A Texas Ranger's Family by Mae Nunn Page A

already taken so many hard knocks that it was impossible for her to deal with motherhood and marriage.”
    â€œDo you think it’s possible, now?”
    He wiped floury palms on a dish towel, slung it over his shoulder and moved around the granite counter to wrap Dana in his arms for as long as she’d allow it. He pressed a kiss at the edge of her pointy hair.
    â€œBaby girl, don’t fool yourself that Erin’s gonna stay or even stay close. She has a life on the other side of the world and she’s determined to get back to it. Just remember that in a couple more years, you’ll go off to college. Then maybe when you’re out of school, the two of you will have opportunities to spend time together. But right now, like you kids say, it is what it is.”
    As expected, Dana ducked from beneath his arm, spun the volume dial on her iPod and grabbed her cell phone off the kitchen counter. Before the patio door closed behind her she muttered “Not till the fat lady sings.”
    Daniel slid the cobbler into the hot oven and wincedfor the hundredth time that morning as a muffled grunt of painful exertion came from the next room. The physical therapist had been with Erin for the past two hours, and she would repeat the visit six out of seven days in the coming weeks.
    Having taken a Louisville Slugger to his knee during a gang fight years ago, Daniel knew something of the hard work involved in rehabilitating a limb. Even so, it pained him to hear the grueling regimen of stretches and weight-bearing exercises required for mending a pelvis and a nearly incapacitated arm.
    He prayed constantly over the situation knowing God’s answer, like the double-edged sword of His Word, could cut both ways. By the end of the summer, somebody in the house was likely to be hurting grievously, whichever way the Father willed.
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    Erin was nearly breathless but happy to be working her muscles and to finally be free of the IV. “I have never sweated so much this side of Greenwich Mean Time in my life,” she panted.
    â€œYour effort vas commendable, Ms. Gray. Keep up zis pace und get plenty of rest between vorkouts and ve have a chance to meet your deadline.” Christina’s reassuring manner was the only thing that kept her from seeming like a Slavic Terminator.
    Erin’s limbs were damp and trembling from the morning’s labors. The PT in the hospital had been challenging, but it hadn’t fully prepared her for today’s experience. Christina Heutger was a drill sergeant with a charming accent, hired specifically for her record of producing fast results. The woman would live up to herreputation or kill Erin in the process. Since she was willing to die trying, they were a perfect match.
    â€œI go a little easier on you tomorrow?” Christina offered, wanting her client to decline.
    â€œDon’t you dare,” Erin wheezed. “There’s a G8 meeting in the fall. If I’m not back in Iraq by then, I intend to be at that summit in Japan.”
    â€œAs you vish.” Christina turned away to pack a few items into her duffel, but most of the equipment she brought would remain at the house. “Eat often, conserve energy for our vorkouts and don’t play tough by skipping ze pain medication. Cooperate and ve get you on your feet soon.”
    â€œAny other instructions, Herr Commandant?” Erin teased as her new friend prepared to leave.
    Christina turned back, compassion softening her intense blue eyes and square jaw.
    â€œAs a matter of fact, yes, zer is. Ve are in zis togezer, Erin. But even if ve do everyzing in our power correctly, zere is so much to healing zat is outside our control.” Christina pointed to the plaque above the window. “So zat is ze most important zing in my opinion.”
    Erin had already committed the wisdom to memory.
    Prayer does not change God, but it changes the one who prays.
    â€œIn other words, pray that God changes