“And what of the ribs and incision? Has the pain lessened there?”
“I still feel all bruised up inside but not as swollen. Of course, it hurts when I move because of the broken ribs.”
“Yes, it will take some time before those mend, but I think you’re making good progress.” Laura moved toward the door. “If you have need of anything, just ring the bell. I will be very close at hand.”
“Wait!” He hadn’t meant to call out in such a panicked tone and hurried to continue. “I want to apologize for the way I’ve been acting.” He paused and thought carefully about what he wanted to say.
“I’m not at all myself, and while that’s still no excuse for rudeness ... well, I have no other explanation. I do appreciate what you’ve done for me. I know I would have been stuck in that hospital with minimal care had you not taken up my cause.”
Laura smiled, and his breath caught. Maybe it was just the broken ribs, but whatever it was, Will was momentarily unable to breathe. He gave a cough and straightened.
She frowned and moved to his side. “I really do think we should get you back to bed. You can get up again this afternoon after you have lunch and take a nap. I’ll make sure of it. But for now, you should rest. When the ladies come, I’ll see to it that they don’t visit you for too long.”
She went to the remade bed and pulled down the covers. “I’ll go get Curtis to help.”
Will said nothing. He wasn’t sure what he could say. How could he possibly tell her that his feelings for her were a jumble of anger, gratitude ... and perhaps a fleeting bit of enticement? That he found her quite beautiful and a great conversationalist, but he also saw her as a bitter reminder of his loss.
“I think those doilies you’re crocheting are absolutely beautiful,” Laura said, inspecting Granny Taylor’s work. “Please set some aside for me the day of the fundraiser. I’ll pay double what anyone else is offering.”
“I can hardly pass up an offer like that,” Granny said, chuckling. “The church will appreciate that.”
“The church fundraisers are always so beneficial and fun,” Melody said, continuing work on a piece of embroidery. “I’m glad you can be a part of it, Laura. Your own work is quite lovely.”
Laura looked down at the baby blanket she was knitting. “I love handiwork. I find it gives me time to reflect and pray when I’m doing it alone. I think of each piece and who I plan to gift it to, and then I pray for them.”
“I do the same,” Granny admitted. “I knit a lot of shawls. In fact, at the sale you’ll find I have several to donate. I pray for the person who will buy them and wear them. I want God to bless them and help them on their daily path. It blesses me to think of how He will work in their lives.”
Marybeth returned just then from visiting Will. “Poor Will. He really is dealing with a great many things. I feel so sorry for him.”
“I think we all do,” Faith Cooper said as she put aside her crochet work to take a sip of her tea. “He was such a hardworking and enthusiastic young man prior to losing his mother and sister, and of course ... the accident.”
“I didn’t know him as well as you ladies did,” Laura began, “but I can sense that he was far more outgoing and excited by the prospects of what was yet to come.”
“Oh, he was. He was so excited about getting his assignment on the Indian reservation. He came out last spring with such enthusiasm and love for those people.” Faith lingered over her tea. “I remember him sitting and talking to me and my husband for over an hour one evening after supper. He spoke of some of the cultural things he’d learned about the Shoshone and of how he thought he could help them to see how much God loved them. He said everyone longs for love and a sense of purpose. I thought that was insightful for one so young.”
“He’s not all that young,” Granny countered. “He’s thirty years old. By that age, my Jed already had a wife and children and a ranch to work. He was older than his years becauseof all we’d had to face. I have a feeling that beyond the war, this situation is the first time Will’s had to dig deep to get the living water he needs to survive.”
“What an interesting way of putting it, Granny.” Laura loved the old lady’s way of looking at life and speaking her mind.
“Well, it suits the moment. Will’s grown up in the Christian faith. And his faith may never have been tried like it is right now. The war was terrible, and no doubt it grew him up a great deal and tested his spirit. I won’t be sayin’ that it didn’t. But now he’s dealing with life in a very personal way. He’s lost his family, and now the one thing that gave him purpose and goals is questionable to him. His faith has been shaken.”
“I hadn’t really thought of his faith being shaken,” Melody said, rubbing her expanding abdomen. “The baby is sure kicking up a storm today.”
“You’ve got what, about two and half months left?” Faith asked.
“Something like that. Early to mid-April as best as the doctor can figure.”
Marybeth nodded. “I can hardly wait, and poor Edward won’t sleep well until I safely deliver this child. I wish he weren’t so worried, but having lost his first wife in childbirth, he can’t help it.”
“We’ll keep praying for him. Just as we’ll keep praying for Will. Our fellas need our constant prayers. They have a lot of strength in spirit and body, but they need that extra bolstering in order to make good.” Granny put her crocheting aside and got to her feet. “Time for me to stretch a bit.”
“Would you like more tea?” Laura got up and placed her knitting on the chair.
“I think that would be nice,” Granny said. “After that, I think we should gather round and pray. I have a feeling that we should pray long and hard for each of our fellas today. Seems like testing times are upon them all.”
Laura waved good-bye as the ladies headed off on foot to their various homes. She had thoroughly enjoyed their time working and praying together. It was refreshing in a way that she had never known. Back in school, there had been times of silent prayer, but they weren’t encouraged to pray out loud. There was something quite intimate and deeply encouraging about praying with friends.
A noise sounded nearby, and Laura turned to see what it was. To her surprise, a little gray-and-white-striped kitten dashed across the snowy yard and came to brush up against her skirt.
