Dear to Me (11 page)

 To make matters worse, Dr. Franklin had recently given Melinda another orphaned raccoon she’d named Rhoda, and every day at work, the doctor continued to tell Melinda what a God-given talent she’d been given when it came to working with animals. Melinda felt that way, too. More and more she felt the pull to become a veterinarian so she could help as many animals as possible. Yet she loved Gabe and wanted to be his wife. She also loved her family and knew how hard it would be if she decided to leave them. Sometimes Melinda felt like a rope during a game of tug-o-war, being pulled first one way and then the other.

 As Melinda bent over the rhubarb patch in their garden one Friday morning in early June, she made a decision.
I must find out if Gabe would be willing to leave the Amish faith with me. If we leave together, it will be a little easier, but if I have to do it on my own, I’m not sure I can.

 “Melinda, have you got enough rhubarb yet?” Grandpa called from the back porch, where he stood with a pot holder in his hand.

 Melinda smiled and waved. “Almost. I’ll be there with it soon!”

 Grandpa waved back at her and returned to the house. He was doing better these days, and Melinda was pleased.

 Two weeks ago, Papa Noah and Mama had taken him to see a specialist in Springfield. After numerous tests had been run, it was determined that Grandpa’s loss of memory was due in part to a malfunctioning thyroid. The doctor said it could be treated with medication, which was good news. Grandpa also had low blood sugar, which could be controlled by his diet. Those two things, coupled with the fact that he’d never gotten over Grandma’s death, had put him in a state of depression and caused some occasional memory loss.

 Melinda was sure things would be better now. Grandpa had recently begun helping Mama make jams and preserves to sell at the farmers’ market, which seemed to ease his sadness. His mind appeared to be sharper already, too. It was a real surprise to see Grandpa spending time in the kitchen, though. Melinda remembered how he used to avoid doing anything related to cooking. She’d heard him tell Papa Noah how odd he thought it was that his youngest son enjoyed baking so much. But now that Grandpa was making delicious jams and jellies, he acted like he’d been interested in working in the kitchen for a good long time.

 Melinda chuckled to herself. “It just goes to show, no one’s ever too old to change their mind about some things.”

 When Melinda had picked the last stalks of rhubarb, she ran up to the house. As soon as she had deposited the rhubarb into the kitchen sink, she headed back outside to check the birdhouse Papa Noah had given her as a birthday present.

 “Maybe there will be a note from Gabe,” she murmured. It had been several days since she’d heard from him, and she was eager to know when they would be going on another date. Seeing him only at their every-other-week preaching services didn’t give them any privacy, and they needed to talk without anyone overhearing their conversation.

 When Melinda reached the double-sided birdhouse, she was pleased to hear some baby birds peeping from one end. Careful not to disturb the little sparrows, she lifted the lid on the side that was now her and Gabe’s message box. She was equally pleased to see that a note was waiting for her.

Dear Melinda,

Since the weather has been so warm, I thought it would be nice to go for a drive this evening after supper. Let me know if
you’ll be free or not. I’ll be back to check the message box later this afternoon.

Happily yours,

Gabe

 Melinda reached inside the box to retrieve the pencil and tablet they kept there and then scrawled a note in reply.

Dear Gabe,

Tonight should be fine. Come by around seven. I’m looking forward to our time together, as we have some important things to talk about.

Yours fawnly,

Melinda

“What do you think of this hunk of walnut for the gun stock I’m planning to make?” Gabe asked as he held the item in question out for his dad’s inspection.

 Pap nodded and ran his fingers over the block of wood. “Looks like it’ll work out fine. Always did like to have a hunting gun with a well-made stock.”

 Gabe smiled.
Maybe this will show him I’m able to make more than simple cabinets, birdhouses, and feeders.

 “Are you expecting to do some hunting this fall?” his father questioned.

 “Jah, and I hope to use my new gun.”

 “Sounds good, but any hunting you want to do will have to be done on your day off or after the shop is closed for the day.” Pap picked up a stack of work orders and thumbed through them quickly. “We need to get busy with these jobs. You’ll have to work on your gun stock during your free time, too.”

 Gabe frowned but set the piece of wood aside. If he worked on his own projects after hours, he would have less time to court Melinda.

 He thought about the note he’d left her earlier, saying he would be by this evening to take her for a buggy ride.

Melinda had just started setting the table for supper when Papa Noah entered the kitchen wearing a worried expression on his face.

 “Where’s your mamm?” he asked.

 “Over at Grandpa Hertzler’s side of the house. They’re finishing up with the rhubarb-strawberry jam they’ve been making today.”

 “Do you know if we’ve got any hydrogen peroxide in the house?”

 “I think there’s some in the cupboard above the sink. What do you need it for?”

 “That horse I bought a few days ago has a cut on her back leg. At first, I thought I’d have to call the vet, but after checking things over real good, I realized the cut isn’t too deep. I think it’s something I can tend to myself.”

 “She didn’t have a cut leg when you bought her, I hope.”

 He shook his head and ambled across the room to the cupboard. “I believe she may have gouged it on the fence. Probably trying to get out.”

 Melinda felt immediate concern. “She’s not happy here? Is that what you think, Papa Noah?”

 He pulled the bottle of peroxide down and turned around. “Looks like it. If I had more free time to spend with her, she might feel calmer and at home already. Between my job at the tree farm and all the chores I have to do here, there aren’t enough hours in the day.”

 Melinda placed the last glass on the table and moved toward her stepfather. “I could doctor the wound and work with the horse to get her calmed down and more comfortable here. I’m good with animals, Papa Noah—you know that.”

 “Of course you are, but I don’t think—”

 “Please, let me try. I’ll show Nellie some attention so she learns to like it here, and I’ll tend that cut on her leg. She’ll be good as new in no time.”

 Papa Noah’s furrowed brows let Melinda know he was at least thinking on the idea.

 “I’ll squeeze it in between chores here and my job at the veterinary clinic.” She clasped his arm. “Please, Papa Noah.”

 He finally smiled and handed her the bottle of peroxide. “Okay, then, you can start right now.”

 Melinda sprinted for the door. “Tell Mama I’ve got the burner on the stove turned to low, and I’ll be back in time to help her serve up the stew that’s cooking for supper.”

“Did Papa Noah tell you that I’ll be tending his new horse that’s got a cut on its back leg?” Melinda asked Faith as they sat at the table eating supper later that evening.

 Faith grimaced and glanced over at Noah. “Don’t you think you should ask the vet to take a look at the horse rather than allowing Melinda to play doctor?”

 “I don’t think it’s anything too serious.” Noah shrugged. “Besides, I know what a way Melinda has with animals, and I figured I’d let her see what she can do first.”

 “She’ll probably end up bringing the horse into the house.” Isaiah nudged Melinda in the ribs with his elbow. “First a chicken then a squirrel. I figure a horse must be next on your list.”

 “I have no intention of bringing Papa Noah’s horse into the house.” Melinda pursed her lips and squinted at Isaiah. “I think you need to eat what’s on your plate and mind your own business.”

 Isaiah scrunched up his nose and glared at her. “You ain’t my boss, sister.”

 “Never said I was.”

 “But you’re always bossin’ me around.”

 “Am not.”

 “Are so.”

 “No, I—”

 Noah clapped his hands together and everyone jumped. Noah rarely got upset, but when he did, he meant business.

 “I don’t want to hear any more silly bickering,” he said. “I’ve given Melinda permission to doctor the horse, and she’ll be doing it in the barn. So this whole conversation you two have been having is just plain
lecherich
.”

 “I agree,” Faith said with a nod. “For that matter, most arguments are ridiculous.”

 Isaiah gave Melinda one more scathing glare; then he grabbed his fork and popped a hunk of stew meat into his mouth.

 Faith didn’t know why Melinda had become so testy lately. It made her wonder if there was more going on than just the usual bickering between brother and sister. Well, now that Noah had laid down the law, maybe they could eat in peace.

Gabe whistled the whole way over to Melinda’s house. He could hardly wait to spend time with her and talk about their future. The summer months would go by quickly; soon it would be time for their wedding. Of course, they hadn’t set a date yet, so he didn’t know exactly which month it would be.

 “If I had my own business, I would feel more prepared for marriage,” he mumbled. “I wonder how long I’ll have to keep working for Pap before I have enough money saved up to go out on my own.” Gabe had looked at a couple of places to rent, but the owners of the buildings were asking too much, and he didn’t think his dad would take to the idea of him building a shop right there on the same property as his place of business.

 When Gabe pulled into the Hertzlers’ front yard, he spotted Isaiah on the lawn playing with his beagle hound, Jericho. The boy had received the dog as a birthday present last year from Noah’s boss, Hank Osborn, who raised hound dogs, as well as acres of pine trees. Gabe used to enjoy visiting there when he was a boy, but he hadn’t gone to the Christmas tree farm in sometime.