Light This Candle (Harlequin More Than Words) Read online

  The surgeon waited patiently. Finally, when she was able to look up at him again, he continued. “Cody is in recovery. He should regain consciousness very soon. We didn’t want to keep him under anesthesia any longer than necessary. It would be helpful if you’re there when he wakes up. Sometimes children can be disoriented and get upset coming out of anesthesia. If he sees a familiar face immediately upon waking, it will help keep him calm.”

  “Of course,” she said.

  Mitch helped her to her feet and kept a steadying arm around her, for which she was grateful, as they followed the surgeon from the room.

  Her son was alive.

  Cody would be all right.

  Everything would be all right.

  The knowledge of these things washed through her with the power of a religious revelation. Or maybe they actually were a religious revelation. Maybe God had, in fact, sent all these blessings to her. She offered up a heartfelt prayer of thanks as she and Mitch walked down the brightly lit hallway.

  Thanks to the presurgery briefing, she was prepared for all the tubes and wires that were attached to her son. He looked tiny and pale and fragile buried under a heavy bandage that swathed his entire torso.

  The surgeon explained to them that Cody would be allowed to regain consciousness and his neurological functions would be tested briefly. Then he would be sedated again and administered heavy painkillers for the next few days. Cracking open the chest to access the heart was intensely painful, he told them.

  She nodded her understanding, grateful for Mitch’s warm body pressed against her side. With every beep of the heart monitor, every rise and fall of Cody’s little chest, she offered up another silent prayer of thanks.

  And then the speed of the steady beeps increased slightly. It took a while, but eventually Cody’s eyelids fluttered. Mitch’s arm tightened around her shoulders. They waited several more agonizing minutes. Cody took a deep breath...and opened his eyes.

  It was still him. Her son looked back at her with his usual wry humor and awareness beyond his young years. He closed his eyes again. In a few minutes, without opening his eyes, he mouthed a soundless hi around the respirator.

  “Hi, sweetie,” she said softly. “How are you feeling? Tired?”

  He nodded.

  She smiled down at him. “Your new heart is doing great, and you’re doing even greater. You get to sleep for a while now. And when you wake up, your new heart will make you feel a ton better. Okay?”

  He nodded again.

  Mitch laid his hand lightly on Cody’s forehead. “We love you, buddy.”

  Cody smiled faintly at Mitch’s touch, and her heart felt as if it doubled in size at the sight of that smile. That was when she knew she had her answer to Mitch’s proposal.

  “Hey, Cody,” she said. “I have a question for you. How would you feel about Mitch and me getting married?”

  Mitch’s gaze snapped to hers, questioning. Hopeful.

  Cody’s eyes opened at that. Shifted back and forth between her and Mitch. Slowly, slowly his right fist rotated on top of the blanket. His little thumb stuck straight up in the air.

  She looked over at Mitch. “Well, there you have it. I guess we accept your proposal.” Broad grins from the medical staff joined with Mitch’s.

  Against all odds, Cody had a new heart, her own was healed and Mitch’s was filled. It was as if all three of them had been born again into new lives tonight. Into the darkness, a tiny flicker of hope had ignited and stubbornly refused to be extinguished. Like that silly candle on her birthday cupcake. Patches of light had broken through the blackness of her life, making way for a brilliantly bright new beginning that had to have come straight from heaven itself.

  Mitch’s arm went around her shoulder and hers looped around his waist. They both reached down with their free hands to take one of Cody’s, forming a circle of love. Complete. Unbroken. A family.

  * * * * *

  Dear Reader,

  I suppose every author who is invited to participate in Harlequin’s More Than Words program talks about how lucky they feel to get a chance to highlight one of the amazing women the program recognizes. They probably talk about what an honor it is; what a privilege; even what a joy it is. They would all be right.

  As a writer, I hope my stories touch readers in a little way—maybe put a smile on your face, or provide a momentary escape from the real world. But Mindy Atwood and her charity, Patches of Light, touch lives in a powerful and meaningful way that is humbling to witness.

  Learning about the work Mindy and her organization do is a reminder to all of us of what really matters in life. Family. Loved ones. Helping others. Laughter. Our kids. I can only hope that in small part I captured that spirit in this story, which I offer up as a tribute to the work of a truly remarkable lady. Mindy, this one’s for you.

  All my best,

  Cindy Dees

  Two more FREE ebooks await!

  In Good Neighbors, author Sheila Roberts honors the work of Sally Spencer and the not-for-profit organization Youth Assisting Youth in Toronto, Ontario.

  And in Just Joe, author Carla Cassidy pays tribute to the work of Helen McGovern, executive director for the Emergency Food Network—the only non-profit that takes food straight from the land to the tables of those in need.

  TO ACCESS YOUR FREE EBOOKS VISIT

  www.HarlequinMoreThanWords.com

  ISBN: 978-14592-4569-3

  More Than Words

  Copyright © 2013 by Harlequin Books S.A.

  Cindy Dees is acknowledged as the author of Light This Candle.

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  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

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