She whistled again.
A faint whinny sounded from the far side of the field. Ann’s heart leaped within her chest. “Jesus, please let Jacob be all right. I can’t stand to lose him, not when I just realized how much I need him.”
Back in the truck, she bounced through the field until she saw the outline of a horse. Her headlights also reflected a body crumpled on the ground.
“Oh, no!” she screamed, as she gunned the truck in their direction, breaking for an abrupt stop only yards away.
Ann slammed on the brakes and jumped from the cab. She hurried over to Jacob and fell on her knees. “Jacob! Jacob! You have to answer me. Jesus, please let him answer me. Ja—”
Jacob’s hoarse whisper cut her off. “I’ve been trying to answer you, but you won’t be quiet long enough to hear me.”
Ann wiped her tears. “Thank you, God.” She touched his cheek and he flinched as her fingers came close to the gash. “You look awful, can you stand?”
“Of course, I was just taking a breather.”
Through the light provided by the truck, Ann saw the dark stains covering most of Jacob’s upper torso. Her eyes darted around with a nervous tension. “I think you’ve lost a lot of blood. Let’s get you in the truck before that lion comes back.”
Jacob released a moan as he struggled to get up. “It won’t be back. I shot it.” Ann was still too nervous to let the news sink in. She pulled him to his feet and let the bulk of his weight lean against Trigger as she supported him around the waist. Trigger more than proved his worth, as he obligingly accepted the task. Ann reached for the reins and guided all three of them to the cab. Once Jacob was inside, she gently laid the dog in the bed of the truck before heading for the road, with Trigger close behind.
“Don’t go to sleep, Jacob.” Ann nervously patted his thigh and tried to hold herself together.
His eyes were closed, but his mouth revealed the slightest smile. “I don’t have a concussion, just some cuts.”
His voice slurred.
Panic rose in her voice. “You stay awake, Jacob Durham, you hear me? I didn’t come all this way to lose you now!” A sputtered sob hitched her breath and shook her shoulders.
“Crying won’t help me, Annie. Ask me questions,” he mumbled.
“How old were you when Ethan was born?”
“Twenty-one, I think.”
“Good. Okay, how long have you had Trigger?” When he didn’t answer immediately, Ann shouted the question again.
“Stop yelling, Annie.” His light chuckle was meant to ease her tension. “I’m thinking.”
“You have to be quicker with your answers. I’m not very good in crisis situations.”
“So I’ve noticed.” His voice was barely audible now.
“Jacob, please stay awake. I love you, Jacob. I can’t bear to lose you.” Tears streamed down her face.
It was the slightest movement, but there against her thigh, Jacob moved his hand to touch her. She glanced down to see his bloody, swollen arm trying to comfort her. A sob escaped her throat. She turned to Jacob and saw a single tear fall from his eye.
“I love you, too.” His words, though quiet and slurred, spoke volumes to her heart.
Ann sniffed and blinked rapidly. “You’re going to be okay. I’ll get you to a doctor.” She turned to hide her fear. He’d lost so much blood.
Would he be okay?
Ann made it through the gate after opening it, this time she didn’t bother to close it. She stopped long enough to lead Trigger in the direction of home then slapped his rump to get him going. She hated the thought of leaving Luke to worry, but didn’t want to waste any time going the opposite direction from the hospital. She’d have to trust God to comfort them until she could call.
***
Ann sat in the hospital waiting room with Emily on her lap and Ethan and Luke close by. She wore a pink sweatshirt Luke brought for her. After contacting the Stevenson’s, she’d told them she wasn’t fit for the children to see.
Jacob’s blood stained her shirt.
Ann’s legs were crossed and her foot continually tapped in the air. A warm hand reached over and covered her arm.
“Ann,” Luke’s voice was gentle and sad. “Why don’t you find us a cup of coffee?” His loving eyes couldn’t hide his own pain, yet, his thoughts were on her.
Touched by his thoughtfulness, Ann nodded. She needed to walk and pray.
Ann found her way to the chapel. She entered with hopes of finding solace, but it was already occupied a couple. The disappointment that niggled her was pushed aside by guilt. Where three or more are gathered, there am I also. She approached the couple and knelt beside them. After exchanged concerns, they spent the next few moments in prayer.
Their heads lifted and revealed swollen eyes and utter exhaustion. Ann’s heart ached for their pain. She placed a hand over the woman’s. The lady couldn’t have been much older than Ann.
Her mouth turned down as she began to weep.
Uncontrolled tears rolled down Ann’s cheeks as well. This couple’s pain was so great she didn’t give thought to her own.
“Dear God in Heaven,” Ann began, “Please lend healing to our loved ones, strength to endure what’s ahead, and acceptance for what we cannot change. And please, I ask you to comfort us in the midst of our trials. Amen.”
The man pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket and wiped his eyes. “Thank you,” he said as he stood. “We needed another’s prayers. More than you could know.”
“Yes,” said the woman, “you said what I couldn’t.”
Ann watched them exit from the chapel. The man wrapped his arm around the woman. Her strength. Her protector.
She took a deep breath, grabbed a tissue from a box on the floor and dried her eyes. She’d have to rely on her prayer for strength to endure what she’d soon find out.
Ann walked toward the waiting room with candy bars in her pocket, two cups of coffee and hope in her heart. Luke’s eyes lit up when they met hers.
“Good news!”
Before Luke could say more, the children filled Ann in. Tears pooled in her eyes as bits and pieces of their conversation made sense. “Loss of blood. Sixty-Two stitches. Cracked ribs. Daddy’s coming home tomorrow!”
Luke directed Ann to a nurse that showed her to Jacob’s room. Her chest tightened as she stood in the doorway.
“It’s okay, honey. Go right in. I’m sure he’ll be glad to know you’re here.” The nurse gave Ann a gentle push before she walked away.
Ann stared down at her hero. His arms were completely bandaged along with one of his hands. His face, swollen with stitches above one eye. A tear escaped Ann and fell onto Jacob’s cheek. She sniffed and gently wiped it with her finger.
His eyes fluttered open. “Hey, beautiful. I wondered when I’d see you again.” His voice was hoarse. He tried to moisten his dry lips.
Ann retrieved some water from a table beside the bed and held it out for him. After he finished drinking, she collapsed in the chair at his side. She placed a hand on his shoulder, needing to touch him.
Jacob turned his head into her hand. His eyes were sleepy but he seemed determined to stay awake. “I remember you telling me something pretty important. I was hoping to hear it again.” A familiar smirk lifted the corner of his mouth.
Ann leaned over and placed a kiss on Jacob’s lips. “I told you, I love you. And, I meant every word.”
Jacob’s smile broadened as he held Ann’s gaze. “I love you, Annie.”
Chapter Twenty Four
Jacob was home. Though he couldn’t do much, at least he was with family. From his designated spot on the couch, he watched Ann busy herself with the household chores. She always hummed when she worked.
Even when making a mess.
He smiled. She told him she’d make home-made noodles for the chicken soup. The long, skinny noodles were now draped all over the kitchen to dry. He wasn’t going to complain, he was sure it would be delicious, but he al
so never remembered his own mother making such a mess.
Ann turned around with her hands on her hips, looking for something. Jacob laughed.
“What?” she demanded.
“Come here, you’ve got flour all over your face.”
Ann tried to wipe at it but her hands were too crusted with dough. She gave up, walked over to the couch and perched on the edge of the cushion. Jacob wiped her nose and forehead. “You’re fun to watch.”
Ann laughed but before she could respond Ethan walked in from his room. “Hey, what happened in there?” He gestured toward the kitchen. Jacob and Ann laughed some more as Ethan picked up the ointment for his dog. “Did we get to thank that vet who came and got Moses from the hospital?”
Ann shook her head. “He wasn’t in when we picked him up. But, I’ll take you by later this week so you can personally thank him.”
Ethan opened the door to step out. “Thanks, Ann.”
Jacob shifted on the couch. “The kids love you, Annie.”
“And, I love them.” Their eyes met and exchanged a look of purpose. Before Jacob could add to it, his wounds drew Ann’s gaze away. “How are you feeling? Do you need any pain medication?”
“Are you my nurse?”
Ann smiled. “I guess so.”
“In that case, I think I need a sponge bath,” Jacob teased her.
“You’re a mess, Mr. Durham.”
Jacob reached out with his good hand and drew Ann closer. “That’s why I need you to stick around. I need some straightening out.” His eyes shone brightly.
“I was so scared of losing you, of never seeing you again.” Ann looked down at her hands and picked at the dried flour. “Of never being able to tell you,” she brought her eyes to meet his, “how much you mean to me.”
Jacob squeezed her hand. “Then marry me, and you’ll have a lifetime to show me just how much.”
Tears fell from Ann’s eyes as she cupped Jacob’s face in her dough encrusted hands. Her smile broadened as she leaned over to kiss him. “Yes. Oh yes!”
EPILOGUE
“As if the length of time before his proposal wasn’t shocking enough, their engagement was. The following Sunday after Jacob Durham’s stitches were removed, our local hero became husband to Ms. Annie McHaven, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald McHaven of Springfield, Ill. and niece of our local Mr. and Mrs. Sam Garrett. Congratulations to a beautiful couple.”
Ann read the framed cutout from the local gazette. It was hard to imagine three years had already passed and she would soon deliver their second child.
Jacob walked up behind her, encircling Ann’s swollen belly and whispered in her ear, “Are you ready, my beautiful bride?”
She leaned back into his embrace. “Definitely. I can’t wait to hear Ethan and Emily’s special. I’m so proud of how well they harmonize.”
“You don’t think Lucille plans to steal the show, do you?”
Ann laughed. “She better not. That’s why we let Luke name her. If she misses announcing herself on his birthday, he’ll be so disappointed.”
Jacob gave her a gentle squeeze. “Then let’s get going, Ethan’s outside with Emily and Keaton. We’ll stop by and get Grandpa and be on our way.”
Ann could hear the pride in Jacob’s voice. She felt it, too. Soon they would have the completed family they both dreamed about.
She folded her hand in her husband’s large one and a love like no other surged through her. She turned and caught Jacob staring. A welcomed blush colored her cheeks as her eyes shone back.
“… the coast in makes it all worth-while.”
***
A note from the author:
I hope you enjoyed reading Abandoned Hearts as much as I enjoyed writing it. This story came about by a lot of different angles. A country road near our home inspired its start and the cougar elements stemmed from numerous sightings from the local community.
My family and I live in the area described in this book and in a home not too dissimilar from Jacob’s cabin. We’ve had everything but a cougar in our yard and enjoy the excitement each new visitor brings. (As long as we’re safely inside the house!)
Thank you for your time. I enjoy hearing from my readers and can be found at http://www.reginatittel.blogspot.com, or you can leave me a message at [email protected].
Also, if you enjoyed Abandoned Hearts, please consider leaving a review. You’re encouraging words could be the catalyst someone else needs to purchase this book. Not only would you be sharing the Godly messages I shared with you, but you would also help promote me as an author.
Thanks again, and God bless!
Table of Contents
Copyright
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty Three
Chapter Twenty Four
Abandoned Hearts (The Ozark Durham Series) Page 18