Dear to Me

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  Gabe’s thoughts went to Melinda, and he wondered if hunters were respecting the NO HUNTING signs her stepfather had put around their place. I hope Melinda has the smarts to stay out of the woods until hunting season is over. No telling what could happen if someone goes onto their property and ignores those signs.

  He reached into his backpack, checking to be sure he’d brought along enough ammunition. Everything seemed to be in order. Now all he needed was a nice-sized buck to step into the clearing. He knew his folks would be pleased to have some deer meat on the table during the winter months.

  A twig snapped, and Gabe leaped to attention. He was about to grab his gun when Isaiah Hertzler stepped out from behind a tree.

  “What are you doing here?” Gabe asked. “Don’t you know how dangerous it is to be in the woods during hunting season when you’re not one of the hunters?”

  Isaiah shrugged. “I was on my way home from fishin’ at the pond, and I ain’t scared of bein’ in the woods.”

  “Well, you should be scared, and you should have taken the road, not cut through the woods.”

  “Mind if I shoot your gun again?” Isaiah asked, ignoring Gabe’s reprimand and eyeing the item in question.

  “Not unless we get your daed’s permission. I think it’d be best if you went straight home.” Gabe started to get up, but his backpack fell to the ground. He reached down to pick it up, and when he lifted his head again, he was shocked to see Isaiah holding the gun.

  Before Gabe could open his mouth, the gun went off. A piercing pain shot through his left shoulder, and he toppled to his knees. As Gabe fought to remain conscious, a wave of nausea coursed through his stomach.

  “Gabe! Gabe, are you all right?” Isaiah dropped down beside him, his youthful face a mask of concern. “I—I didn’t mean to shoot you. I don’t know how the gun went off.”

  “I’m bleeding really bad,” Gabe said through clenched teeth. “I need something to put on the wound so I can apply pressure.”

  Isaiah pulled a hanky from his pants pocket and handed it to Gabe. “Will this work?”

  Gabe balled it up and shoved it against his shoulder, wincing in pain. “You need to go for help, Isaiah. If I try to stand, I’ll most likely pass out.”

  The boy blanched. “You’re not gonna die on me, are you?”

  Gabe moaned and tried to make his voice sound more convincing than he felt. “I—I think I’ll live, but I need to go to the hospital. Run home and tell your daed what’s happened. Ask him to go to the nearest phone and call for help.”

  “O–okay.”

  Gabe felt warm blood soak through the hanky and onto his fingers, and the world started to spin. “Hurry, Isaiah.”

  The last thing Gabe remembered was a muffled, “I’m goin’.” Then everything went black.

  Melinda had just stepped out of the barn when her little brother dashed into the yard, yelling and waving his arms. “I shot Gabe! I shot Gabe!”

  She rushed out to meet him, her heart hammering in her chest. “What do you mean, you shot Gabe?”

  “He needs to go to the hospital. He may be bleedin’ to death.” Isaiah was clearly out of breath, and his cheeks were bright red and splattered with tears.

  Melinda grabbed his shoulders and gave them a shake. “Slow down, take a deep breath, and tell me what happened.”

  “I—I was walkin’ through the woods on my way back from Rabers’ pond when I ran into Gabe. I asked if I could shoot his gun, but he said no.”

  “Then what did you do?”

  “When Gabe was bent over his ammunition bag, I picked up the gun.” Isaiah’s lower lip trembled, and more tears spilled onto his cheeks. “The gun went off, Melinda. I didn’t mean for it to, but the next thing I knew, Gabe was lyin’ on the ground, and there was blood oozin’ out of his shoulder somethin’ awful.”

  “Where is Gabe now?” Melinda asked, trying to keep her voice steady and her hands from shaking.

  “He’s—he’s in the woods. Sent me to get Papa and call for help.”

  As the metallic taste of fear sprang to Melinda’s mouth, she grabbed Isaiah’s hand and dashed for the house, pulling him with her. Once inside, she made Isaiah tell their folks what had happened.

  “Isaiah can take me back to the woods to see about Gabe.” Papa Noah looked over at Melinda with a worried frown. “We don’t know how badly he’s been hurt, but it doesn’t sound good. Why don’t you run over to the Johnsons’ place and ask them to call an ambulance? Your mamm can head over to Gabe’s house and let his family know what’s happened.”

  “Can’t I go with you?” Melinda asked as a wave of fear shot through her. What if Gabe’s wound was so bad that he bled to death? She had to see Gabe. Had to let him know what was on her mind.

  Papa Noah shook his head. “Someone needs to get help, and if your mamm has to go to the Johnsons’ and then over to see Gabe’s folks, it will take her twice as long.”

  Mama touched Melinda’s shoulder. “Your daed’s right about this.”

  Melinda finally nodded.

  “As soon as Isaiah shows me where Gabe is, I’ll send the boy back to the house to wait for the ambulance. That way he’ll be able to show the paramedics where we are.”

  Swallowing against the burning lump in her throat, Melinda rushed out the door. She had some serious praying to do.

  Chapter 28

  Thankful to be alive, Gabe placed the Bible he’d been reading onto the nightstand next to his hospital bed and closed his eyes. You were looking out for me today, Lord. Me and Isaiah both, and I thank You for that.

  He thought about what could have happened if Melinda’s little brother, who obviously hadn’t realized the gun was loaded, had pointed it at himself and accidentally pulled the trigger. Or this afternoon, some hunter in the woods could have shot Isaiah, mistaking him for a deer. The boy hadn’t been wearing an orange vest or any bright colors.

  Gabe clenched his fists, and a shooting pain sliced through his injured shoulder. I shouldn’t have left the safety off my gun, either. That was a careless thing to do, and it makes me wonder if I should even own a gun.

  Heavy footsteps told Gabe someone had entered the room, and his eyes snapped open. A middle-aged nurse with bright red hair strode toward his bed. “How are you feeling?” she asked.

  “My arm’s pretty sore, but I’m happy to be alive.”

  She slipped a thermometer under Gabe’s tongue then wrapped his good arm with the blood pressure cuff. “You’re lucky that bullet went into your shoulder and not your chest. It could have been much more serious and required lengthier surgery.”

  Gabe nodded.

  A few minutes later, the nurse removed the blood pressure apparatus and the thermometer. “Looks like your temperature is normal, and your pressure’s right where it should be.”

  “That’s good to hear. When can I go home?”

  “The doctor wants to keep you here overnight to watch for possible infection. If everything looks good by tomorrow morning, he’ll probably release you then.”

  “Glad to hear it. I don’t enjoy being in the hospital so much.”

  The nurse chuckled. “Few do.” She nodded toward the door. “There’s someone in the hall waiting to see you.”

  Gabe cranked his head in that direction. “Is it my folks? They were here earlier, but I told them to go home and get some sleep.”

  “It’s not your parents. It’s a young Amish woman with blond hair and pretty blue eyes.”

  Gabe pushed himself to a sitting position as a mixture of excitement and dread coursed through his body. He was pretty sure the nurse had described Melinda, because his sisters all had dark hair, and he couldn’t think who else might be here to see him.

  “Should I show the young woman in?” the nurse asked, breaking into Gabe’s deliberations.

  He nodded. “Might as well get this over with.”

  The nurse quirked one auburn eyebrow and looked at Gabe in a curious way, but then she shrugged and scurried
out of the room. A few seconds later, Melinda entered. Seeing her red face and swollen eyelids, Gabe realized she had been crying.

  “Are you all right?” they said in unison.

  Melinda nodded and offered him a weak smile. “I’m fine. It’s you I’m worried about.”

  Melinda moved slowly across the room, feeling as if she were in a daze. It was hard to comprehend all that had happened this afternoon, and now here was Gabe lying in a hospital bed in Springfield, recovering from surgery, during which the doctors had removed a bullet from his shoulder.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Gabe asked. “Your face is as white as my bedsheets.”

  “I was just thinking how pale you looked when the ambulance took you away earlier today and how scared I was of never seeing you again.” She flopped into the chair with a groan. “Oh, Gabe, I’m glad you’re going to be all right, and I’m thankful God has answered my prayers.”

  “Me, too.” He smiled at her in such a sweet way it was all Melinda could do to keep from throwing herself into his arms. But that wouldn’t be a good idea, not with his injury and all. Besides, they needed to get some important issues resolved.

  “Melinda, I’ve made a decision—”

  “Gabe, I need you to know something—”

  They’d both spoken at the same time again.

  “You go first,” she prompted.

  “No, that’s okay. I’d like to hear what you’ve got to say.”

  Melinda reached out and took his hand, holding it gently and stroking her thumb back and forth across his knuckles.

  “You’re just what the doctor ordered,” he murmured. “Better than any old shot for pain, that’s for certain sure.”

  She cleared her throat and looked directly into his eyes. “Your accident has caused me to do some serious thinking.”

  Gabe nodded. “Same here.”

  “I don’t want to spend the rest of my life without you.”

  “That goes double for me, Melinda.”

  She smiled as relief flooded her soul. “I’ve decided that even if I can’t become a vet, and even if you continue to hunt, I want us to be together.”

  His eyes brightened. “Does that mean you still want to marry me?”

  She nodded. “While you were in surgery, I was sitting in the waiting room, praying and reading the Bible I’d brought from home. God showed me that family and friends, as well as my personal relationship with the Lord, are more important than anything else.”

  “I’m glad.” Gabe smiled. “Now I have something I’d like to say to you.”

  “What is it?”

  “I’ve been lying in this hospital bed asking God what I should do to make things right between us.” He squeezed her hand. “For me, hunting should only be done whenever there’s a real need—for food, I mean. I don’t want to hunt just for the sport of it, the way some folks do.”

  “I think I could live with that, as long as you don’t shoot any of the deer I’m feeding.”

  “I wouldn’t think of doing that. But I believe you’d better hear what else I have to say.”

  Melinda tipped her head. “What is it?”

  Gabe drew in a deep breath. “I’ve decided that if becoming a vet is really that important to you, then I’ll jump the fence and go English with you.”

  Melinda’s mouth dropped open. “You—you would do that for me?”

  He nodded, and tears shimmered in his hazel-colored eyes. “I’ve been miserable since our breakup, and I can’t stand the thought of going through life without you at my side. I want to be with you, Melinda, no matter what.”

  She shook her head. “I thought becoming a vet was what I wanted, but I’ve changed my mind. I can’t ask you to make such a sacrifice, and I know how hard it would be on both of us to leave our family and friends.”

  Gabe motioned to the Bible lying on the table beside his bed. “I’d like you to read something I read earlier. I marked the page with a slip of paper.”

  Melinda opened the Bible to the place he had marked and read the verse out loud. “ ‘Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.’ ” She paused and sniffed back the tears that threatened to spill over. “Oh, Gabe, I want to follow God all of my days; that’s the most important thing.”

  “That’s true for me, as well,” he said with a nod.

  “As much as I enjoy caring for sick and orphaned animals, I’ve been wrong to put it before my relationship with the Lord and those I love.” Tears coursed down Melinda’s cheeks, but she didn’t bother to wipe them away. “I know I must learn to be content as I seek after God and try to do His will.”

  “But what if you could serve God and still take care of the animals that are so dear to you?”

  “How can I do that without the proper training or a decent place to keep all my animals?”

  “I think I might have an idea about that.”

  She leaned closer. “What is it?”

  “After we’re married, I’d like to make you more cages— regular ones for the animals you would keep until time to let go, and larger ones, more like the critters’ natural surroundings, for those who aren’t able to be set free.”

  “Grandpa Hertzler suggested something like that sometime ago, but I never mentioned it to you.”

  “With the new cages, you could continue to care for animals the way you’re doing now.”

  “But I still won’t be able to help the animals who are seriously injured.”

  “You can turn those over to Dr. Franklin, same as you’ve been doing.”

  She sighed. “I guess it doesn’t have to be me who makes them well. Just as long as they have a place to stay while they’re mending or needing a home because they’re orphaned.”

  Gabe motioned her to come closer, and when she leaned her face near his, he kissed her tenderly. “I love you, Melinda. Will you marry me?”

  She nodded. “I’d be pleased to be your wife.”

  Epilogue

  Melinda and Gabe sat side by side at their corner table, along with their attendants Aaron, Susie, and two of their cousins. Several of their family members and friends stopped by the table to offer congratulations on their marriage, which had taken place a short time ago. Melinda had never been happier. While she hoped to spend many days ahead caring for her animal friends, her primary goal would be to care for the man she loved.

  Gabe leaned over and thumped Aaron on the back. “You’re the next one to be married, you know.”

  Aaron shook his head. “No way!”

  Gabe glanced over at Melinda and winked. “That’s what they all say.”

  Aaron’s face turned bright red, but he gave no retort.

  Grandpa Hertzler stepped up to the table. “I left my gift for you on the kitchen table,” he said, leaning over to give Melinda a hug. “It’s a box filled with jars of my homemade rhubarb-strawberry jam.” He winked at Gabe. “Melinda’s mamm taught her how to make it, but I think mine’s much better.”

  Melinda and Gabe laughed, and Melinda turned to embrace Susie, who sat next to her.

  “I’m glad you decided not to leave home,” Susie whispered in Melinda’s ear. “Although, I may be leaving.”

  Melinda tipped her head, as confusion swirled in her brain. “Why would you leave home?”

  “I got another letter from Jonas the other day, and he wants me to come to Montana for a visit. He said he’s hoping I’ll like it there.” Susie’s grin stretched from ear to ear. “Doesn’t that sound like a good sign to you?”

  Melinda nodded and gave Susie’s shoulder a squeeze. “It sounds to me like there might be another wedding in our family soon.”

  Susie shrugged. “One never knows what the future will hold.” She patted Melinda’s arm.

  Isaiah came by next. He smiled at Melinda; then he turned to Gabe and said, “I’m sure happy you’re married to my sister now. Maybe someday, when you think I’m old enough, we can go huntin’ together.”

  Gabe glanced over at Melinda.
/>   She nodded and said, “Just as long as neither of you does any hunting on our property.”

  “Wouldn’t think of it,” Isaiah and Gabe said at the same time.

  Papa Noah and Mama stopped at the table, offering their congratulations. “When I was your age, I was out on my own in the English world,” Mama whispered to Melinda. “I’m sure glad my daughter had more sense than me.”

  Melinda wiped tears from her cheeks and gave her mother a hug. “But you returned home, and because of it, you married Papa Noah. That was a very schmaert thing to do.”

  Mama nodded. “And now you’re married to a wonderful man, which is also smart.”

  “It took me awhile, but I finally realized what I have right here is more important than anything the world has to offer.”

  Melinda’s folks moved on, and Dr. Franklin and his wife, Ellen, stepped up to the corner table. “I not only wanted to say congratulations to both of you,” Dr. Franklin said, shaking Gabe’s hand, “but I wanted to apologize to Melinda.”

  Melinda tipped her head in question.

  “It wasn’t right for me to push you into taking your GED or try to influence you to become a vet.”

  Melinda gave Dr. Franklin a hug. “You were only trying to help me take better care of the animals I care so much about.”

  “That’s true, but I should have realized how important the Amish way of life is to you, and I should have tried to help you find a way to care for your animal friends without having to leave your faith to do it.”

  “It’s all right; that’s all behind us now,” Melinda said tearfully. “I want you to know that I appreciate all that you’ve taught me about animal care, and I’m glad you were able to find a replacement for me at the veterinary clinic.”

  Ellen spoke up. “Yes, my nephew, who just graduated from high school, is quite excited about becoming my husband’s new assistant.” She patted her husband’s arm. “Who knows, maybe Len will enjoy working at the clinic so much that he’ll decide to become a vet.”

  “You never know how things are going to turn out.” Dr. Franklin gave Gabe’s hand another hearty shake, and he and his wife moved on.