— “By letting Rosie get better,” Sam replied. “That’s the only payment we want.”
Over the next few weeks, Sam worked with Rosie while Andrew helped Mike find some temporary work in town, and Karen helped Linda adjust. Matthew became Rosie’s best friend, spending hours telling her about all the beautiful things she’d see when she was ready.
— “Rosie,” Matthew said one day, “did you know there are blue butterflies in the garden?”
— “Blue butterflies?” she asked, intrigued.
— “Yeah, and there are red flowers that smell like vanilla. And a little pond with goldfish.”
— “Do you think I’ll be able to see them?”
— “I’m sure of it,” Matthew said. “Because you’re brave. Your name already says so.”
Gradually, through the daily sessions with Sam and her friendship with Matthew, Rosie began to improve. First, she started opening her eyes when she was alone in her room. Then, when it was just Sam and Matthew. Finally, she was able to open them in front of her parents.
— “Mom!” she cried one day. “Your eyes are brown, just like mine!”
Linda and Mike wept with joy seeing their daughter see again.
— “And Dad,” Rosie continued, “you have crinkles by your eyes, but they’re nice because you smile a lot.”
Mike laughed through his tears.
— “Baby girl, you’re back with us.”
— “I never left,” Rosie said. “I was just scared. But Sam and Matthew taught me I could be brave.”
When Rosie’s family finally headed back west, Mike had a better job lined up. And through a social program Andrew helped them access, they were promised help with a new home. Sam and Matthew felt the deep satisfaction that always came with a successful recovery.
— “Sam,” Matthew said that evening, “how many kids do you think we’ve helped now?”
Sam thought for a moment.
— “Directly, maybe three hundred. But if you count the ones helped by the doctors we trained, probably thousands.”
— “Do you think we’ll do this forever?”
Sam looked at Matthew with a smile.
— “Matthew, can you imagine doing anything else?”
Matthew laughed.
— “No. This is the best life I could have.”
— “Then that’s what we’ll do. We’ll keep going until every kid knows they can be brave.”
Just then, Andrew and Karen walked into the boys’ room to say goodnight, as they did every evening.
— “How was your day?” Karen asked.
