sit up straighter now. “That mare runs off, we won’t catch her before she reaches the next county.”
Annie studied him a minute, her finger tapping her chin. “I could sneak the rope in here, let you do it. I’d have to tell David it was some sort of physical therapy to start you moving.”
“Tell the lad whatever you want, but go fetch me the rope. I should have thought of it myself. Man’s hands aren’t useless when his legs are broken in a buggy accident. Now hurry and finish with Samuel’s medical contraptions, so as you don’t interrupt me later.”
Annie slipped the pressure cuff on, noted that her patient’s color and disposition had improved, then grabbed her scarf, coat, and gloves from the living room.
“I’ll be back in ten minutes. You’re sure that you’ll be okay alone?”
Her father waved her away as he studied the latest issue of The Budget , the same issue he’d read yesterday.
Scurrying through the snow to the barn, Annie found herself wishing she could escape across the field.
She loved nursing, loved everything about it.
But on days like today—when the sky was blue, the wind was low, and enough snow covered the ground to make things interesting, she could stand for a long walk across the hills.
“Annie, I don’t see you out here often.” David stood, brushed his hands on his pants.
She was still surprised to find she had to tilt her head a bit to look up at David. His hair was a light sandy brown, the color of wheat in the fall. His eyes, the same color, were gentle, usually laughing. He reminded her very much of the boy she’d known in school—only taller, much taller.
“I need your help, David.” Annie walked around the portion of the barn that served as a workroom. “My dat is becoming a bit restless.”
“ Ya. I noticed his list of instructions grows longer the more he’d like to be out of his bed.” David chuckled good-naturedly.
Now here was a reasonable man with a reasonable temperament. Perhaps he could ride over to Samuel Yoder’s house and give him a lesson or two.
“Was there something specific you wanted me to do, Annie?”
“ Ya. ” Annie felt her cheeks flush as David’s voice brought her thoughts away from stewing over Samuel. “I’m looking for some projects for my daed . I might have, well, hinted that you weren’t braiding the lead rope correctly for the new mare.”
David had been about to sit down at his workbench, but with Annie’s confession, he stopped mid-seat and stared at her. “Say again?”
“I’m sorry.” Annie’s confession gained speed as her explanation tumbled out of her. “I know you’re competent. You’ve been wunderbaar , helpful in every way. But he’s driving me crazy in there. I told him you couldn’t figure out how to braid the lead rope, and I suggested maybe he needed to do it himself.”
David began laughing softly, then he couldn’t seem to stop himself. It was a gut thing he was near the workbench, because he plopped on it, placed both hands on his knees, and laughed so hard Annie saw tears glistening in his eyes.
“It’s not that funny,” she said, suddenly irritated with him, Samuel, and her father. Perhaps the entire male race needed temperament classes.
“Oh, but it is, Annie. My own mamm and dat used to say I couldn’t braid as well as a child. They’d make me practice on my schweschders’ hair at night.” He stood and walked over to her. “Now how would you be knowing such a thing about me?”
“I didn’t, of course. I was just trying to think of something, anything, to keep him busy. So you’re not angry?”
“Not at all.” David walked to the workroom’s far side and retrieved the rope. “I have learned to braid better than when I was a kind , and the new mare won’t break her rope whether your father makes it or I do. I’d be froh to show yousometime—maybe you’d like to go for a buggy ride with me or to a church social.”
Annie felt the heat creep up her
Annie studied him a minute, her finger tapping her chin. “I could sneak the rope in here, let you do it. I’d have to tell David it was some sort of physical therapy to start you moving.”
“Tell the lad whatever you want, but go fetch me the rope. I should have thought of it myself. Man’s hands aren’t useless when his legs are broken in a buggy accident. Now hurry and finish with Samuel’s medical contraptions, so as you don’t interrupt me later.”
Annie slipped the pressure cuff on, noted that her patient’s color and disposition had improved, then grabbed her scarf, coat, and gloves from the living room.
“I’ll be back in ten minutes. You’re sure that you’ll be okay alone?”
Her father waved her away as he studied the latest issue of The Budget , the same issue he’d read yesterday.
Scurrying through the snow to the barn, Annie found herself wishing she could escape across the field.
She loved nursing, loved everything about it.
But on days like today—when the sky was blue, the wind was low, and enough snow covered the ground to make things interesting, she could stand for a long walk across the hills.
“Annie, I don’t see you out here often.” David stood, brushed his hands on his pants.
She was still surprised to find she had to tilt her head a bit to look up at David. His hair was a light sandy brown, the color of wheat in the fall. His eyes, the same color, were gentle, usually laughing. He reminded her very much of the boy she’d known in school—only taller, much taller.
“I need your help, David.” Annie walked around the portion of the barn that served as a workroom. “My dat is becoming a bit restless.”
“ Ya. I noticed his list of instructions grows longer the more he’d like to be out of his bed.” David chuckled good-naturedly.
Now here was a reasonable man with a reasonable temperament. Perhaps he could ride over to Samuel Yoder’s house and give him a lesson or two.
“Was there something specific you wanted me to do, Annie?”
“ Ya. ” Annie felt her cheeks flush as David’s voice brought her thoughts away from stewing over Samuel. “I’m looking for some projects for my daed . I might have, well, hinted that you weren’t braiding the lead rope correctly for the new mare.”
David had been about to sit down at his workbench, but with Annie’s confession, he stopped mid-seat and stared at her. “Say again?”
“I’m sorry.” Annie’s confession gained speed as her explanation tumbled out of her. “I know you’re competent. You’ve been wunderbaar , helpful in every way. But he’s driving me crazy in there. I told him you couldn’t figure out how to braid the lead rope, and I suggested maybe he needed to do it himself.”
David began laughing softly, then he couldn’t seem to stop himself. It was a gut thing he was near the workbench, because he plopped on it, placed both hands on his knees, and laughed so hard Annie saw tears glistening in his eyes.
“It’s not that funny,” she said, suddenly irritated with him, Samuel, and her father. Perhaps the entire male race needed temperament classes.
“Oh, but it is, Annie. My own mamm and dat used to say I couldn’t braid as well as a child. They’d make me practice on my schweschders’ hair at night.” He stood and walked over to her. “Now how would you be knowing such a thing about me?”
“I didn’t, of course. I was just trying to think of something, anything, to keep him busy. So you’re not angry?”
“Not at all.” David walked to the workroom’s far side and retrieved the rope. “I have learned to braid better than when I was a kind , and the new mare won’t break her rope whether your father makes it or I do. I’d be froh to show yousometime—maybe you’d like to go for a buggy ride with me or to a church social.”
Annie felt the heat creep up her
Similar Books
