Chapter 20
“Hey.” Lauren had just finished changing into her pajamas when Shelly called. “You guys forget something?”
“No, no, but we’re headed back.” Shelly seemed out of breath.
“Why?” Lauren tossed her dirty clothes in the hamper. “What’s going on?”
The silence grew.
“Shel? What’s wrong?”
“It’s Tyler,” she blurted out. “He was in an accident.”
“What?” Lauren stumbled to her vanity stool.
“The paramedics called Danny’s phone. A truck hit his car on the freeway. They’re taking him to the hospital.”
Oh God, no. Lauren wrapped an arm around her stomach. “Is he okay?”
“They told Danny he’s stable. We’re on our way back. I’ll stay with David and Danny will take you to the hospital.”
Tears prevented her from speaking.
“We’ll be there in ten minutes, okay?”
“Okay,” Lauren whispered.
The silence plagued Lauren as Danny focused on driving.
God, why are you doing this? Her heart pounded so loud she thought she could hear it. Why do you continue to rob me of the people I love?
“He’ll be okay,” Danny sounded as if he was trying to convince himself. “He’ll be okay.”
One tear fell, then another. “It’s not right.”
“He’ll be okay.”
“How do you know?” The volume of Lauren’s voice increased. “There’s no guarantee. God can take him like He took Adam—”
“I’m praying.” Danny gripped the steering wheel. “I keep praying. I have this certainty he’ll be okay.”
Hey, girlfriend, a text from Beth arrived. Shelly called. I’m praying. I activated the prayer team. Let me know if you need anything and keep me updated on his condition.
His condition. Anxiety crept into her heart, increasing the racing. God, how bad is it?
Opening the search engine on her phone, she typed Tyler Stevens car accident. The item at the top of the list was a video. She immediately clicked on it, staring at the title, “Tyler Stevens’ destroyed Corvette.”
“We’re on the freeway and just witnessed a Corvette get pushed off the road by a semi truck.” Lauren strained to hear the young man’s voice with the sound of the cars passing by.
“Oh, God, no,” she gasped at the sight of Tyler’s Corvette. The right passenger door and front end were missing, the driver’s side jammed against the rail in the center of the freeway. She immediately felt sick to her stomach.
“Lauren, don’t watch that,” Danny said, but her eyes remained fixed on the screen.
“The tire blew on a truck,” the voice continued. “It ran into the fast lane, pushing the Corvette against the rail.”
“Look at the license plate!” another voice said. The cameraman zoomed in. “STEVENS1” it read. “It is Tyler Stevens’. I think he’s trapped inside.” Sirens blared in the background of the video, stealing her breath.
“Oh God.” She clutched her chest, gasping for air. He couldn’t have survived. This can’t be happening—
“Lauren, turn it off.” Grabbing the phone from her hands, Danny stopped the video before dropping it in the cupholder. “You don’t need to watch that.”
“He couldn’t have survived.” One hand wiped the perspiration from her brow, the other continued holding her chest as she struggled to fill her lungs with air. “There’s no way. His car—”
“He did. He did because he asked the paramedics to call me and tell me where they were taking him.”
“He did?” She looked to Danny, panting.
“Yes. I asked how he was. They told me he was stable. I heard him saying your name, asking me to call.” He rested a hand on her shoulder. “We don’t need to worry. We need to pray, right? Don’t worry about anything, but in everything—”
“Through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.” Lauren closed her eyes. “And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
“I’m thankful he’s on his way to the best hospital in town.”
Lauren inhaled, though the pressure in her chest caused it to be a shallow breath. “I’m thankful you came to get me. And that Shelly’s with David.” She bit her lip. “I don’t want him to die, Danny. I can’t lose him, too.”
“Father God, we ask You to be with Tyler.” Danny gripped her shoulder. “Fill him with Your Spirit, Your breath, Your life. We trust You, Father, to take care of our friend. Get him the best medical care. Give us the strength to be the support he needs. Work all this out for Your glory and our good. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
“Amen.” Lauren leaned back into the seat. Please, God, don’t take him from me, too.
The moment the hospital came into sight, her heart began to race again. The hospital Adam received treatment at, the hospital she went to with preeclampsia, the hospital David stayed at for a month.
It’s okay, she told herself when they got out of the car despite her pulse soaring. With each step the air was ripped from her lungs. She felt as if she was trudging through quicksand though Danny’s pace quickened.
Oh God, please. Pressing a hand against her clammy face, Lauren thought she might faint. Ambulance sirens left her paralyzed. She wanted to call out to Danny before he entered the ER, but she had no voice.
I can’t, she told herself, knees starting to buckle. Oh God, I can’t...
“Lauren!” Danny ran out the door frantically searching. He rushed to her side. “Lauren, what’s wrong?”
“I can’t.” She grabbed her chest, the pressure unbearable. “I can’t…” The tears came as she collapsed in his arms.
“You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.” Danny led her over to a planter where she could sit. “I know a lot of hard things have happened here, but focus on the truth.”
God, I know, but I can’t. Head down, Lauren continued to struggle to fill her lungs with air.
“Tyler doesn’t have cancer, he was in a car accident. The doctors are helping him.” Danny rubbed her back as he spoke. “You’re not sick. God healed you. And David’s okay. Be thankful. Breathe. You need to breathe.”
Lauren looked up at the paramedics rushing a man into the ER on a gurney. Tears ran down her cheeks. Tyler’s hurt, she told herself. Oh God, he’s hurt...
“I’m thankful you’re well.” Danny’s voice caused her to turn towards him. “I’m thankful we’re here, together, to see Tyler. He needs us. I’m thankful he’s alive.”
He’s alive, Lauren told herself taking a shallow breath. God, thank You that he’s alive.
“Keep breathing.” Danny rubbed her back. “Is your phone in your pocket?”
She nodded, struggling to inhale.
“Can I have it?”
Exhaling, she pulled it from her jeans and placed it in his hand.
“Keep breathing.” Danny busily tapped on the screen. “I’m thankful for Bible apps.”
With another breath, the tightness in her chest began to lessen. Danny stood, holding her phone out.
“I know it’s hard, but you can do this. You read while we walk. Tyler needs us.”
Romans 8 was on the screen. Grasping it in her hand, she linked arms with Danny and allowed him to lead her to the ER.
The baby screaming in the emergency room sent chills up Lauren’s spine and brought tears to her eyes.
“So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death.”
Not death, Lord, she squeezed her eyes shut as she silently prayed. Please don’t take him. She inhaled, then shuddered at the aroma of ammonia. Opening her eyes, she continued reading verse six.
“But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.”
Life, Lord. Please let him live. And bring peace into my heart. Please, fill me with Your peace.
“We’re looking for Logan Price,” Danny told the nurse.
“Really?” Lauren raised her head at Tyler’s screen name from Into the Jungle.
Danny shrugged. “I don’t think they’d use his name.”
“Exam room 5.” The nurse pointed to the left.
Her pulse increased at the seemingly endless hallway crowded with doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff. Shifting her eyes back to her phone, she skipped to verse eleven.
“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”
Your power lives in him, Lord. Heal him. Comfort him. Make him whole.
Danny continued to veer her around the people. She skimmed through the verses until reaching twenty-eight. She couldn’t help but read it out loud. Danny joined in after “everything.”
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
“All things.” Danny stopped outside the door with “5” on it. “Adam’s death, your depression and preeclampsia, this.” Lauren lifted her eyes when he paused. “Even this God will work out for good.”
Danny slowly opened the door to reveal Tyler, dressed in a blue hospital gown, lying still in the bed. Bruises covered the left side of his face, his lip was split and swollen. Oxygen tubes went into his nose and an IV was in his arm. Thankfulness, frustration, and sadness washed over her. Thankfulness that he was alive, frustration at having to go through another trial, and sadness at the pain he must be in.
Danny tugged her hand, bringing her out of her trance.
God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God, she told herself while approaching the left side of the bed.
God, work this out, she silently prayed, slipping her hand into his.
Tyler’s right eye immediately opened. Though his left eye flickered, it was swollen shut. A slight grin appeared as he looked from Danny to Lauren.
“You’re a wreck, bro,” Danny said.
“Should have seen my car.” Tyler’s voice was strained.
“I did,” Lauren whispered, tears rising. “On social media.”
“How you doing?” Danny asked.
“Concussion, possibly broken ribs. They tell me my face is a mess, but I still feel ruggedly handsome. The side airbag definitely has a punch to it.”
Danny grinned. “Looks like you attempted your own stunt—and failed terribly.”
“Ouch. That almost hurt as much as my face.” Tyler lifted a finger, pointing towards his phone on the tray by Danny. “Luckily my phone survived.”
Lauren stared at the side of his face that was free from bruises. He’s here, living, breathing, talking. Thank You, Jesus. “I thought you died.”
Slowly turning his head, he looked at her with his good eye. “God hemmed me in from behind and before. I seriously felt Him holding me as the car was caving in around me.” Tyler smiled weakly. “He’s not done with me yet.”
A tear slipped down her cheek. “I’m thankful you’re okay.”
He squeezed her hand. “Me, too, Angel. Me, too.”
“It is amazing that your cell isn’t even scratched.” Danny picked up Tyler’s phone. “Smile.” He snapped a few pics. “I’ll post them to social media to prove you’re still alive.”
“Good thing it was in my pocket,” Tyler said. “When I got in the ambulance, I asked them to call you.” He nodded to Danny. “Will you get ahold of Mitch? I saw he called a while ago. He’s probably freaking out thinking I’m dead.”
“Sure thing. Anyone else?” Danny asked.
“Nah, maybe just answer if it rings. I’ll contact my parents and Kris closer to six a.m. their time. No need to wake them since I’m fine.”
“Sounds good. I’ll be back.” Danny left with Tyler’s phone.
All he could do was stare at her. Even in her jeans, sweatshirt, and brown cap she was absolutely beautiful. God, thank You for saving me.
“Your car.” Lauren shook her head.
“It was crazy,” Tyler said. “I was driving in the fast lane and this truck started into my lane. I thought it was weird so I let off the accelerator. Next thing I knew it was pushing me off the freeway.”
“The video said a tire blew on the truck,” Lauren told him.
“I remember hitting the rail, then waking up to sirens.” Tyler lifted his hand to rub his eyes. The second he touched his left eye pain radiated through his head. “The first doc said I need to stay up all night since I have a concussion. My feeling is they want to keep me here until the entire staff has met me and gotten autographs.”
As if on cue, a doctor in his early thirties walked in. “Mr. Price?” he asked.
“Yeah. But you can call me Tyler.”
“I’m here to check your vitals. And tell you I love your latest. Saw it opening weekend.”
“Thanks.” Tyler motioned to his face. “Do you think the black eye I had in that was as authentic as this one?”
“Even more so. But this one will last a lot longer. Probably two weeks.” He glanced to Lauren. “Don’t worry, he’ll be handsome again by Valentine’s Day.”
“How are my ribs?” Tyler asked.
“The x-ray says not broken. They’ll be sore from the impact for a few days, maybe a week.” He pulled out a small pad of paper and pen from his doctor’s coat. “Mind making it out to Tom?”
“Did your head hurt this much when you were pregnant?” Tyler asked once they were alone again. She was all he could think of when they pulled him from the car, when the pain radiated throughout his body.
“Yeah.” Lauren frowned. “Sorry you’re in such pain.”
“There’s meds in my IV. Impressive you made it two months without any.”
“You can squeeze my hand if you want.”
The sweetness in her voice and eyes caused him to grin, but her red eyes hurt his heart. “You okay?”
Biting her lip, tears began to rise. “Thankful.”
“Guess we’ve had quite the eventful year.”
“Too eventful.” Her right hand lifted to his cheek, gently caressing it. “Sorry you’re in pain. I know that’s no fun.”
He closed his eyes, savoring her touch. “It helps me to appreciate all you went through, which reminds me I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
“Now I know how hard it was for you to watch me hurting.”
“Definitely harder than this.” He opened his eyes. “I’d rather be in pain than see you hurt ever again.”
Lauren’s eyes searched his face, as if seeing him for the first time. Bruises didn’t hide his good looks. They simply made her appreciate him. For an entire year he had been by her side. Father, forgive me for not realizing what a great man he is.
She swallowed back her tears. “I heard this joke the other day—”
He smiled at her comment. “Oh yeah? Is it a really stupid one?”
“Aren’t those the best kind?”
“They are, but it can’t be too funny. Laughing will hurt my ribs.”
Tyler flinched lifting his arms for Danny to pull a hospital t-shirt over his head and groaned when Danny pulled up the surgical pants.
“You sure you’re okay?”
“Moving hurts, breathing hurts, thinking hurts.” Tyler sat on the bed so Danny could put on his shoes. A wave of nausea rolled over him. “I’m a wreck, but I don’t want her to know that.”
“Try not to moan. That’s a dead giveaway.”
“True.” Tyler started to inhale and stopped. Shallow breaths, he told himself. “You got any sunglasses with you?”
Danny raised an eyebrow. “It was dark outside when we came. Besides, that would probably hurt resting on your face. You’re a little beat up.”
“I feel it.” Tyler slowly followed Danny from the room.
“Nice souvenirs.” Lauren met them at the ER entrance with Danny’s car. She opened the passenger door as Danny walked to the driver’s side.
“Tell me about it.” Tyler carefully lowered himself into the front seat. Every movement hurt. “Maybe this is a sign. In my next film, I’ll be a doctor.”
“You should come to my house,” Lauren said from the back seat once Danny pulled onto the street. “You can’t be alone.”
“I’ll drop you at home and then go to Tyler’s,” Danny said. “Shel said she’ll watch David when he wakes up so you can sleep, then she’ll come with you to Tyler’s this afternoon so she can drive me home.”
“Oh. Okay. Guess that’s a good idea. I need to feed little man anyway.”
Tyler could hear the disappointment in her voice. He didn’t want to upset her, but there was the “no spending the night together” rule. “You can make me dinner tonight. My celebratory meal.”
“What are we celebrating?”
“Not dying. I think that’s something to celebrate, don’t you?”
Lauren stared at the back of his head, tears welling up in her eyes. “It is. Chicken or steak?”
“Surprise me,” Tyler said.
“You know, Lauren, maybe you could start teaching Shelly to cook on Tuesday nights.” Danny glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “Instead of ordering carry-out, you can show her how to make some of your specialties.”
Holding his ribs, Tyler let out a small chuckle. “You tired of Top Ramen?”
“Her tacos aren’t bad, but man should not live on tacos alone,” Danny said. “I mean, they’re okay three or four days a week, but then I get tired of them.”
“Lauren made a mean grilled cheese when we first met. Now look at her. There’s definitely hope for Shelly.”
She laughed, remembering the first time she made him grilled cheese. The cheese wasn’t even melted.
“Do you have requests?” she asked.
“Any one of your five-star dishes. That salmon you made tonight was awesome.”
“She has a lot of them. Eggplant parmesan was Adam’s favorite. I think I’m stuck on your salmon. And jambalaya. Then there’s your spaghetti.” He shifted his head to the left in an effort to see her. “Really, I love all your cooking, even uncooked grilled cheese.”
A tear slipped down her cheek. Thank You, Lord, for saving him.
She stopped in David’s room first. Gently placing her hand on his chest, she allowed her breathing to match his. She smiled at his new pajamas, remembering how his zero-to-three-month-old clothes hung on him when they got home from the hospital. Now he wore four-to-six-month-old clothes. Six months ago he was still inside her, kicking and flipping. Now he was smiling and on the verge of rolling over. Each day she was filled with joy because of him.
Thank You, God, for my baby. Please keep Your hand upon him. Continue to strengthen him and help him grow.
Entering her room, she found Shelly on Adam’s side of the bed, covers pulled up, baby monitor on the nightstand beside her. Kicking off her shoes, Lauren climbed into bed. The image of Tyler’s Corvette, a mangled mess with the top cut off, appeared in her mind as soon as she closed her eyes. Tears came instantly. After several minutes her weeping became uncontrollable.
“Lauren.” Shelly rolled over toward her. “Hey, are you okay?” She rubbed Lauren’s arm.
“He could have died, Shel.” She pulled the blankets more tightly around her. “He should have died. Did you see his car?”
“I did, but God protected him. He’s going to be okay. Danny said—”
“I don’t know what I’d do without him.” The pressure in her chest grew again. “I need him. Oh, God, I need him.”
“I know.” Shelly wrapped her arms around her. “God knows. I think that’s why He saved Tyler. You don’t need to be sad, just grateful.”
“I can’t lose someone else I love. Not now.”
“God saved him. He’ll be okay.”
“You gave us quite the scare, bro,” Danny said as they drove to Tyler’s house.
“Freaked me out, too,” Tyler said. “Did she handle it okay?”
“No, she was a wreck. Started watching internet videos in the car on the way to the hospital and then hyperventilated. I took her phone away.”
Tyler began to laugh, stopping as pain radiated from his ribs. “That’s what I would have done.”
“Then we quoted scripture. Philippians 4. She started naming things she was thankful for.”
“Good girl.” Tyler placed one hand on his head.
“But when we got to the hospital she had a panic attack. Completely froze outside the ER.”
“I was afraid of that.” The pain reminded Tyler not to rub his forehead.
“I reminded her of the truth, opened Romans 8 for her to read as we walked into the hospital. She gets it and knows what to do. She just needs some reminding.”
“Thanks for taking care of her.”
“Absolutely.” Danny looked at Tyler with a crooked smile. “I’m thankful you’re okay. I was a little worried Shel’s dream was coming true.”
“Think this is one more confirmation I’m where I need to be. God’s obviously not done with me yet.”
“Did you want me to stop and get that prescription? I’m sure there’s a twenty-four-hour pharmacy on the way—”
“No. No Vicodin. Had some years ago after an accident on the set.” Tyler frowned. “There’s a reason they tell you not to mix it with alcohol, but I didn’t listen. Lauren got through her head pain without meds. I can, too. Through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving. Right?”
“Right,” Danny agreed. “That’s what it takes.”