I told Aunt Glory that it looked like we might have to wait days, maybe even until next week. "Good thing I got you all relaxed then," she said. "Why don't you invite some friends over and we'll break out monopoly."

I looked down at my feet. "I don't exactly have friends."

"What happened to them?"

"My new homies are in jail, and I'm about to testify against them. I guess they weren't really friend material. They told the cops lies about me to try and rope me into going down with them for some robberies and stuff." I stared over her shoulder and out the window. "My old friends probably aren't speaking to me right now. They weren't wild about me hanging with Jake and Marlow in the first place, and then we smashed BJ all up. He was my like my BF since we played with trucks in the sand box. BJ was the reason they were my friends..." I trailed off.

"I remember BJ," Aunt Glory said. "He was the one with the red hair, freckles, a majestic nose, and big ears, right?"

"Yeah, that's him. But he grew into the nose and ears."

"It's too bad that BJ's friends blame you. Sure you stole the bike, but it wasn't like you meant to run him down." She snapped her fingers. "Enough of that." A wicked grin took over her face. "Okay, then." She waggled her finger back and forth between us. "It's you and me battling out economic warfare. I was trying to let you save face by offering to let your friends participate. I'll try not to bankrupt you too soon."

It was a battle royal. For some reason the Free Parking Jackpot my family used smiled on me late in the game. At 11, Aunt Glory threw in the towel. "I think you're playing with loaded dice. Nobody lands on Free Parking that much."

I grinned. "We're using the same dice," I pointed out. "I was just getting back at you for laser tag."

I went to bed smiling and slept soundly, despite the fact that I was playing the hurry up and wait game, again.

The next morning Aunt Glory made waffles topped with fresh fruit and whipped cream. I guess she was trying to cheer me up. After breakfast, she shooed me into the study. No day off this time.

After my tutor left, she had BLTs waiting. I guess she thought I needed to gain back the weight I lost while I was in the hospital. When I finished lunch, I got up from the table and put my dishes in the dishwasher. "I'm gonna go do my exercises and then maybe we can play Crib or Farkle or Yahtzee or something."

"Your exercises can wait until later." She cocked her hand like a gun and pointed it at me. "I have a suggestion. Why don't we go visit BJ?"

"He doesn't want to see me."

"And how do you know?"

"I've seen the things his friends posted on Facebook about me being a loser and all. His Mom posted a picture of him now that he's awake, so I'm sure he's had time to catch up on everything. No, he doesn't want to see me."

"Well, maybe you need to see him. Don't you think it would go a long way if you could ask for his forgiveness?"

"I sent him a card."

"How many cards did you get while you were in the hospital?"

"Like, thousands."

"And how many of those people came to visit?"

"A handful."

"Who did you think was most sincere, the people who sent cards?"

"No. I figured they were just sending them because they know Mom or to silence their consciences for staying away. It's easy to send a card saying you're praying or thinking good thoughts, but it doesn't really mean much -- unless you, like, live in Hong Kong or something." I didn't want to hurt Aunt Glory's feelings, after all she sent a card.

She grinned. "Nice save, kiddo." Then she sobered. "So you need to show BJ that you're sincere by braving the lion in his den, so to speak. If he blows you off, that's not your problem. At least you tried to do the right thing."

I sighed. "Ok, ok." I'd been sitting around in PJ pants and one of Dad's t-shirts. "Just let me go change."

I put on my purple t-shirt. I figured the Forgiven Ministry logo couldn't hurt. If BJ was up to talking and willing to do it, I might get a chance to tell him about ODWG and Dad and stuff.

While I was dressing, I had a talk with God, out loud. I had closed the door and Aunt Glory was waiting downstairs. I figured I was safe.

"It's CW again, God. I'm going to go see BJ. Let me say the right things. I know I don't deserve his forgiveness or his friendship, but ..." I sort of trailed off. I didn't feel right asking God to get BJ to listen or anything. That just sounded selfish. "Anyway God, I just want to do the right thing, no matter how it turns out...."

I asked Aunt Glory to stop at the gas station on the corner. I went in and bought a bag of cherry blasters. It was the only place around that you could get them. I knew they were BJ's fave. I drew a smiley face on the bag while we drove on to the hospital. It was kind of wavy and funky. "It sort of looks like a jack-o-lantern saying, Eww," I said holding up the bag.

Aunt Glory laughed. "Well, at least you can tell you personalized it yourself with that wonky left hand or yours."

When we got to the hospital, Aunt Glory checked to see if BJ was still in the same place. I thought maybe he'd graduated to a regular room, but he hadn't. I took a deep breath as we got out of the elevator. I wasn't really sure if I was up to this. That yellow streak down my back was getting wider by the minute. I stopped and leaned against the wall and squeezed my eyes shut.

"I don't know if I can do this." My voice was weak and sort of breathy. "Why don't you just take this bag to him and tell him I sent it?"

Aunt Glory leaned on the wall next to me. "Are we helping to hold up the hospital?" 

"What?"

"I thought maybe you expected this wall to fall down if you didn't lend it support."

I half-smiled. "You're worse than Pawpaw."

"I resemble that," she deadpanned.

I stood up and squared my shoulders. I started off down the hall. "Okay, here goes nothing."

As we came around the corner, I saw Dr. Patel leaving BJ's room. I stopped short. Aunt Glory ran into me.

"What's up?" 

I pointed at the doctor's retreating back. "That's my doctor," I said. "He was coming out of BJ's room. I didn't know he was treating both of us. I mean, he was so nice to me. But if he was treating BJ, he had to know that it was my fault BJ was in a coma. How could he joke around with me and put the cops off when he was BJ's doctor?"

"What do you mean he put the cops off?"

"He didn't let them talk to me as soon as I woke up. He gave me a strong dose of pain meds and put me to sleep, buying me time."

"He probably knew you needed the time. Your mind was sorta banged around in that thick skull of yours."

"But BJ was supposed to be dying."

"So, doctor's don't take sides. They're supposed to treat everyone, no matter what the circumstance."

"There's a difference between treating and befriending. I was sure he was my friend."

"He can't be your friend and treat BJ?"

"Yeah. But if I was treating BJ and the guy who creamed him, I think friendliness towards the aggressor might be a stretch."

"Well, you're 14. That doctor has a lot of experience under his belt."

"He must be in Jesus' corner."

"What makes you think that?

"Well, Jesus said to love everybody, even your enemy. If Jesus is in his corner, then he'd look at things differently than most people."

Aunt Glory snorted. "If you say so, but a lot of the people I've known, the ones who claim to be in Jesus' corner, are nasty and judgmental."

"Not my Mom, though."

Aunt Glory smiled. "You're right. Your Mom is one of the good ones, even if it did take her a while to find forgiveness when it came to Paul. Now are we going on or not?"

"Uh, there's a lounge right down there." I pointed down the hall. "Why don't you wait there while I go face BJ?"

"You sure?"

"Yeah. You have your phone. I'll text you if I need reinforcements."

I walked slowly down the hall. I must have looked hesitant, because a nurse coming out of a room asked if she could help me.

"No, that's okay," I said. "I'm here to see BJ Hartford. I know where his room is."

"He hasn't moved," the nurse said. "He would probably welcome a friendly face; his family just left to go get something to eat."

"Okay," I headed towards his door. "If she only knew," I thought. "He might not see this face as friendly."

The door was open as were the window blinds, both on the window facing the nurse's station and the one that opened to the outside. BJ was looking out the window at the bright shining day just beyond his reach.

I tapped on the door as I entered. BJ turned his head slowly towards the door. A look of surprise crossed his face.

"Is it okay if I come in?" 

"Sure." BJ's voice sounded raspy. I guess it was from having the breathing tube down his throat for so long.

I set the bag of cherry blasters on the bed near his right hand. "I don't know what you're allowed to eat, but it takes these things a long time to go bad."

BJ fumbled with the bag. I was tempted to help but I remembered that I'd wanted to do things for myself. It's no fun feeling helpless. He managed to set it on his stomach with the smiley face grinning wonkily at him. He smiled. "It looks like you got a kindergartener's help with that."

"Yeah, I know. I don't always do so good with my left hand, but especially not while riding in a car."

He got the bag opened and peaked in. "Get one of those out for me," he said with a grin. "I'm too impatient to wait while I try to get this gimpy arm to do what I want."

While he chewed, I started the speech I'd been writing in my mind. "Look, BJ, I'm sorry about everything. I shouldn't have ditched you for those losers, but you have to know I didn't intend to run you down."

Before I could go on, BJ interrupted. "I know, dude. I heard you holler NO!"

"You heard that? I thought the wind grabbed it and blew it over my shoulder."

"I heard it, in my dreams, over and over. If I didn't hear it in real life, how would I have known to dream it?"

My legs were suddenly weak. I sat down in a chair by the bed. I stared at BJ.

"If you heard it, then Jake must have." I shook my head in disbelief. "He didn't even slow down or try to avoid you or anything."

We were sitting there staring at each other, trying to make sense of what I'd just said when I heard a harsh voice behind me.

"What's he doing here?" I turned. BJ's Mom didn't look too forgiving.

I started to stand. "Sit down," BJ commanded me. Then he looked at his Mom. "He didn't put me here on purpose." BJ punctuated the statement by shaking a finger in cadence with the words. "He came to say he's sorry. Let us talk this out, Mom. You don't have to go all mama tiger on me. I've got this."

"But..." BJ stared her down. "Ok." She turned to me. "If you get him upset and he relapses, I'm coming for you."

"She sounds like my Mom in her protective mode," I said after she left.

"She gets kinda intense. I got your card." He waved at the wall that was papered with get-well cards. "I think she put it up there, but I'm sure it's buried three deep somewhere."

He changed the subject. "The cops have been by to talk to us. They told us that you are going to testify against Jake and Marlow. I think Mom believes you're doing it just to save your skin?"

The way he said it made it sound like a question. I guess he wanted to know why, too. "I am going to testify. At first I pretended to have amnesia. I thought that would save me from having to rat out my homies." I saw the look of disbelief on his face. I hurried on. "I still thought the wreck was a horrible accident and that Jake and Marlow were my friends." My throat was getting dry. I brought up some spit and swallowed it. "I thought that telling the cops that Jake intended to scare the shit out of you would be ratting."

BJ was still looking at me like I was an alien, but all he said was, "You sound like you need some water. Go to the door and ask the nurse. She'll give you some."

I got some water and then continued. "When the drugs that had my mind in a haze were reduced and I started to think clearly, I made a list of the suspicious things that happened while I was hanging with Jake and Marlow. I talked the list over with a guy I met who used to be in prison and has a son who's doing life at Angola. He explained to me that telling what you know to be true is not ratting, and it's not just saving your skin. It's making sure justice is done."

I took another drink of water. BJ simply waited for me to go on. "That's when I asked the cop stationed outside my room to take me to see you. She wheeled me right over."

"You came over here while I was in a coma?"

"I did, but your Mom had her head on your bed either sleeping or praying. She didn't see me, but I saw you. I knew that Troy was right. I had to help get justice for you. I told the cop I'd talk, no strings attached."

"Anyway, I came today to tell you that I'm really sorry for my part in all this. I had a case of the stupids, and I'm paying the price. I came to ask if you'll forgive me, even though all I deserve is for you to put me on your loser list."

"Look," BJ said. "Sure you played the idiot some. But I know that you were mad at your Mom. You had reason to be. I couldn't understand why that meant you cut me out, but..." He shrugged. "I don't know what I'd do if I didn't see my Dad for six years and found out it was my Mom who was keeping us apart. So, yeah, forgiveness granted." He gave me a thumbs up. "Next time you flash out, though, text 911 to me. Maybe I can stop you from graffiting walls, or getting drunk, or going joyriding."

"Ditto," I said. "I'm sure your time's coming."

"Maybe." He grinned.

A nurse poked her head in the door. "Don't stay too long," she said. "He still needs lots of rest."

"Mom sent you, didn't she," BJ said. She winked. "Tell her to give us 10."

"There's something I need to tell you before you go." BJ sort of picked at his blanket with his fingers. "It's gonna sound strange, but just listen with an open mind, ok?"

"Sure." I said.

"When we first got to the hospital, I think my spirit left my body." He took a gulp of water. "I was staring down at my body watching the nurses and doctors try to save me. It was weird. When they used the defibrillator thing and shocked my heart back into rhythm, it was like I was pulled back into my body."

"An out of body experience," I said. "Cool."

"That was strange, but something else happened while I was in a coma. I left my body again, but this time I went down this long black tunnel. At first it was all black, but then I saw a pinprick of light in the distance. The light got brighter and brighter until I burst out into this meadow. My grandpa, you know the one that died last year, was standing in the meadow. He gave me a big hug. He asked if I wanted the grand tour. When I said, 'Of what?' he said, 'Heaven.'"

"Did you take the tour?"

"I was going to, but there was this shining man standing near the edge of the meadow. He looked like the light was coming from inside somewhere, sort of like in a sci-fi movie. He sort of shook his head no. Then I heard someone sobbing and calling my name. When I turned towards the sound, the light started to fade. I dropped into blackness. Then the dreams started. I kept riding my bike down the street and hearing you scream, 'No-o-o!' That dream was sort of on a loop interspersed with periods of silence and darkness. Then I woke up. And here we are."

"So was the man Jesus?"

"I think so."

"I guess you thought that would turn me off, and it would have a couple of months ago. But I started talking to God after I saw you. I told him that you didn't deserve to die. I didn't think he was listening; I mean, the doctors said you were a goner. Eventaully you woke up. I'm in Jesus' corner now. I even have a lawyer who's into Jesus. It's not something I talk about a lot, and I don't understand all about God. But I've been reading the Bible my Dad sent me for Christmas. He even made a DVD where he reads stories from the Bible. It's kind of cool. I'll let you watch it if you want."

"Sure," BJ said.

I looked out the window and saw BJ's Mom standing outside the window with her arms crossed. I stood up. "I'd better get out of here before your Mom brings a bouncer."

BJ laughed. "She'll come around. You'll come back, won't you?"

"You'll get sick of my ugly mug. I know what it's like to sit in a bed watching mindless TV. I mean, how can women watch those stupid soaps?"

"Yeah, and Court TV. Gag me."

"I'll be back." I walked to the door and let myself out.

I stopped in front of BJ's Mom. "I'm sorry Mrs. Hartford. I know that you see a reckless brat when you look at me. I don't blame you for hating me. I just hope someday you can find a way to let that anger go."

She didn't say a word. She just looked at me and then turned and walked into BJ's room.