Pap and I are really busy in the shop.” He smiled. “I will try to squeeze it in when I have some free time, though.”
“ Danki. I’d appreciate that.”
“Do you ever think about your real daed or find yourself wishing you and your mamm had stayed in the English world?”
Gabe’s unexpected question startled Melinda, and she sat up straight. Did he have an inkling of what she was thinking about doing? Had Gabe spoken with Dr. Franklin recently? Could the vet have mentioned his suggestion that Melinda think about becoming a veterinarian? Surely he wouldn’t have said anything, since she’d asked him not to mention the idea to anyone until she’d told her folks what she was thinking of doing.
“What would make you ask me such a question?” she asked, looking at Gabe out of the corner of her eye.
“If there’s even a chance you might want to return to the English way of life, I feel I have the right to know.”
Melinda drew in a quick breath. Since Gabe had brought up the subject, maybe now was the time to discuss Dr. Franklin’s idea. She squeezed her eyes shut, searching for just the right words, and when she opened them again, she was shocked to see a man standing in the middle of the road up ahead. He had his back to them, but she could tell by his dark clothes and straw hat that he was Amish. “Gabe, look out!” she hollered.
He pulled sharply on the reins. “Whoa there! Steady boy.”
When the horse stopped, Gabe grabbed a flashlight from under the seat, and he and Melinda jumped down from the buggy.
The man in the road turned around, and Melinda’s mouth fell open. “Grandpa Hertzler?”
Grandpa didn’t answer. He stood staring at Melinda as though she were a complete stranger.
“He looks confused, like he doesn’t know where he is,” Gabe whispered.
Melinda nodded. “We’ve got to get him home.”
“Levi, it’s Gabe and Melinda,” Gabe said, gently taking hold of Grandpa’s arm.
Grandpa studied him a few seconds then turned to face Melinda. Finally, a look of recognition crossed his face. “What are you doin’ out here, girl?”
“Gabe was giving me a ride home from the young people’s gathering. We stopped the buggy when we saw you in the middle of the road.” She grabbed his other arm. “Don’t you know how dangerous it is to be out walking after dark? Especially dressed in clothes that aren’t brightly colored.”
The confusion Melinda saw on her grandfather’s face made her heart ache. He’d obviously wandered off their property and onto the road. She was sure Mama and Papa Noah had no idea where he was.
“Let’s get into the buggy, and I’ll drive you both home,” Gabe said.
Melinda was relieved when her grandfather went willingly, but she could see by the frown on Gabe’s face that he wasn’t happy when Grandpa took a seat next to him, which left Melinda sitting on the outside edge.
She reached for Grandpa’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. This buggy ride might not have been the romantic one she had hoped for, but at least Grandpa was safe. Maybe she and Gabe would have another chance to be alone soon. Maybe by then she would be better prepared to discuss her future with him.
Chapter 6
G ood morning,” Dr. Franklin said when Melinda stepped into the veterinary clinic one Monday morning a few weeks later. “How are you on this fine sunny day?”
“I’m fine. How are things going here?”
The middle-aged man’s blue eyes twinkled. “I got a squirrel in this morning with an injured foot.”
Melinda moved quickly to the counter where he stood. “How bad is it hurt? Will it be okay? What are you planning to do with it once you’ve doctored its foot?”
The doctor chuckled. “One question at a time, please.”
“Sorry. I tend to be eager when it comes to helping suffering animals.”
“I know you do, but your caring attitude is what makes you so special.” He smiled as he held up
“ Danki. I’d appreciate that.”
“Do you ever think about your real daed or find yourself wishing you and your mamm had stayed in the English world?”
Gabe’s unexpected question startled Melinda, and she sat up straight. Did he have an inkling of what she was thinking about doing? Had Gabe spoken with Dr. Franklin recently? Could the vet have mentioned his suggestion that Melinda think about becoming a veterinarian? Surely he wouldn’t have said anything, since she’d asked him not to mention the idea to anyone until she’d told her folks what she was thinking of doing.
“What would make you ask me such a question?” she asked, looking at Gabe out of the corner of her eye.
“If there’s even a chance you might want to return to the English way of life, I feel I have the right to know.”
Melinda drew in a quick breath. Since Gabe had brought up the subject, maybe now was the time to discuss Dr. Franklin’s idea. She squeezed her eyes shut, searching for just the right words, and when she opened them again, she was shocked to see a man standing in the middle of the road up ahead. He had his back to them, but she could tell by his dark clothes and straw hat that he was Amish. “Gabe, look out!” she hollered.
He pulled sharply on the reins. “Whoa there! Steady boy.”
When the horse stopped, Gabe grabbed a flashlight from under the seat, and he and Melinda jumped down from the buggy.
The man in the road turned around, and Melinda’s mouth fell open. “Grandpa Hertzler?”
Grandpa didn’t answer. He stood staring at Melinda as though she were a complete stranger.
“He looks confused, like he doesn’t know where he is,” Gabe whispered.
Melinda nodded. “We’ve got to get him home.”
“Levi, it’s Gabe and Melinda,” Gabe said, gently taking hold of Grandpa’s arm.
Grandpa studied him a few seconds then turned to face Melinda. Finally, a look of recognition crossed his face. “What are you doin’ out here, girl?”
“Gabe was giving me a ride home from the young people’s gathering. We stopped the buggy when we saw you in the middle of the road.” She grabbed his other arm. “Don’t you know how dangerous it is to be out walking after dark? Especially dressed in clothes that aren’t brightly colored.”
The confusion Melinda saw on her grandfather’s face made her heart ache. He’d obviously wandered off their property and onto the road. She was sure Mama and Papa Noah had no idea where he was.
“Let’s get into the buggy, and I’ll drive you both home,” Gabe said.
Melinda was relieved when her grandfather went willingly, but she could see by the frown on Gabe’s face that he wasn’t happy when Grandpa took a seat next to him, which left Melinda sitting on the outside edge.
She reached for Grandpa’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. This buggy ride might not have been the romantic one she had hoped for, but at least Grandpa was safe. Maybe she and Gabe would have another chance to be alone soon. Maybe by then she would be better prepared to discuss her future with him.
Chapter 6
G ood morning,” Dr. Franklin said when Melinda stepped into the veterinary clinic one Monday morning a few weeks later. “How are you on this fine sunny day?”
“I’m fine. How are things going here?”
The middle-aged man’s blue eyes twinkled. “I got a squirrel in this morning with an injured foot.”
Melinda moved quickly to the counter where he stood. “How bad is it hurt? Will it be okay? What are you planning to do with it once you’ve doctored its foot?”
The doctor chuckled. “One question at a time, please.”
“Sorry. I tend to be eager when it comes to helping suffering animals.”
“I know you do, but your caring attitude is what makes you so special.” He smiled as he held up
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