Love's Abiding Joy by Janette Oke

Author:Janette Oke
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2010-07-27T16:00:00+00:00

When Missie had returned to the kitchen, Marty slipped quietly into Clark’s room and knelt by his bed. She took one of his hands in hers and caressed it, careful not to bring further hurt to the already damaged hand. It did look better now that it had been cleaned up. She pressed it to her lips and let her tears wash it again.

“Oh, Clark,” she whispered, “I couldn’t bear it iffen somethin’ should happen to you. Oh, God, I jest couldn’t stand it. Please, dear God, make ’im better again. Please leave ’im with me. I need ’im so much.” There, she was praying the very way she had warned Missie against. Well, she simply couldn’t help it! She needed Clark so much. She loved him more than life itself. She couldn’t bear to lose him. She just couldn’t! “Oh, please, God—please, please, God,” she pled.

She stayed beside his bed, crying and praying, until all her energy and her tears were spent. Clark still did not stir. Would he ever regain consciousness?

At length Marty was aware of a hand on her shoulder. “Mama,” asked Missie, “do you want a cup of coffee?”

Marty shook her head.

“You should, you know. It might be a long night. Wong made supper for the boys. I didn’t think anyone else would be hungry.”

Marty looked up. “Yer right,” she said wearily. “I couldn’t eat a bite.”

“Coffee, then,” said Missie, holding out the cup.

Marty lifted herself to her feet and took it. She was surprised at how stiff she had become and she wondered how long she had been there beside Clark. Missie pushed a chair toward her and she sat down.

“The boys are already in bed,” Missie ventured. “Willie still isn’t back. Don’t know why he—”

“Maybe he went fer a doctor. He said thet yer pa’s leg—”

“I’m afraid there’s no doctor anywhere around,” Missie offered sadly. “He might have heard of someone good at setting breaks, though.”

Marty sipped at the coffee and watched Missie’s face.

“Didn’t Willie say where he was goin’?”

“Just said he would be gone for a while and if we needed anything to call the men. He also said not to let Pa stir around none. Might hurt his leg.”

Marty looked at the motionless Clark. “Looks like we needn’t worry none ’bout thet. Wish he would stir some. It would make me feel some better iffen I could jest talk to him.”

“Willie says that moving might injure his leg even more.”

“Maybe it’s a blessin’ thet he has thet bump on his head. At least he doesn’t suffer as much. By the time he comes to again, maybe the pain will be cared fer some.”

Marty hadn’t thought of the unconsciousness as a blessing, but perhaps it was. She just hoped it wouldn’t last too long.

They sat together in silence. Scottie came for a few minutes and asked if there was anything he could do. They assured him they would call if there was any change.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.