Fiction

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As Angie was getting Charles's stuff ready so they could leave the hospital, the phone in the hospital room next to Charles's bed rang. Charles picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hi, Charles, it's Tyrone," came the response.

"Oh, hi, Tyrone. Guess what--I am about to leave the hospital. They have released me to go home. How are you? Did you have a good night?"

Tyrone sighed. "It was eventful. The burglar came to our house."

Charles's eyes widened with shock and horror. "What?!!"

Angie looked up from packing and looked at Charles as if to ask him what was wrong. "Hold on," Charles said to Tyrone. He put his hand over the receiver and turned to his wife. "The guy who broke into our house broke into the Millers' house," he said.

Angie's face turned pale, and she put a hand over her mouth and went to Charles, who took her hand and held it tightly. He turned back to Tyrone. "Are you guys all right?" he asked, his heart pounding.

"We're fine," Tyrone said. "Charles, you don't know this, but I bought a gun before when I was bent on getting revenge on Ty's shooter. I used it to shoot the burglar, then removed his mask." There was a pause. "Charles, the burglar is the same man who shot Ty."

Charles yelled out again, "What?!!" Then he frowned. "But, how did he get out of jail?"

"He snuck out," Tyrone answered. "And he was genuinely sorry for what he did. It was incredible. He asked Jesus to forgive him of his sins before he died. Charles, I feel so torn. I have been mad and wanted this guy to be dead and burn in hell for what he did to Ty and the angry part of me wishes he were in hell, but I know we are not supposed to wish hell even on our worst enemy."

Charles knew he had prayed for the salvation of this man, but he was still very angry with him for what he had done to Ty. "He may be in heaven," he said bitterly, "but I'm not talking to him when I get there."

After Tyrone and Charles hung up, Angie touched Charles's shoulder and rubbed it gently. "Honey, what's wrong? You look so tense and upset," she said.

Charles turned to her. "The man who shot Ty was the one who robbed our house," he said. "Tyrone had shot him before removing his mask. The guy repented and received Christ before he died, but I never want to speak to him when I get there. I'll always remember what he did to Ty."

Angie was shocked. "But, how did he escape prison?" she asked.

"He snuck out," Charles answered.

"But how?" Angie asked. "That prison had the best and sternest guards. How would he have--"

Charles felt bitterness rising within him, and without thinking, he took it out on Angie with his tone of voice. "Look, I don't want to talk about it! Let's just drop it, okay?"

Angie jumped back, startled by his tone. "Okay," she said softly.

When they got home, it really hit home with Charles that because of his condition, he wouldn't be able to work to support his family for a while. He'd have to stay in bed till his ribs healed. He barely talked to Angie and Jeremiah at all, and when he did, he would be complaining to Angie about something being wrong with the food she made him or about Jeremiah being too loud, and he would often be short with Jeremiah and tell him to keep the noise down. Angie wondered if the man she loved would ever be himself again.

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