Hailey’s chin trembled, and her lips quivered as tears dripped from her eyes. She took Grant’s hands in hers, and, squeezing them lovingly, she leaned in and very gently kissed his cheek. “Then you’re in for a big surprise, Grant Cohen,” she whispered. “Just you wait and see.”
Grant sat nervously waiting for Dr. Lassiter to return. He tapped his fingers against his watch while his legs, dangling from the table, swung back and forth. “What’s taking so long?” he groaned.
“It hasn’t been that long, Sweetie,” Nora reassured him, glancing again at the wall clock across the room. “Why don’t you just rest?”
Randy glanced at his own watch and grumbled something to himself. He recalled the sick feeling that had come over him when Grant came jogging toward him that afternoon, his t-shirt to his face, and Hailey trailing behind. Randy and Zach were rocking in the shade of the front porch when Randy saw the blood on Grant’s white t-shirt. Zach, as if sensing that something wasn’t right, began to wail. Randy fought the urge to break down and join him. Instead, he ushered Grant inside, knowing that they were headed to the hospital earlier than they had planned.
“Baby, hopefully we don’t have anything to worry about,” Nora smiled toward Grant. “A nosebleed doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Some people have nosebleeds all the time for no good reason at all.”
“Too bad I’m not one of them,” Grant rolled his eyes, unpersuaded. A rattle of the doorknob made Grant cut his eyes toward the door in time to see Dr. Lassiter walked inside with the answer Grant needed written all over his face. “It’s exactly what we feared, isn’t it?” Grant gulped.
“I have bad news,” Dr. Lassiter said forthrightly.
Grant’s eyes turned quickly to his mother, and Nora could feel her heart sink with his.
“The Leukemia’s back,” Dr. Lassiter said, clarifying his statement with an explanation no one needed.
“I can’t believe this!” Randy grabbed at Dr. Lassiter’s clipboard, stared at it a moment, and, realizing he didn’t understand a word of it, handed it back to him. Randy’s tone softened. “Just like that…it’s back?”
Dr. Lassiter nodded. “I’m so sorry…that’s the nature of this disease.”
“What do we do now?” Nora asked hurriedly. “What is the next step?”
“We’ll need to start another round of chemotherapy,” Dr. Lassiter said with professional precision.
Grant jumped off the table. “No, I won’t go through all that again…what are my other options?” He reached for his father, dizzy from his abrupt move.
“I’m sorry…there are no other options, Grant,” Dr. Lassiter shook his head.
Randy steadied his son and helped him back onto the examination table.
“Hey now,” Nora tried to soothe her son. “Let’s be positive.”
“I hate to tell you this, Mom,” Grant shrugged, “but the most positive attitude in the world won’t cure cancer…just ask Jillian.” Then, exhaling loudly, Grant flung himself back onto the table, running his hands over the short growth of hair he knew he was about to lose again and muttering a soft, frustrated curse before closing his eyes and wondering how he was ever going to find the strength to get through another round of treatment.
“Grant, you have to be strong, Son,” Randy said, forcing Grant to sit up. “This certainly isn’t the news we wanted to hear, but we can get through this.” Randy pulled his son into a hug and held him there tightly. Grant began to cry, and Randy uncharacteristically kissed the top of his head. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “Just let it out.” Randy gritted his teeth and kept his arms firmly around his son as an unspoken promise that his daddy would remain his rock even when faith was tested and hope was shaken.
Long, southern, summer days were gone, but days seemed longer than ever as Grant struggled to fight his disease into remission again.
Hailey started classes at the University of Memphis, and, though she missed playing basketball, she knew she had made the right decision by giving it up. She simply didn’t have the time that she had once dedicated to her sport. College basketball required a full commitment, and there were more important demands on her time these days. Between going to classes and spending time taking care of Grant, Hailey began volunteering at the hospital. She prayed with families of loved ones who were suffering with an empathy she found invaluable; not only did she understand the range of emotions those families went through in a single day, but they were the people who best understood her. She had struggled to find the good in her current circumstance, and she found it in being a blessing to others in similar situations.
During the summer, Rachel gave birth to a beautiful and healthy, seven pound baby girl named Victoria “Tori” Pate. Emily and Jessica spent a couple weeks of their summer in North Carolina visiting Rachel, Wally and the baby. Jessica had been thrilled to sing cover tunes as the opening act for Wally’s band at several shows at small clubs and local summer festivals throughout North Carolina. Emily and Jessica began making plans for their move to Nashville after their senior year. They would share an apartment; Emily would attend Belmont University, and Jessica would pursue her dream of becoming a country music recording artist.
Nora and Randy renewed their wedding vows in a small, private ceremony. Obviously, they planned to remain in Tennessee as Grant battled his illness, but soon the next phase of their life together seemed so clear. With Randy officially retired now, Nora treasured the idea of giving Zach the life her other children never had. She dreamed of raising him the way she had been raised, in a small town where life is slow and simple, yet has all the possibilities you make of it.
Jack and Randy worked all summer, remodeling Granny Miller’s house. Rusty Cobb, Dale Munk and all the Harper boys had been more than willing to pitch in and help a neighbor. The men made repairs, added on additional rooms, picked out interior and exterior paint, put down new flooring, put in new light fixtures, updated appliances and turned Nora’s childhood home into a cozy, modern farmhouse where Zach would grow up and her grandchildren would create some of their best memories.
Hailey stood in a corner of the waiting room bouncing an eight-month-old on her hip as Grant walked their way. He was wearing a camouflage baseball cap and a giant grin as he reached for his brother who giggled as he went to him. Grant leaned down and kissed Hailey. “Where are your parents?” she asked.
Grant shrugged. “They’re coming.”
“Why are you smiling?” Hailey asked.
“Can’t a boy smile without something being up?” Grant asked as he showered Zach’s face with kisses.
Hailey’s smile stretched across her face. “It’s time, isn’t it?” she gulped.
Grant nodded. “We did it,” he said softly as he kissed Hailey again. “We’re gonna beat this thing, Hailey. As we know, the transplant is no guarantee; even if it’s successful, life won’t automatically return to normal. It’s a long process, and the recovery won’t always be easy …but it’s somewhere to start…”
Hailey wrapped her arms around Grant and hugged herself close to him, letting out a relieved sigh. Zach mimicked her by resting his head against his brother’s chest. Hailey rubbed Zach’s arm with the tips of her fingers. “Thank you, Lord,” she exhaled, overwhelmed with emotion. She rubbed Grant’s back with her hand as she let her nose rest gently against the back of Zach’s soft, blond hair and take in the scent of pure perfection.
Grant glanced around the room, taking a mental picture of the moment, so he could remember it forever… all the people he loved gathered there, their faces so full of hope, and their hearts so full of faith in the One who already knew the answers to every question running through their heads. Finally, through the long, plexiglass window that separated them, Grant’s eyes fell on his father, his arms crossed and his face stern. In typical fashion, Randy had his game face on; today was the sort of day that required it; everything had come down to this. Then, unexpectedly, as Grant’s eyes shone the sort of courage his father had taught him, Randy uncrossed his arms and slowly, deliberately lifted his hand to salute his son. Grant’s mouth fell open in disbelief of the gesture. For a moment the two of them were alone in a room full of people. Then, swallowing back tears, Grant raised his right hand and, with crisp precision, he saluted his father as they wheeled him away.
In a lonely, churchyard cemetery, a breeze blew gently through Hailey’s hair as she crouched next to the grave, tracing her finger with delicate affection along the beautiful, marble headstone. It still hurt so badly after all these years; being home in Tennessee always reminded her of those memories that were stored away in her heart forever. Hailey was twenty-three now; she’d graduated from college; life had gone on, but, as long as she lived, she would never forget that year when she was eighteen, and the real world was introduced to her so forcefully that it left scars on her heart. As tears of joy replaced the tears of sadness she was working to suppress, Hailey remembered everything about the two years during which she truly learned to believe in miracles.
Hailey turned to Grant and squeezed his hand as he crouched next to her. Grant patted the top of the headstone as Hailey arranged brightly colored flowers. “We will never forget you, Jillian,” he promised.
Hailey kissed Grant’s cheek. “Let’s go home,” she smiled.
