Unable to leave the house all weekend, Hardy tried dozens of times to call Miracle, but she didn’t answer. He texted her, but got no response. The longer she ignored him, the lower he sank into depression.

When Monday rolled around, Hardy was once more allowed to drive his car. Wayne Bradford couldn’t be inconvenienced with taking his son to school and far be it for a Bradford to ride the bus, so he gave Hardy his keys back.

The first thing Hardy did was drive by Miracle’s house. Her car was gone. He could only assume she’d driven herself to school. He went straight to her locker when he got there, but she was nowhere to be found. Deciding to bide his time until third period, Hardy stopped looking for her.

Miracle showed up in Chemistry Lab right as the bell was sounding. She didn’t look in his direction even one time during the entire class. Then, at the end, she was out of her seat and out the door the instant the bell rang. Hardy watched her go, feeling slow and frustrated.

Things only got worse for him when she didn’t show up for lunch. Hardy absently tolerated the teasing of his friends as he watched for her to make her way out into the sun with Lucy. But she didn’t. Hardy didn’t see Miracle or Lucy. At all.

By the time sixth period photography rolled around, Hardy was as grouchy as a bear with a thorn in its paw. When Miracle hadn’t appeared by the time the bell rang, Hardy went to talk to Mr. Gault to see if he’d heard from her.

“She’s already been in. She asked to work in the conservatory today since she’s already done this part of her assignment,” Mr. Gault said, referring to a short quiz they were supposed to be taking.

“Can I be excused?”

Mr. Gault eyed Hardy suspiciously.

“My hand’s hurting,” Hardy fibbed easily. He didn’t care. He would say whatever he had to in order to get to the conservatory.

“All right. Straight to the nurse’s office. No stops along the way.”

“Yes, sir,” Hardy said, hating to disappoint his favorite teacher should he find out what Hardy was really up to.

Without giving it another thought, Hardy bolted for the conservatory. When he reached it, he wrenched the door open with his good hand and searched the balmy interior for Miracle. Somehow he knew where she would be—with the orchids.

When he rounded the corner, Hardy’s heart jumped up into his throat. Miracle was lying on her side beneath the orchids as if she’d lain down to take a nap with the sleeping night-bloomers.

“Miracle?” Hardy said softly, doing his best to hide the panic in his voice. At her name, Miracle’s eyelashes fluttered and she licked her lips. She was pale and sweaty and she looked like she was on death’s doorstep.

“Hardy,” she answered flatly, her eyes closing again. Hardy could hear her shallow breathing. He rushed to her, dropping to his knees at her side.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his hands dancing lightly over her body as he searched for an injury of some sort, praying he’d find one. He refused to think that what ailed her was something internal, something he couldn’t see. Something that could take her from him forever. He felt tears sting his eyes when she didn’t answer. “Miracle, can you hear me?”

Her nod was barely perceptible, so without wasting one more minute, Hardy dropped his camera bag and scooped her up into his arms. He didn’t even feel the pain radiating up his arm from his wounded hand.

Nearly running, Hardy made his way to the nurse’s office, bypassing the attendant and going straight into one of the two bays to lay Miracle on the bed. An indignant nurse followed him, but her angry words died on her lips when she saw Miracle.

“Marjorie, call 911,” she called behind her before returning her attention to Miracle.

“I found her like this. What’s wrong with her?”

The nurse put the back of her hand against Miracle’s brow and frowned. “Well, she’s not running a fever. What’s her name?”

“Miracle.”

“Miracle,” the nurse said, gently rubbing Miracle’s cheek. “Miracle, honey, can you hear me?”

Miracle mumbled something unintelligible as she struggled to open her eyes, to no avail.

“Well?” Hardy prompted.

“Is she allergic to anything? Bee stings? Anything like that?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Hmm. Well, it’s hard to say what it is, honey, but they’ll get her to the hospital and take a look at her there.”

“So we’re waiting for the ambulance? I can get her to the hospital faster. Let me take her,” Hardy begged.

“No, sir!” the nurse said, shaking her head. “Neither one of you is leaving my sight until the ambulance gets here.”

Hardy had a feeling she might say that. He could’ve kicked himself for not taking Miracle straight to the hospital. He knew it was always better to ask forgiveness than permission. Now he was stuck.

“Do you know if she has any health problems?”

“Yes, she had kidney cancer a while back and had chemo and radiation.”

Hardy saw the look that came over the nurse’s face. He felt it like an arrow to his heart. He knew what she was thinking and it was almost more than he could bear.

“Please let me take her,” he pleaded. Hardy’s voice trembled, but he didn’t care. The only thing he cared about was lying on a bed in front of him, precious seconds of her life ticking by. “Please.”

The nurse’s face softened. “Darlin’, whatever is wrong with her isn’t going to be fixed in the next ten minutes. Besides, they’ll take her in faster if she comes in on the squad.”

Hardy rationalized that she was probably right, so he quit asking to take her. Instead, he squatted down and took Miracle’s limp hand in his splinted one.

“Miracle? Can you hear me?”

Her head rolled from side to side and she mumbled again, but he got no more reaction than that.

“Did you carry her all the way here with a broken hand?”

Hardy didn’t spare a glance at the nurse. “Yes, ma’am.”

He heard her sigh. He felt her pity. But he didn’t want it. He just wanted Miracle to be okay.

“She’ll be all right, won’t she?”

“I sure hope so, honey.”

The nurse left to make sure the secretary notified Miracle’s mother. Six minutes later, the ambulance arrived to carry Miracle away. Without even asking for permission, Hardy went straight to his car and followed them.

When he got to the hospital, Kelly St. James was already there. She was visibly shaken, but still holding it together. A nurse appeared just as they were taking Miracle back into the bowels of the emergency room. Could you please get her registered while we get her into a room? We’ll bring you straight back as soon as you’re finished.

Hardy couldn’t imagine how hard that was for Kelly to hear. She nodded stiffly and turned toward the registration area. Hardy paced the floor in the waiting area, knowing he had no choice but to await Miracle’s mother. Some ten minutes later, she emerged.

“Mrs. St. James! Kelly!” he called, rushing toward her.

Although she didn’t look exactly thrilled to see him, she didn’t look like she had completely written him off either. He took that as a good sign and hoped she’d have pity on him.

“Hardy, I really don’t have time for this right now. I—”

“Please,” Hardy interrupted. “I don’t know what Miracle has told you, but please don’t make me leave. I need to know she’s gonna be okay.”

“You can call and check on her later. I’m sure—”

“I don’t want to call and check on her. I want to see her. I need to be here when she wakes up. There’s something I have to tell her.”

“It can wait until she’s—”

“No, it can’t. Please. Please, Mrs. St. James.”

Hardy could tell that she was about to tell him no again. He reached out and put his hands on her shoulders, looking her square in the eye. “Please. I love her.”

Hardy knew the instant she changed her mind. Her features relaxed and he saw the worry that she felt shine through.

“All right, but if you upset her, you’re leaving. Period.”

“Yes, ma’am. I don’t want to upset her.”

“Let me go back and check on her. I’ll send someone for you when she’s decent.”

Hardy nodded and tightly smiled his gratitude. He was hoping she’d let him go back with her now, and he wanted to argue. But, desperate or not, he was still smart enough to realize when not to push it. He decided that if she didn’t send for him soon, he’d call back and aggravate her until she agreed to let him in. And if she refused, he’d wait for her to go to the bathroom or go get a drink and he’d sneak in to see Miracle. One way or the other, he was getting back there. No one was going to keep him from Miracle. No one.

Hardy took turns pacing the waiting room, asking for updates from the volunteers and staring out the big bay of sliding glass doors. Every minute that passed felt like a year. When it had been just over an hour, Hardy walked to the courtesy phone and dialed the ER’s number. When a woman’s voice answered, he asked to be connected to Miracle’s room. Her mother answered the phone.

“How is she? Can I see her?” he asked without even identifying himself. He didn’t need to. Miracle’s mother knew who was calling.

“Come on back,” she said and then hung up.

Hardy went to the burly security guard that sat behind a sheet of bullet proof glass. For all intents and purposes, he was a gatekeeper, so Hardy took the time to explain that he was being allowed to see Miracle. Eyeing him suspiciously, the gatekeeper picked up his phone and dialed a number, murmuring to someone on the other end. He nodded twice and hung up. Without looking up at Hardy, the security officer leaned forward and pressed a button that allowed Hardy to hear him more clearly.

“I’ll buzz you in.”

And then he did.

Hardy made his way back through the hall of pulled curtains and closed doors to the nurse’s station. He felt like he’d just been there, mainly because he practically had. As if on cue, his hand gave him a deep pang to remind him of its state of injury. Hardy ignored it as he approached the nurses.

“Miracle St. James.”

One of the younger nurses looked on a coded board behind her and gave Hardy a room number, pointing him in the right direction. With a heavy heart, he turned and walked that way.

Somehow, they had managed to rouse her a little. Her eyes were open and her mother stood at the head of her bed, smoothing her hair in a repetitive motion. Hardy didn’t have to imagine how scared and helpless she felt. He felt the same way.

Nervously, he shoved his hands in his pockets, wincing when his hand cried out. That hand wouldn’t fit in his pocket anymore, what with the splint and all, and he’d jammed his fingers trying to make it go. Both Miracle and Kelly looked down at his hand as he tucked it behind his back.

He walked around the bed and stopped at Miracle’s feet, uncertain of how receptive she would be to him. “Hey,” he said lamely.

Her lips curved the tiniest bit. “Hey.”

Hardy moved toward her head a little more, glancing up at her mother to make sure she wasn’t giving him the stink eye. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I could run a marathon. How ‘bout you?”

He managed a small smile at her joke. He didn’t know how she could tease in her current condition. Just another amazing part of the person she was, Hardy supposed.

“Getting ready to go throw some javelin.” Hardy made the motion with his hurt hand. Miracle grinned.

“Good idea.”

Hardy shrugged. “I thought so.”

Miracle’s mother bent and pressed a kiss to the top of Miracle’s head. “Be right back, baby. I’m gonna go find the bathroom.”

Miracle nodded. Kelly St. James looked at Hardy and smiled a little on her way out. He wondered if that was her version of a green light. He hoped it was. If he thought she would believe him, he’d tell her how he wanted to protect Miracle, how he wanted to make her happy forever and make sure nothing happened to her, to make sure she never shed another tear as long as she lived. But now wasn’t the time. And she might not believe him anyway. Hardy figured he’d just have to show her.

When Kelly was gone, Hardy moved even closer to the head of the bed. Hesitantly, he reached out and brushed a stray hair off Miracle’s damp cheek. She frowned at his hand.

“Did you carry me to the nurse’s office?”

Hardy nodded. He was afraid he couldn’t speak past the lump that had formed in his throat.

“With a broken hand?”

He nodded again.

“Why would you do that? You could’ve just gone to get someone.”

Hardy shrugged and cleared his throat. “I wasn’t about to leave you.”

Miracle’s chin trembled. “Well, thank you for going to all that trouble. And for doing something I’m sure hurt like the devil.”

“You’re worth it.”

“Hardy,” she said, her voice quivering. “What are you doing here?”

“Don’t ask me to leave.”

“But you shouldn’t be here. You don’t need this in your life.”

“Don’t you mean you don’t need me in your life?”

Miracle paused for what seemed like an eternity before she spoke. “I know that’s not who you are, Hardy. I was just scared.”

“And I’m so sorry I scared you. I swear to you, I’m nothing like my father. I just…I saw him and…I thought you…”