Belief in Miracles (completed)

Chapter 26: Sebastian

"Then let it go until tomorrow. Give both of you some space."

I shook my head again. "I can't. Not after the way I acted."

"You got carried away, Bas. It's not like you raped her."

I froze mid-reach for the door handle and faced him. "She was raped, Tom, when she was fourteen, by the Pastor of her church who also happened to murder her mother in front of her."

Tom's lips parted in horror, but he didn't speak.

"You remember the man we met last week? Louis Davenport?"

He nodded.

"He was the Pastor's son, and Summer ran into him when we went to the movies. She was scared to death. It was that whole ordeal that turned her off to Christians. It's why she was so distant from God, but that chasm was starting to close, then I go and touch her and..." I shook my head as I gripped the door handle. "I could have ruined everything. I have to go now."

"Okay." He said softly, then crossed the living room to pick up Eustace, and wheeled it over to me with the cannula held out. "Then at least put this on, for my sake if anything, then I'll drive you."

Though I frowned at the thin tubing, I took it and wrapped it around my ears before sliding the cannula into place in my nose. Tom bent to turn on the oxygen, and watched me for several minutes as I took deep breaths. The sudden rush of air made my head swim, and I closed my eyes as I felt his hand brace on my bicep when I wobbled.

"You alright?"

I nodded, blinked several times before focusing on him. "A little lightheaded."

"You sure you don't want to wait?"

Shaking my head, I pulled open the door. I heard him groan behind me, but then the door closed, and he was at my side. He helped me into his car without a word, and cranked up the heat as we brushed snow out of our hair. Neither of us spoke the whole way to Summer's.

The porch light was on, but save for a single lamp glowing through the living room window, the house was dark. My eyes shot to the time on the dash to see it was almost ten. I didn't think she'd be asleep, but she had likely turned in for the night. I absently fingered the tubes of the cannula in my lap as I stared at the house. Snow was falling in drifts to blanket the car, melting into steam as it landed on the engine-warmed hood.

"Want me to wait a few minutes?" Tom asked. "In case she doesn't answer?"

I nodded without speaking, then with a deep breath, climbed out of the car, dragging Eustace with me. A cat leaped into the front window as I approached, and I paused when I saw it, having forgotten about Skittles. I could feel Tom's eyes on me as I rounded my backpack to my front and rummaged for a face mask. I didn't have one, and I wasn't about to go back and tell Tom that I would be entering a house with a cat after what had happened last time. I was lucky enough that Skittles was angled out of his line of sight.

With my eyes on the window, and the yellow eyes watching me with suspicion, I moved up to the front door and rang the doorbell. Several seconds passed before I rang it again, and glanced over my shoulder to see Tom raise in hands in question through the windshield. I mimicked the look, then rang the bell again. Nothing. From behind me, I heard the car door open, and turned to see Tom standing with one foot out, arm atop the hood.

"Come on, she's obviously sleeping."

I held up a finger, and he grumbled as he dropped back into the car and slammed the door. My hands were practically frozen as I pushed the bell again, and I was startled when my phone suddenly began ringing in my pocket. Pulling it out, I smiled. It was Summer.