I’m taking Bob out for a walk, Dad,” Hatti yelled on her way out the door.
Daniel Cooke laid his morning paper on the table and turned just in time to see
the screen door slamming behind the exuberant eight-year-old girl. “Don’t be
gone long,” he said, knowing she probably didn’t hear him.
He had been trying for some time to get her to stop carrying that frog in her
front overalls pocket, but he had finally given up. “He likes riding around in
there,” she would protest. He felt a degree of sympathy for the poor frog, but
wasn’t about to break his little girl’s heart for its sake. And he would rather
she spend her time playing with frogs than not play at all.
When Hatti’s mother died, Daniel wondered whether he would ever be able to give
Hatti an adequate home life. After all, how could he raise a two-year-old girl
and still take care of his farming duties? Although farming was becoming more
difficult every year, he thanked God every day for what he had. And mostly, he
thanked God for the gift of a daughter like Hatti. He couldn’t imagine life
without her.
Hatti ran as fast as she could while still keeping Bob from falling out of her
pocket, her uneven red pigtails flailing behind her. She didn’t care for her
pigtails one bit. They only served to keep her hair out of the way. She had
often pleaded with her father to cut her hair short, but he always refused. “I
won’t have my little princess looking like a boy,” he would say.
Hatti made her way past the barn and out into the cornfield. She loved to run
through the tall cornstalks where the rest of the world seemed to disappear. It
was here that she would stay for sometimes hours at a time, talking to Bob and
telling him all her secrets. Of course, her secret list being very short, Bob
usually heard the same secrets every day. And every day she would grab his
little webbed foot and have him pinky swear not to tell anyone. He always
obliged.
Hatti knew her daddy would be sad if he ever found out her biggest secret. But
she had to tell someone, and Bob was the only one she could trust. He never
talked. Hatti didn’t want anyone to know that she was angry. Mainly, she was
angry with her mother for leaving. “Your mommy loves you very much, sweetheart,”
Daniel had said to her. “And one day we’ll get to see her again with Jesus.”
Hatti wasn’t sure how her mother died. Hatti remembered her father telling her
about it.
“Your mother was very sick. We prayed that Jesus would make her well. But He
doesn’t always answer our prayers just the way we want him to. But Jesus did
answer our prayers for your mother. He took her to a place where she will never
be sick again.”
She was only six at the time of the conversation, but she still noticed the
tears forming in his eyes as he spoke. Hatti wondered why he was so sad if the
place Mommy went to was so great. That question renewed her anger and
frustration as she wiped a tear from her eye, still sitting with Bob in the
cornfield. Bob gave a little croak as he sat in her hands looking up at her. She
held him to her cheek as she managed, “Oh Bob, if Jesus ever asks you to go with
him, just say no.” “Hatti!” she heard her father yell.
“Coming, daddy,” she replied as she jumped up and made her way back out of the
corn. When she reached him he was opening the barn door.
“Listen, sweetheart, I’m going to be out in the field for a while. Stay close to
the house so you can hear the phone, okay? And be watching for Aunt Sarah. She
said she was going to be bringing by some of her homemade apple pie later.”
“Okay.”
“I love you, Princess,” he said as he knelt down and hugged her.
“I love you too.”
"You are still my little princess, right?”
“Yes, daddy.”
“Are you still my sweetheart?”
“Yeah,” she said burying her head in his chest.
“Are you still my sugar bear?” he asked, grinning from ear to ear.
“Dad, stop it,” she said blushing and giggling despite herself.
“I’ll see you in a couple hours,” he said as he turned for the tractor parked in
the barn. He stepped onto the front tire and sprayed ether into the top of the
old tractor, to assure a clean startup. He climbed up into the spring-loaded
seat and turned the key. After a growl and a puff, the huge engine roared to
life. Hatti stood by the door as the tractor moved by. Daniel turned to give his
daughter a wink and then he was gone.
By mid-afternoon Hatti was starting to get impatient. She didn’t mind making
herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch, but she hadn’t liked
eating alone. Now more hours had passed and it was still just her and Bob. She
kept stepping out into the yard and listening for the tractor, but she never
heard it. At three o’clock, Aunt Sarah showed up.
Sarah Evers was of no relation to the Cookes, which was fairly obvious by her
chocolate-colored skin. She was pleasantly plump in her early sixties and silver
streaks had begun to dominate her black hair. She was a recently retired nurse,
having worked twenty-six years in the maternity ward at St. Michael’s Hospital.
She was on-duty the night Hatti was born. During her break that night, she found
Daniel pacing in the lobby of the delivery room. She had seen that look a
thousand times in that lobby, but still felt a deep sense of empathy every time.
She spoke with Daniel and tried to reassure him of the doctor’s experience who
was tending to Laura Cooke in the next room. She asked Daniel if she might pray
with him before she returned to work and he didn’t object. Later Daniel
introduced Sarah to Laura, and from then on she had a special bond with the
Cookes. They asked her over to their home often and she never refused an invite.
After Hatti turned one year old, they sometimes called on Sarah to baby-sit her
so they could go on a date. It was Sarah who introduced Daniel and Laura to God.
She pleaded with them many times to go to church with her, and when they finally
did, it became a core part of their lives. And now, Hatti was learning about God
from Sarah.
As Sarah made her way up the sidewalk with her wicker basket of goodies, Hatti
ran out to meet her with a hug. Sarah laughed as they embraced and kissed Hatti
on the cheek.
“Child, you don’t know how happy your Aunt Sarah is to see you. Let’s have a
look at you,” she said as she pulled back. “My, my…You must have grown a foot
since I seen you last.”
Hatti laughed, “You just saw me yesterday.”
“I know it, I know it, and it’s been too long. Come on, honey—let’s get these
goods in the house before they spoil.”
Hatti sat at the kitchen table while Sarah pulled two pies and a large zip-lock
bag full of muffins from her basket and searched for a good spot to place them.
“Aunt Sarah, why does Jesus want people?”
“Why, Jesus loves everyone, child. He wants them all because he loves the mall.
From the meanest, grumpiest old coot to a sweet little girl like you—there ain’t
nobody Jesus don’t want.” “No, I mean why does he want people to go live with
Him?”
Sarah set down her pie and looked at Hatti. “So that’s what’s on your mind
today, is it? Come here, child.” Sarah pulled up a chair and beckoned Hatti onto
her lap, wrapping her fluffy arms around her as Hatti sat down.
“Hatti, I’m going to tell you something my grandma told me not too long before
she went to be with Jesus. ‘Sarah,’ she said, ‘not a one of us knows how much
time we’re going to have on this earth. Some of us is here for 10 years, some
for 50 years, and some for 100years, but we’re all just here a short while. But
you see, Jesus loves us a whole lot and he gets lonesome for us up there in
heaven. One day he just gets tired of waiting and he sends for us. When that day
comes, you ain’t got no choice but to go. And it ain’t because He makes you go.
It’s because when that day comes, and you go where He is, you’re sure never
going to want to come back. Up there, there’s always enough food on the table,
nobody ever takes sick, and everyone laughs and sings and dances all daylong.’
That’s what my grandma told me, Hatti. And it’s what my mama told me. And the
older I get, the more I believe it’s true.”
“But why doesn’t Jesus just come here?”
“Honey, this place just ain’t nice enough. Where He’s at, the streets are made
of gold and it’s never nighttime. In fact, He’s up there right now, building a
mansion for every one of us.” “When will I go there?”
“Well, that’s the funny thing. It’s a secret, kind of a surprise of sorts. Ain’t
nobody knows when they’re going to go, child. Not me, not nobody.”
Sarah decided it was time to change the subject. “Hey, are you going to let me
cut your hair today, Honey?”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Have a seat right here and let’s see if we can’t do something about these
pigtails.”
Sarah snipped and clipped and combed and sprayed until finally she had a
finished product for Hatti to see in the mirror. Her hair now curled in neatly
just below her chin.
As Hatti gazed into the mirror, sirens could be heard in the distance.
“Oh, it’s beautiful, Aunt Sarah! You think Daddy will like it?”
“I’m sure he will, child. I’m sure he will,” Sarah replied moving over to the
window and gazing in the direction of the sirens. “Lord, send your angels to
whoever might need them out there,” she whispered.
At five o’clock the phone rang and Sarah answered it. “Hello? Yes, this is Sarah
Evers. Uh, huh. You’re going to have to repeat that for me, Hon. Yes. Oh my,
no!” Sarah’s hand went over her mouth and Hatti noticed the concern. “Yes, thank
you. We’ll get there as soon as we can.” “Is everything okay, Aunt Sarah?”
“Yes, everything’s fine, child. Go get your shoes on. We’re going to take a
little trip to see your daddy.”
“Where’s he at? He’s supposed to be on the tractor!”
“Hatti, your daddy’s been in a little accident and he’s at the hospital. We need
to get over there as quick as we can so we can be there for him.”
Hatti grabbed her shoes in her hands and started walking towards Sarah’s car.
Sarah followed her out the door, praying silently.
The car ride to the hospital was silent and solemn. Sarah thought nothing good
would come of trying to push Hatti to talk so she left her to her thoughts and
continued to pray silently. When they reached the hospital parking lot, Hatti
crawled out of the car and ran to the entrance as Sarah followed a little
slower.
They reached the front desk and Hatti blurted out, “Where’s my dad?”
The young woman behind the desk looked at Sarah and said, “Is this child with
you?”
“Yes ma’am, this here’s Hatti Cooke and I’m Sarah Evers. We’re here to see her
daddy, Daniel Cooke.”
The nurse’s face softened. “Yes, I’ll try to reach the doctor. Hold on one
moment please.” Not long after the nurse got off the phone, a pale-faced man in
glasses with a stethoscope hung on his neck came through some double swinging
doors.
“Ms. Evers, would you come with me, please.”
Hatti tried to follow, but Sarah stopped her. “Hatti, I need you to wait here
for just a bit. Can you do that, honey?”
Reluctantly, Hatti nodded and walked over and sat down on one of the cushioned
seats in the lobby. Sarah and the doctor went through the double doors. Hatti
watched the doors continue to swing back and forth after the two were out of
sight.
“Ms. Evers, I’m glad you could make it. I only wish I had something better to
tell you. Mr. Cooke has sustained multiple broken bones and is bleeding
internally. He’s lucky that tractor didn’t kill him instantly when it rolled.
Ms. Evers, we’ve done everything we can do. It’s only a matter of time now.”
“How long?”
“Minutes. Half an hour at the most.”
“Can I see him?”
“Come this way.”
The Doctor ushered Sarah into the Intensive Care Unit. There she saw Daniel. He
looked better than what she had expected, but he was very discolored.
“Daniel?” She took his hand in both of hers.
“Hello, old girl.” His voice was weak and he was obviously having difficulty
breathing. But he was easily understood. “Guess I really made a mess of things
this time, huh?”
“There now, little brother. Don’t you start in with that stuff. Ain’t nobody
blaming you.”
“How’s Hatti?”
“Just like any girl her age would be. She’s worried and she wants to see you.”
“I don’t want her to remember me like this, Sarah.”
“Seeing you here like this ain’t going to make her forget anything from before
now, Daniel. She’s always going to be her daddy’s girl.”
Tears filled both their eyes.
“Sarah, I want you to take care of Hatti for me. Will you?
“Daniel Cooke, how could I say no?”
“Please bring her to me. Hurry.”
Sarah found Hatti in the lobby and sat down beside her.
“Hatti, your daddy wants to see you. But listen to me very carefully. He’s very
weak and won’t be able to talk much. We will have to leave soon so he can rest,
okay?”
“Okay.”
They made their way into the ICU to Daniel’s bed. Hatti ran to him and lay her
head on his arm. He was just able to curl his hand and touch her face.
“I love you, daddy.”
“I love you too, Princess. And I have something to tell you. Something very
important."
“When can we go home, daddy?”
“That’s what I have to tell you. I’m going to be seeing your mother soon, Hatti.
Very soon. I want you to know that…” His voice trailed off.
“No, daddy! You can’t leave yet!”
Suddenly the “blip, blip, blip” of the machine at his bedside became one steady
beep. Nurses flooded in by the bedside pushing Hatti backwards. Soon the doctor
was there holding what Hatti thought looked like irons in his hands. “Clear!” he
ordered.
“No!” Hatti screamed as she turned and ran out the door. Sarah followed her to
the entrance but then stopped when she saw her climb into the car and bury her
head in her hands. Best to leave her alone for a bit, Sarah thought.
In the car, Hatti tried to wipe away the tears. She swallowed hard and spoke
between gasps for air.
“Jesus, please don’t take my daddy. You already have my mom. I can’t live
without my daddy. Please don’t take him from me.”
Sarah began to weep softly and she stared out the window at the car. Suddenly
the nurse from the front desk tapped her on the shoulder.
“Ms. Evers? I’m sorry to disturb you, but I thought you might want to know
they’ve revived Mr. Cooke.”
“Oh, thank you, ma’am!”
Sarah made her way back into the ICU.
“Mrs. Evers,” the doctor called out stepping away from the bed, still surrounded
by busy nurses. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to step back out into
the waiting room for now.”
“No, let her stay, doc’,” came a faint voice from the bed.
Sarah ran to the bedside squeezing between nurses.
“He sent me back, Sarah. He sent me back.”
“What are you talking about, Daniel?
“Jesus sent me back. I saw Him there. It was heaven. I was there. But Jesus
looked at me and said…” He stared straight into Sarah’s eyes.
“He said what, Daniel?”
“He said, ‘Hatti’s not ready yet.’”
Mark Acker MarkLAcker@AOL.com
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
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