Once heâd written up the charts and the nursing shift had changed, the hospital settled down to its usual midnight calm.
The drag of an overfull day sucked at his energy, but Dr. Jared Steele kept pushing himself to stay awake, kept looking for some sign that their newest patient, a young boy from Venezuela, would make it.
Joy to the world.
The carol poured from the caretakerâs radio down the hall.
Christmasâit used to be such a happy time. That last one, Diana had dressed Nicholas up like Santaâs elfâ
He slammed the door closed on the thought, forced his mind to blank out the pain.
At three oâclock one of the nurses brought a fax from Elizabeth Wisdom.
Sending you help. Best there is. Donât spoil it. E
He shoved the paper in his pocket, stifled the epithet that rose up his throat. Do-gooders who thought life in Hawaii would be little more than a beach vacation. Doubtful this one would last three monthsâlike the others.
Jared leaned back in the chair, stretched his legs in front and began rotating his head, trying to ease out the crick in his neck. The boy awoke, watched him.
Jared checked to see if the nurses were around. They werenât. He reached out, picked up the boyâs hand. Steady pulse. Good.
âHey, champ,â he whispered. âYouâre hanging in there. You keep doing your part and Iâll do mine, okay?â
The solemn gray eyes blinked.
âNot much of a Christmas for you, is it?â
No response.
âI know how you feel.â He rubbed his thumb back and forth over the baby-smooth skin, reminded of another child, one whoâd been stolen from him. âClose your eyes and relax. Itâs okay. Iâm here. Iâll take care of you.â
He kept talking and eventually the boyâs lashless lids drooped, his chest moved in a smooth even rhythm. But Jared didnât leave and he didnât go to sleep. And when the boy flatlined he was there to begin resuscitation immediately.
âDonât die on me,â he whispered as he pressed the thin chest repeatedly. âToo many have gone already. You have to live.â
The heartbeat fluttered back.
âThatâs right. You can do it. Come on.â
But as the dark night grew chilly and shadows moved outside, Jared recognized the signs of his own powerlessness and chafed against it.
âDonât go,â he begged. âThe world needs kids like you to make it better.â But the boy remained comatose. At four-fifteen the little life began slipping away.
Jared forced the prayer from his heart.
âDonât take him. Heâs just a kid. His parents have only him.â The heart monitor stumbled, came back slower, less responsive. Bitterness welled in a wave so large he could hardly swallow past it.
âYou have Nicholas,â he said. âIsnât my son enough?â
No answer.
Jared dredged up long-forgotten training, coaxing the frail body to call upon its last resources. By six oâclock he was able to hand over to his assistant, assured that for now, the child would live.
He walked out of the mission to the rocky precipice that overlooked the silver-gilt ocean and watched the flickering rays of sun smear the morning sky crimson. In the caverns of his mind Jared heard a squeaky little voice he hadnât heard in three years.
A voice silenced by a madman.
âLook, Daddy, a boat on Christmas morning. Is it Santa Claus?â
âWhy?â he whispered, heart squeezing in misery.
The sun ascended. Humanity awoke. Around the world people were opening their gifts, laughing, loving. But inside Jaredâs soul lay a barrenness that yearned for answers.
Heaven remained mute.
Two days later
âItâs a mission. A hospital for burned children. Itâs called Agapé and itâs in Hawaii.â
Dr. GloryAnn Cranbrook struggled to absorb the information. Sheâd known Elizabeth Wisdom for ten years and never once had she heard anything about a mission. Just how many projects did Elizabeth and her foundation have?
âHawaii?â she repeated, uncertain sheâd heard correctly.
âOahu.â Elizabethâs dreamy smile hinted at fond memories. âI was asked to sit on the board of Agapé many years ago byâa relative.â
So Elizabeth was connected to the mission. But Glory knew a lot about The Wisdom Foundation and she knew Elizabeth had no siblings, so this mystery relative was intriguing.
âAgapé has been internationally recognized for its work with injured children.â Sixty-plus years hadnât left a mark on Elizabethâs clear skin. âOur mission boasts the latest in equipment, specialized staff, and with Dr. Steeleâs new grafting procedure, the latest treatment for burned children. Your job would involve working with him as on-staff pediatrician. For six months.â
âI did spend a large part of my internship on burn wards,â GloryAnn admitted. âI also spent a year studying the psychological effects of physical damage as it impacts a burn victim.â