As time progressed, Grace and Zoe became closer, a godsend for Zoe since she was otherwise alone in her battle against the renegade cells trying to take over her body. She’d begun chemo with gusto, determined to channel every bit of energy into willing the cancer to die. Two weeks into the treatment Grace insisted Zoe move in with us, before the adverse side effects began to hit. Zoe hesitated at first, afraid she would be imposing, but we both insisted that she allow us to care for her in one of the few ways we could. She finally relented, but only after making us promise not to alter our lifestyle any to accommodate her. This was hardly necessary; she had practically an entire wing of the house to herself, and none of us were forced to see each other if we didn’t want to. She and Grace spent the mornings talking through Zoes questions about God and faith, and Grace always accompanied her to the hospital for her treatments. Grace was always a wreck after these trips, but she refused to let Zoe know and instead spilled her grief to me.

One afternoon I came home from a HAP meeting to find the two of them singing in the kitchen with the radio on full blast and the makings of a cake strewn about the island. It took them a moment to notice my presence, but once they did they shrieked and rushed me, both talking at once and completely incomprehensible. The words they spoke a mile a minute finally sank in: Zoe had become a Christian.

I whooped and laughed along with them, squeezing Zoe in a bear hug and joining their carousing. As soon as the cake came out of the oven we struck out for Zoes favorite restaurant to celebrate. It was a much-needed bright spot in our lives, which had become dominated by cancer research and hospital visits and a general feeling of dread.

Two nights later we had our third house party, which had grown to forty people. Zoe made no secret about her decision, and most of the evening was spent with people asking her what had made her change her mind about God. The air was electric with curiosity on the part of our guests, and anticipation of the next decision on ours. We prayed like crazy over the following week for the next house party.