gonna be laid up in hospital rooms of your own because you never let your minds slow down long enough to eat ya somethin’.” Granny lifted the tray of cookies. “Now, come-on, Nora Jean…I know you like these…” Nora reached for a cookie, and, when Granny pushed the tray toward Hailey, she did too. Granny turned her attention to Randy. “Grab you a handful, Sugar.”
Randy reached for a cookie. “You have been a blessing to us, Granny,” he smiled, and Nora’s heart leapt at the words.
“You really have,” Hailey agreed, taking a bite of her cookie. “I know Grant appreciates everything you have done to take care of all of us. You’ve been a real trooper through everything.”
Granny Miller nodded confidently. “I’ll tell you what I told every person at Sunday service. My handsome grandson is in God’s hands. Whatever God’s plan is…we have to trust in it…that’s what having faith is all about.”
Nora sat down next to Hailey and put her arm around her. “Speaking of blessings,” she smiled.
“Shoot yeah,” Granny Miller shook her head. “Hailey Jane, you have been a blessing to our entire family. I know you have made your daddy proud.”
“Every single day,” Jack nodded.
“I love you, Hailey,” Nora said as she leaned over and kissed the top of Hailey’s head. “I know you’re not my daughter…but in my heart you are.”
Hailey smiled, tears lining her eyes. “Because I never knew my mom…that means more to me than you can imagine.”
Nora gently turned Hailey toward her and stroked the side of her face. “I want you to know that you are everything I ever wished for for my son. I’ve prayed for you for eighteen years, Hailey. I had never seen your face…but, oh, how I prayed for you. And, now that I’m looking at you, I couldn’t be more proud.”
“I love you too…Mom,” Hailey cried as Nora pulled her into a hug.
Grant’s physical appearance had changed so drastically that when David and Melissa returned to Tennessee with Leah for a visit, Leah didn’t recognize Grant and refused to go to him. Grant’s moods were erratic, and his emotions on high alert, so acting as though this turn of events didn’t devastate him was impossible.
“Leah, look, it’s Uncle Grant,” Melissa soothed her daughter. “Look, Uncle Grant wants a hug.”
Leah was having none of it; she screamed fiercely when David tried to lower her into the bed next to Grant. David’s eyes locked on his brother’s as his daughter fought to cling to him. “I’m sorry,” David mouthed.
“Leah,” Grant said. “Leah, listen it’s Uncle Grant.” Hailey listened to the scratchy, unfamiliar voice she heard coming from Grant’s mouth, and she had to wipe away tears.
“David, it’s okay,” Nora shook her head. “Why don’t you take her on out of here and see can’t you get her calmed down?”
As David turned to leave, Leah caught sight of Hailey. “Hailey,” she cried, reaching for her.
“Leah, you’re getting too big for Hailey to carry,” David sighed as Leah strained away from his arms.
“No, it’s okay,” Hailey assured him, taking Leah and holding her tight as she rocked back and forth. “Let’s go for a walk, pretty girl,” Hailey said, opening the door.
“Uncle Grant?” Leah begged, and Hailey felt her heart breaking as she walked down the hall, swaying side-to-side, Leah still crying for the uncle she adored.
“I hate this, all of this!” Grant exploded in the room. He ripped out one IV and then another.
“Grant, stop it!” Randy demanded as he grabbed for one of Grant’s hands, and David reached for the other.
“I hate this!” Grant screamed as they pinned him down. “I hate being sick! I hate this hospital! I hate this medicine! I hate how I look! I scare small children!”
“Grant, she just doesn’t understand,” Melissa shook her head, her eyes full of sympathy. “She’ll come around. Just give her time. She loves you, Grant; you know that.”
“I love her,” Grant cried. “I want to see her grow up. I want to witness everything she accomplishes.” His tears overwhelmed him. “I want to know her and for her to know me. I want to know the new baby! What if I never even meet the new baby?”
Everyone stared first at Grant and then at David and Melissa.
David shrugged. “It just has never seemed like a good time to tell you,” he confessed to his parents. “But…secret’s out…Melissa’s pregnant.”
“Oh, Mel,” Nora gasped, running around the bed to hug her daughter-in-law. “That is wonderful news! Any time is a great time for happy news…especially now!”
“Thank you,” Melissa smiled. “You are so sweet! We will celebrate, I promise, but shouldn’t we get those IVs back in?”
Just then one of Grant’s nurses walked in. “You rang?” she smiled.
“Yeah,” Randy nodded. “I hit the call button. We had a little meltdown and took out our IVs…can we get that fixed up for him?”
“Grant, what have you done here?” the nurse asked playfully.
“Sorry,” Grant groaned, holding up his arms. He turned his head to the side, as if to acknowledge that despite the fact he was calmer now, he wasn’t in the mood for chit-chat.
The next day, as Hailey was returning from a trip to the hospital lobby, Leah was walking next to her, holding her hand. They passed the doctor, who was coming out of Grant’s room as they returned.
Hailey slipped inside, excited about the possibility of helping Leah cope with the change in Grant’s appearance.
Instead, when Grant’s eye met Hailey’s, he threw his head back against his pillow and groaned. “Oh great…just who I wanted to see right now.”
“What?” Hailey gulped.
“Hailey, just don’t ask a lot of stupid questions,” Grant blurted.
