Free Killer Cupid (The Redemption Series: Book 1) by Maeve Christopher Page B

have known his cousin Cat was Cat the Prayer Warrior. Why did he hide her from me?
     
    Nita
     
    We all gathered around David’s bed, and Cat began to pray. “Abba! Dear Abba…”
    George Aldridge whispered loud enough to be heard by all. “Abba? Who’s that? I thought that’s the Muslim guy…”
    Marion quickly spoke over him, I supposed in an effort to shut him up. “I don’t know, George, isn’t that Allah?”
    I leaned over. “Abba is a term of endearment and familiarity with our Christian God the Father.”
    As George opened his mouth again, Cat turned in our direction, and she looked at George and Marion, not with disgust or resentment, or even the impatience I was feeling. She looked at them as though she was seeing Jesus. It shut them both right up. You could hear a pin drop in the room. Cat began her prayer again, those amazing eyes focused on the Aldridges. She listed every name for God I’d ever heard and more. Cat used any opportunity as a teaching moment.
    “Abba, Dear Abba, our Father, who art in heaven, holy is Your name. Elohim, The Creator God, Yahweh, The Loving Redeemer, Adonai, The Lord God, we surrender to You. El Shaddai, The God Almighty, You are the God Who provides, Jehovah Shalom, The God Who is Our Peace,  Adonai Rapheca, The Healing God … ”
    I heard Eduardo let out a snore – his idea of being funny – but I let him have it with my elbow.
    “Owww!”
    Cat turned her gaze toward him, with a vague smile reminiscent of David’s sarcastic smirk. “Lord God have mercy on us.”
    “Amen!” Eduardo was obviously feeling back to his old self. Nothing could erase his sarcastic humor. His mother, Camellia, shot him a look I hadn’t seen since he’d left. No one, especially her son, would even remotely joke about or with God in her pious presence. He’d be needing mercy. Cat was always on point.
    Then Cat turned her attention back to David, and laid her hands on him. “Abba, Dear Abba, you are love itself. We enter Your gates with thanksgiving and Your courts with praise. We praise You and we thank You for Your child David. We know You love him with a love that is beyond all our comprehension. He is fearfully and wonderfully made. Let him know Your love in his inmost being. By Your grace and by the Precious Blood of Jesus, heal him of all his injuries, all illness and disease, all iniquity. Lord, You are the One who heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. You are the One who raises the dead. We give thanks to You who is good; Your love endures forever. We cry out to You, Lord in our distress, and You deliver us, You save us. Bring David out of his distress. Save him and deliver him from evil. You are faithful through all generations, Father. You forgive all our sins, and heal our diseases. You redeem our lives from the pit. You are faithful; You are compassionate; You are the God who heals us. Heal your child, David. In Jesus’ name we pray.” She leaned over and kissed his forehead.
    By the time Cat finished her prayer, everyone was in tears. The entire family filed by David’s bed and said their own silent prayer, kissing him on the cheek and forehead. When the procession was complete, David’s face and shoulders were wet. He never moved a muscle. Dr. Earle, General Pearson, and the chaplain had watched us, and I could see their relief as Cat and I finally escorted Debbie from the room.
    To avoid the inevitable barrage of questions from my parents, I told them I needed to freshen up and ran back to my room. Eduardo was right on my heels, having extricated himself from General Pearson’s grip.
    I took a washcloth and ran some cold water. He appeared in the bathroom door as I applied it to my face.
    “Well that went well. Pearson’s got his knickers in a twist over how Cat knew about Debbie,” he said.
    I didn’t need to see his face – Eduardo’s default communication style was always sarcastic humor. At least he was back to his old self.
    “What did you