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It was my aunt? God, this can ’ t be happening! ”
    Dallas gave her a watered-down version of the scene that took place earlier. As her tears fell, an ounce of guilt crept in, but he resisted the urge to comfort Tori. Any gesture on his part could send a mixed message. And, it was a gesture of compassion that had brought Tori and Dallas together in the first place.
    * * *
    Two years ago
    Plano , Texas
     
     
    Dallas found a silent corner in the family waiting room in Baylor Regional Medical Center. He laid his head on the brightly painted wall and turned his body inward to block out any outside presence. His heart was breaking in ways that he had never experienced. His mother was dying. All of the reports from the specialists pointed to that fact. None of them held out hope.
    Dallas closed his eyes and said a silent prayer. “ God, I ’ m not going to promise that I ’ ll be in church every single Sunday for the rest of my life. I ’ m not going to put a lie on the table that I ’ m going to suddenly straighten up and fly right. It ’ s just that … I ’ m asking the right questions, but I ’ m not getting the right answers, ” he said softly. “ So, what I need now is strength. What I need now is guidance. These doctors are supposed to be the best in the business, but God, You know this healing business. You know how much she believes in You. Show me what I ’ m supposed to do. I don ’ t ask for much, but I ’ m asking you this, right here and right now… ”
    The feel of a gentle hand rubbing his shoulder and the scent of a woman ’ s perfume caused his eyes to open. He looked into the face of an angel. He had never cried before, but for some reason he couldn ’ t stop the tears that nearly blinded him. The woman pulled him to her and he hesitated only a brief moment before he held onto her as though they had been life-long friends.
    “ I ’ m sorry, ” she said after a while. “ I was trying to find a quiet place to study, and couldn ’ t help but overhear your words. ” She took the seat next to him. “ What can I do to help? ”
    He peered at her, taking in the golden skin, soft brown eyes, honey blonde hair, slim figure—but it was the white lab coat that brought him to attention. “ Who are you? ”
    “ I ’ m Tori. I ’ m just a medical student right now, ” she said, smiling at him. “ but in a couple of years, I ’ ll be a resident. ” She looked around the room as if to confirm that they were still alone. “ You ’ re really upset; is there any way I can help? ”
    Dallas wondered what a medical student could do when the doctors were spinning their wheels. “ What I ’ m most concerned about is that they ’ re treating my mother as if she ’ s already dying from cancer. Whatever happened to trying everything possible? ” He shook his head. “ I ’ m not feeling it. I haven ’ t felt it since we first came here. ”
    Tori thought that over for a moment. “ Have you already gotten a second opinion? ”
    “ They sound worse than these guys, ” he said sourly.
    Tori picked up an iPad that she had placed on an end table nearby and tapped a few letters on the screen. She turned it to face him. “ Have you thought about this place? ”
    He skipped past the name and went straight to the words that instantly put his mind at ease. At our hospitals, leading cancer technologies are combined with natural therapies to help you fight the disease and maintain your quality of life.
    “ Natural therapies, ” Dallas whispered. “ Quality of life. That ’ s what I ’ m talking about. ” He looked over the words again. “ Trying for life, not putting a welcome mat out for a funeral. ”
    Tori nodded and placed the iPad in his hands. He continued to study the screen.
    “ Baylor is definitely one of the best at aggressive treatment. ” She tapped a finger on the screen. “ But i t sounds like what you ’ re looking for is a place that looks at the whole well-being of the