Holy Spirit Conquers Vengeance

By William McNulty

Joe Mallory is a handsome young man gifted by God to run. He passed up options for a college scholarship to care for his ailing mother until God called her home. Joe and his mother believed the voice within our head is the Holy Spirit, who warns us of dangers and encourages actions in our best interest. Joe's mother died leaving no extra cash, only a home with a mortgage and an older vehicle to maintain. Cheryl secretly trained to enter the Olympic games to win a gold medal and impress her dad, who was the CEO of the Olympic committee. The night she planned to tell her dad about her exciting news, she was purposely run over by an automobile and left to die. After two long years recuperating, Cheryl ventured outside her home, only to have an automobile""driven by the same man who previously tried to kill her""chase her wheelchair down a steep hill that led to a park where Joe was running for exercise. She was angry at God for allowing her injuries to take away her chance to run for a gold medal in the Olympic games and meet the man of her dreams. She asked God to forgive her for being angry at him as she felt her body slipping out of her wheelchair, as Joe gave chase to catch her runaway wheelchair and bring it to a stop. Cheryl looked into his eyes and saw love looking back at her, and a fascinating twists-and-turns journey begins with acts of misplaced vengeance and an incredibly captivating love story. Readers will learn how to tune in to the Holy Spirit within their own head and fall in love with Cheryl, Joe Mallory, and other characters revealed in the Holy Spirit Conquers Vengeance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 8, 2018
• ISBN: 9781642589313

Book preview

1

Alarming Visitor to Mack Home

Bonnie Hollar has been the housekeeper for the Mack residence for many years, and today was like any other day. She was busy with the household chores when she heard a knock on the front door of the residence. Opening the door, she looked into the eyes of a young man with a very unfriendly look in his eyes. Notwithstanding his attempts to mask his meanness, with a half-smile, there was something about him that made Bonnie immediately apprehensive. He appeared to be about twenty years of age, six feet in height, and she guessed he weighed about 170 pounds, with long sandy-brown hair. Something about him made Bonnie very nervous and extremely uncomfortable as she tightened her grip on the handle of the door while she looked at him suspiciously. His eyes seemed very cold and hollow as he stared back at her without expression.

May I help you, young man? She studied his facial expressions and his demeanor while she waited for him to answer her question. Suddenly, she received a flashback of a conversation she overheard between Detective Honeycutt and Mr. Mack, describing a person of interest who fit this young man’s description, but she couldn’t remember anything specific.

Hi. I was supposed to meet Cheryl this evening to go with her to an orientation. Could you tell her I am here, please, ma’am?

Cheryl has already gone. She left about two hours ago.

Two hours ago? The stranger raised his right wrist to glance at his wristwatch, which told Bonnie this young man was obviously left-handed or his watch would be on his left wrist. He lowered his arm and focused his cold, chilling dead stare into Bonnie’s eyes, saying, The orientation is not for another hour. Do you have any idea where she might be?

She mentioned going down to the track to run, before she went where she was supposed to go. I guess she was referring to this orientation you mentioned? My guess is she is at the track.

Okay. Well, sorry I missed her. I will tell her at the orientation that I came by the house to ride with her and remind her that she forgot to wait for me, the young man said as he turned and walked toward the street.

Sorry you missed her. May I have your name, so I can tell her who came by for her? Bonnie asked. The young man ignored Bonnie and continued to walk toward the street with his hands inside the pockets of his Wrangler jeans. He never flinched or showed any sign to indicate that he was aware that Bonnie was asking him a question, but she knew her voice was loud enough to be heard by this young man. Bonnie yelled louder, Young man, I know you can hear me. What is your name please?

Knowing that he could hear her and knowing he was purposely ignoring her ran chills up Bonnie’s spine. She knew now her first impression of this young man was correct. She was nervous and suspicious for a good reason. The young man with the cold eyes was not honorable, and now she felt badly about telling him where he could find Cheryl.

Bonnie went from window to window to see what type of car the young man drove. She watched him walk over to a light-green automobile parked in front of a neighbor’s home and take a long silver item out of the waistband of his jeans and stick it down into the driver’s door. He pulled up on the silver item, and the driver’s door popped opened, setting off the car alarm. The young man jumped into the driver’s seat and did something under the dashboard to quiet the alarm and slowly drove away.

Bonnie stood there in shock for a few seconds after witnessing this young man with the cold eyes steal an automobile. She was frantic and a nervous wreck as she ran to the phone with shaking hands to first call Cheryl to alert her and then call the local police department.

Bonnie pleaded, Come on, Cheryl, answer your phone. She repeatedly tried to reach Cheryl on her cell phone, but her calls kept going into her full voice mail, which prevented her from receiving any new messages. Bonnie called the track and left an urgent message on their voice mail to not let Cheryl leave until she called home. I should have called the Atlanta Police first, she thought as she frantically dialed their number.

Bonnie reached the Atlanta Police Department and told them everything that had happened and pleaded with them to send a police car over to the track to protect Cheryl from the young man who had just stolen an automobile and was presumably driving to the track to harm her.

Bonnie hung up the phone and paced back and forth, looking out several windows, hoping the stolen car would come back and her fears were not real. She was a complete nervous wreck. I am going to have a heart attack or a stroke, if I don’t stay busy doing something, she thought to herself. She returned to her household chores, feeling she had done everything she could think of to protect Cheryl.

Detective Wayne Honeycutt listened to a message from the dispatcher for the Atlanta Police Department: Nearest officer to Georgia Tech College, please radio in your location. This is a 911 message alert with high priority. A light-green automobile has been stolen by a young man believed to be in his midtwenties, with long sandy-brown hair, heading to the Olympic track at the Georgia Tech College to harm a female by the name of Cheryl Mack. This is a 911 message with high priority! Respond immediately.

This is Detective Honeycutt. I am two minutes out from the college and will handle this call.

Detective Honeycutt reached his left arm out the driver side window of his police vehicle and set a blue light on the roof of his car, activated his siren, pressed the accelerator to the floorboard, and rushed toward the college.

Detective Honeycutt was hoping that the blaring sound of his siren would be heard and hopefully foil any plans to hurt Cheryl as he prayed silently for her safety.

2

Cheryl Run Over by Car

Cheryl had just completed a very vigorous workout for the upcoming Olympic trials and felt very good about her chances to win two gold medals for the United States of America. Life could not be any more perfect or wonderful, she thought to herself, as she walked toward her car, looking up into a full moon and a beautiful night.

Cheryl was a very wise eighteen-year-old girl who stood five feet four inches in height, weighed 120 pounds, with a 36-24-36 figure. She had shoulder-length shiny blonde hair and very soft green eyes that flowed into a cute little nose. She had an average-size mouth with sensuous small lips that most guys would be eager to kiss. People focused on her bright white teeth every time she smiled. She was not pretentious. Conversely, she didn’t have a clue of the beauty she possessed, which made her even more beautiful. Cheryl was movie-star quality on the outside and a down-to-earth, compassionate angel on the inside.

Girls with her beauty were often stuck-up, but not Cheryl. She was always cutting up with someone. She was a happy person who was always ready to smile and speak with everyone.

She was always counting her many blessings, to include her dad being home more often, her sister and she were best friends, her schooling was up-to-date, and she drove the car of her dreams, without any money problems, like most of her friends. She felt very blessed.

Glancing up at the moon once again, she whispered, "Thank you, God. Thank you for everything. My dad will be so proud of me. He will get emotional when he hears me tell him tonight that I have been secretly training for the upcoming Olympic trials and my running time is good enough to win two gold medals. This will also answer his question of why I kept cleated shoes in my automobile.

The last recorded time that I ran in the one-hundred-yard dash and the four-forty assures me of the gold medal for both events. And when I run these events in the Olympics, and I cross the finish line winning the gold medal in both events, the proud look on my dad’s face will be the only reward I need for my efforts. I just want to do something to make him proud of me.

Cheryl then visualized the awards ceremony that always followed these events. She would proudly bend down to have the gold medal placed around her neck. She would have a smile across her face, which would even spread larger when she watches her dad stand tall with his chest sticking out as he tells everyone, she is my daughter, while he proudly pointed to her.

She giggled to herself as she started to hum The Star-Spangled Banner, which will be the song played to a record crowd as she receives her medals.

She reached into her purse to retrieve her car keys as she stepped over the four-inch curbing that surrounded a grassy island, which is owned by the gym where she parked her sports car to train. This grassy area measured fifty feet across the front, running parallel to the gym or street, and it was also thirty feet deep. The four-inch curbing was installed to discourage unauthorized people from parking in this restricted area. Warning signs were posted to alert motorists: Before you park your car in this area, be aware your car will be towed at your expense. This is a very restricted no Parking area.

Cheryl’s family and the owners of the gym were the only cars permitted to park on this grassy island.

Cheryl was now just a few feet from her little sports car, which is a sky-blue Mercedes convertible. She was deep in thought about how she would lead into the conversation with her dad at dinner tonight, when she heard a loud noise behind her that sounded like something had forcibly struck the four-inch curbing directly behind her.

Glancing over her right shoulder, she spotted a light-green vehicle only a few feet away from her right hip, and it appeared to be moving at a very fast speed. She had no time to react, before her right hip exploded when forcibly struck by this vehicle. The impact knocked her up into the air, where she seemed to float for a few seconds, before she came crashing down onto her back. Her feet were pointing toward her Mercedes, and her head was pointing toward the roadway. She glanced to her right in time to see the left front tire roll over her chest while the right front tire was rolling over her legs. The momentum from the vehicle rolled her onto her stomach. She had no time to even blink or prepare for the excruciating pain she felt from the right rear tire rolling over her legs, as the left rear tire rolled over her back.

She noticed the vehicle that had just run her over did not have its headlights turned on when she was struck. All she could do now was lay motionless as this car drove away, leaving her to die.

Cheryl wondered, why would anyone want to kill me? What did I do to anyone?

Her right ankle felt like it had been severed. The pain from this area was unbearable. She could not move her arms or her legs. Both of her arms were by her sides, with the palms of her hands facing up. Her right cheek was lying flat on the ground. She was unable to move her neck or even scream for help.

Unfortunately, she could not see very far around her to detect any movement from possible witnesses that might come to help her. She heard nothing to indicate help was coming or that anyone saw her get hit.

She moaned and sobbed uncontrollably for what seemed like a long time. She could not move her arms to wipe away the tears that rolled down the side of her face. Every effort she made to get up was an exercise in futility as she just couldn’t get her muscles to cooperate. Never in her lifetime had she felt so much pain or felt so helpless.

Cheryl wasn’t aware of the crowd that had gathered around her. The sound of a siren was getting louder and louder, and people hoped it was coming for Cheryl. Nobody knew Cheryl was trying to speak. Her injuries prevented her from saying anything that could possibly be heard. She thought she was yelling when she was whispering, please help me. Please get me to a hospital. Can anyone hear me? Can anyone . . . Her eyes and mouth closed simultaneously as she drifted into a coma.

3

Detective Wayne Honeycutt Arrives on Scene

Detective Wayne Honeycutt was now close enough to the Olympic track at the Georgia Tech campus to see a large crowd had gathered on the grassy island where Cheryl parked her Mercedes sports car. The size of the crowd that was gathering so quickly gave Wayne a very bad feeling.

Wayne spotted Cheryl’s convertible parked on the grassy island and saw a body lying motionless near her car. He called dispatch and requested the crime lab be sent to the scene along with an ambulance.

Detective Honeycutt eased his car up onto the grassy island away from Cheryl’s vehicle and away from any tire tracks that might have been made by a possible hit-and-run vehicle.

Several people were talking at the same time, trying to tell Wayne how this hit-and-run accident happened, as he exited his vehicle and started to walk toward Cheryl. He held up both of his hands, palms facing the people, and they immediately stopped talking. please give me a few minutes to see how badly this young lady has been hurt. I do want to speak with each one of you, so please don’t leave, until you have spoken with me personally. Okay?

Wayne didn’t wait for a reply. He knelt down next to Cheryl and was relieved to feel a good pulse. A quick glance down her body told him she was badly hurt.

The crime lab vehicle and three Atlanta Police cars screeched to a stop outside of the four-inch curbing. They knew not to contaminate the scene and knew how to preserve evidence. Crime scene investigators and police officers alighted out of their vehicles and walked briskly toward Wayne, who was still kneeling next to Cheryl. The sound of the ambulance could now be heard approaching the track.

get some photos of her before the ambulance people move her. And get some photos of anything you feel is relevant. You know what to do and what to look for. Do any of you have any questions?

Every person standing near Wayne shook their head sideways to indicate they didn’t have any questions.

I am going to separate these people who are gathered behind me into two groups. One group will be all the eyewitnesses, and the other group will be those who didn’t see what happened but might have something to contribute. We need to obtain signed statements from each person, before they leave to go home tonight. I want to personally speak to each person, so I can match a name with a face. Please tell them not to leave this area before they speak to me.

They each nodded their head in agreement and walked away to obtain the requested statements from the members of the two mentioned groups.

Medics from the ambulance were now standing next to Wayne waiting for instructions. Wayne took them aside to be certain Cheryl didn’t hear what he said. she was run over by an automobile, so she probably has massive internal injuries, and her right foot looks like it is broken. Please be gentle when you lift and move her. She is the daughter of a very good friend of mine who also happens to be the man in charge of our local Olympic committee and very well loved by our city.

Wayne met with members of the crime scene to learn the automobile that ran over Cheryl didn’t have its headlights or taillights on as it drove over the curbing and onto the grassy island to run her over. The lights stayed off until the car was about a football field away from the scene, before witnesses saw the lights come on.

Witnesses described the driver of the hit-and-run car as having long sandy-brown hair and appearing to be about twenty years of age.

Detective Honeycutt mentally processed the information provided by all of the witnesses. The one detail that stuck out and raised a large red flag to Wayne was the description of the driver.

Cheryl’s mother was a paying passenger aboard a commercial airplane that mysteriously exploded over the Atlantic Ocean two years ago. Detective Honeycutt was assigned to investigate the explosion. The investigation revealed someone had placed a bomb inside the baggage department of the airplane, and that bomb exploded while the aircraft was over the Atlantic Ocean.

Divers recovered most of the pieces of the airplane and sent those to a secret location for several specialists to use the recovered parts to put the airplane back together. Once the airplane was rebuilt, piece by piece, there was a huge hole in the side of the airplane in the baggage department. This hole told investigators that a bomb had exploded to blow out the side of the airplane.

The description of the missing airline employee and the description of the hit-and-run driver that ran over Cheryl match, and Wayne could not dismiss his suspicion that there was a correlation between the airplane explosion and the hit-and-run of Cheryl.

The file on the airline explosion is still an open, inactive file. Leads stopped coming in, which prompted the department to allow this file to fade to the back burner waiting for a fresh lead. The hit-and-run of Cheryl with the description of the same person of interest will be considered a fresh lead to activate this file.

Detective Honeycutt was close friends to both Cathy and Bill Mack. Cathy was a beautiful woman who stood five feet four inches in height and weighed about 130 pounds, distributed in a 36-24-37 figure. She had hazel eyes, shoulder-length brown hair, and a smile that would light up any room. Her flawless milky-white skin caught the attention of ladies everywhere. Women frequently asked Cathy her secret to possess such smooth, flawless skin. They wanted what she had, and Cathy never held back any of her trade secrets. Cathy was definitely an extrovert with a very warm personality. You always knew Cathy was in the room with her contagious belly laugh. She also possessed a very talented skill as an artist. She could draw anything, without using a picture as a guide. She could draw people, animals, or landscapes. She drew pictures for a few friends, for fun, and never accepted a penny. She lived her life for her children, so it was not any wonder why they each thought she was the world’s best mother.

Wayne was so deep in thought about Cathy and Cheryl, he didn’t hear people asking him, if it was okay for them to go home. Wayne blinked his eyes a few times, and that enabled him to focus on the people in front of him. He collected his thoughts and then said, yes, it is okay to go home. I will read over your statements, and if I have any follow-up questions, I will get in touch with you. Thank you very much for taking your time to help us.

One minute earlier and I could have averted the injuries to Cheryl and apprehended the young man with long sandy-brown hair. To be this close and not make the arrest just makes my blood boil, Wayne thought as he pounded his steering wheel.

Wayne decided not to broadcast a description of the person driving the hit-and-run car that ran over Cheryl out of fear that this young man might change the color of his hair to alter his appearance.

Wayne held his cell phone tightly in his hand, dreading his next call—to Cheryl’s dad.

4

Detective Honeycutt Notifies Cheryl’s Dad

Bill Mack was working at his desk when his secretary walked into his office and handed him a written note letting him know the call holding for him was Detective Wayne Honeycutt.

Watching the line blink on and off brought back haunting memories of the call he received two years earlier, notifying him that the commercial airplane his wife was on had mysteriously exploded into tiny pieces over the Atlantic Ocean, killing all aboard.

Following her death, his life changed drastically, sending him into a funk and a continuous state of depression. His lifetime goals were no longer his priority. He felt like he was going with the flow and coasting through life, without putting forth any effort. No matter what he tried, he was unable to find any semblance of his old self. The loss of his wife ate him alive, on the inside, with many regrets. He longed to laugh and have fun again but did not see this as an option in his foreseeable future. Thinking about it, he couldn’t remember the last time he had a good laugh, and he found his present life unacceptable. He was okay if he was actively doing something to stay busy, to keep his mind occupied; but when he was not focused on something pressing, he tormented himself wishing he could hold Cathy in his arms, look into her beautiful eyes, kiss her tender lips, and just one more time say, I love you, Cathy.

It just never dawned on him that Cathy wouldn’t be there to take charge of the marriage arrangements of their two daughters. She lived for her children. She looked forward to planning and being a part of their life-changing events, and this memory was so painful to recall.

Cathy often talked about seeing the birth of her grandchildren and how proud she would be when she became a grandmother. She would laugh and say, yes, I definitely plan to spoil each of our grandchildren.

Bill was hypnotized by the flashing phone and afraid to pick it up. A call from Detective Wayne Honeycutt could not be good news. He reached for the phone three different times, but each time, he instinctively withdrew his hand, reluctant to pick it up.

Bill Mack’s secretary, Mary Dick, reminded him that Detective Wayne Honeycutt was still holding on line one.

Line one stopped blinking. Bill gave a sigh of relief. He was pleased to avoid this conversation with Detective Honeycutt. He straightened up his desk, stood up, reached down and grabbed the handle of his light-shade-of-tan eel-skin briefcase, with gold clasps, and headed for the lobby door to go home.

Kim Sanders, another secretary to Bill, stood up with the telephone in her hand, shaking her head aggressively sideways, holding one finger in the air as a silent message saying, Do not leave.

Bill looked back at her, and she again shook her head sideways and stuck one finger into the air, wanting him to wait for a minute, before he left for the evening.

Bill waited patiently. He wrinkled his forehead, showing concern over the expressions Kim was making. He mouthed the words, who is it?

Kim said out loud, okay, Detective Honeycutt, let me see if he is still here? I stepped out to the restroom, and he could have slipped out when I was gone. I am going to put you on hold for a few seconds. No, I will not let you die on hold, sir.

Kim shot Bill a look of concern as she raised her eyebrows, saying, he really sounds alarmed about something. He told me to get you out of any meeting you might be in and if you were on the phone talking to the president of the United States, interrupt the call. He needs to speak to you desperately and immediately.

Bill raised his eyebrows, saying, okay. It sounds serious to me. I will take it in my office. Please tell him I will speak to him in thirty seconds.

Kim nodded and lifted the telephone to her ear. Detective Honeycutt, he will be with you in thirty seconds or less. You are very welcome, sir. Kim placed him on hold and noticed Bill immediately picked up the extension in his office to talk with Detective Honeycutt.

hello, Wayne. Sorry to take so long getting to you. And I am sorry you had to call back. It has been one of those days. I assume this is about the airline investigation and your search for the bomber.

I wish it were, Bill.

ah. Oh. Now that has bad news written all over it.

I am calling about Cheryl. I do not have all of the informa—

Sorry to cut you off, Wayne. Just tell me if she is still alive?

yes.

is her condition life threatening?

I do not know yet, sir.

I just cannot mentally handle another death in my family, Wayne. Not now. God knows not now. Bill raised his voice.

I do not have a lot of facts, but I can tell you what I know thus far.

okay. Please tell me what you know?

"Cheryl and the owner of the gym are the only people allowed to park their cars on the island across the street from the gym. The island has a four-inch concrete curbing surrounding the grassy island to discourage people who did not know any better from parking their cars up on the island. Plus, signs are posted letting people know they are not permitted to park on the grassy island.

Witnesses confirm, Cheryl came out of the gym, stepped up over the curbing, and had taken a few steps toward her automobile when she was run over by a hit-and-run vehicle.

do you know if one wheel ran over her or—? the front two wheels ran over her chest and legs. And according to witnesses, the impact from the front wheels flipped her over onto her stomach, where the rear wheels ran over her back and the back of her legs.

what! That doesn’t sound good to me at all, Wayne. How serious are her injuries, or do you know?

she has a very strong pulse. To be run over by something as heavy as an automobile and have that strong of a pulse is a positive sign. She must have internal injuries. I did see what appears to be a very bad fracture to one of her ankles.

what do we know about the car or driver of the car?

I can fill you in on that at the hospital. Can you meet me at DeKalb General Hospital?

could you tell me if you feel this was intentional, and if so, does it have any connection to my wife and the airline explosion? For you to be calling me on this hit-and-run, it raises my antenna?

I am afraid it does, Bill. The driver of this car fits the description of the man who never showed up for work following your wife’s death.

any other clues to make you reach the decision that there is a correlation to my wife’s death?

yes, sir. This young man personally went to your home and spoke to your housekeeper, Bonnie, to learn of Cheryl’s whereabouts. He then walked away from the front door of your home and stole a car from one of your neighbors. He drove the car he stole to the track to run over Cheryl. Witnesses reported that he drove this vehicle onto the grassy island with the headlights and taillights of the vehicle off. When the car was about a football field away from the grassy island, the headlights and taillights came on.

how do we know it was the same car he stole from my neighbor?

the car was abandoned shortly after the driver was seen turning on the headlights. The owner of the automobile has identified the car as being his. The vehicle has been impounded for fingerprints and evidence.

how long will it take you to meet me at the emergency room, Wayne?

I am almost at the hospital now.

okay. I am on my way. Thanks, Wayne.

5

Cheryl Regains Consciousness

Cheryl was about to open her eyes but hesitated when she heard voices. She kept her eyes closed and pretended to be asleep when she realized the voices were discussing her injuries. She hoped one of the voices might be the voice of her doctor, who might speak more freely about her injuries if he thought she was still asleep.

She was hoping to hear the extent of her injuries to determine if she still had a chance to compete for a gold medal in the upcoming Olympic games.

Doctor Andrew Jackson was fifty-five years of age, six feet two inches tall and 210 pounds, with salt-and-pepper-colored hair. He is a staff physician with the hospital and has his own private practice as an orthopedic surgeon. The night of Cheryl’s injuries, Doctor Jackson was the physician on call. Since Cheryl never had a prior need to be treated by an orthopedic surgeon, Doctor Jackson treated her injuries and remained her physician.

Doctor Jackson entered Cheryl’s hospital room and shook hands with Bill Mack and Detective Wayne Honeycutt. He had charts and test results with him to answer any questions about Cheryl’s injuries.

have you had a chance to reach a diagnosis and prognosis from head to toe on Cheryl’s injuries? Detective Wayne Honeycutt asked.

Hearing the voice of Detective Wayne Honeycutt confused her. What is Wayne doing in my hospital room?

yes. She was lucky the vehicle missed her neck and head. The head sits on a swivel and is so easily damaged. The neck area is vulnerable and susceptible for humans to injure one of the seven cervical vertebrae. When I heard the weight of an automobile had caused her injuries, I had many concerns about her head, brain, and neck area. I was concerned that she might have pressure buildup on her brain, which is why I ordered a cT scan and eEG scan of her head region. Both scans came back negative. Her physical condition saved her from what should have been very serious, permanent injuries. It is incredible to know that an automobile ran over her body and she only sustained the injuries she did. She is in top athletic shape. Does she work out? Since you’re in charge of our local Olympic trials, Mr. Mack, is she one of your Olympic athletes?

no. Not that I am aware of anyway. She does work out. And I have often wondered why she had cleated shoes in her sports car.

she is in top athletic condition, and that saved her life.

that is good to hear, Doctor. To give me an idea of what Cheryl must deal with to make a complete recovery, do you mind taking a few minutes to run through the injuries you diagnosed and give me your prognosis for each injury? Bill Mack asked.

before we hear the answer to that question, Doctor, do you think we should discuss this in the hallway? I hear stories of patients hearing conversations while in a coma and negative news hinders their recovery. May I have your opinion on that please, sir? Detective Honeycutt asked.

I would have suggested it initially, if there was something in my diagnosis or her prognosis that I felt guarded about. We can step into the hallway, if it would make you feel better?

you’re the doctor. If you feel she is going to hear everything anyway and the information you are going to tell us should not cause her any mental distress, if she were to hear it now, please continue and tell us your findings.

I don’t know if the prognosis on her ankle will be disturbing enough to cause her to be depressed. Depression always hinders recovery. An athlete, who trains for an event like the Olympic games, would be very depressed to be told they have a lifetime permanent partial disability to a weight-bearing bone, such as an ankle. Cheryl’s prognosis while good for the average person, would be horrible news, if she had any aspirations to enter the Olympic trials and compete in a runing event. Do either of you know, if Cheryl had any aspirations of entering the Olympic trials and competing in a running event? Since children often follow in their parents’ footsteps, I feel the need to ask that question of you, Mr. Mack. Do you feel we need to step into the hallway?

Cheryl was thinking to herself, no, stay right where you are. I want to hear this too.

if this is something she needs to know anyway, I will not keep any secrets from her, Doctor, Bill Mack responded rather emphatically.

"okay then, let me say that the only major internal injuries were to her pelvis and to her hip. She had a slight hairline pelvic fracture in