The Heart's Choice

It took a few minutes for Tavia to focus her eyes as she stared at the blinds on the window. Her puffed-up right eye still refused to cooperate. How long had she been asleep? It was still light outside, but the sun was low in the sky, turning everything into a rosy haze. She turned her head slowly, painfully, toward the other side of the bed. A man in a wheelchair sat staring at her. Finally he spoke.

“I don’t want to bother you. I’ll go if you want me to. You’ve been asleep for several hours.”

“Well, our little sweetheart is awake!”

Tavia glanced toward the door at the sound of familiar voices. There had been a constant string of people in and out of her room—people she didn’t know. This time, Dr. Stevens, Annie and James filed in, with an older stranger following close behind. Annie’s eyes were still swollen from crying and her nose was red. “Oh, good, you got our flowers.”

Annie placed a box on the chair, then bent to plant a kiss on Tavia’s cheek. You’re the ones who sent that big basket of flowers? But why? You don’t even know me.

The older man stuck out his hand toward the man in the wheelchair. “I’m James’s father. You must be Beck. James and Annie told me all about you.”

Beck hung his head as he shook the man’s hand. “Yes, I was driving the truck, sir.”

James’s father nodded. “I know, but from what they’ve told me, you did all you could to avoid the accident. It just wasn’t enough.”

How are Adam and Jewel? Please, someone tell me! Are they in this hospital, too? Have you just come from seeing them?

“I’ll never forgive myself, sir.” Beck stiffened. “That accident will haunt me the rest of my days.”

Tavia watched as he blinked back tears. She couldn’t remember when she’d last seen a man his age cry, much less a big man like Beck.

The older man eyed the wheelchair. “How long you gonna have to be in that thing?”

“Doc says I can start walking on this cast tomorrow, so he’ll be releasing me.”

Annie tugged on her father-in-law’s sleeve. “Come and meet our miracle girl.” Together they moved up close to Tavia.

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