Part 5 of 5. If you want the story from the beginning, start on December 15th.
Kyle was missing and was probably hurt. She didn’t know where he was and could do nothing to help him. She could only pray and that’s what she did. Ashley cried and pleaded with God until there were no more tears and no more words.
She’d been laying face down on the floor and was about to get up when she sensed it wasn’t time. She had talked, but…did God want to talk to her? Her heart felt calm, at peace. She lay quietly and listened.
“Lord, do You want to speak to me?”
She thought about her life and her marriage to Kyle over the past few years. She felt sorry. Not in a guilty, shameful way, but sorry she’d hurt Kyle. Sorry she’d hurt God.
She was tempted to defend herself and blame Kyle, at least partly. She didn’t. This wasn’t about Kyle.
She remembered a conversation she and Kyle had when they were engaged. They had talked about making their lives and marriage count for God’s kingdom. They hadn’t followed through on their commitment. Work, a house, car payments, nice vacations, a closet full of clothes, had all taken precedence. Idols? Yes, they had become idols.
She remembered a sermon she’d heard many years ago about David. He had sinned greatly, but was still a man after God’s own heart. He had committed adultery and had even murdered an innocent man, but he never bowed to idols. Nothing ever came before God.
She thought about Alex. She had let their relationship go too far. It hadn’t become physical, but it didn’t mean she hadn’t thought about it. Her heart had connected with Alex. She’d known it was wrong, but had let it continue, even encouraged it. It wasn’t fair to Kyle or Alex or his wife. It was more than that though. It was a rejection of the gift God had given her.
“Lord, I’ve been so selfish. And I’m so sorry. I’ve hurt You. I’ve hurt Kyle. I want to change. Please help me.”
Ashley lay still for a few more minutes and then got up. Something was different. Kyle was still missing and she had no assurance he’d be okay. But she knew she was okay with God or was at least back on the right path.
She was about to try Kyle’s cell phone again when there was a knock at the door. She hurried to answer it.
“Ashley Powell?” a police officer asked.
“Yes. Have you found Kyle?”
“Mrs. Powell, a sheriff’s deputy found your husband’s car in a ravine off Route 22. When he got to the car, your husband was unconscious. He’s on his way to County Hospital now. I’ll take you there.”
At the hospital, Ashley finished filling out paperwork and was taken to Kyle’s room in ICU. Kyle’s doctor was leaving the room as she was about to enter.
“Mrs. Powell? I’m Dr. Edwards. Let’s sit down.” He led her to a small room across the hall.
“Please, tell me. How is he?”
“He’s pretty banged up, but he’ll be okay. He’s going to look worse than he is. Your husband is a lucky man. I’ve seen a lot worse from these kinds of accidents. He’s suffered a concussion and three broken ribs. There are no internal injuries or bleeding. ”
“So he’s going to be okay?”
“He’s going to be okay. He’s conscious now and was asking for you. Go see him.”
Ashley entered Kyle’s room, feeling grateful he was alive and sorry for the way things had been between them. She realized the last time she’d talked with him had been the previous night when she’d yelled at him for touching her.
She went to his bed and sat beside him. She wanted to touch him, but didn’t want to hurt him. “Kyle, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Kyle took her hand in his and said, “Ash, it’s not you. Please forgive me.” His voice was weak.
“No babe, you don’t need to be sorry. I know I’ve hurt you. I’ve taken you for granted. I’m so sorry.”
“Ash, last night, I had a dream.” Kyle started to cry. Through his tears, he continued. “We were walking together, holding hands. Then the ground opened up between us and our hands were pulled apart. You just started walking away. I called to you to come back. You looked at me, but kept going.”
Ashley’s eyes filled with tears. The lump in her throat prevented her from speaking.
“When I woke up this morning, I knew I didn’t want to lose you,” Kyle said.
Ashley was allowed to spend the night on a cot in Kyle’s room. Before being released the next afternoon, they prayed together and recommitted their marriage to Christ. It was the best Christmas present either of them could have asked for. They knew there was a lot of work to do to repair their relationship, but hope had replaced the despair they’d felt for so long.
Several days after Christmas, Kyle was still too sore to drive, so Ashley had gone to pick up Chinese food and a movie. They were determined to have the date they’d missed the night of the accident. Kyle was hanging up the phone as Ashley came in.
“That’s really strange,” Kyle said.
“What, honey?” Ashley said.
“That was the sheriff’s deputy who found me.”
“Really? What did he want?”
“Well, he said he’d noticed the night of the accident that it didn’t look like I’d tried to brake when I went around the turn where I went off the road.”
“So what does that mean?” she asked.
“He asked me if I was having any brake trouble on the car. I told him I wasn’t, but then I remembered hitting the brakes that night and not even slowing down. Anyway, he said it made him suspicious, so he had the brakes looked at.”
Kyle had a puzzled look on his face.
“What? What did he say?”
“He said he was pretty sure someone had tampered with my brakes. He asked if there could be anyone who would want to hurt me. Weird, huh?”