*Sam's point of view*  

Chapter 6—Meeting Candy  

Candy looked horrified when Theresa said my name. “You could have warned me!”  

“If I had warned you, you wouldn’t have come. But now that you’re here, I would like to talk to both of you together.” Theresa spoke calmly, but it didn’t really change Candy’s attitude.  

“You’re not going to tell him, are you?”  

“Of course not. That’s for you to decide.”  

“Um, guys,” I waved at them to get their attention. “I’m still here you know.”  

“Oh,” Theresa said kindly. “I know you are, dear. Candy and I just had to straighten some things out.”  

“But we’re good now, right Theresa?” I was surprised that Candy was even talking to me, although I suppose she was actually addressing both Theresa and me.  

“For now. But I have to talk to you two, so don’t go running off. Usually I talk to each person individually, but I’ve gotten special orders to speak to both of you together. First of all, Sam, you aren’t in any trouble, but Candy is, and you are essential to her healing process. Understand?”  

“Yes, mam,” I said, at the same time that Candy gasped, “What do you mean?”  

“I mean, Candy, that if you want to change your paths, you must let Sam guide you.”  

“How am I supposed to guide her if I don’t even have a clue about what I’m doing?” I  

“Ah, but you will, dear. You will. Let me explain how you change paths. First of all, God doesn’t choose just anyone to have the opportunity to change. Only those who have the potential, drive, and reason to change will get the opportunity. Not only that, you must also have faith in your ability to change. He must believe that you have all of these things, or He wouldn’t have chosen you, Candy.” Theresa’s tone remained soothing and quiet.  

“Even if I don’t?” Candy wondered aloud.  

Theresa smiled. “Even if you don’t.”  

“So, um, not to be rude or anything, but why did He choose me to guide her?” It seemed like this whole path changing thing was a big deal, so wouldn’t the person guiding them have to be someone important? I wasn’t important, not by a long shot.  

“When Candy figures it out, she will tell you. I’m going to leave the two of you alone for a little while, and when you’re done talking, I need to speak to Candy. Sam, you may choose whether to guide her or not, but I’d like you to keep in mind that you could be changing her fate by your decision. I’ll need to know by tomorrow.” She left, and my head was still spinning. I could burden myself with being her guide, or I could say no and risk her having to spend the rest of eternity in hell. No pressure there.  

“So I guess you want to know what I did.” I was startled by how regretful her voice sounded. It was as if she was a bad dog, slinking towards her master with her head hung low.  

“Actually, I hadn’t even thought that far ahead. But if you want to tell me, you can. I guess it would be a good start.”  

She cringed, and her eyes got this look in them that made me wonder if she was here, or somewhere else. “The night I died, I snuck out to go to a party with my boyfriend. I left to get him a drink, and when I came back, he was busy going to second base with this slutty blonde. I completely lost it, dumped him, and tipped back a couple of shots before driving off. I woke up in the hospital, and they told me I crashed, and killed somebody. I’d never even met the guy. And all because I wanted to go to a party with an ass hole.”  

I realized that she was crying now, the tears streaming down her face like rivers flowing across the geography of her cheeks, nose, and lips. Wordlessly, I pulled her into my arms like I used to do to Sarah when she fell and scraped her knee. Sarah. My own tears mixed with Candy’s as I realized that I hadn’t even thought about my family since I got to the garden. She glanced up at me for a moment and her eyes said everything that I wanted my mouth to say. With a tenderness that I wasn’t even aware she was capable of, she wiped a tear from my cheek.  

Without any warning, she climbed out of my lap and ran out of the orange grove, leaving me empty and alone.