Angels Watching Over Me by Lurlene McDaniel Read Free Book Online Page A

your prayers made her well, and not the medicine she’s been taking?”
    “Of course the medicine helped her. But prayer is strong medicine too. Sometimes it is all we have when nothing else works.”
    “You know, I want Rebekah to get well, but I’m going to miss the two of you when you leave.” And Ethan too, she thought.
    “What did your doctor tell you?” Charity asked. Leah explained about the biopsy. “I will say extra prayers for you that this biopsy gives your doctor the answer he is looking for,” said Charity.
    They told one another “Good night,” and Leah switched off the light over her bed. Dimlight from the hallway leaked under the bottom of the door, and the wall switches glowed in the dark. As her eyes adjusted, Leah could see Charity kneeling beside her bed, her hands folded and her head bowed. The simplicity of the pose brought a lump to Leah’s throat. She wondered if there really was a God after all. Then she thought of her beloved Grandma Hall, dying in the hospital. Leah was touched by Charity’s taking the time to pray on her behalf. But nothing had helped her grandma when she was sick: not prayers; not doctors; and not all the love Leah held in her heart for her. What could possibly help Leah?
    Leah was awakened by a night nurse for vitals, but long after the nurse had left the room, she remained awake. She kept thinking about Ethan and how attracted she was to him, in spite of his simple and unsophisticated ways. Maybe that was what attracted her. He was singleminded and focused, confident of what he believed, positive of the direction his life would take.
    Leah couldn’t say any of those things about herself. She meandered through school, doing just enough work to get by. She’d vaguelythought about college, but only because it seemed like the thing to do, not because there was anything particular she wanted to study or learn. Yet she didn’t want to be like her mother either, drifting from place to place, marrying and remarrying, always searching for something more or better or just different.
    Leah sighed. All this thinking wasn’t helping her go back to sleep. She turned over. With a start, she saw a woman standing beside Rebekah’s bed.
When did she come into the room?
Leah peered through the gloom and recognized her as the nurse who’d come in the night before. The woman leaned over Charity’s cot and smoothed her covers. Then she went to Rebekah’s bed and took the child’s small hand in hers. Leah heard Rebekah giggle quietly, then begin animatedly whispering with the nurse.
    Watching the scene, Leah realized this nurse really had a way with children. And Molly had certainly done a lot to make Leah feel cared for and comfortable.
Nursing
. Maybe that would be something she’d like doing. Leah toyed with the notion, turned it over in her mind, and discovered that she liked it.
    Leah continued to watch the night nurse andRebekah whispering, and slowly a calming peace stole over her. Her eyelids grew heavy, and as the silence of the night closed around her, she fell fast asleep.
    “I’m hungry.” Rebekah’s voice woke Leah and Charity.
    Leah rubbed the sleep from her eyes and saw the little girl sitting up in bed with her doll in her lap. Morning sunlight flooded the room. “Are you okay, Rebekah?” she asked.
    “Yes, but I am hungry.”
    Charity got out of bed and scurried to Rebekah’s bedside. She felt her forehead with the back of her hand. “I think her fever is gone.” She flashed Leah a smile. “It seems she is well.”
    “That’s a relief!”
    Molly walked through the doorway. “What’s a relief?”
    “We think Rebekah’s much better,” Leah said.
    “I’m hungry,” Rebekah repeated.
    “That’s a good sign,” Molly said with a grin. “The breakfast trays are on their way, so let’s get a temp before you eat.” She slid a digital thermometer under Rebekah’s tongue. Whileshe was waiting for the readout, she asked Leah, “Did you sleep