Two Weeks (The Baxter Family #5)(20)

Honor your father.

Cole stared at the floor and slowly nodded his head. He was supposed to talk to his dad about Elise. That’s how he could honor his dad. Yes, that was it. He hoped his mom would let her come over for dinner. Elise only had volunteer work till six o’clock. Then she could come home with him and meet his parents.

And after that, after he took her back to her house, Cole could talk to his dad about his feelings. That had to be what God was telling him. By talking to his dad, he would bring honor to him. Because that was a father’s role—to give wisdom and instruction to his children. Lots of guys at school wouldn’t dream of talking to their parents about anything—least of all the girls they liked.

But there was no one else on earth Cole would rather talk to about Elise.

The emergency room doors swung open and Cole looked up. His papa stepped into the lobby. “Cole!”

Since he was a little boy, Cole had loved this man. In his earliest years, Papa Baxter and his grandma Elizabeth used to watch him while his mom worked. Then as Cole got older, he would fish with Papa in the old pond on the Baxter house property.

The place where Cole and his family lived now.

Cole stood to meet him. There was no warmer place than his grandfather’s arms, especially after Grandma Elizabeth died of cancer when Cole was still a little guy. Now he and his papa hugged, and the two of them pulled back to look at each other. His papa grinned. “You’re healthy, no injuries this season.”

“No. Thankfully.” Last spring Cole had pulled a muscle in his calf and had to sit out most of the season. This year, though, he was in perfect shape. He grinned. “Coach has me starting at second base.”

“I knew it!” His papa put his hand on Cole’s shoulder. “I told Elaine a hundred times that’s where you belong. You’re a born second baseman, Cole. I can’t wait to come see you play.”

Cole loved that his papa cared about his games. His grandma Elaine, too. She and Papa had been married for many years now and Cole loved her very much. They talked awhile longer about Cole’s classes and the premed courses he’d be taking at Liberty next year. “The school of osteopathic medicine has built up quite a buzz.” His grandfather’s eyes shone, the way they always did. Like hope was part of his makeup.

“That’s good!”

“Definitely.” His papa nodded. Ever since Cole had decided he wanted to be a doctor, they had conversations like this. “In the future, medicine will treat the person, not the illness. Your school is on the cutting edge of that understanding.”

Cole was glad, but he was also anxious to get going. He wanted to surprise Elise. She had no idea he was coming today. After another few minutes, Cole hugged his papa again. “Thanks for taking time.”

“Are you kidding?” Papa rubbed his head. “I love when you stop by. Makes my day.”

It was nearly five o’clock by the time Cole stepped off the elevator on the floor where Elise volunteered. He knew the nurse at the desk—a friend of their family’s from church. “I’m here to see Elise.” He smiled at the woman.

“That’s fine.” The nurse waved him on. “She’s in one of the rooms down the hallway.”

Cole knew his way around the hospital. Over the years he’d been here a number of times with his papa. In some ways medicine was an obvious calling. Long before his dad entered his life, Cole had loved and admired Papa. Cole would look up to the man as long as he lived.

He walked with quiet steps down the hall. That’s when he felt the buzz of his phone. He checked his messages and saw one from his mom.

Definitely! Bring Elise to dinner. We’d love to meet her.

Cole shot back a reply.

She gets done at the hospital at 6. So sometime after that, okay?

His mom’s response was quick.

That’s great. We’ll be ready!

Cole smiled. Perfect. This day was going exactly like he’d planned. After he’d walked past three rooms, he heard someone singing. It took only seconds for Cole to realize the voice belonged to Elise.

He peeked into the room and there she was, standing beside an old woman in a hospital bed, holding her hand. She had her back to Cole, so he stopped in the doorway.

“Are you afraid, Evelyn?” Elise’s voice was warm with compassion.

“No.” The woman shook her head. “Jesus knows me. And I know Him.”

Elise nodded. “That’s good. He’s gonna throw a party when you get there.”

Cole felt his heart soar. She was a Christian. They hadn’t exactly talked about it in depth, but he could picture her, the good girl, sitting in church by her parents. Of course she was that girl. It was why she hadn’t made friends with the party crowd. The reason she stayed home on Friday and Saturday nights.

He couldn’t imagine anyone with more compassion than Elise. The way she looked and sounded right here, right now.

“Thank you for coming back, dear. Can you sing to me again?” The woman’s voice was shaky. Cole wondered if she had long to live. “That same song. The one my mother used to sing to me?”

Elise seemed to know what song it was. She stayed close to the woman’s bed, slightly bent over, all her attention on the woman’s face. “Jesus loves me, this I know . . . for the Bible tells me so.”