She saw the same fear in his eyes that she felt inside. That scared her as much as seeing her son lying lifeless on the wrestling mat. Jimmy had such a strong faith, such a belief that God was working in the good and the bad. But he was just as perplexed as she was.

Instead of driving to David’s favorite restaurant, they followed the ambulance to the hospital, weaving in and out of traffic behind the vehicle with its lights on, siren blaring.

“What happened?” she said again in the car. “I don’t understand.”

“They’ll figure it out,” Jimmy said.

“What if they can’t? What if he’s gone? Jimmy, I can’t lose my son.”

He reached over and took her hand in his. “God gave us David, right? You believe that.”

Susan nodded.

“He’s been in this the whole time. And I think God is asking us again if we will trust Him. But we have to take this step together.”

Susan looked up through her tears.

Jimmy’s eyes were focused on the road ahead, the lights of the ambulance flickering red and white on his face. “Just one step at a time. Let’s trust that God has this, even though we’re scared. Let’s believe He will help us through whatever is ahead.” He squeezed her hand and she saw the water in his eyes.

Susan looked away. She thought of the man in the Bible who brought his son to Jesus and she whispered, “‘I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!’”

Once they arrived, Susan jumped from the car and hurried through the parking lot to the hospital entrance. She always had a warm feeling when she passed one. Their lives had changed for the better because of a hospital. Now, with the evening shadows falling, the building looked ominous.

Jimmy caught up to her at the emergency room door. She went directly to the front desk and asked where her son was but was told they’d have to wait in the lobby.

“I want to see him,” Susan said.

“We’re taking good care of him, Mrs. Colton. Let us work with him, okay?”

Relief flooded over Susan when she was finally able to see David in the exam room. He was dressed in a hospital gown, alert and propped up on pillows. He smiled when he saw them and she hugged him and sat next to the bed.

“How are you feeling?” Jimmy said.

“Okay, I guess,” David said. “My head hurts.”

“Do you remember anything that happened?” Susan said.

“I thought we were going to dinner and then everything went blank.”

“It’s okay,” Susan said. “The doctors are going to help figure this out.”

“Maybe it was dehydration or all the excitement of going to the finals,” Jimmy said.