In the small hospital chapel, a tiny figure stood in front of a glowing white mural, praying devoutly.
Sheldon prayed that if Daddy George recovered this time, he promised never to question the existence of God again.
Jimmy pushed open the chapel door and, by chance, saw little Sheldon "bathing" in the sacred light.
When Jimmy saw this, he smiled softly. The existence of God—even if it couldn't be known from a scientific standpoint—any monument or sculpture that brought peace to a person was more than enough.
"Sheldon, what are you doing?" Jimmy asked as he walked closer.
"I'm praying and asking God to keep my father safe," little Sheldon answered honestly.
"That's great. It looks like God helped you out this time…" Jimmy smiled and shared the good news that Sheldon's father was now stable.
"Awesome!" the little boy cheered, then turned to the mural and thanked God with enthusiasm: "Thank you, God!"
He then happily ran out of the chapel.
"No, thank the doctors…" Jimmy wanted to tell Sheldon that he should be thanking medical science.
But after a moment's thought, he realized it wasn't right to fill Sheldon's mind with those ideas. If his faith was in God like this, what right did Jimmy have to take that away?
Jimmy had never paid much attention to medicine before, but now that the situation called for it, he was determined to spend a few hours each day helping to evolve the world's medical knowledge.
…
Intensive Care Unit
Back in the room, the Cooper family was still basking in relief—until they saw the payment list left by the hospital.
The high medical bills far exceeded the Cooper family's budget. Fortunately, thanks to health insurance, they wouldn't have to worry too much about it.
Still, the weight of the family rested on George's shoulders. He was the man of the house, and his work had barely kept them afloat as it was.
Mary stayed home full time to take care of their many children, so finding a job wasn't an option for her.
Especially considering Sheldon's special care needs, the thought of working had honestly never crossed her mind.
But if George remained ill, they'd have no choice but to find a source of income. Thankfully, for this family, Jimmy had entered their lives. With his future plans, the money Sheldon would earn for helping him would be more than the family could spend.
George took his wife's hand and said, "I'll be fine now, don't worry anymore."
The three children in the room didn't understand adult problems. When they heard George say he was okay, smiles returned to their faces.
Mary was still a little concerned when she saw her husband's pale face.
Seeing this, Connie—feeling guilty about George—offered to cover part of the medical expenses.
Jimmy, standing among the family, smiled as he realized everything was actually going to be okay.
"Thanks, I really am fine," George said gratefully, then added cheerfully, "Just buy me a drink once I've recovered."
"George will be fine—I made a deal with God," Sheldon declared proudly, feeling confident in the divine guarantee.
Through George's story, young Sheldon believed he had made a true connection with God.
Of course, to the adults, Sheldon's words were just a child's way of playing pretend.
In the end, with George's insistence, he was discharged the next day and returned to his warm home.
…
The Next Day
The next day, Jimmy was outside in the yard, continuing his workout.
"Start the emergency care process. We'll gradually improve the medical system. We'll optimize poor structures and make doctors' time more efficient." Jimmy was full of ideas, sharing them with Goddard, whose artificial intelligence handled most of the actual work on its own.
After finishing, Jimmy was about to go take a shower when he saw Sheldon walking in, wearing a white suit with a Christian symbol on it.
"Jimmy, my mom wants to invite your family over for dinner," said Sheldon, glancing with a bit of envy at Jimmy's increasingly strong physique.
"Oh? Who's this?" Judy, noticing a strange figure in the yard, came closer to see who it was. Once she recognized Sheldon, she asked, "Jimmy, why is your friend dressed like that?"
Sheldon puffed up a little with pride and answered seriously, "This outfit is my way of showing respect to God."
"Have you become a Christian?" Judy asked with a curious smile, finding Sheldon's behavior amusing.
"No, I believe in science," Sheldon explained earnestly. "I just dressed like this to thank God for blessing my dad."
That answer summed up perfectly that, deep down, Sheldon was still just a kid.
As for Jimmy—while he enjoyed having fun—there were certain areas where he was far more mature.