Scandalous Truth by Monica P. Carter Page A

confrontation between father and daughter. “Maybe we should just wait and see.” William glanced at Olivia, then he nodded at Reverend Chance. “Let’s err on the side of caution and sit tight for a moment, maybe. And then if anything else comes up, maybe you go public then.” He tried to broker a deal. William didn’t want to see his candidate’s numbers go even lower, and he knew a story about a free spending pastor would do just that. First his child, now his candidate. Could it get any worse?
    â€œJust call them back, William,” Reverend Chance said. “Tell them we have a statement.”

Chapter 14
    Nikki’s Internet search yielded all manner of horror stories. Her first query produced a report that eased her mind, but subsequent searches gave her information about children and adults whose lives were forever compromised by their condition, of other disorders that resulted from the untreated condition, even cancer.
    By the time William got home, she was near tears. “Psalm has got to have this surgery. Now,” she insisted, before he even had a chance to take off his jacket.
    â€œAll right, baby,” William said in a calm voice.
    â€œAre you listening to me?” Nikki demanded.
    â€œYes, I am. I said ‘all right.’” His voice remained calm.
    â€œWilliam, this is your child, your baby and you don’t seem at all concerned for her well being,” Nikki snapped.
    â€œI thought you said she was up and playing earlier? That, to me, is a clear sign she is fine,” William said.
    â€œBut what else did I say? I also said she was up and playing before all this happened, so we can’t trust that to mean she is fine.”
    â€œWell, we can trust God to reveal to us she is fine, and maybe that’s what He is trying to do,” William said.
    â€œWell, I think God wants us to do a bit more than sit around and wait on Him,” Nikki said. “That’s what you always do. You go and call on the name of God and then sit back and wait for Him to act.”
    â€œWell, I don’t just ‘sit back,’ as you so note, but I do trust. And I trust Him to do amazing things for us. What is a little digestive condition? God can heal that instantly. Maybe He already has.”
    â€œBut we don’t know!” Nikki insisted. “I don’t see why you can’t get all this through your head. Our baby could be in that type of pain again, and I, for one, will not wait for that to happen.”
    â€œSo you’re saying you know better than God?”
    â€œNo, I’m not,” Nikki said. “But what I am saying is that I want to do all I can. God wants us to act on our faith. I am acting. I’m trying to learn all I can about this condition, influence the insurance company as best I can, whatever is humanly possible. I’m not going to just sit on my hands.”
    â€œNobody is sitting on their hands, Nikki,” William said. “I just think we should wait and see.”
    Nikki threw her hands in the air. “I just don’t understand you sometimes. I’d think you’d be at least a little concerned that your daughter could die.”
    William rubbed his eyes. “Die, Nikki?”
    â€œYes, die!” Nikki flung the words at him. “I sat right there on that computer and read some report about people dying from this thing.”
    â€œWell, you know the Internet has all sorts of crazy info on there,” William said. “And yes, I’m just as concerned as you about Psalm, but I’m just trying to process all of this. That’s all.”
    â€œProcess?” Nikki said. “What’s to process?”
    â€œNikki, it’s been a very long day, can I just take my shoes off first?”
    â€œOh, you’ve had a long day?” Her chest was heaving. “What about me? I’ve been here, going back and forth with the insurance company all day—all