Time
Chapter 1
"Goodnight, Martha."
"Goodnight, Donna," said Martha. She waved as Donna drove away in her car out of the St. Patrick's church parking lot. Martha was humming as she walked toward her own car and unlocked her door. She always loved bingo night.
Martha got into her four door blue Taurus and headed out of the church parking lot. She was the last one to leave after having volunteered with Donna to help clean up after tonight's festivities. Martha drove down the street and came to a stop at a traffic light. While she waited for it to turn green, she turned on the radio to listen to her favorite Jazz station. Looking up and seeing that the light was green, she pressed down the accelerator with her foot. She was mid way through the intersection when she was broad sided on the passenger side by an oncoming vehicle that made no attempt to stop.
The velocity and momentum on the impact pushed Martha's car across the intersection and to the brink of a deep ravine where it rolled down several times before it finally came to rest eerily upside down at the bottom amid broken glass and twisted metal.
The other vehicle, an SUV, spun out of control and crashed into a nearby phone pole. The front of the car was obliterated as the phone pole split apart and crashing down upon the car.
Chapter 2
Peggy and Declan were walking down the hospital corridor of St. Joseph's. Declan was particularly exuberant while Peggy kept giving him nervous, worried glances.
"So you say this woman's car was hit by a drunk driver going 90 miles per hour, smashes into her car, which turns over several times on it's way down a ravine, lands upside down, and she walks away unscathed! That's pretty miraculous if you ask me, Peg!"
"Yes, it is pretty miraculous."
"Well I guess that the woman was wearing her seatbelt? That must have helped her eh?"
Declan looked at Peggy whose thoughts seemed miles away at this point. "Hey, Peg, something wrong?"
Peggy quickly snapped her attention back to Declan. "What? No, I'm sorry, just got a lot on my mind. I was just thinking how odd it is. Normally, it's the drunk driver who walks away unharmed in situations like these, and the other person who gets injured or killed even. The driver's in surgery right now. He's not expected to make it."
Peggy and Declan stopped walking in front of Room 252. They both gazed in the door window at Martha. What they saw was an African-American woman early fifties maybe, her dark hair perfectly coiffured showing signs of early silver. She was talking to the doctor and nurse examining her. She looked perfectly healthy. There was not a scratch on her.
Declan adjusted his glasses and looked at Peggy, trying to read her expression. "I'm really sorry if this brings up painful memories for you."
Peggy continued to look at the woman. The fact that Martha was being watched by Declan and Peggy went unnoticed by her. "Actually, it's more than that."
Declan just looked at Peggy, waiting for more.
Peggy finally turned and looked at Declan. "Her name's Martha Williams. I know her, well I knew her. It's been a long time. She belongs to St. Patrick's, the church Adam and I use to attend. She was a great help to me, a comfort really, during that time."
Declan put a comforting hand on Peggy's arm. "I'm so sorry, Peg."
Peggy gave him a smile, trying to show Declan that she was okay even though he knew she wasn't. "It's fine. Are you ready to meet her?"
Declan just nodded as he opened the door. Peggy went in first with Declan following close behind her.
At their entrance, Martha looked up and her face lit up into a big grin. "Peggy Fowler! How are you?"
Peggy couldn't help but return the smile. "Hi Martha. But I think it's I who should be asking how you are."
Martha looked at the doctor. "Should you tell her, Dr. Hoyt, or should I?"
The doctor just chuckled and looked at Peggy. "She's in perfect health. Not a scratch on her. It's a miracle really."
"A miracle. You don't say," said Declan with a knowing smile.
Dr. Hoyt just turned and looked at Declan. "I'm serious. I don't know how she survived that fall." The doctor turned his attention back to Martha. "Well we can't find anything wrong with you. When you're ready to go, just stop by the nurses station to get your discharge papers."
The doctor nodded to all of them and left with the nurse leaving Declan and Peggy alone with Martha.
"Martha, this is my friend, Declan Dunn. He's an anthropology professor over at NOU."
"Hi, Declan," said Martha as she extended her hand which Declan shook warmly.
"I'm so glad you're okay. How are you feeling?" asked Peggy.
Martha thought for a moment. "At first I was shook up, you know. Out of the blue I get rammed off the road. But after everything settled down and I realized I was okay, things were just fine."
"From what Peggy tells me, you car was pretty smashed up. You should have been seriously hurt, but there's not a scratch on you. You walked away from near death. That's got to qualify as miraculous," said Declan.
Peggy explained. "My friend has an interest in unexplainable events, miracles really. When I heard that you were brought here..."
"Several years ago, I survived a near fatal avalanche. It was a miracle. Gave me a new lease on life," explained Declan.
Martha smiled knowingly. "Ah, I see. So you think me surviving unscathed was a result of divine intervention?"
"Declan...," Peggy began to explain before Martha waved off any explanation.
"It's fine. I'm sure you know that Peggy and I use to attend the same church. Of course I believe in miracles. They happen everyday only most of us are too busy to notice."
Declan just smiled. "If you don't mind I'd like to investigate what happened to you. Maybe see if there's some logical explanation for how you survived."
Martha's face registered her confusion. "I thought you said it was already a miracle."
"I don't like to jump to conclusions. A miracle by definition is something unexplainable. I'd just like to talk to you and investigate the crash to determine if there was some other explanation for you surviving unharmed."
"So you just don't accept things on faith alone. I understand. You like to take all the fun out of miracles," said Martha chuckling. "We'll that's just fine. Investigate what you will."
"And if you don't mind," interjected Peggy, "I'd like to stop by a see you soon. Make certain you're feeling okay."
Martha smiled at Peggy. "That would be wonderful. We've really missed you at church, my dear."
Peggy started to look uncomfortable so Martha stood up and said, "There's my daughter come to take me home."
At that moment a younger version of what Martha must have looked like in her early twenties, entered the room. Her dark hair was pulled neatly back into a long ponytail. Her brown eyes looked at them curiously. "Hi, Mom."
"Anne, you remember Peggy don't you?"
"Yes, hi. How are you doing?" asked Anne.
"Fine thank you. This is my friend, Declan."
"Hi Declan nice to meet you," said Anne.
"Good to meet you too."
"Well I'm just hoping that young man is alright," said Martha concerned. "I would hate for anything to happen to him. They told me he was a teenager. Got his whole life ahead of him."
Anne just shook her head smiling. "You ready to go?"
"Yes, Dear."
They exchanged good nights and promises to see each other again soon. As Martha and Anne exited the room, Peggy and Declan could hear Anne tell her Mom how glad she was that she was okay and kindly reprimand her for driving so late at night despite Martha's insistence that bingo night was very important. She was a grown woman after all.
Declan and Peggy watched the two walk down the hall for a few moments.
"They seem really nice, Peg. I'm so glad that Martha's okay."
Peggy looked at the two thoughtfully. "Yeah, me too."
Chapter 3
"Wow," said Declan as he looked at Martha's car resting, if one could call that resting, at the bottom of the ravine. The car was smashed at the bottom with pieces of metal and glass spread around it as if the car had exploded on impact.
"Wow is right," said Miranda as she too surveyed the scene. "And you say there's not a scratch on her?"
"Nope. Not one. You ready?"
Miranda nodded.
Declan put out his hand for Miranda to hold as they walked, rather slid quickly, down the embankment into the ravine. They were able to stop themselves before their momentum knocked them into the wreaked car.
Once they got to the bottom, they both walked around the car, surveying it for any clues.
"Well it looks like the impact initially started here," said Miranda as she pointed to the right side of the car as Declan came around to look at it. "This is where the car was first struck by the other one."
Declan just continued to look at the big dent in the side of the car.
"Declan?" asked Miranda when his silence has lasted a little bit too long.
"What? Oh, I'm sorry Miranda. I was just thinking about Peggy."
"What does Peggy think about all of this?"
Declan looked at Miranda and she could see concern in his eyes.
"The lady, Martha, who was hit by the drunk driver. It turns out that Peggy use to know her, use to go to church with her, at St. Patrick's. You know how Peggy lost her faith after her husband died and this is just sorta bringing back old memories and feelings for her. Martha prayed with her for her husband to be okay and then you know how Adam came back to consciousness and died a few days later. Peggy lost her faith and then this woman was nearly killed the same way Peg's husband was. It's just a little too much for her to process right now."
Miranda nodded. Declan's concern for Peggy had become her concern. "Do you think that this woman's accident has anything to do with Peggy? Had Martha gotten hit closer to home, she would have gone to Sibley hospital, not St. Joseph's, which is closer."
Declan rubbed his chin. "It all does seem a little coincidental. I'm definitely not ruling anything out at this point."
Chapter 4
The next day found Peggy knocking on Martha's door.
The door opened to a pleasantly surprised Martha. Her brown eyes lit up at seeing Peggy. "Peggy! C'mon in! I didn't hope to see you agains this soon."
Peggy walked in smiling as Martha closed the door behind her. Martha hadn't changed a bit since Peggy had known her. She was still as warm and friendly as ever. There was just something about her, something that drew people to her.
"I just wanted to check up on you and make certain you were doing okay. Sometimes, people seem like they're doing fine and then...." Peggy's sentence trailed off. Thoughts of her husband came flooding back as she sat down on the sofa.
Martha took a seat on a wicker chair opposite the sofa. She smiled kindly at Peggy. "We'll it was very sweet of you to take all this trouble, but I'm perfectly fine. I just thought I'd feel differently you know."
Peggy's thought's focused back to Martha's well being, the reason for her trip. Well that and to maybe rekindle an old friendship that Peggy had sadly neglected. "How do you mean?"
Martha thought for a moment. "Well, here I've been given this second chance at life, so to speak, and I feel the same as I did yesterday. I don't have any urge to go out and conquer the world or change myself or do all the things I've meant to do but haven't. Sure I'm grateful. I glad for any day that I get to live. Gives me another chance to talk to Anne or go to church or garden or do all the things that I love to do. I mean another day I get to watch my daughter grow and talk to her. She's doing so well at NOU in her History classes. Wants to be teacher someday."
Peggy smiled at Martha, the obvious proud parent.
"Ever since Jim died last Fall..."
Peggy's smile slowly disappeared. "Oh, Martha I'm so sorry. I didn't know your husband had passed away."
Martha just shook her head. Her voice took on a bittersweet note. "He was such a wonderful man, but chain smoked I'm afraid to say. Lung cancer. Anne took it pretty hard, but she's a resilient girl. Takes after her Father in that way."
"Oh, I think she gets a lot of that from you," said Peggy.
Martha just chuckled at the compliment.
A silence settled between the two. It had been a long time since they had spoken. There was much to say, but neither knew where to begin again on a friendship that weeds had grown up and choked the path between them.
Finally, Peggy broke the silence, saying what was hardest, knowing that was the only place to begin. "I'm sorry I stopped coming to church after Adam died. You were such a great comfort to me those days when we prayed together and then after he died. A piece of me died with him, a piece of my faith. I just didn't understand how God could take him away from me like that. He answered our prayers, Adam woke up, and then died suddenly. It was cruel and I don't think I've forgiven God for that."
Martha just shook her head. "I'm still your friend, Peggy. I'm sorry that you've lost your faith, but that doesn't make me care about you any less."
Peggy smiled again, amazed at how much talking to Martha always made her feel better somehow. "I'm sorry you were in that accident, but I'm so glad that we've gotten a chance to see each other again."
Martha returned her smile. "Me too. Me too."
Chapter 5
Miranda knocked on Declan's office door as she walked in.
Declan looked up from his computer screen. "Hey Miranda! So have you solved the mystery of how Martha was able to walk away from that accident unharmed?"
"Well I was looking at the police report...."
Declan threw here a questioning look. "How did you get a copy of the accident report?"
"I've got my sources," said Miranda mysteriously with a twinkle in her eye. "If I told you, I'd have to kill you." Miranda sat down across from his desk.
"Ha! Ha!" chuckled Declan going along with the joke. "But seriously, what did you find out."
"Basically, it just confirmed what you had already told me. Martha was wearing her seatbelt, which held her in place as her car tumbled down the ravine."
"Okay, but there was nothing wrong with her. Not even a scratch or a bruise from the seatbelt. I mean with all that busted metal and breaking glass there should have been something."
Miranda nodded knowingly. "I agree. She was struck from the passenger side, not head on, so her airbag didn't inflate. Being struck on the passenger side gave her an extra margin of safety."
"What do you mean? At the sight, I saw the airbag. It had been released."
"I know. What I meant to say is that it didn't inflate at first. Martha's car was struck from the side and pushed to the ravine where it fell in. The angle and the sped with which it was struck pushed Martha's car so it fell down the ravine hood first. After rolling down the hill the hood struck the bottom first. That was when the airbag inflated cushioning her face and body. If the airbag had inflated when she had been struck initially, it might have deflated somewhat during the long trip down the ravine, causing her injury. Instead, it inflated at just the right moment," explained Miranda.
Declan nodded and opened his mouth to respond when the phone rang. "Hold on a minute, Miranda." Declan picked up the phone. "Declan." Declan listed for a few moments, his expression taking on one of sadness. "Oh, no. I'm so sorry to hear that, Peg."
"What is it? What's wrong?" asked Miranda concerned.
"Could you hold on for one second, Peg?" asked Declan. He put his hand over the phone and whispered. "The drunk driver, he died this morning."
Chapter 6
Peggy was walking down one of the hospital corridors, past one of the waiting rooms, when she saw a brunette middle-aged woman, sitting next to a man about her age, his blond hair was close cropped hair. He had his arm around her. She was obviously distressed, obviously in pain, as to was the man. When Peggy saw the items in a bag the woman was clutching, she knew immediately who these people were. They were the items that had been removed off Timmy, the drunk driver's, body. Peggy's anger at the drunk driver was replaced by sadness for this couple. They had lost their son due to something so avoidable. Her heart went out to them, as it did to anyone who had ever lost a loved one.
Peggy walked over to them and sat down next to them. They looked at Peggy. Their eyes were red rimmed from crying. "You must be Timmy's parents."
The woman managed a nod. When she did find her voice, it was shaking with emotion. "We just came by, to pick up his things."
"I'm so sorry about what happened. I just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Dr. Peggy Fowler and I'm a psychiatrist here at the hospital." Peggy handed them her card, which the husband took hesitantingly. "If there's anything I can do, anything I can help you with, or if you two just need someone to talk to, please contact me."
"It's just so stupid," said the man, his voice tinged with anger. "We always told him that if he ever needed a ride to call us. We wouldn't be mad."
All Peggy could do was nod. She stood up. "Like I said, if you ever need anything."
"Thank you, Dr. Fowler," said Timmy's mother although she was so consumed by her grief, Peggy thought the thanks might have been her way of trying to politely get rid of Peggy. They needed time, Peggy knew. So she nodded and walked away, allowing the couple to try to draw strength from one another and to make some kind of sense out of all this tragedy.
Chapter 7
The next day found Declan at Martha's house. They were sitting outside on her patio drinking lemonade.
"So it looks like there's a rational explanation for all that has happened," said Martha smiling. "I still think it takes some of the fun out of all of it though."
Declan chuckled. "Sometimes it does. Maybe it's just the investigator in me, but I've found it's better to know, to know whether something really is a miracle or not. People tend to use the word a lot, to explain away things that are explainable. They don't want to delve deeper to find the meaning, to find the truth."
Martha nodded. "I see your point. Miracles are rare, and therefore have more meaning when they do happen. Only sometimes it's hard to find the meaning in them, usually because the person who the miracle happens to is too afraid to look beyond the obvious, to figure out why things happen to them. They're afraid because most often the reason why lies inside themselves. They don't want to look there. Seems almost like people want to believe so badly or else they don't want to believe at all."
"Are we talking about Peggy?" asked Declan solemnly.
"Directly, no. But Peggy is afraid. She's afraid to look, to really look at her husband's death. She's afraid to look into her heart and ask why God called Adam back home."
"Peggy doesn't talk about Adam very much," said Declan. "She keeps it all pretty bottled up tight."
"It's like the old saying, who counsels the counselor? When Adam died, Peggy shut herself off from her faith thinking it had failed her and Adam. Instead of finding comfort in her faith, she shut herself off from all the people they knew together, except for a few friends, like Johanna, who lived far enough away from the situation."
"So you think there's a reason behind people dying? You think it has more to do with divine fate rather than people's actions?" asked Declan intrigued by this woman.
"Dear, I don't know. But I do know Peggy. We've been getting to know each other again and I see her life as it is now and you know I see how happy she is. After Adam died I didn't think I'd ever see her this happy. She loves her work and helping people. She talks about you and a young lady friend named, Miranda, that all investigate miracles. I think it's wonderful. I can see that the light in her eyes is back when she speaks of the two of you. You coming into her life is wonderful. You're a rare person, Declan. You don't hide away from the truth, you actively seek it."
Declan could feel himself blushing at the compliments. "Actually, it turns out Peggy and I use to know each other, well we had a class together back in college. Only we didn't know it for awhile after we met again for the second time."
Martha just smiled. "God works in mysterious ways, doesn't He?"
Declan chuckled. "Yes, He certainly does. And how yourself? Do you feel any differently after having survived the crash?"
"No, not really. I feel like I should, but I don't. I'm just all torn up about that poor boy that died. Such a shame really," said Martha sadly.
Declan could only nod in agreement.
Chapter 8
Peggy looked up at the knock at her door.
"Ya busy, Peg?"
"No. My next appointment's not for a half an hour. Come on in."
Declan plopped himself on the chair opposite Peggy's desk. "So did Miranda tell you the news?"
"Yes, I hear there's no miracle. Part of me is sorry, but the other part of me isn't."
Declan threw her a confused look.
"What I mean to say is, that Timmy's parents are going through a lot right now and I just don't want anyone to make things more difficult for them than they already are."
"Difficult for them Peg or difficult for you?" As soon as the words were out of Declan's mouth, he wanted to take them back. Or, at the very least, rephrase them better.
Peggy's voice suddenly took on a cautious tone. "What do you mean?"
Declan voice went softer. "What I meant is even though there is no miracle here, your friend did survive, a friend whom you hadn't seen since you're husband died. It still just seems a little coincidental that your friend just happens to reappear in your life, under nearly the same circumstances as your husband's death. If the accident had happened close to her home, she would have been admitted to a different hospital and your paths never would have crossed."
"Yes, but this happening, it's just a coincidence," insisted Peggy. "There is no miracle here. It's something good that happened. Let's just leave it at that."
"It is something good," agreed Declan, "But Peggy I think you're ignoring something. I think you're ignoring why she came back into your life."
Peggy just looked at Declan. "You're trying to say that the reason she came back into my life is because of Adam's death."
Declan reached out and put a hand on Peggy's hand. "I don't know. But what I do think is that you've never really come to terms with it. Maybe Martha's back in your life to help you with this. You know if you ever need someone to talk to Miranda and I, we're your friends Peggy. We are here for you."
Peggy took a deep breath and mustered a smile for Declan, trying to put his worries at ease. "Declan, I appreciate your concern. Really I do. You and Miranda, you two are my best friends. If there was anything to discuss, I would discuss it with you."
Declan just studied Peggy, trying to see if she was telling the truth.
Chapter 9
Declan and Miranda were eating dinner outside the Anthropology Department on a bench. Dinner consisted of Chinese takeout.
"I invited Peggy to join us, but she said she was busy," said Miranda.
"Well," said Declan with a sigh, "I think Peggy might avoid me for the next couple of days. I sorta had a talk with her. Told her that she should talk to us about her husband."
"Oh," said Miranda quietly. She now understood why Peggy had declined their invitation.
"I pushed her, Miranda. I shouldn't have."
"Declan," said Miranda sympathetically, "you're heart was in the right place. Peggy knows that. You just got to give her some space."
"I just wish she'd open up and let us in. Think it would help her take away the pain somehow." Declan's frustration was starting to emanate from him as he tried to catch an elusive snow pea with his chopsticks.
"You just have to wait for her to let us in. When she's ready, she will speak. If you force her to talk about it, it's only going to make her angry and make her keep us at a distance."
Declan gave Miranda a sidelong smile. "How did you get to be so wise?"
"Learned everything I know from Peggy and you," said Miranda with a quick smile.
Chapter 10
A few days later, Peggy was working on some paperwork, when she was interrupted by a knock at the door. She looked up expecting to see Declan, but instead she saw Mrs. Lyons.
"I'm sorry am I bothering you, Dr. Fowler?" asked Timmy's mother hesitantly.
"No, not at all. Please come in and have a seat, Mrs. Lyons."
Mrs. Lyons came in and took a seat across from Peggy's desk. "Please, you can call me Ruth."
"Ruth it is then," said Peggy smiling comfortingly, trying to put Ruth at ease. "And you can call me Peggy."
Ruth smiled her gratitude. "I just wanted to stop by and say thank you, for your kind words a few days ago."
"I meant it. If you ever feel like talking...."
"A few days ago, we buried Timmy," Ruth wiped at on of her eyes, trying to hide a tear that had escaped. "Everyone's been so wonderful, so helpful these past days..."
"I'm so sorry," said Peggy empathetically. Thoughts of burying her own husband were whispering in the back of her mind. She tried to push them back and to focus on Ruth.
"The house is so empty now. My husband, my husband and I have been avoiding the issue, I was hoping that maybe I could get him to come and we could talk to you...."
"That would be great. You've got my card. Just call me."
Ruth stood up as did Peggy.
"That you, Peggy."
Peggy walked Ruth to her door.
"It's just so odd," said Ruth when they had reached the door.
"What is?" asked Peggy.
Ruth thought for a moment. "When my son was little, I had turned my back for a few seconds, we have an outdoor pool, and when I turned back around I couldn't see him. I jumped into the pool and pulled him out. He had been under the water for oh, I don't know how long. My husband started doing CPR, trying to resituate him. Nothing was working, he started turning blue and then the paramedics arrived. Brought him back they did. I thought after that, after being brought back like that, I thought it was a miracle. I had never been so frightened in all my life. When they called me after the accident, I was worried, but I thought he'd pulled through before he would again. I'm afraid miracles don't happen twice."
Peggy suddenly felt chilled. She put a comforting hand on Ruth's arm. "Please come see me soon."
Ruth just smiled sadly at Peggy and left. Peggy worriedly watched Ruth walk down the corridor until she couldn't see her anymore.
Chapter 11
"Hi, Miranda."
Miranda looked up from her experiment to see Peggy. "Hi, Peggy. We haven't see you in a couple of days. Missed you." Miranda took off her safety goggles.
Peggy just smiled mysteriously. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I've been really busy with patients these past couple of days. I'll make it up to you two, I promise. I just wanted to let you know that Mrs. Lyons, Timmy's mom stopped by."
"Oh, yeah. How's she doing?" asked Miranda concerned.
"Okay, I guess. As well as can be expected. She called and her and her husband are going to come by and see me this week to talk."
"That's great. I mean, if anyone can help them, it's you."
Peggy smiled at the compliment. "She also said something to me a few days ago. Something interesting."
"What did she say?"
Peggy hesitated to tell Miranda, but she knew she'd be wrong in hiding information from Declan and her. It wasn't privileged information in any way. "Ruth told me that her son had survived a pool drowning at an early age. She called it a miracle. Said she guessed miracles didn't happen twice to people."
Miranda thought for a few moments, mulling over the words. "So what do you think it means? Do you think it means that there is more to this accident than we thought?"
Peggy just shook her head. "I don't think it means anything. I just...I just didn't want to keep anything from you and Declan. If you see him, you can tell him what she said, but it doesn't mean anything."
Miranda studied Peggy for a few moments. "You want me to tell, Declan."
"Sure. I mean, if you think it's important, although it's probably nothing."
"You're not avoiding Declan are you?"
"No, not at all. Did he tell you I was avoiding him?" asked Peggy worriedly.
Miranda just shook her head. "You know Declan, Peggy. He's just worried about you is all."
Peggy smiled sadly. "I know."
"You know if you ever need anything, I'm your friend too."
Peggy's smile grew a little bigger. "I know."
Before things could get awkward, Miranda gave her a quick smile. "I'll be sure to pass the information along to him. Thanks, Peggy."
"Any time."
Chapter 12
A day later, Declan looked up as a stack of folders was plopped on his desk. He looked up to see Miranda. "What are these?"
"Medical files," Miranda said as she took a seat on Declan office sofa.
Declan picked up the files and took a seat next to her. "Medical files? How and why did you get these?" Declan opened up the first file.
"As for the how, I have a friend in Computer Science who owed me a favor. As to the why, I think you'll see when you look at the files."
The first file Declan opened was Timothy Lyons. "Well we know what happened to him. He did from the injuries in the car crash."
"Look at what happened to him when he was six."
Declan looked up at Miranda. "He survived a pool drowning."
"Yep, nearly died. Now look at the attending paramedics."
Miranda stopped Declan when he said the name, "Ted Sanderson."
"Now look at his file."
Declan opened up Sanderson's file. "Says here he died of congestive heart failure a few days later."
"Now look a few years earlier," said Miranda with a tinge of excitement in her voice.
"He lost his brakes and went careening into a telephone poll. The car caught on fire, but a passing motorist by the name of Lopes pulled him out of the car to safety. Sanderson wasn't injured at all." Declan started to catch Miranda's excitement. "This is amazing, Miranda."
"Look at Lopes' file."
"Lopes died at a construction site when his harness broke, but a few months earlier he had survived that train derailment while on vacation in California! Miranda this is incredible! Do we have any more information on anybody Lopes might have saved or interacted with?"
Miranda shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. This is where the trail goes cold." Miranda could see the excited twinkle in Declan's eyes.
"Do you realize what this means? It means that there is some sort of chain here. It's like these people are given some sort of second chance at life, but then they lose it and someone else lives. Like they are living on borrowed time or something!"
"Borrowed what? Where are you going, Declan?" asked Miranda as Declan slipped on his jacket and grabbed the keys to the truck, sticking the files underneath his arm.
"We've got to tell, Peggy about this! Then we've got to warn, Martha!"
"Declan!" Miranda said. She wanted to tell him that now might not be the best time to be telling Peggy about this. But it was too late. Declan was already out the door.
"C'mon, Miranda," he called back.
Miranda heaved a small sigh and hurried after Declan.
Chapter 13
Declan rushed into Peggy's office with Miranda breathlessly trailing behind him. A surprised Peggy looked up suddenly grabbing a tissue as she did, blowing her nose.
Declan hurriedly explained what he and Miranda had just discovered.
"Declan," said Peggy as she walked around her desk to face the two. Her tone was one of frustration and anger. "I don't even want to know how you got hold of these medical files."
Miranda cringed a bit.
This went unnoticed by Peggy who sneezed into her tissue. "You can't go jumping to conclusions! I refuse to let you go tell all this to Martha or to Timmy's parents! They have already been through enough without you..."
Peggy's sentence trailed off.
"Peg?" asked Declan who exchange a quick worried glance with Miranda.
Peggy started to sway for a second and then lost her balance. Declan quickly closed the distance between the two and caught Peggy before her body hit the floor. He gently lowered her the rest of the way to the carpeted floor.
"Peg? Peggy? Can you hear me?" Declan asked worriedly.
Peggy gave no sign of consciousness. Her breathing was irregular and she seemed to be perspiring despite the air-conditioned office.
Declan looked up to Miranda. "Miranda you need to get a doctor in here!"
All Miranda could do was nod and with that she rushed off in order to bring help.
"You're going to be just fine, Peggy. Just fine," said Declan more to reassure himself than as a pep talk to Peggy. Inside his stomach was twisted in knots. He never should have rushed in here with his theory he berated himself. He should have known how Peggy would react, but he had just been so excited by the connection.
A few seconds later, which seemed like eternity to Declan, Miranda came back with Dr. Hoyt. He and Nurse Owens gently pushed Miranda and Declan back to the sidelines where they could only watch worriedly as they watched Dr. Hoyt and Nurse Owens check Peggy out. Hoyt whispered to Owens and she went out.
"How is she?" asked Miranda, but there was no response to her question. The doctor was totally engrossed in trying to find out what was wrong with Peggy.
Nurse Owens came rushing back in with two orderlies and a stretcher. The four of them gently lifted Peggy onto the stretcher and started taking her away.
"Take her to the quarantine ward. She's going to need her own room," said Dr. Hoyt as he started to follow them.
"Quarantine ward? Hey Doc, wait up!" said Declan, with Miranda close beside him.
Dr. Hoyt turned around. His brow furrowed in thought.
"What's wrong with Peggy?" asked Declan worry etched in every word.
"I don't know. I'm afraid what ever she's got it might be very contagious. How much time have you spent with her in the past couple of days?"
"Not much," admitted Declan. He was feeling so guilty. Maybe if he had been around, he would have noticed something was wrong with Peggy and gotten her help sooner.
"And you?" asked Dr. Hoyt.
Miranda snapped out of her thoughts of Peggy to reply, "Me? I, uh, saw her yesterday. She seemed fine. Wasn't sick at all."
Declan gave Miranda a curious glance which Miranda avoided noticing. He hadn't known she had spoken to Peggy in the past couple of days.
"She's going to fine though right?" asked Miranda, hoping against hope that Peggy would be fine.
Dr. Hoyt just shrugged. "I don't know. I don't want to make any promises I can't keep. If you'll excuse me, we've got to run some tests."
And with that Miranda and Declan were left standing outside Peggy's office door, each with their own worries and fears as hospital hazard people started to close off Peggy's office.
Chapter 14
"I don't like it," said Declan shaking his head.
Declan and Miranda sat beside each other in the hospital waiting room. It had been hours and night had fallen long ago. They sat, waiting and worrying. Nobody would tell them what Peggy's condition was.
Miranda put a hand on Declan's arm. "Peggy's strong, Declan. If anyone can pull through, it's her. She's going to be fine."
"It's more than that, Miranda," said Declan frustrated. "I mean if our connections are right..."
Suddenly, Miranda saw where this was going. "No, Declan...."
"Think about it, Miranda. All those people, life and death. It's like, it's like they are living on borrowed time you know," Declan insisted.
"Borrowed time?" asked Miranda confused.
"Yeah. It's like the people we were talking about. This chain of life and death connects all their lives. Someone dies giving someone else a second chance at life. They are living on borrowed time. They needed what others needed before them-more time on this earth."
Miranda still looked confused.
"Look at the most recent example," said Declan. "Timmy survives a drowning as a small child. He's given a second chance at life."
"And you're saying he borrowed time from the attending paramedic, Sanderson," said Miranda.
"Exactly. Timmy needs his time, boom, Sanderson dies of a coronary."
"Timmy gets in a car accident and dies..."
"Boom! Martha's life is saved when her car falls down the ravine," finished Declan.
"Wow," said Miranda. "But wait, you don't think Martha and Peggy...?'
"Look at the evidence, Miranda! Martha just happens to come back into her life and little over a week later, Peggy falls mysteriously ill!"
"But even if that was true, that would mean Martha would have to die and Peggy will be healed."
"That's true," said Declan, liking the thought of Peggy being okay, but not liking the thought of anything happening to Martha.
Miranda mulled it all over in her head. "I just don't think it's true."
"You don't?"
"No," said Miranda firmly. "I know in our investigations, we normally come across a lot of weird connections, which I grant you, a lot of times, mean a great deal, but I just don't think it's the case here."
"Why not?" asked Declan curious.
"Because," explained Miranda, "we have really have no evidence that one thing leads to another. These could be merely random occurrences. And second, think about it Declan, borrowed time? You survived an avalanche and your tumor; I survived that sickness and getting electrocuted. There was no borrowed time. We both survived and no one has come to collect any time we owe anybody. We're still alive having cheated death at least twice."
Declan opened his mouth to argue, but promptly closed it when they saw Dr. Hoyt approaching, his expression grim. Declan and Miranda quickly stood up.
"Please, tell us you've got some good news, Doc," said Declan hopefully.
Dr. Hoyt just shook his head. "I'm afraid it's very serious actually. Dr. Fowler was helping a patient and her family recently. This patient just recently died of meningitis. The proper precautions were taken, but..." Dr. Hoyt let his sentence trail off.
"But she's going to be okay isn't she?" asked Miranda, willing the doctor to say yes.
"I'm afraid, at this point, we just don't know. The symptoms are usually mistaken for the flu, which is what Dr. Fowler believed she had. The disease was left untreated for a while so we really don't know what's going to happen. I'm sorry I don't have better news. The good news is that the two of you should be okay since you had minimal contact with her over the past few days."
Declan just shook his head and muttered something about cold comfort. He looked up at the doctor. "Is she conscious? Can I see her?"
Dr. Hoyt just shook his head. "I'm afraid we've given her a sedative right now. We're trying to get her body to rest in order to fight it. I suggest not seeing because this seems to be a particularly virulent strain of the disease..."
Declan and Miranda both opened their mouths to protest, but the Dr. Hoyt cut them off.
"But I see if would be useless to argue with you two and it might do Dr. Fowler some good. There's nothing more that can be done tonight. Why don't you two go home and get some rest and come back tomorrow. I can get you two in scrubs and you can see her one at a time."
Declan nodded and shook Dr. Hoyt's hand. "Thank you, Doc. Thank you for all you're doing."
Dr. Hoyt simply nodded.
After Dr. Hoyt had left, Declan and Miranda gathered up their jackets and headed toward the exit. As they walked Declan tried to delicately broach the subject of visiting Peggy. "Miranda, with this thing being so contagious and all, maybe...maybe it would be better if I just went in and saw Peggy."
"No, Declan," said Miranda sternly. She was touched by Declan's concern, knowing he feared losing both she and Peggy to this disease, but there was no way she was not going in to see Peggy. "I know you're concerned, but I've got to see her as much as you do."
Declan opened his mouth to protest and then closed it. "Okay then."
Chapter 15
The next morning found Declan and Miranda back at St. Joseph's. They were riding the elevator to the floor where Peggy was when Declan said, "I called Martha last night to tell her about Peggy."
Miranda gave him a sideways glance. She had already figured out Declan's real reason for contacting, Martha. "You called to check up on her."
Declan just looked at the numbers flashing at the top of the elevator. "She's doing just fine."
Miranda shook her head but did not say anything. For once she felt like Peggy. She wanted to tell Declan to stop looking for connections that weren't there, or at least so far, that weren't proven. Maybe she was trying to compensate for the fact that Peggy herself wasn't around, wasn't able to make these arguments for herself. She thought Declan and her had better concentrate on Peggy now and not the investigation, but it was pointless to tell Declan this. To him, Peggy and their investigation were one and the same. They each had their own way of dealing with this trying time.
The elevator finally reached Peggy's floor. Declan and Miranda got out, and seeing Dr. Hoyt at the nurse's station, they walked towards him. Dr. Hoyt looked up at their approach. "Good morning. The bad news is there hasn't been much improvement. The good news is that she is awake. So which one of you wants to see her first?"
"I do," said Declan. Miranda and him had decided that Declan would go first before they had gotten to the hospital this morning. Actually, he hadn't left Miranda much of a choice.
Hoyt nodded as a heavy-set, redheaded nurse came around from the desk. "Nurse McMachon will get you situated and then take you to see Peggy.
"Thanks," said Declan to both of them. He gave Miranda one last glance before following the nurse.
All Miranda could do was watch Declan walk away, hoping for the best.
Chapter 16
Declan stood outside Peggy's hospital room, dressed in surgical scrubs, gloves, and a mask to cover his mouth and nose. It was uncomfortable to say the least. He had to quiet his heart from pounding as he finally plucked up enough courage to open the door despite his fear of what lay on the other side of the door.
Declan opened the door and walked in. He closed the door quietly behind him, but as soon as he walked through the door his gaze became fixed on the sight of Peggy lying on the hospital bed, with tubes and wires attached to her. Monitors surrounded her, keeping track of her progress, or lack of it as far as Declan could tell.
At this moment, Declan realized why the sight frightened him so much. Besides the fear of losing Peggy, one of his two best friends, he realized how much he had come to depend on Peggy, to rely on her. He had drawn great amounts of strength from her over the past three years, but he just hadn't realized it before now. Now Peggy needed him to be the strong one.
Declan willed his feet to walk over to Peggy's beside. She seemed to be asleep although Declan would say she looked anything but restful. He slipped his hand into hers, wishing he could take the gloves off. It all seemed so impersonal somehow.
Peggy's eyes fluttered open and she looked to see who it was holding her hand. Declan could see the pain behind Peggy's eyes. He tried to smile, to reassure her, and then realized that she couldn't see his smile. He then for a moment feared that Peggy would not recognize who he was beneath all of this protective layering. But he didn't fear that for long. His glasses must have given him away.
Peggy mustered a small smile despite her obvious pain. "Hi, Declan."
"How ya doing, Peg?" was all Declan could think to say.
"Been better," murmured Peggy. "Glad to see you though."
Declan knew Peggy needed him to be strong now. She needed his strength. "You're going to be just fine, Peg. In a few days you'll be back to your old self."
"I've been thinking."
Declan didn't know if this was a good thing or a bad thing. "Bout what?"
"About everything. You, Miranda, my job, our investigations..."
Declan shook his head. "I'm sorry, Peg. I'm so sorry about busting in on you like that the other day. You're right. I'm always pushing into people's lives, jumping feet first, and not thinking about the consequences. I didn't mean to upset you, Peg. You know I would never intentionally do that."
"I know. I know," said Peggy tiredly, but Declan could see in her eyes that she didn't blame him. "You always try to do what's right, Declan and so do I. Just what you think is right and what I think is right, don't always coincide. Keeps us interesting."
"That it does, Peg."
"And I've been here thinking about my husband..."
Declan shook his head. The last thing he wanted Peggy thinking about was departed loved ones in her situation. He needed her to focus on life, not death. "Peggy, I don't think this is the right time...we can talk about this when you're feeling better..."
But Peggy just shook her head ever so slightly. It was all the energy she could muster. "I was thinking maybe God isn't so cruel as I had thought him to be. I thought it was a miracle, Adam coming back out of the coma like that. I thought God had answered my prayers. And then we He took Adam away a few days later, I thought how cruel he had been. But in reality, He gave me a chance to tell Adam all those things I had wanted to say to him before he got in that car that night. I wanted to tell him that I loved him, even though he already knew. I wanted to tell him how much he meant to me. And I did that for the few days before he died. He gave me a chance to say good-bye properly. I was given a second chance, only I didn't see it that way at the time."
Declan just shook his head. He saw where Peggy was going with this. "This isn't good-bye, Peg for you and me. You are going to be fine, Peg. You just have to fight okay. That's all I want you to think about."
Peggy was able to muster a little bit bigger smile at Declan's concern. "You see, Declan, losing my husband...I lost my faith. And then this anthropology professor walked into this hospital one day. I still didn't believe in miracles, but I was intrigued by you and your work. Losing my husband and my faith were hard Declan, but it brought you back into my life. We've investigated some pretty amazing things over the years, but you, Declan, you make me want to believe again. Not the investigations, not the mysterious, you and Miranda. You two are my best friends..." Peggy's voice trailed off. She was exhausted. Her eyes closed.
At first Declan feared that something serious had happened. He could barely see Peggy clearly through his watery eyes, but he realized she had just fallen back asleep. Declan gently laid Peggy's hand back down and wished that Peggy were still awake so he could tell her how much she meant to him. But it was better to let her rest he decided. She would get better, Declan reassured himself so he could tell her all the things he had meant to say. Declan wouldn't allow himself to believe other wise.
Chapter 17
"So how's she doing?" asked Miranda when Declan, now out of his protective clothing, sat down next to Miranda in the waiting room.
Declan's fears came rushing back to him at the sight of Miranda's worried face. He just shook his head and sighed. "I don't know. I just don't know. Physically, she look bad. Emotionally, I don't know. She was talking about husband. I don't think it's a good sign. Declan leaned back into his chair. "It's like she was saying good-bye to me in there. I wanted to tell her...I wanted to tell her so many things, but she fell back asleep. She's exhausted. I'm just so worried she's given up."
Miranda just nodded. Worry was eating her up inside. She felt like crying, but was doing her best to stifle the emotion. Peggy was like family to her. She was like the older sister, Miranda had never had. She looked up to her. It hadn't always been that way between them, but it was so now. "I spoke with Martha," Miranda admitted. "She's doing fine, but she's concerned about Peggy. She is hoping to stop by today and see her. She's going to call her daughter and see if she can get a ride since her car was damaged in the accident."
Declan just nodded. He didn't have time to worry about Martha and his theory right now. All he could do was think about Peggy and wish there was something he could do. He hated this waiting.
"Miranda?"
Declan and Miranda looked up to see Nurse McMahon.
"Peggy's awake again now if you'd still like to see her," said the nurse.
Miranda just nodded and stood up to follow the nurse. Declan watched Miranda go and hoped that she would somehow find the words to that would make Peggy fight, to convince her to stay with them if it is in her power.
Chapter 18
Peggy's eyes focused on Miranda as soon as Miranda entered her room.
"Hi, Miranda," said Peggy.
Miranda could tell that Peggy was pretty drugged up. As frightened as she was, as much as she felt like crying and running away, Miranda willed her feet forward toward Peggy. "Hi, Peggy." It was all Miranda could think to say.
Peggy just smiled at her. Peggy could tell how frightened and scared Miranda was. So she hoped Miranda would forgive her this one little lie. "I'm going to be just fine, Miranda."
Miranda was struck by this. Declan had prepared her for a morose Peggy. She had thought she would need to come in here and buoy Peggy's spirits up. She couldn't have had a change of heart this quickly or could she. Maybe Declan's visit had somehow done good, had somehow prompted her to fight. "That's right," said Miranda hesitatingly. "You're going to be just fine."
"I'm so glad you came to see me," said Peggy with emotion.
"Of course, I'd come," said Miranda with equal emotion.
"I know," said Peggy. "When I...when we first met, I let our differences get in our way..."
Miranda just shook her head. "That was my fault. I was jealous when I first met you. Declan was the first real friend I had and then you came into the picture. You were so confident and outgoing and friendly, and I was worried that you were going to take my friend away. I was worried... I didn't give you a chance. I didn't get to know you." Miranda was amazed at all these words coming out of her, but it made her feel good, to clear this air between her and Peggy.
Peggy nodded slowly. "I didn't understand you when we first met. I didn't think I was affecting you. I didn't understand what you must have gone though, until Emma came into Declan's life last year. I'm sorry for that. I should have tried harder to be your friend back then."
Miranda smiled sadly at this. "You don't need to apologize, Peggy. The point is, the point is you're my friend." Miranda's voice started to break. "I've always sorta looked up to you Peggy. You're one of my best friends and I...I don't want to lose you..." Miranda's voice trailed off as the tears rolled down her face unstopping.
"Hey, hey," said Peggy as she gathered all her strength and reached out to touch Miranda's hand. "You're not going to lose me okay? I'm going to be just fine," Peggy lied again.
Miranda just nodded. She wanted to believe Peggy's words and yet she hesitated to.
Peggy wished she'd be able to keep her promise to Miranda.
Chapter 19
A few hours later after drifting in and out of consciousness, between good dreams and bad, between thoughts of Miranda, Declan, Adam, and a host of other friends, relatives, patients, co-workers, Peggy opened her eyes and was surprised by the visitor.
Peggy smiled. Her breathing was becoming irregular. "Hi, Martha. I didn't hear you come in."
Martha smiled at her. "I was quiet. I didn't want to disturb you. How are you feeling?"
Peggy's smile faltered and she lost it. She could feel the tears welling up inside. "Not so well."
Martha's face became concerned. She wanted to comfort Peggy. She took her hand. "It's going to be okay, Peggy."
Peggy's voice was breaking. "I just don't know, Martha. I just don't know if it will be."
"Of course it will be. Declan and Miranda are out there in the waiting room right now. They need you to get better Peggy. You are so important to them. Just as they are to you."
Peggy nodded. "The irony is that the last time we were together, you helped me to pray for my husband's life."
"And I'm here now to help you pray for yours."
"I don't know if I can," said Peggy quietly, fearfully.
"Of course you can," said Martha smiling at her. "Just because you lost faith in God, it doesn't mean that He's lost faith in you, that He won't listen to you. You've just lost your way is all." With her free hand, Martha pulled over a chair and sat down next to Peggy's bedside.
"You've been such a great comfort to me," said Peggy as a tear fell down her face. "Eve after all these years. You've been as much of a comfort to me as Declan and Miranda are."
Martha was touched by Peggy's words. "Are you ready?"
Peggy nodded her head and together they prayed.
Chapter 20
Hours later, Miranda and Declan sat side by side in the waiting room. Each was lost in their own thoughts, worrying about Peggy and yet refusing to contemplate their future with out her. They were the three musketeers and nothing could change that.
They were told that Peggy was too tired. She needed to rest. She couldn't have any more visitors. They were told to go home. There was nothing they could do. The last two statements meant nothing to them. They would sit in that waiting room until they heard that Peggy was going to be okay. Other wordly concerns didn't matter right now.
"Declan and Miranda?"
Startled, both of them looked up to see Dr. Hoyt. They had been so caught up in thinking about their friend that they hadn't heard him approach.
Both of them stood up and stopped breathing for a few moments while Declan blurted out, "Is she going to make it?"
Dr. Hoyt's face broke out into a smile, which lightened Declan's and Miranda's heart immeasurably. "She's going to be just fine."
Declan and Miranda exchanged smiles, their hearts full of joy at this good news.
"Can we see her?" asked Miranda, her voice tinged with excitement.
"Well," said Dr. Hoyt, "I guess at this point it wouldn't hurt. But just for a few moments. She needs to rest so she can fully recover."
"Thank you. Thank you so much, Doc," said Declan as he shook the doctor's hand. Miranda too gave her grateful thanks to Dr. Hoyt.
Dr. Hoyt just chuckled. "Don't thank me. Things were not looking good for her, but whatever you two said must have helped. It was a miracle."
Declan opened his mouth to say something about Dr. Hoyt's use of the word "miracle" again. But then he decided against it. Peggy was all right and that was all that mattered. He and Miranda hurried off to see Peggy, to make certain with their own eyes, that she was going to be okay.
Chapter 21
Declan and Miranda entered Peggy's room. At their entrance she looked at them and smiled. They could tell immediately that Peggy was definitely on the road to recovery even though she had a ways to go. The light that had been gone from her eyes since this illness took hold was slowly returning. Her color, which had become dull, was coming back to her face. In their hearts, they knew she was going to be fine.
"Dr. Hoyt says you're going to be fine," said Declan unable to contain his excitement and joy.
Even Miranda couldn't help but smile.
"It appears so," said Peggy. "It's going to take a few days to get me back on my feet..."
"You're not going to rush it, Peg. Doctor's orders," said Declan trying to look serious but failing utterly.
Peggy chuckled softly. "Yes, Dr. Dunn. I wouldn't have made it thought without you two. Or without Martha."
Declan and Miranda exchange quizzical glances.
"Martha? Did Martha come to see you?" asked Declan confused. "We called and she said she was going to come, but we haven't seen her."
"She could have come up the other elevator on the other wing. We were in the waiting room. We never would have seen her coming," offered Miranda as an explanation.
This satisfied Declan whose thoughts, for the briefest of moments, had turned back to their investigation. "You're right."
"Hey," said Peggy. "I hate to trouble you all, but would you mind letting Martha know that I'm all right?"
"It's no trouble at all," said Declan.
The three friends smiled at each other. They just stayed there for a little while, laughing and joking, comforted by each other's presence, knowing that everything was going to be okay. The three friends were once again whole.
Chapter 22
About two hours later, Miranda and Declan pulled up to Martha's house in Declan red truck that had definitely seen better days.
"Oh, no," said Declan softly.
An ambulance and a black van were parked right outside Martha's house. Declan quickly parked the car and both he and Miranda exited the vehicle and headed towards the house.
They were walking up to Martha's house when they saw Martha's daughter, Anne, walking out with a tall black suited, man with a goatee. He looked to be about in his thirties.
"I'm really sorry for your loss, Ma'am," the man said solemnly.
Anne's eyes were red-rimmed from crying. "Thank you for all your help."
"Anne!" said Declan as he and Miranda came rushing over. "Is Martha....?"
But Declan never got to get his question out for at that moment two men came out with a stretcher with a black body bag strapped to it.
"Oh, no," said Miranda sadly repeating Declan's early words.
Anne wiped a falling tear away. "She called me to ask if I could give her a ride to the hospital because Peggy was sick and she needed to see her. She didn't have a car since the accident. I said sure. But when I came over she wasn't answering the door. I used my key and I just...I just found her lying there on the hallway floor, all ready to go." Anne had though she had done all the crying she could do but a few more tears slipped down her cheeks silently. "She was such a wonderful woman, my Mom."
Both Miranda and Declan exchanged glances at Anne's words. They were unnerved. There was no way Martha could have ever visited Peggy.
But there wasn't time to dwell on it right at this moment. "Is there someone we can call for you?" asked Miranda hesitatingly. Neither her nor Declan knew what to do to help ease Anne's suffering.
Anne smiled at them gratefully through her tears. "Thanks, but I called my cousin, Rachel. She's on her way over now. But thank you. How is Peggy doing, by the way?"
"Fine, just fine," said Declan quietly. He was amazed at how one could go from happiness to sadness so quickly.
Chapter 23
A week later, Declan, Peggy, and Miranda congregated at Martha's wake. The house was busting full of family and friends so the three found a quiet spot in the back yard to sit down. Their expressions and hearts were somber.
Peggy coughed and both Miranda and Declan looked at her. She saw their anxious glances and smiled sadly at them trying to reassure them. "I'm fine. Really."
It had been so hard for Miranda and Declan to tell Peggy about Martha death. They were worried about what it would do to Peggy. The last thing they wanted was for Peggy to have a relapse.
The sun shone brightly down on the three friends.
"Martha never made it to visit me in the hospital did she? She died of the brain aneurysm before she ever got to see me?" asked Peggy quietly. It was more a statement than a question really.
Miranda and Declan exchanged glances. They had been planning on telling Peggy that piece of information after the funeral, after things had settled down.
"We were going to tell you after...," began Declan but Peggy waved away any explanation.
"It was sweet of you two to try and protect me," said Peggy simply.
"We didn't know if you'd believe us any way," said Miranda.
Peggy just smiled at them. "In my state I could have been hallucinating. But whether or not I was it still doesn't change the fact that Martha helped me find something I thought I had lost."
Declan and Miranda gave Peggy questioning looks.
"The faith to be open to God again. That what I've lost is important, but so to is what I've gained. That when God takes away something, He gives us back something else in return," explained Peggy.
Declan and Miranda simply nodded.
Peggy stood up as did Declan and Miranda.
"Did you want me to get you something from inside, Peg? Something to drink maybe?" asked Declan.
"No, thanks. I think I'm going to go inside though. There's a lot of people here from Martha's and my church that I've lost touch with so I figured..."
"Sounds good, Peg," said Declan smiling.
"Did you two want to come in?" asked Peggy.
Declan glanced at Miranda and then spoke for the two of them. "Nah, you go ahead Peg. We'll follow in a few minutes."
Peggy smiled at them. She walked up and pulled the surprised two into a hug. "Thank you so much. I love you guys."
"We love you to, Peg," said Miranda.
"Ditto," said Declan.
Peggy released Declan and Miranda from their hug. She smiled at them one more time before going back into the house. Declan and Miranda watched Peggy for a few moments through the window facing the back yard. Peggy was talking to Donna and some other people whom Declan and Miranda could only assume Peggy knew from her old church.
"So do you think it was just Peggy hallucinating about Martha?" asked Miranda.
Declan shrugged his shoulders. "I think everything happened for a reason."
"You don't think Peggy's living on borrowed time do you?" asked Miranda with a note of worry in her voice.
"No," said Declan. "I don't think she is. I mean you and I survived unbelievable odds and we're okay. I don't think there is such a think as borrowed time. I think we all have our own time. When it's over, it's over."
"So do you ever wonder why people miraculously survive certain death?"
Declan gave Miranda a mysterious smile. "To remind us that we need to enjoy each other's company while we have a chance. To let each of us tell the people in our lives how much they mean to us."
Miranda smiled at this comment.
The two continued to gaze into the window at a happy Peggy surrounded by her old friends.
"So you ready to go inside now and join Peggy?" asked Miranda.
"Yeah. Yeah I am," said Declan.
And the two went inside to join Peggy and meet her old friends.
The End
Chapter 1
"Goodnight, Martha."
"Goodnight, Donna," said Martha. She waved as Donna drove away in her car out of the St. Patrick's church parking lot. Martha was humming as she walked toward her own car and unlocked her door. She always loved bingo night.
Martha got into her four door blue Taurus and headed out of the church parking lot. She was the last one to leave after having volunteered with Donna to help clean up after tonight's festivities. Martha drove down the street and came to a stop at a traffic light. While she waited for it to turn green, she turned on the radio to listen to her favorite Jazz station. Looking up and seeing that the light was green, she pressed down the accelerator with her foot. She was mid way through the intersection when she was broad sided on the passenger side by an oncoming vehicle that made no attempt to stop.
The velocity and momentum on the impact pushed Martha's car across the intersection and to the brink of a deep ravine where it rolled down several times before it finally came to rest eerily upside down at the bottom amid broken glass and twisted metal.
The other vehicle, an SUV, spun out of control and crashed into a nearby phone pole. The front of the car was obliterated as the phone pole split apart and crashing down upon the car.
Chapter 2
Peggy and Declan were walking down the hospital corridor of St. Joseph's. Declan was particularly exuberant while Peggy kept giving him nervous, worried glances.
"So you say this woman's car was hit by a drunk driver going 90 miles per hour, smashes into her car, which turns over several times on it's way down a ravine, lands upside down, and she walks away unscathed! That's pretty miraculous if you ask me, Peg!"
"Yes, it is pretty miraculous."
"Well I guess that the woman was wearing her seatbelt? That must have helped her eh?"
Declan looked at Peggy whose thoughts seemed miles away at this point. "Hey, Peg, something wrong?"
Peggy quickly snapped her attention back to Declan. "What? No, I'm sorry, just got a lot on my mind. I was just thinking how odd it is. Normally, it's the drunk driver who walks away unharmed in situations like these, and the other person who gets injured or killed even. The driver's in surgery right now. He's not expected to make it."
Peggy and Declan stopped walking in front of Room 252. They both gazed in the door window at Martha. What they saw was an African-American woman early fifties maybe, her dark hair perfectly coiffured showing signs of early silver. She was talking to the doctor and nurse examining her. She looked perfectly healthy. There was not a scratch on her.
Declan adjusted his glasses and looked at Peggy, trying to read her expression. "I'm really sorry if this brings up painful memories for you."
Peggy continued to look at the woman. The fact that Martha was being watched by Declan and Peggy went unnoticed by her. "Actually, it's more than that."
Declan just looked at Peggy, waiting for more.
Peggy finally turned and looked at Declan. "Her name's Martha Williams. I know her, well I knew her. It's been a long time. She belongs to St. Patrick's, the church Adam and I use to attend. She was a great help to me, a comfort really, during that time."
Declan put a comforting hand on Peggy's arm. "I'm so sorry, Peg."
Peggy gave him a smile, trying to show Declan that she was okay even though he knew she wasn't. "It's fine. Are you ready to meet her?"
Declan just nodded as he opened the door. Peggy went in first with Declan following close behind her.
At their entrance, Martha looked up and her face lit up into a big grin. "Peggy Fowler! How are you?"
Peggy couldn't help but return the smile. "Hi Martha. But I think it's I who should be asking how you are."
Martha looked at the doctor. "Should you tell her, Dr. Hoyt, or should I?"
The doctor just chuckled and looked at Peggy. "She's in perfect health. Not a scratch on her. It's a miracle really."
"A miracle. You don't say," said Declan with a knowing smile.
Dr. Hoyt just turned and looked at Declan. "I'm serious. I don't know how she survived that fall." The doctor turned his attention back to Martha. "Well we can't find anything wrong with you. When you're ready to go, just stop by the nurses station to get your discharge papers."
The doctor nodded to all of them and left with the nurse leaving Declan and Peggy alone with Martha.
"Martha, this is my friend, Declan Dunn. He's an anthropology professor over at NOU."
"Hi, Declan," said Martha as she extended her hand which Declan shook warmly.
"I'm so glad you're okay. How are you feeling?" asked Peggy.
Martha thought for a moment. "At first I was shook up, you know. Out of the blue I get rammed off the road. But after everything settled down and I realized I was okay, things were just fine."
"From what Peggy tells me, you car was pretty smashed up. You should have been seriously hurt, but there's not a scratch on you. You walked away from near death. That's got to qualify as miraculous," said Declan.
Peggy explained. "My friend has an interest in unexplainable events, miracles really. When I heard that you were brought here..."
"Several years ago, I survived a near fatal avalanche. It was a miracle. Gave me a new lease on life," explained Declan.
Martha smiled knowingly. "Ah, I see. So you think me surviving unscathed was a result of divine intervention?"
"Declan...," Peggy began to explain before Martha waved off any explanation.
"It's fine. I'm sure you know that Peggy and I use to attend the same church. Of course I believe in miracles. They happen everyday only most of us are too busy to notice."
Declan just smiled. "If you don't mind I'd like to investigate what happened to you. Maybe see if there's some logical explanation for how you survived."
Martha's face registered her confusion. "I thought you said it was already a miracle."
"I don't like to jump to conclusions. A miracle by definition is something unexplainable. I'd just like to talk to you and investigate the crash to determine if there was some other explanation for you surviving unharmed."
"So you just don't accept things on faith alone. I understand. You like to take all the fun out of miracles," said Martha chuckling. "We'll that's just fine. Investigate what you will."
"And if you don't mind," interjected Peggy, "I'd like to stop by a see you soon. Make certain you're feeling okay."
Martha smiled at Peggy. "That would be wonderful. We've really missed you at church, my dear."
Peggy started to look uncomfortable so Martha stood up and said, "There's my daughter come to take me home."
At that moment a younger version of what Martha must have looked like in her early twenties, entered the room. Her dark hair was pulled neatly back into a long ponytail. Her brown eyes looked at them curiously. "Hi, Mom."
"Anne, you remember Peggy don't you?"
"Yes, hi. How are you doing?" asked Anne.
"Fine thank you. This is my friend, Declan."
"Hi Declan nice to meet you," said Anne.
"Good to meet you too."
"Well I'm just hoping that young man is alright," said Martha concerned. "I would hate for anything to happen to him. They told me he was a teenager. Got his whole life ahead of him."
Anne just shook her head smiling. "You ready to go?"
"Yes, Dear."
They exchanged good nights and promises to see each other again soon. As Martha and Anne exited the room, Peggy and Declan could hear Anne tell her Mom how glad she was that she was okay and kindly reprimand her for driving so late at night despite Martha's insistence that bingo night was very important. She was a grown woman after all.
Declan and Peggy watched the two walk down the hall for a few moments.
"They seem really nice, Peg. I'm so glad that Martha's okay."
Peggy looked at the two thoughtfully. "Yeah, me too."
Chapter 3
"Wow," said Declan as he looked at Martha's car resting, if one could call that resting, at the bottom of the ravine. The car was smashed at the bottom with pieces of metal and glass spread around it as if the car had exploded on impact.
"Wow is right," said Miranda as she too surveyed the scene. "And you say there's not a scratch on her?"
"Nope. Not one. You ready?"
Miranda nodded.
Declan put out his hand for Miranda to hold as they walked, rather slid quickly, down the embankment into the ravine. They were able to stop themselves before their momentum knocked them into the wreaked car.
Once they got to the bottom, they both walked around the car, surveying it for any clues.
"Well it looks like the impact initially started here," said Miranda as she pointed to the right side of the car as Declan came around to look at it. "This is where the car was first struck by the other one."
Declan just continued to look at the big dent in the side of the car.
"Declan?" asked Miranda when his silence has lasted a little bit too long.
"What? Oh, I'm sorry Miranda. I was just thinking about Peggy."
"What does Peggy think about all of this?"
Declan looked at Miranda and she could see concern in his eyes.
"The lady, Martha, who was hit by the drunk driver. It turns out that Peggy use to know her, use to go to church with her, at St. Patrick's. You know how Peggy lost her faith after her husband died and this is just sorta bringing back old memories and feelings for her. Martha prayed with her for her husband to be okay and then you know how Adam came back to consciousness and died a few days later. Peggy lost her faith and then this woman was nearly killed the same way Peg's husband was. It's just a little too much for her to process right now."
Miranda nodded. Declan's concern for Peggy had become her concern. "Do you think that this woman's accident has anything to do with Peggy? Had Martha gotten hit closer to home, she would have gone to Sibley hospital, not St. Joseph's, which is closer."
Declan rubbed his chin. "It all does seem a little coincidental. I'm definitely not ruling anything out at this point."
Chapter 4
The next day found Peggy knocking on Martha's door.
The door opened to a pleasantly surprised Martha. Her brown eyes lit up at seeing Peggy. "Peggy! C'mon in! I didn't hope to see you agains this soon."
Peggy walked in smiling as Martha closed the door behind her. Martha hadn't changed a bit since Peggy had known her. She was still as warm and friendly as ever. There was just something about her, something that drew people to her.
"I just wanted to check up on you and make certain you were doing okay. Sometimes, people seem like they're doing fine and then...." Peggy's sentence trailed off. Thoughts of her husband came flooding back as she sat down on the sofa.
Martha took a seat on a wicker chair opposite the sofa. She smiled kindly at Peggy. "We'll it was very sweet of you to take all this trouble, but I'm perfectly fine. I just thought I'd feel differently you know."
Peggy's thought's focused back to Martha's well being, the reason for her trip. Well that and to maybe rekindle an old friendship that Peggy had sadly neglected. "How do you mean?"
Martha thought for a moment. "Well, here I've been given this second chance at life, so to speak, and I feel the same as I did yesterday. I don't have any urge to go out and conquer the world or change myself or do all the things I've meant to do but haven't. Sure I'm grateful. I glad for any day that I get to live. Gives me another chance to talk to Anne or go to church or garden or do all the things that I love to do. I mean another day I get to watch my daughter grow and talk to her. She's doing so well at NOU in her History classes. Wants to be teacher someday."
Peggy smiled at Martha, the obvious proud parent.
"Ever since Jim died last Fall..."
Peggy's smile slowly disappeared. "Oh, Martha I'm so sorry. I didn't know your husband had passed away."
Martha just shook her head. Her voice took on a bittersweet note. "He was such a wonderful man, but chain smoked I'm afraid to say. Lung cancer. Anne took it pretty hard, but she's a resilient girl. Takes after her Father in that way."
"Oh, I think she gets a lot of that from you," said Peggy.
Martha just chuckled at the compliment.
A silence settled between the two. It had been a long time since they had spoken. There was much to say, but neither knew where to begin again on a friendship that weeds had grown up and choked the path between them.
Finally, Peggy broke the silence, saying what was hardest, knowing that was the only place to begin. "I'm sorry I stopped coming to church after Adam died. You were such a great comfort to me those days when we prayed together and then after he died. A piece of me died with him, a piece of my faith. I just didn't understand how God could take him away from me like that. He answered our prayers, Adam woke up, and then died suddenly. It was cruel and I don't think I've forgiven God for that."
Martha just shook her head. "I'm still your friend, Peggy. I'm sorry that you've lost your faith, but that doesn't make me care about you any less."
Peggy smiled again, amazed at how much talking to Martha always made her feel better somehow. "I'm sorry you were in that accident, but I'm so glad that we've gotten a chance to see each other again."
Martha returned her smile. "Me too. Me too."
Chapter 5
Miranda knocked on Declan's office door as she walked in.
Declan looked up from his computer screen. "Hey Miranda! So have you solved the mystery of how Martha was able to walk away from that accident unharmed?"
"Well I was looking at the police report...."
Declan threw here a questioning look. "How did you get a copy of the accident report?"
"I've got my sources," said Miranda mysteriously with a twinkle in her eye. "If I told you, I'd have to kill you." Miranda sat down across from his desk.
"Ha! Ha!" chuckled Declan going along with the joke. "But seriously, what did you find out."
"Basically, it just confirmed what you had already told me. Martha was wearing her seatbelt, which held her in place as her car tumbled down the ravine."
"Okay, but there was nothing wrong with her. Not even a scratch or a bruise from the seatbelt. I mean with all that busted metal and breaking glass there should have been something."
Miranda nodded knowingly. "I agree. She was struck from the passenger side, not head on, so her airbag didn't inflate. Being struck on the passenger side gave her an extra margin of safety."
"What do you mean? At the sight, I saw the airbag. It had been released."
"I know. What I meant to say is that it didn't inflate at first. Martha's car was struck from the side and pushed to the ravine where it fell in. The angle and the sped with which it was struck pushed Martha's car so it fell down the ravine hood first. After rolling down the hill the hood struck the bottom first. That was when the airbag inflated cushioning her face and body. If the airbag had inflated when she had been struck initially, it might have deflated somewhat during the long trip down the ravine, causing her injury. Instead, it inflated at just the right moment," explained Miranda.
Declan nodded and opened his mouth to respond when the phone rang. "Hold on a minute, Miranda." Declan picked up the phone. "Declan." Declan listed for a few moments, his expression taking on one of sadness. "Oh, no. I'm so sorry to hear that, Peg."
"What is it? What's wrong?" asked Miranda concerned.
"Could you hold on for one second, Peg?" asked Declan. He put his hand over the phone and whispered. "The drunk driver, he died this morning."
Chapter 6
Peggy was walking down one of the hospital corridors, past one of the waiting rooms, when she saw a brunette middle-aged woman, sitting next to a man about her age, his blond hair was close cropped hair. He had his arm around her. She was obviously distressed, obviously in pain, as to was the man. When Peggy saw the items in a bag the woman was clutching, she knew immediately who these people were. They were the items that had been removed off Timmy, the drunk driver's, body. Peggy's anger at the drunk driver was replaced by sadness for this couple. They had lost their son due to something so avoidable. Her heart went out to them, as it did to anyone who had ever lost a loved one.
Peggy walked over to them and sat down next to them. They looked at Peggy. Their eyes were red rimmed from crying. "You must be Timmy's parents."
The woman managed a nod. When she did find her voice, it was shaking with emotion. "We just came by, to pick up his things."
"I'm so sorry about what happened. I just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Dr. Peggy Fowler and I'm a psychiatrist here at the hospital." Peggy handed them her card, which the husband took hesitantingly. "If there's anything I can do, anything I can help you with, or if you two just need someone to talk to, please contact me."
"It's just so stupid," said the man, his voice tinged with anger. "We always told him that if he ever needed a ride to call us. We wouldn't be mad."
All Peggy could do was nod. She stood up. "Like I said, if you ever need anything."
"Thank you, Dr. Fowler," said Timmy's mother although she was so consumed by her grief, Peggy thought the thanks might have been her way of trying to politely get rid of Peggy. They needed time, Peggy knew. So she nodded and walked away, allowing the couple to try to draw strength from one another and to make some kind of sense out of all this tragedy.
Chapter 7
The next day found Declan at Martha's house. They were sitting outside on her patio drinking lemonade.
"So it looks like there's a rational explanation for all that has happened," said Martha smiling. "I still think it takes some of the fun out of all of it though."
Declan chuckled. "Sometimes it does. Maybe it's just the investigator in me, but I've found it's better to know, to know whether something really is a miracle or not. People tend to use the word a lot, to explain away things that are explainable. They don't want to delve deeper to find the meaning, to find the truth."
Martha nodded. "I see your point. Miracles are rare, and therefore have more meaning when they do happen. Only sometimes it's hard to find the meaning in them, usually because the person who the miracle happens to is too afraid to look beyond the obvious, to figure out why things happen to them. They're afraid because most often the reason why lies inside themselves. They don't want to look there. Seems almost like people want to believe so badly or else they don't want to believe at all."
"Are we talking about Peggy?" asked Declan solemnly.
"Directly, no. But Peggy is afraid. She's afraid to look, to really look at her husband's death. She's afraid to look into her heart and ask why God called Adam back home."
"Peggy doesn't talk about Adam very much," said Declan. "She keeps it all pretty bottled up tight."
"It's like the old saying, who counsels the counselor? When Adam died, Peggy shut herself off from her faith thinking it had failed her and Adam. Instead of finding comfort in her faith, she shut herself off from all the people they knew together, except for a few friends, like Johanna, who lived far enough away from the situation."
"So you think there's a reason behind people dying? You think it has more to do with divine fate rather than people's actions?" asked Declan intrigued by this woman.
"Dear, I don't know. But I do know Peggy. We've been getting to know each other again and I see her life as it is now and you know I see how happy she is. After Adam died I didn't think I'd ever see her this happy. She loves her work and helping people. She talks about you and a young lady friend named, Miranda, that all investigate miracles. I think it's wonderful. I can see that the light in her eyes is back when she speaks of the two of you. You coming into her life is wonderful. You're a rare person, Declan. You don't hide away from the truth, you actively seek it."
Declan could feel himself blushing at the compliments. "Actually, it turns out Peggy and I use to know each other, well we had a class together back in college. Only we didn't know it for awhile after we met again for the second time."
Martha just smiled. "God works in mysterious ways, doesn't He?"
Declan chuckled. "Yes, He certainly does. And how yourself? Do you feel any differently after having survived the crash?"
"No, not really. I feel like I should, but I don't. I'm just all torn up about that poor boy that died. Such a shame really," said Martha sadly.
Declan could only nod in agreement.
Chapter 8
Peggy looked up at the knock at her door.
"Ya busy, Peg?"
"No. My next appointment's not for a half an hour. Come on in."
Declan plopped himself on the chair opposite Peggy's desk. "So did Miranda tell you the news?"
"Yes, I hear there's no miracle. Part of me is sorry, but the other part of me isn't."
Declan threw her a confused look.
"What I mean to say is, that Timmy's parents are going through a lot right now and I just don't want anyone to make things more difficult for them than they already are."
"Difficult for them Peg or difficult for you?" As soon as the words were out of Declan's mouth, he wanted to take them back. Or, at the very least, rephrase them better.
Peggy's voice suddenly took on a cautious tone. "What do you mean?"
Declan voice went softer. "What I meant is even though there is no miracle here, your friend did survive, a friend whom you hadn't seen since you're husband died. It still just seems a little coincidental that your friend just happens to reappear in your life, under nearly the same circumstances as your husband's death. If the accident had happened close to her home, she would have been admitted to a different hospital and your paths never would have crossed."
"Yes, but this happening, it's just a coincidence," insisted Peggy. "There is no miracle here. It's something good that happened. Let's just leave it at that."
"It is something good," agreed Declan, "But Peggy I think you're ignoring something. I think you're ignoring why she came back into your life."
Peggy just looked at Declan. "You're trying to say that the reason she came back into my life is because of Adam's death."
Declan reached out and put a hand on Peggy's hand. "I don't know. But what I do think is that you've never really come to terms with it. Maybe Martha's back in your life to help you with this. You know if you ever need someone to talk to Miranda and I, we're your friends Peggy. We are here for you."
Peggy took a deep breath and mustered a smile for Declan, trying to put his worries at ease. "Declan, I appreciate your concern. Really I do. You and Miranda, you two are my best friends. If there was anything to discuss, I would discuss it with you."
Declan just studied Peggy, trying to see if she was telling the truth.
Chapter 9
Declan and Miranda were eating dinner outside the Anthropology Department on a bench. Dinner consisted of Chinese takeout.
"I invited Peggy to join us, but she said she was busy," said Miranda.
"Well," said Declan with a sigh, "I think Peggy might avoid me for the next couple of days. I sorta had a talk with her. Told her that she should talk to us about her husband."
"Oh," said Miranda quietly. She now understood why Peggy had declined their invitation.
"I pushed her, Miranda. I shouldn't have."
"Declan," said Miranda sympathetically, "you're heart was in the right place. Peggy knows that. You just got to give her some space."
"I just wish she'd open up and let us in. Think it would help her take away the pain somehow." Declan's frustration was starting to emanate from him as he tried to catch an elusive snow pea with his chopsticks.
"You just have to wait for her to let us in. When she's ready, she will speak. If you force her to talk about it, it's only going to make her angry and make her keep us at a distance."
Declan gave Miranda a sidelong smile. "How did you get to be so wise?"
"Learned everything I know from Peggy and you," said Miranda with a quick smile.
Chapter 10
A few days later, Peggy was working on some paperwork, when she was interrupted by a knock at the door. She looked up expecting to see Declan, but instead she saw Mrs. Lyons.
"I'm sorry am I bothering you, Dr. Fowler?" asked Timmy's mother hesitantly.
"No, not at all. Please come in and have a seat, Mrs. Lyons."
Mrs. Lyons came in and took a seat across from Peggy's desk. "Please, you can call me Ruth."
"Ruth it is then," said Peggy smiling comfortingly, trying to put Ruth at ease. "And you can call me Peggy."
Ruth smiled her gratitude. "I just wanted to stop by and say thank you, for your kind words a few days ago."
"I meant it. If you ever feel like talking...."
"A few days ago, we buried Timmy," Ruth wiped at on of her eyes, trying to hide a tear that had escaped. "Everyone's been so wonderful, so helpful these past days..."
"I'm so sorry," said Peggy empathetically. Thoughts of burying her own husband were whispering in the back of her mind. She tried to push them back and to focus on Ruth.
"The house is so empty now. My husband, my husband and I have been avoiding the issue, I was hoping that maybe I could get him to come and we could talk to you...."
"That would be great. You've got my card. Just call me."
Ruth stood up as did Peggy.
"That you, Peggy."
Peggy walked Ruth to her door.
"It's just so odd," said Ruth when they had reached the door.
"What is?" asked Peggy.
Ruth thought for a moment. "When my son was little, I had turned my back for a few seconds, we have an outdoor pool, and when I turned back around I couldn't see him. I jumped into the pool and pulled him out. He had been under the water for oh, I don't know how long. My husband started doing CPR, trying to resituate him. Nothing was working, he started turning blue and then the paramedics arrived. Brought him back they did. I thought after that, after being brought back like that, I thought it was a miracle. I had never been so frightened in all my life. When they called me after the accident, I was worried, but I thought he'd pulled through before he would again. I'm afraid miracles don't happen twice."
Peggy suddenly felt chilled. She put a comforting hand on Ruth's arm. "Please come see me soon."
Ruth just smiled sadly at Peggy and left. Peggy worriedly watched Ruth walk down the corridor until she couldn't see her anymore.
Chapter 11
"Hi, Miranda."
Miranda looked up from her experiment to see Peggy. "Hi, Peggy. We haven't see you in a couple of days. Missed you." Miranda took off her safety goggles.
Peggy just smiled mysteriously. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I've been really busy with patients these past couple of days. I'll make it up to you two, I promise. I just wanted to let you know that Mrs. Lyons, Timmy's mom stopped by."
"Oh, yeah. How's she doing?" asked Miranda concerned.
"Okay, I guess. As well as can be expected. She called and her and her husband are going to come by and see me this week to talk."
"That's great. I mean, if anyone can help them, it's you."
Peggy smiled at the compliment. "She also said something to me a few days ago. Something interesting."
"What did she say?"
Peggy hesitated to tell Miranda, but she knew she'd be wrong in hiding information from Declan and her. It wasn't privileged information in any way. "Ruth told me that her son had survived a pool drowning at an early age. She called it a miracle. Said she guessed miracles didn't happen twice to people."
Miranda thought for a few moments, mulling over the words. "So what do you think it means? Do you think it means that there is more to this accident than we thought?"
Peggy just shook her head. "I don't think it means anything. I just...I just didn't want to keep anything from you and Declan. If you see him, you can tell him what she said, but it doesn't mean anything."
Miranda studied Peggy for a few moments. "You want me to tell, Declan."
"Sure. I mean, if you think it's important, although it's probably nothing."
"You're not avoiding Declan are you?"
"No, not at all. Did he tell you I was avoiding him?" asked Peggy worriedly.
Miranda just shook her head. "You know Declan, Peggy. He's just worried about you is all."
Peggy smiled sadly. "I know."
"You know if you ever need anything, I'm your friend too."
Peggy's smile grew a little bigger. "I know."
Before things could get awkward, Miranda gave her a quick smile. "I'll be sure to pass the information along to him. Thanks, Peggy."
"Any time."
Chapter 12
A day later, Declan looked up as a stack of folders was plopped on his desk. He looked up to see Miranda. "What are these?"
"Medical files," Miranda said as she took a seat on Declan office sofa.
Declan picked up the files and took a seat next to her. "Medical files? How and why did you get these?" Declan opened up the first file.
"As for the how, I have a friend in Computer Science who owed me a favor. As to the why, I think you'll see when you look at the files."
The first file Declan opened was Timothy Lyons. "Well we know what happened to him. He did from the injuries in the car crash."
"Look at what happened to him when he was six."
Declan looked up at Miranda. "He survived a pool drowning."
"Yep, nearly died. Now look at the attending paramedics."
Miranda stopped Declan when he said the name, "Ted Sanderson."
"Now look at his file."
Declan opened up Sanderson's file. "Says here he died of congestive heart failure a few days later."
"Now look a few years earlier," said Miranda with a tinge of excitement in her voice.
"He lost his brakes and went careening into a telephone poll. The car caught on fire, but a passing motorist by the name of Lopes pulled him out of the car to safety. Sanderson wasn't injured at all." Declan started to catch Miranda's excitement. "This is amazing, Miranda."
"Look at Lopes' file."
"Lopes died at a construction site when his harness broke, but a few months earlier he had survived that train derailment while on vacation in California! Miranda this is incredible! Do we have any more information on anybody Lopes might have saved or interacted with?"
Miranda shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. This is where the trail goes cold." Miranda could see the excited twinkle in Declan's eyes.
"Do you realize what this means? It means that there is some sort of chain here. It's like these people are given some sort of second chance at life, but then they lose it and someone else lives. Like they are living on borrowed time or something!"
"Borrowed what? Where are you going, Declan?" asked Miranda as Declan slipped on his jacket and grabbed the keys to the truck, sticking the files underneath his arm.
"We've got to tell, Peggy about this! Then we've got to warn, Martha!"
"Declan!" Miranda said. She wanted to tell him that now might not be the best time to be telling Peggy about this. But it was too late. Declan was already out the door.
"C'mon, Miranda," he called back.
Miranda heaved a small sigh and hurried after Declan.
Chapter 13
Declan rushed into Peggy's office with Miranda breathlessly trailing behind him. A surprised Peggy looked up suddenly grabbing a tissue as she did, blowing her nose.
Declan hurriedly explained what he and Miranda had just discovered.
"Declan," said Peggy as she walked around her desk to face the two. Her tone was one of frustration and anger. "I don't even want to know how you got hold of these medical files."
Miranda cringed a bit.
This went unnoticed by Peggy who sneezed into her tissue. "You can't go jumping to conclusions! I refuse to let you go tell all this to Martha or to Timmy's parents! They have already been through enough without you..."
Peggy's sentence trailed off.
"Peg?" asked Declan who exchange a quick worried glance with Miranda.
Peggy started to sway for a second and then lost her balance. Declan quickly closed the distance between the two and caught Peggy before her body hit the floor. He gently lowered her the rest of the way to the carpeted floor.
"Peg? Peggy? Can you hear me?" Declan asked worriedly.
Peggy gave no sign of consciousness. Her breathing was irregular and she seemed to be perspiring despite the air-conditioned office.
Declan looked up to Miranda. "Miranda you need to get a doctor in here!"
All Miranda could do was nod and with that she rushed off in order to bring help.
"You're going to be just fine, Peggy. Just fine," said Declan more to reassure himself than as a pep talk to Peggy. Inside his stomach was twisted in knots. He never should have rushed in here with his theory he berated himself. He should have known how Peggy would react, but he had just been so excited by the connection.
A few seconds later, which seemed like eternity to Declan, Miranda came back with Dr. Hoyt. He and Nurse Owens gently pushed Miranda and Declan back to the sidelines where they could only watch worriedly as they watched Dr. Hoyt and Nurse Owens check Peggy out. Hoyt whispered to Owens and she went out.
"How is she?" asked Miranda, but there was no response to her question. The doctor was totally engrossed in trying to find out what was wrong with Peggy.
Nurse Owens came rushing back in with two orderlies and a stretcher. The four of them gently lifted Peggy onto the stretcher and started taking her away.
"Take her to the quarantine ward. She's going to need her own room," said Dr. Hoyt as he started to follow them.
"Quarantine ward? Hey Doc, wait up!" said Declan, with Miranda close beside him.
Dr. Hoyt turned around. His brow furrowed in thought.
"What's wrong with Peggy?" asked Declan worry etched in every word.
"I don't know. I'm afraid what ever she's got it might be very contagious. How much time have you spent with her in the past couple of days?"
"Not much," admitted Declan. He was feeling so guilty. Maybe if he had been around, he would have noticed something was wrong with Peggy and gotten her help sooner.
"And you?" asked Dr. Hoyt.
Miranda snapped out of her thoughts of Peggy to reply, "Me? I, uh, saw her yesterday. She seemed fine. Wasn't sick at all."
Declan gave Miranda a curious glance which Miranda avoided noticing. He hadn't known she had spoken to Peggy in the past couple of days.
"She's going to fine though right?" asked Miranda, hoping against hope that Peggy would be fine.
Dr. Hoyt just shrugged. "I don't know. I don't want to make any promises I can't keep. If you'll excuse me, we've got to run some tests."
And with that Miranda and Declan were left standing outside Peggy's office door, each with their own worries and fears as hospital hazard people started to close off Peggy's office.
Chapter 14
"I don't like it," said Declan shaking his head.
Declan and Miranda sat beside each other in the hospital waiting room. It had been hours and night had fallen long ago. They sat, waiting and worrying. Nobody would tell them what Peggy's condition was.
Miranda put a hand on Declan's arm. "Peggy's strong, Declan. If anyone can pull through, it's her. She's going to be fine."
"It's more than that, Miranda," said Declan frustrated. "I mean if our connections are right..."
Suddenly, Miranda saw where this was going. "No, Declan...."
"Think about it, Miranda. All those people, life and death. It's like, it's like they are living on borrowed time you know," Declan insisted.
"Borrowed time?" asked Miranda confused.
"Yeah. It's like the people we were talking about. This chain of life and death connects all their lives. Someone dies giving someone else a second chance at life. They are living on borrowed time. They needed what others needed before them-more time on this earth."
Miranda still looked confused.
"Look at the most recent example," said Declan. "Timmy survives a drowning as a small child. He's given a second chance at life."
"And you're saying he borrowed time from the attending paramedic, Sanderson," said Miranda.
"Exactly. Timmy needs his time, boom, Sanderson dies of a coronary."
"Timmy gets in a car accident and dies..."
"Boom! Martha's life is saved when her car falls down the ravine," finished Declan.
"Wow," said Miranda. "But wait, you don't think Martha and Peggy...?'
"Look at the evidence, Miranda! Martha just happens to come back into her life and little over a week later, Peggy falls mysteriously ill!"
"But even if that was true, that would mean Martha would have to die and Peggy will be healed."
"That's true," said Declan, liking the thought of Peggy being okay, but not liking the thought of anything happening to Martha.
Miranda mulled it all over in her head. "I just don't think it's true."
"You don't?"
"No," said Miranda firmly. "I know in our investigations, we normally come across a lot of weird connections, which I grant you, a lot of times, mean a great deal, but I just don't think it's the case here."
"Why not?" asked Declan curious.
"Because," explained Miranda, "we have really have no evidence that one thing leads to another. These could be merely random occurrences. And second, think about it Declan, borrowed time? You survived an avalanche and your tumor; I survived that sickness and getting electrocuted. There was no borrowed time. We both survived and no one has come to collect any time we owe anybody. We're still alive having cheated death at least twice."
Declan opened his mouth to argue, but promptly closed it when they saw Dr. Hoyt approaching, his expression grim. Declan and Miranda quickly stood up.
"Please, tell us you've got some good news, Doc," said Declan hopefully.
Dr. Hoyt just shook his head. "I'm afraid it's very serious actually. Dr. Fowler was helping a patient and her family recently. This patient just recently died of meningitis. The proper precautions were taken, but..." Dr. Hoyt let his sentence trail off.
"But she's going to be okay isn't she?" asked Miranda, willing the doctor to say yes.
"I'm afraid, at this point, we just don't know. The symptoms are usually mistaken for the flu, which is what Dr. Fowler believed she had. The disease was left untreated for a while so we really don't know what's going to happen. I'm sorry I don't have better news. The good news is that the two of you should be okay since you had minimal contact with her over the past few days."
Declan just shook his head and muttered something about cold comfort. He looked up at the doctor. "Is she conscious? Can I see her?"
Dr. Hoyt just shook his head. "I'm afraid we've given her a sedative right now. We're trying to get her body to rest in order to fight it. I suggest not seeing because this seems to be a particularly virulent strain of the disease..."
Declan and Miranda both opened their mouths to protest, but the Dr. Hoyt cut them off.
"But I see if would be useless to argue with you two and it might do Dr. Fowler some good. There's nothing more that can be done tonight. Why don't you two go home and get some rest and come back tomorrow. I can get you two in scrubs and you can see her one at a time."
Declan nodded and shook Dr. Hoyt's hand. "Thank you, Doc. Thank you for all you're doing."
Dr. Hoyt simply nodded.
After Dr. Hoyt had left, Declan and Miranda gathered up their jackets and headed toward the exit. As they walked Declan tried to delicately broach the subject of visiting Peggy. "Miranda, with this thing being so contagious and all, maybe...maybe it would be better if I just went in and saw Peggy."
"No, Declan," said Miranda sternly. She was touched by Declan's concern, knowing he feared losing both she and Peggy to this disease, but there was no way she was not going in to see Peggy. "I know you're concerned, but I've got to see her as much as you do."
Declan opened his mouth to protest and then closed it. "Okay then."
Chapter 15
The next morning found Declan and Miranda back at St. Joseph's. They were riding the elevator to the floor where Peggy was when Declan said, "I called Martha last night to tell her about Peggy."
Miranda gave him a sideways glance. She had already figured out Declan's real reason for contacting, Martha. "You called to check up on her."
Declan just looked at the numbers flashing at the top of the elevator. "She's doing just fine."
Miranda shook her head but did not say anything. For once she felt like Peggy. She wanted to tell Declan to stop looking for connections that weren't there, or at least so far, that weren't proven. Maybe she was trying to compensate for the fact that Peggy herself wasn't around, wasn't able to make these arguments for herself. She thought Declan and her had better concentrate on Peggy now and not the investigation, but it was pointless to tell Declan this. To him, Peggy and their investigation were one and the same. They each had their own way of dealing with this trying time.
The elevator finally reached Peggy's floor. Declan and Miranda got out, and seeing Dr. Hoyt at the nurse's station, they walked towards him. Dr. Hoyt looked up at their approach. "Good morning. The bad news is there hasn't been much improvement. The good news is that she is awake. So which one of you wants to see her first?"
"I do," said Declan. Miranda and him had decided that Declan would go first before they had gotten to the hospital this morning. Actually, he hadn't left Miranda much of a choice.
Hoyt nodded as a heavy-set, redheaded nurse came around from the desk. "Nurse McMachon will get you situated and then take you to see Peggy.
"Thanks," said Declan to both of them. He gave Miranda one last glance before following the nurse.
All Miranda could do was watch Declan walk away, hoping for the best.
Chapter 16
Declan stood outside Peggy's hospital room, dressed in surgical scrubs, gloves, and a mask to cover his mouth and nose. It was uncomfortable to say the least. He had to quiet his heart from pounding as he finally plucked up enough courage to open the door despite his fear of what lay on the other side of the door.
Declan opened the door and walked in. He closed the door quietly behind him, but as soon as he walked through the door his gaze became fixed on the sight of Peggy lying on the hospital bed, with tubes and wires attached to her. Monitors surrounded her, keeping track of her progress, or lack of it as far as Declan could tell.
At this moment, Declan realized why the sight frightened him so much. Besides the fear of losing Peggy, one of his two best friends, he realized how much he had come to depend on Peggy, to rely on her. He had drawn great amounts of strength from her over the past three years, but he just hadn't realized it before now. Now Peggy needed him to be the strong one.
Declan willed his feet to walk over to Peggy's beside. She seemed to be asleep although Declan would say she looked anything but restful. He slipped his hand into hers, wishing he could take the gloves off. It all seemed so impersonal somehow.
Peggy's eyes fluttered open and she looked to see who it was holding her hand. Declan could see the pain behind Peggy's eyes. He tried to smile, to reassure her, and then realized that she couldn't see his smile. He then for a moment feared that Peggy would not recognize who he was beneath all of this protective layering. But he didn't fear that for long. His glasses must have given him away.
Peggy mustered a small smile despite her obvious pain. "Hi, Declan."
"How ya doing, Peg?" was all Declan could think to say.
"Been better," murmured Peggy. "Glad to see you though."
Declan knew Peggy needed him to be strong now. She needed his strength. "You're going to be just fine, Peg. In a few days you'll be back to your old self."
"I've been thinking."
Declan didn't know if this was a good thing or a bad thing. "Bout what?"
"About everything. You, Miranda, my job, our investigations..."
Declan shook his head. "I'm sorry, Peg. I'm so sorry about busting in on you like that the other day. You're right. I'm always pushing into people's lives, jumping feet first, and not thinking about the consequences. I didn't mean to upset you, Peg. You know I would never intentionally do that."
"I know. I know," said Peggy tiredly, but Declan could see in her eyes that she didn't blame him. "You always try to do what's right, Declan and so do I. Just what you think is right and what I think is right, don't always coincide. Keeps us interesting."
"That it does, Peg."
"And I've been here thinking about my husband..."
Declan shook his head. The last thing he wanted Peggy thinking about was departed loved ones in her situation. He needed her to focus on life, not death. "Peggy, I don't think this is the right time...we can talk about this when you're feeling better..."
But Peggy just shook her head ever so slightly. It was all the energy she could muster. "I was thinking maybe God isn't so cruel as I had thought him to be. I thought it was a miracle, Adam coming back out of the coma like that. I thought God had answered my prayers. And then we He took Adam away a few days later, I thought how cruel he had been. But in reality, He gave me a chance to tell Adam all those things I had wanted to say to him before he got in that car that night. I wanted to tell him that I loved him, even though he already knew. I wanted to tell him how much he meant to me. And I did that for the few days before he died. He gave me a chance to say good-bye properly. I was given a second chance, only I didn't see it that way at the time."
Declan just shook his head. He saw where Peggy was going with this. "This isn't good-bye, Peg for you and me. You are going to be fine, Peg. You just have to fight okay. That's all I want you to think about."
Peggy was able to muster a little bit bigger smile at Declan's concern. "You see, Declan, losing my husband...I lost my faith. And then this anthropology professor walked into this hospital one day. I still didn't believe in miracles, but I was intrigued by you and your work. Losing my husband and my faith were hard Declan, but it brought you back into my life. We've investigated some pretty amazing things over the years, but you, Declan, you make me want to believe again. Not the investigations, not the mysterious, you and Miranda. You two are my best friends..." Peggy's voice trailed off. She was exhausted. Her eyes closed.
At first Declan feared that something serious had happened. He could barely see Peggy clearly through his watery eyes, but he realized she had just fallen back asleep. Declan gently laid Peggy's hand back down and wished that Peggy were still awake so he could tell her how much she meant to him. But it was better to let her rest he decided. She would get better, Declan reassured himself so he could tell her all the things he had meant to say. Declan wouldn't allow himself to believe other wise.
Chapter 17
"So how's she doing?" asked Miranda when Declan, now out of his protective clothing, sat down next to Miranda in the waiting room.
Declan's fears came rushing back to him at the sight of Miranda's worried face. He just shook his head and sighed. "I don't know. I just don't know. Physically, she look bad. Emotionally, I don't know. She was talking about husband. I don't think it's a good sign. Declan leaned back into his chair. "It's like she was saying good-bye to me in there. I wanted to tell her...I wanted to tell her so many things, but she fell back asleep. She's exhausted. I'm just so worried she's given up."
Miranda just nodded. Worry was eating her up inside. She felt like crying, but was doing her best to stifle the emotion. Peggy was like family to her. She was like the older sister, Miranda had never had. She looked up to her. It hadn't always been that way between them, but it was so now. "I spoke with Martha," Miranda admitted. "She's doing fine, but she's concerned about Peggy. She is hoping to stop by today and see her. She's going to call her daughter and see if she can get a ride since her car was damaged in the accident."
Declan just nodded. He didn't have time to worry about Martha and his theory right now. All he could do was think about Peggy and wish there was something he could do. He hated this waiting.
"Miranda?"
Declan and Miranda looked up to see Nurse McMahon.
"Peggy's awake again now if you'd still like to see her," said the nurse.
Miranda just nodded and stood up to follow the nurse. Declan watched Miranda go and hoped that she would somehow find the words to that would make Peggy fight, to convince her to stay with them if it is in her power.
Chapter 18
Peggy's eyes focused on Miranda as soon as Miranda entered her room.
"Hi, Miranda," said Peggy.
Miranda could tell that Peggy was pretty drugged up. As frightened as she was, as much as she felt like crying and running away, Miranda willed her feet forward toward Peggy. "Hi, Peggy." It was all Miranda could think to say.
Peggy just smiled at her. Peggy could tell how frightened and scared Miranda was. So she hoped Miranda would forgive her this one little lie. "I'm going to be just fine, Miranda."
Miranda was struck by this. Declan had prepared her for a morose Peggy. She had thought she would need to come in here and buoy Peggy's spirits up. She couldn't have had a change of heart this quickly or could she. Maybe Declan's visit had somehow done good, had somehow prompted her to fight. "That's right," said Miranda hesitatingly. "You're going to be just fine."
"I'm so glad you came to see me," said Peggy with emotion.
"Of course, I'd come," said Miranda with equal emotion.
"I know," said Peggy. "When I...when we first met, I let our differences get in our way..."
Miranda just shook her head. "That was my fault. I was jealous when I first met you. Declan was the first real friend I had and then you came into the picture. You were so confident and outgoing and friendly, and I was worried that you were going to take my friend away. I was worried... I didn't give you a chance. I didn't get to know you." Miranda was amazed at all these words coming out of her, but it made her feel good, to clear this air between her and Peggy.
Peggy nodded slowly. "I didn't understand you when we first met. I didn't think I was affecting you. I didn't understand what you must have gone though, until Emma came into Declan's life last year. I'm sorry for that. I should have tried harder to be your friend back then."
Miranda smiled sadly at this. "You don't need to apologize, Peggy. The point is, the point is you're my friend." Miranda's voice started to break. "I've always sorta looked up to you Peggy. You're one of my best friends and I...I don't want to lose you..." Miranda's voice trailed off as the tears rolled down her face unstopping.
"Hey, hey," said Peggy as she gathered all her strength and reached out to touch Miranda's hand. "You're not going to lose me okay? I'm going to be just fine," Peggy lied again.
Miranda just nodded. She wanted to believe Peggy's words and yet she hesitated to.
Peggy wished she'd be able to keep her promise to Miranda.
Chapter 19
A few hours later after drifting in and out of consciousness, between good dreams and bad, between thoughts of Miranda, Declan, Adam, and a host of other friends, relatives, patients, co-workers, Peggy opened her eyes and was surprised by the visitor.
Peggy smiled. Her breathing was becoming irregular. "Hi, Martha. I didn't hear you come in."
Martha smiled at her. "I was quiet. I didn't want to disturb you. How are you feeling?"
Peggy's smile faltered and she lost it. She could feel the tears welling up inside. "Not so well."
Martha's face became concerned. She wanted to comfort Peggy. She took her hand. "It's going to be okay, Peggy."
Peggy's voice was breaking. "I just don't know, Martha. I just don't know if it will be."
"Of course it will be. Declan and Miranda are out there in the waiting room right now. They need you to get better Peggy. You are so important to them. Just as they are to you."
Peggy nodded. "The irony is that the last time we were together, you helped me to pray for my husband's life."
"And I'm here now to help you pray for yours."
"I don't know if I can," said Peggy quietly, fearfully.
"Of course you can," said Martha smiling at her. "Just because you lost faith in God, it doesn't mean that He's lost faith in you, that He won't listen to you. You've just lost your way is all." With her free hand, Martha pulled over a chair and sat down next to Peggy's bedside.
"You've been such a great comfort to me," said Peggy as a tear fell down her face. "Eve after all these years. You've been as much of a comfort to me as Declan and Miranda are."
Martha was touched by Peggy's words. "Are you ready?"
Peggy nodded her head and together they prayed.
Chapter 20
Hours later, Miranda and Declan sat side by side in the waiting room. Each was lost in their own thoughts, worrying about Peggy and yet refusing to contemplate their future with out her. They were the three musketeers and nothing could change that.
They were told that Peggy was too tired. She needed to rest. She couldn't have any more visitors. They were told to go home. There was nothing they could do. The last two statements meant nothing to them. They would sit in that waiting room until they heard that Peggy was going to be okay. Other wordly concerns didn't matter right now.
"Declan and Miranda?"
Startled, both of them looked up to see Dr. Hoyt. They had been so caught up in thinking about their friend that they hadn't heard him approach.
Both of them stood up and stopped breathing for a few moments while Declan blurted out, "Is she going to make it?"
Dr. Hoyt's face broke out into a smile, which lightened Declan's and Miranda's heart immeasurably. "She's going to be just fine."
Declan and Miranda exchanged smiles, their hearts full of joy at this good news.
"Can we see her?" asked Miranda, her voice tinged with excitement.
"Well," said Dr. Hoyt, "I guess at this point it wouldn't hurt. But just for a few moments. She needs to rest so she can fully recover."
"Thank you. Thank you so much, Doc," said Declan as he shook the doctor's hand. Miranda too gave her grateful thanks to Dr. Hoyt.
Dr. Hoyt just chuckled. "Don't thank me. Things were not looking good for her, but whatever you two said must have helped. It was a miracle."
Declan opened his mouth to say something about Dr. Hoyt's use of the word "miracle" again. But then he decided against it. Peggy was all right and that was all that mattered. He and Miranda hurried off to see Peggy, to make certain with their own eyes, that she was going to be okay.
Chapter 21
Declan and Miranda entered Peggy's room. At their entrance she looked at them and smiled. They could tell immediately that Peggy was definitely on the road to recovery even though she had a ways to go. The light that had been gone from her eyes since this illness took hold was slowly returning. Her color, which had become dull, was coming back to her face. In their hearts, they knew she was going to be fine.
"Dr. Hoyt says you're going to be fine," said Declan unable to contain his excitement and joy.
Even Miranda couldn't help but smile.
"It appears so," said Peggy. "It's going to take a few days to get me back on my feet..."
"You're not going to rush it, Peg. Doctor's orders," said Declan trying to look serious but failing utterly.
Peggy chuckled softly. "Yes, Dr. Dunn. I wouldn't have made it thought without you two. Or without Martha."
Declan and Miranda exchange quizzical glances.
"Martha? Did Martha come to see you?" asked Declan confused. "We called and she said she was going to come, but we haven't seen her."
"She could have come up the other elevator on the other wing. We were in the waiting room. We never would have seen her coming," offered Miranda as an explanation.
This satisfied Declan whose thoughts, for the briefest of moments, had turned back to their investigation. "You're right."
"Hey," said Peggy. "I hate to trouble you all, but would you mind letting Martha know that I'm all right?"
"It's no trouble at all," said Declan.
The three friends smiled at each other. They just stayed there for a little while, laughing and joking, comforted by each other's presence, knowing that everything was going to be okay. The three friends were once again whole.
Chapter 22
About two hours later, Miranda and Declan pulled up to Martha's house in Declan red truck that had definitely seen better days.
"Oh, no," said Declan softly.
An ambulance and a black van were parked right outside Martha's house. Declan quickly parked the car and both he and Miranda exited the vehicle and headed towards the house.
They were walking up to Martha's house when they saw Martha's daughter, Anne, walking out with a tall black suited, man with a goatee. He looked to be about in his thirties.
"I'm really sorry for your loss, Ma'am," the man said solemnly.
Anne's eyes were red-rimmed from crying. "Thank you for all your help."
"Anne!" said Declan as he and Miranda came rushing over. "Is Martha....?"
But Declan never got to get his question out for at that moment two men came out with a stretcher with a black body bag strapped to it.
"Oh, no," said Miranda sadly repeating Declan's early words.
Anne wiped a falling tear away. "She called me to ask if I could give her a ride to the hospital because Peggy was sick and she needed to see her. She didn't have a car since the accident. I said sure. But when I came over she wasn't answering the door. I used my key and I just...I just found her lying there on the hallway floor, all ready to go." Anne had though she had done all the crying she could do but a few more tears slipped down her cheeks silently. "She was such a wonderful woman, my Mom."
Both Miranda and Declan exchanged glances at Anne's words. They were unnerved. There was no way Martha could have ever visited Peggy.
But there wasn't time to dwell on it right at this moment. "Is there someone we can call for you?" asked Miranda hesitatingly. Neither her nor Declan knew what to do to help ease Anne's suffering.
Anne smiled at them gratefully through her tears. "Thanks, but I called my cousin, Rachel. She's on her way over now. But thank you. How is Peggy doing, by the way?"
"Fine, just fine," said Declan quietly. He was amazed at how one could go from happiness to sadness so quickly.
Chapter 23
A week later, Declan, Peggy, and Miranda congregated at Martha's wake. The house was busting full of family and friends so the three found a quiet spot in the back yard to sit down. Their expressions and hearts were somber.
Peggy coughed and both Miranda and Declan looked at her. She saw their anxious glances and smiled sadly at them trying to reassure them. "I'm fine. Really."
It had been so hard for Miranda and Declan to tell Peggy about Martha death. They were worried about what it would do to Peggy. The last thing they wanted was for Peggy to have a relapse.
The sun shone brightly down on the three friends.
"Martha never made it to visit me in the hospital did she? She died of the brain aneurysm before she ever got to see me?" asked Peggy quietly. It was more a statement than a question really.
Miranda and Declan exchanged glances. They had been planning on telling Peggy that piece of information after the funeral, after things had settled down.
"We were going to tell you after...," began Declan but Peggy waved away any explanation.
"It was sweet of you two to try and protect me," said Peggy simply.
"We didn't know if you'd believe us any way," said Miranda.
Peggy just smiled at them. "In my state I could have been hallucinating. But whether or not I was it still doesn't change the fact that Martha helped me find something I thought I had lost."
Declan and Miranda gave Peggy questioning looks.
"The faith to be open to God again. That what I've lost is important, but so to is what I've gained. That when God takes away something, He gives us back something else in return," explained Peggy.
Declan and Miranda simply nodded.
Peggy stood up as did Declan and Miranda.
"Did you want me to get you something from inside, Peg? Something to drink maybe?" asked Declan.
"No, thanks. I think I'm going to go inside though. There's a lot of people here from Martha's and my church that I've lost touch with so I figured..."
"Sounds good, Peg," said Declan smiling.
"Did you two want to come in?" asked Peggy.
Declan glanced at Miranda and then spoke for the two of them. "Nah, you go ahead Peg. We'll follow in a few minutes."
Peggy smiled at them. She walked up and pulled the surprised two into a hug. "Thank you so much. I love you guys."
"We love you to, Peg," said Miranda.
"Ditto," said Declan.
Peggy released Declan and Miranda from their hug. She smiled at them one more time before going back into the house. Declan and Miranda watched Peggy for a few moments through the window facing the back yard. Peggy was talking to Donna and some other people whom Declan and Miranda could only assume Peggy knew from her old church.
"So do you think it was just Peggy hallucinating about Martha?" asked Miranda.
Declan shrugged his shoulders. "I think everything happened for a reason."
"You don't think Peggy's living on borrowed time do you?" asked Miranda with a note of worry in her voice.
"No," said Declan. "I don't think she is. I mean you and I survived unbelievable odds and we're okay. I don't think there is such a think as borrowed time. I think we all have our own time. When it's over, it's over."
"So do you ever wonder why people miraculously survive certain death?"
Declan gave Miranda a mysterious smile. "To remind us that we need to enjoy each other's company while we have a chance. To let each of us tell the people in our lives how much they mean to us."
Miranda smiled at this comment.
The two continued to gaze into the window at a happy Peggy surrounded by her old friends.
"So you ready to go inside now and join Peggy?" asked Miranda.
"Yeah. Yeah I am," said Declan.
And the two went inside to join Peggy and meet her old friends.
The End