Part 17 (1/2)

Lorenzo's thoughts were muddled, but his heart could still feel the heavy weight of his pain, the burden that had first come to visit him shortly after the incident happened when he was eleven years old.

Although he'd been too young to give it a name, he knew it had left him with an unpleasant feeling, one that he could not clearly communicate to anyone. The pain had left him for a while but later returned, and then made regular visits throughout his teen years. When he became an adult, the pain took up permanent residency in his soul.

”Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of G.o.d” the woman asked, ”and that He died on the cross for your sins?” She pointed her finger at the camera, and through his blurred vision, Lorenzo thought she was pointing directly at him.

”We're all sinners in need of forgiveness and change,” she continued. ”Can you admit that you're a sinner? Are you in need of change?” Her voice got stronger. ”Do you want to be forgiven?

”Accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior.” She was almost yelling. ”Surrender yourself to Him,” she said. ”Ask Jesus to come into your life and take control of your heart. Ask Him,” she pleaded, and her voice became soft again. ”He will if you ask Him to.”

Soft music began playing in the background, and Lorenzo thought it was the sweetest sound he had ever heard.

The woman lowered her voice. ”Ask Jesus to come into your heart,” she whispered. ”Let Him take over and give you the rest and the peace you can't find anywhere else. It doesn't matter what you've been through. It doesn't matter what your pain is. He can heal you. Surrender to Him and be healed. Surrender to Jesus and be set free!”

Lorenzo's level of consciousness was fading. ”Help me, Jesus!” he cried out.

”And remember,” the elderly lady added with optimism, ”John 8:36 says, 'So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.' Amen!”

”Amen,” Lorenzo mumbled.

”This is G.o.d's promise to you personally,” she said, ”and G.o.d cannot lie. But,” she stared directly into the camera, ”Satan can.”

She encouraged everyone who had been watching or listening to the program to pick up the phone and dial the 1-800 phone number that she gave. She also pointed out that the number was visible on the bottom of the television screen.

She said volunteers were waiting to talk and pray with people who were hurting, lost, and confused-people just like Lorenzo. In fact, Lorenzo thought he heard her say his name specifically, and he smiled.

He opened his eyes to look at the television screen. He tried to read the phone number, but all he saw was one short, blurry line. He reached for his phone and accidentally knocked it to the floor.

”Call now,” he heard her saying. ”Jesus is waiting.” She read off the phone number again. Her voice sounded closer, louder, as it rose above the music playing in the background. He thought he heard a phone ringing. ”Call now,” she said, ”before it's too late.”

He bent down to pick up his phone.

”Jesus is the answer,” she continued. ”The only cure. He can do for you what that alcohol won't do, that needle can't do, and those pills you take will never do.”

Lorenzo stood up quickly. How did she know he had taken all those pills? The room began spinning as he tried to focus on the numbers still showing on the television screen. He reached for the back of the couch in an effort to balance himself but fell sideways instead. His head bounced like an underinflated basketball as it made impact with the hardwood floor. Then he was still.

Chapter Thirty-three.

It wasn't until Serenity had made it around the corner that she slowed down. Disappointed that she hadn't met Saucer, she wondered why Cookie's next-door neighbor had been sitting in his car across the street from the empty parking lot.

Now, she walked slowly home from the bus stop. She kept her head down as she carefully maneuvered her steps between the intermittent patches of ice on the sidewalk. Why was she such a failure? She couldn't even walk down a simple path without tripping over her own feet.

And no one seemed to care-not just about the failed audition but about her. She stepped over the cracks in the sidewalk. Her mother was too busy, and her father was too high. She thought Saucer had cared but even he hadn't shown up.

She reached in her pocket and pulled out her key as she walked up the pathway to her house. As soon as she opened the door, Catch came running up to her, but this time he didn't wait for her to rub and pat his back. He paced around in a circle, then ran back and forth from the hallway to the living room.

”Hey, Catch,” Serenity said taking off her h.e.l.lo Kitty hat. ”What's wrong?” She followed him into the living room and immediately saw Lorenzo lying sideways on the floor.

She bent down and gently shook his shoulder. ”Daddy?”

He didn't answer.

”Daddy!” She pushed his shoulder harder, causing his entire body to shake.

There was still no answer.

Her eyes searched quickly for the house phone sitting on the corner table in the hallway. She picked it up and called the hospital where her mother worked. When the operator answered, she asked to be connected the fifth floor.

”Victory Memorial, 5 West subacute unit. This is Stephanie. How can I help you?”

”I need to speak to my mom,” Serenity blurted out.

”And who is your mom?”

”Tia Sparks!”

Moments later Tia was on the phone.

”Ma!” Serenity screamed. ”There's something wrong with Daddy. He's lying on the floor, and I can't wake him up!”

”Wait,” Tia spoke firmly. ”Serenity, calm down. What do you mean you can't wake him up?”

”He's on the floor, and he won't wake up!”

”Is he breathing?”

It was silent.

”Serenity!”

She was crying now. ”I can't tell!”

”Call 9-1-1. No, wait. I'll call them. You call Tony and Shari and tell them what happened!”

”Okay.”

Tia hung up the phone and dialed 9-1-1.

”9-1-1,” the operator answered. ”What is your emergency?”

”I'm calling from Victory Memorial Hospital. My daughter just called and told me my husband is unconscious on the floor at our home. The address is . . .”

”What is your name, ma'am?”

”Tia Sparks.”