felt his forehead. He seemed a little cooler. Squeezing out a washcloth, Estella wiped his face and arms. Andy moaned and opened his eyes.
“Mrs. Nelson?”
“Yes, it’s me. You just rest, deary. You’ve a high fever and I’m going to take care of you.”
Andy closed his eyes. “I knew you would care.”
Estella had no idea what he meant by the words, but since he’d already fallen back asleep, she had no chance to ask him about it. Perhaps he was dreaming about something else and Estella just happened into the picture when she began wiping him down.
She smiled at him, his red hair sticking out this way andthat. He seemed so peaceful, and yet she knew he bore much turmoil deep within. Lord, he needs to learn to trust you. To know that you are there for him, that you care, even when the rest of the world walks away.
She bent down and kissed his forehead as she would have if he’d been her son. “Sleep well, Andy.” She turned to leave but paused at the door. He seemed so lost—so frail. “Please get well, Andy. I need you. I can’t begin to explain why, but I do.”
****
Three days later, Estella praised God when she found Andy sitting up in bed and feeling much better. His color had returned, giving a healthy glow to his freckled face.
“Are you hungry?” she asked as she came into the room with toasted bread, two fried eggs, and a cup of coffee.
“I feel like I could eat a dozen eggs,” Andy declared as she put the tray in front of him.
“Well, two will have to do. There is a war on, don’tcha know,” she said in mock disgust.
Andy actually smiled at this. It warmed Estella to see him looking so good. He dug into the food with great gusto. Estella sat down on the edge of the bed and smoothed the covers.
“I’m so happy to see that you’re feeling better. I thought I might lose you that first night. Your boss stopped by to find out why you hadn’t come to work, and I told him I wasn’t sure you’d even make it through the night.”
“I don’t suppose I would have if you hadn’t taken such good care of me,” Andy answered between bites. He hesitated, seeming to struggle with the words. Andy finally whispered, “Although, I have to be honest, I didn’t much care for sticking around.”
Estella nodded. “I felt that. I don’t think I’ve ever prayed so hard for anyone in my life as I’ve prayed for you.”
Andy looked at her for a moment, then put down his fork. “Why? Why did you pray for me like that? Why did you come here and take care of me?”
Estella wondered how she could possibly explain. “I felt so strongly that you needed me.” She choked back her emotion. “And, Andy, I need to be needed.”
Before either one could say anything more, a knock came at the door. Estella pointed at the tray. “Eat and I’ll see who it is.”
She dabbed at the dampness in her eyes. Lord, he can’t possibly understand how much I want for him to heal—in his heart as well as his body. He can’t possibly know how much this has helped to revive my spirits too.
Estella opened the door to find Mary Beth Iseman. She knew the girl from church and was delighted to see such a welcoming smile. “Why, hello. Come in out of the cold,” Estella told the girl.
“Mrs. Nelson! What are you doing here at Andy’s house?” The young woman pulled off her scarf to reveal straight blond hair neatly pulled back and tied with a red ribbon.
“We got acquainted in the cemetery a couple weeks ago. How do you know Andy Gilbert?” Estella asked, reaching out to take the girl’s coat.
“We went to school together, only he had to quit when he was a freshman. I was a year behind, but I always thought he was such a sweet guy.”
“Andy is a sweet guy.” Estella couldn’t have agreed more. He was a sweet, gentle soul who deserved to love and be loved. She hung the coat up and returned to where Mary Beth stood warming her hands by the stove.
“So is Andy here?”
“He is. He’s been very
“Mrs. Nelson?”
“Yes, it’s me. You just rest, deary. You’ve a high fever and I’m going to take care of you.”
Andy closed his eyes. “I knew you would care.”
Estella had no idea what he meant by the words, but since he’d already fallen back asleep, she had no chance to ask him about it. Perhaps he was dreaming about something else and Estella just happened into the picture when she began wiping him down.
She smiled at him, his red hair sticking out this way andthat. He seemed so peaceful, and yet she knew he bore much turmoil deep within. Lord, he needs to learn to trust you. To know that you are there for him, that you care, even when the rest of the world walks away.
She bent down and kissed his forehead as she would have if he’d been her son. “Sleep well, Andy.” She turned to leave but paused at the door. He seemed so lost—so frail. “Please get well, Andy. I need you. I can’t begin to explain why, but I do.”
****
Three days later, Estella praised God when she found Andy sitting up in bed and feeling much better. His color had returned, giving a healthy glow to his freckled face.
“Are you hungry?” she asked as she came into the room with toasted bread, two fried eggs, and a cup of coffee.
“I feel like I could eat a dozen eggs,” Andy declared as she put the tray in front of him.
“Well, two will have to do. There is a war on, don’tcha know,” she said in mock disgust.
Andy actually smiled at this. It warmed Estella to see him looking so good. He dug into the food with great gusto. Estella sat down on the edge of the bed and smoothed the covers.
“I’m so happy to see that you’re feeling better. I thought I might lose you that first night. Your boss stopped by to find out why you hadn’t come to work, and I told him I wasn’t sure you’d even make it through the night.”
“I don’t suppose I would have if you hadn’t taken such good care of me,” Andy answered between bites. He hesitated, seeming to struggle with the words. Andy finally whispered, “Although, I have to be honest, I didn’t much care for sticking around.”
Estella nodded. “I felt that. I don’t think I’ve ever prayed so hard for anyone in my life as I’ve prayed for you.”
Andy looked at her for a moment, then put down his fork. “Why? Why did you pray for me like that? Why did you come here and take care of me?”
Estella wondered how she could possibly explain. “I felt so strongly that you needed me.” She choked back her emotion. “And, Andy, I need to be needed.”
Before either one could say anything more, a knock came at the door. Estella pointed at the tray. “Eat and I’ll see who it is.”
She dabbed at the dampness in her eyes. Lord, he can’t possibly understand how much I want for him to heal—in his heart as well as his body. He can’t possibly know how much this has helped to revive my spirits too.
Estella opened the door to find Mary Beth Iseman. She knew the girl from church and was delighted to see such a welcoming smile. “Why, hello. Come in out of the cold,” Estella told the girl.
“Mrs. Nelson! What are you doing here at Andy’s house?” The young woman pulled off her scarf to reveal straight blond hair neatly pulled back and tied with a red ribbon.
“We got acquainted in the cemetery a couple weeks ago. How do you know Andy Gilbert?” Estella asked, reaching out to take the girl’s coat.
“We went to school together, only he had to quit when he was a freshman. I was a year behind, but I always thought he was such a sweet guy.”
“Andy is a sweet guy.” Estella couldn’t have agreed more. He was a sweet, gentle soul who deserved to love and be loved. She hung the coat up and returned to where Mary Beth stood warming her hands by the stove.
“So is Andy here?”
“He is. He’s been very
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