New Beginnings.
Lynn looked up as she heard a door at the end of the corridor shut, and saw the doctor come down the hospital hall towards her. She immediately hopped out of her chair.
"Anything?" she asked.
"Mrs. Kellen," Dr. Alex Roberts began, "There is nothing more that I can do for Miranda. This disease,.. this heart problem,... it's something that I can't fix. She is finally responding, but Mrs. Kellen, if this continues to go on, I'm afraid that there will be no hope for her recovery."
"You mean..." Lynn looked up at the doctor fearfully.
"If something isn't done soon... she's not going to make it."
Lynn could feel the tears begin pouring down her cheeks.
"Why Miranda dear Lord? Why her?"
"The only thing else that I can do is recommend you to another doctor."
Lynn didn't care if it took twenty doctors. Just... to help her daughter..
"Who?"
"Dr. Rodney Johnson. He is a professional cardiologist. Well known throughout our hospital. But unfortunately, he was sent as a medical doctor in the war."
"Then how does that help us?" Lynn questioned stonily.
"If you can find some way to get to England..."
"England? We hardly have enough money to pay the bills on the small house we live in. We can't pay our way to England."
"Please Mrs. Kellen. Just hear me out."
Lynn, shoulders shaking and knees trembling, nodded her head and sat back down.
"If you can sell your house, sell some of the furniture that isn't needed, jewelry, books, anything. Whatever else you need, this hospital will provide. We would simply be transporting your daughter from one doctor to another. From one hospital to another. It just so happens that these doctors and hospitals are across an ocean."
His slight stab at some humor in the dark light brought a small smile to Lynn's face. Goodness knows she needed some hope and laughter right now.
"Is he the only person you can recommend?" Lynn asked, just to be sure.
"I'm afraid so. There are many other cardiologists out there, but he is the only one I believe can help you, and the only one that I truly trust."
Lynn nodded her head. This was going to be a big step. She would have to call up friends, family, and the church for as much help as she could get. But she was not going to lose her daughter without a fight.
"I would appreciate if you would call Dr. Johnson and let him know that he is going to have a new patient."
Dr. Alex gave a relieved smile.
"I'll be sure to do that."
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Miranda's hand clenched around the sword necklace in her hand. Thank goodness they hadn't taken it from her. She didn't know how she would have explained it to her mom. Slowly, she placed the necklace back inside her hospital clothes, relishing in the feel of the leather against her neck.
She heard the door to her room being opened and quickly put her hand to her side, away from her neck. Her mother entered the room.
"Hey hon. How are you feeling?"
"I'm feeling a little fuzzy, and my chest hurts a bit. But besides that, I think that I'm okay."
"The doctor says that you should stay here for a few days just to be sure that everything goes alright. Then... you should be able to come home."
Miranda nodded her head, but sensed something else.
"What's wrong mom?"
Her mother's head snapped to look at her. Miranda inwardly cringed. She needed to find a more subtle way to do this.
"The doctor says that we need to get you to another doctor. Dr. Johnson... in England."
"England?" Miranda sat up as she spoke.
"Yes Miranda, now lie back down."
Miranda conceded to do what she was asked.
"It's the only hope that Dr. Alex has. He's done all he could. I'll sell the house, sell what furniture I can, call up some friends and family, then we'll see where we are."
Miranda wanted to argue, wanted to say something, but the hope in her mother's eyes, the look of love shining in her face, made her stop.
"Okay mom," Miranda said, feeling groggy now.
Her mother smiled.
"I'll let you sleep now hon."
As her mother closed the door to the hospital room, Miranda turned over and relaxed. Within seconds, she was asleep. But not before promising herself that she wouldn't let her mom know.
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a month later
Lynn grasped onto the airplane seat as it lurched in the sky. What she wouldn't give to be back on the ground.
She looked over to the sleeping form of her daughter. Her pale face for once looked relaxed and calm, and she could hear her steady breathing. How Miranda could sleep through all of this, she would never know.
It had now been over a month since she had told Miranda of going to England. To think that right now they were on a plane going there was almost too much for Lynn to handle.
It had taken selling much of their stuff and calling up lots of people to financially help, but thankfully, it had all paid off.
She glanced again at Miranda. Miranda stirred a bit to find a more comfortable position, then was still again.
What had gotten into her this last year? She never used to be this relaxed or contained. Lynn never remembered her being quite as subdued to treatments as she had been in this last year. That was one thing about her that had been uncontrollable before. Her independence and wanting to do things on her own. What had happened?
She finally decided that it must be her newfound faith in God. Yes, surely that must be it.
But something in the past month had changed. Lynn wasn't quite sure what it was, but she was quite determined to find out.
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"Peter! Get away from here!"
Peter tried to move. His legs felt like glue, and his vision was fuzzy. He turned his head to find the source of the voice.
"Who are you?" he shouted.
"Peter! Get away Peter! Hurry! Please!"
Peter swung his body around, recognizing that voice.
"Miranda? Miranda, what's wrong? What's going on?"
"Peter!" the voice shouted again.
Peter turned his head once more, and gasped.
Miranda stood there with her sword in one hand and her knife in the other. She panted from exhaustion, and sweat poured down her face.
"Miranda," he shouted.
"Peter, look out!"
Peter swiveled back around; and faced the icy blue eyes of his worst nightmare.
The White Witch smiled, a knife in her hand. Peter tried to run, but he couldn't. Jadis began to chuckle as she raised her weapon.
"No!"
Peter suddenly felt a shove, and he was thrown to the ground. Giving his head a shake, he turned to see Miranda and Jadis in heated combat.
"I won't let you harm them!" Miranda shouted.
"That's not for you to decide anymore," the White Witch laughed. "You are weak and unable to protect them."
"No!" Miranda cried out. "You won't succeed!"
"I already have!" Jadis screeched out. Then, out of nowhere, her wand appeared in her hand, and she pointed it at Miranda.
And a blue light flashed from the wand.
"Miranda!"
Peter sat straight up, cold sweat on his forehead.
"Miranda," he whispered, placing a hand on his forehead. His breath was rapid and it felt like his heart was thumping out of his chest.
"Just a dream," he told himself, "It was just a dream."
Breathing slowly to calm down his racing heart, Peter lay back down again.
"Just a dream," he whispered again. But deep down, he wondered if it really was.
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Lynn quickly thanked the cab driver and paid the fare. Then, smiling at her daughter beside her, she walked up and unlocked the door of their new apartment.
Upon a quick look of the place revealed that it was small, but clean, and had enough space for the two of them. And thank goodness for the fact that it was already furnished.
"Well," Lynn began, "The first thing to do is..."
"Unpack." Miranda finished.
"How did you know that?" Lynn asked playfully.
"Call it "I've been living with my mother too long"," Miranda teased back.
Lynn gave her daughter a quick wink. For the first time in a long while, she felt that everything was going to be just fine.
The two young women began to slowly but steadily unpack their things. At about 6:00, they both decided that it was time to eat, even though their bodies told them that it was only a little bit after lunch.
"Anything you want in particular Miranda?" Lynn asked.
"Old-fashioned PB and J's sound good to me."
"Good," Lynn said, "Cause that's what we got."
Miranda and Lynn began laughing.
"Okay, I'll go make them," Lynn said, still smiling.
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As soon as her mom stepped out of the room, Miranda quickly took out the one thing that she had had to stow away in the packing. Silently, Miranda took the bundle and hurried to her new room. She immediately put the bundle underneath her bed. Then, a new thought coming to her, she untied her necklace and placed it on top of the bundle.
Now, anything that was connected to Narnia was with her, but hidden.