Dear to Me (14 page)

“Sure is a nice day, isn’t it?” Melinda asked as she and Susie headed down the road in her open buggy.

 Susie nodded.

 “You’ve been awfully quiet since we left your house. Is something bothering you?”

 Susie shrugged.

 Melinda nudged Susie with her elbow. “There is something bothering you, isn’t there?”

 Susie released an extended sigh.
“Es is mir verleed.”

 “Why are you discouraged?”

 “Every time I find a fellow I’m interested in, he either has no interest in me, already has a girlfriend, or is going back to Montana.”

 Melinda glanced over at Susie as she lifted her eyebrows. “How many fellows do you know who are heading to Montana?”

 “Just one. Jonas Byler.”

 “Ah, I see.” Melinda brought her gaze back to the road and gripped the reins a little tighter as they crested the top of a small hill. “I saw Jonas at the last young people’s gathering and heard someone mention that he’d come back to the area for a visit.” She nudged Susie again. “I didn’t know you had an interest in him, though.”

 “For all the good it does me.” Susie grunted. “I doubt he knows I’m alive. And even if he did, he won’t be sticking around Webster County long enough to spend any time with me.”

 “Maybe you could go to Montana and visit Jonas sometime,” Melinda suggested. “It would probably be an exciting trip.”

 “Jah, right. Like Mama and Papa would ever give their permission for me to go off by myself like that.”

 “They might. I know a lot of Amish young people who like to travel around and see some sights before they get married and settle down.”

 Susie leaned closer to Melinda. “Say, I have an idea. Why don’t the two of us plan a trip to Montana? Think how much fun it would be to catch the train or a bus and go out West to see the sights.”

 Melinda shook her head vigorously. “I can’t go on any trips right now.”

 “Why not?”

 “For one thing, I’ve got my job at the veterinary clinic.”

 “It’s only part-time, Melinda. I’m sure Dr. Franklin would give you a few weeks off so you could go on a little vacation.”

 “Even if he did give me the time off, I have responsibilities at home.”

 “Such as?”

 “Taking care of my animals.”

 “Couldn’t someone else in your family do that in your absence?”

 “No way! Mama and Papa Noah are too busy with other things, and I wouldn’t trust Isaiah to feed my bussli, let alone take care of any of the orphaned animals I have in my care.” Melinda drew in a deep breath and released it quickly. “And then there’s Gabe.”

 “Oh, I see how it is,” Susie said in a wistful tone. “You’re in love with Gabe and don’t want to leave him for a few weeks. Isn’t that right?”

 Melinda nodded. But while it was true that she didn’t relish the idea of being away from Gabe, she wasn’t about to tell her aunt that the main reason she didn’t want to leave home right now was because she was on the verge of making one of the biggest decisions of her life. If she decided to prepare for a career in veterinary work, she would have to begin by taking her GED test, and for that, she needed to be at home, studying.

 “So, where would you like to go after I drop off Grandpa’s jam at the bed-and-breakfast?” Melinda asked, changing the subject.

 “I thought we were going to have lunch at Baldy’s.”

 “We are. But I thought maybe you’d like to do some shopping first.”

 “We can do that afterwards, when we pick up the groceries for my mamm.”

 “Oh, that’s right.” She looked over at Susie again. “Did she give you a list?”

 Susie’s eyebrows drew together. “A list?”

 “A list of the groceries she wants.”

 Susie clamped her hand over her mouth. “Ach! I hurried out of the house so quickly, I forgot to ask what she needed.”

 “Maybe she’ll send Grandpa after the items she needs.”

 “Either that, or as soon as you drop me off at home, she’ll give me the list and I’ll have to head right back to town.”

 Melinda snickered. “Oh, well. Then you’ll have two good doses of sunshine and fresh air.”

Chapter 12

W
hen Melinda arrived home later that day, she was greeted with a sorrowful sight. Isaiah’s dog had gone on the rampage, killing a female rabbit that had gotten out of its cage. Melinda was sure it had happened because the door wouldn’t stay latched. She was heartsick when she discovered the dead rabbit’s four orphaned babies, knowing they might not survive without their mother.

 “I’ll need to feed them,” she murmured, reaching into the open cage.

 “Sorry about this,” Isaiah said, stepping up beside her. “Don’t know what came over Jericho to do such a thing.”

 “If you kept him tied up like I’ve asked you to do, he wouldn’t have had the opportunity.” Melinda lifted the rabbits gently out of the cage and placed them inside a cardboard box. “I’ll take them into the house where I can better care for their needs.”

 “Mama won’t like it,” Isaiah asserted. “She’s gettin’ sick of your critters and the messes they make.”

 Melinda wrinkled her nose. “You’d best let me worry about that.” She hurried out of the barn before her brother could offer a retort.

 When she stepped onto the back porch a few minutes later, she spotted Grandpa sitting in the wicker rocking chair outside his living quarters. He waved at her. “Did you get my jam delivered?”

 She nodded. “Every last one is gone.”

 “Then what have you got in the box?”

 “Four baby rabbits.” Melinda moved closer to his chair and held out the box so he could take a look. “Isaiah’s dog killed the mother. Now it’s my job to save them.”

 Grandpa fingered his long white beard. “It doesn’t surprise me that you’d be willing to do that. You’re such a caring young woman.”

 She leaned over and kissed his wrinkled cheek. “I’d best get these little ones inside and find a way to feed them.”

 “I hope they make it.”

 “Me, too.” Melinda opened the back door and stepped into the house.

When the back door opened and banged against the wall, Faith turned from her task at the kitchen sink, where she’d been peeling some carrots. She fully expected to see Isaiah standing there, but found Melinda holding a box in her hands instead.

 “Mercy, daughter, can’t you be a little quieter when you enter the house? And for goodness’ sake, please shut the door.”

 Melinda placed the box on one end of the counter, turned, and closed the door with her hip. “Sorry, Mama. I was in a hurry to get the
bopplin
inside.”

 Faith dropped the carrot into the sink and hurried across the room. “Babies? What kind of babies have you got in that box?”

 “Baby rabbits.” Melinda’s forehead wrinkled as she frowned. “Thanks to Isaiah’s mutt, these poor little critters are orphans now.”

 “Jericho killed the mother rabbit?”

 Melinda nodded solemnly. “So now it’s my job to raise them.”

 “You can take care of them out in the barn, but not in here,” Faith said with a shake of her head.

 “How come?”

 Faith blew out an exaggerated breath. “Do you really have to ask? You know how I feel about having animals in the house.”

 “But you allow Snow to be inside.”

 “That’s different. Snow’s a pet, not a wild animal.”

 Melinda peered into the box and stared at the tiny bunnies. “These little
haaslin
aren’t wild, Mama. They’re helpless, hungry, and without a mamm.”

 “Be that as it may—”

 “Can’t I keep them in my room? I promise they won’t be any trouble to you. They’ll be inside a box, so there’s no chance of them running all over the house or making a mess.”

 Faith slipped her hands behind her back and popped two knuckles at the same time.

 Melinda winced. “Are you upset with me, Mama? You always pop your knuckles whenever you’re upset.”

 “I’m not upset. I just don’t want you turning our home into a zoo.”

 “I’m not trying to.” Melinda peered into the box again. “I only want to take care of these orphaned bunnies because they won’t make it on their own.”

 Faith released a blustery sigh. “Oh, all right. But as soon as they start trying to get out of that box, they’re to be put in a rabbit cage inside the barn. Is that clear?”

 Melinda nodded and gave Faith a hug. “Danki, Mama.” Then she grabbed the box and scurried out of the room.

 Faith lifted her gaze to the ceiling. “Oh, Lord, please give me the wisdom of Solomon and the patience of Job.”

That evening after supper, Melinda sat on the front porch swing, waiting for Gabe to show up. She had just fed the orphaned bunnies with an eyedropper and put them back inside the cardboard box.

 A slight breeze came up, whisking away some of the oppressive, muggy July air that had hovered over the land most of the day. A horse and buggy trotted into the yard just then, and Melinda smiled when she saw that it was Gabe. She left the porch and hurried out to greet him.

 Gabe climbed down from his buggy and retrieved two wooden cage doors from the back. He motioned to the barn. “Let’s go see how they work, shall we?”

 As soon as they entered the barn, Melinda took Reba and Rhoda out of their cages and placed them inside an empty horse stall. Gabe removed the old cage doors, and a short time later, he had the new doors set in place.

 “The latches can’t be jimmied from the inside,” he explained. “I don’t think the coons will be able to escape, and as soon as I find the time, I’ll make you a couple of new cages with doors just like these.”

 “That would be wunderbaar.” Melinda retrieved Reba and Rhoda and put them in their respective cages.

 Gabe closed the doors and clicked the locks shut. “I dare either of you critters to get out now,” he said, squinting at the animals.

 “If it keeps them in, I’ll be happy, and so will my folks.”

 Gabe lifted Melinda’s chin with his thumb and lowered his head. His lips were just inches from hers when her brother burst into the barn. “Yodel-oh-de-tee! Yodel-oh-de-tee! My mama taught me how to yodel when I sat on her knee. …” Isaiah halted when he saw Gabe and Melinda, and his face turned cherry red. “Oops. Didn’t know anyone was here.”

 “And I didn’t know you could yodel,” Gabe said. “I thought only Melinda and your mamm were the yodelers in the family.”

 “He
can
’t yodel.” Melinda tapped her foot impatiently. “He only does that to mimic me.”

 Isaiah glared at her. “Do not. I came to the barn to see if Jericho was here.”

 “He’s not.” Melinda clenched her teeth. “That mutt had better not be running free again, either.”

 “He can’t be chained up all the time, and it’s not his fault your goofy pets are always gettin’ out of their cages.”

 “I think that problem’s been solved,” Gabe said. “I just put new doors with better locks on the coons’ cages, and if it keeps them in, I’ll be making more cages for Melinda’s other animals.”

 Isaiah peered at Reba’s cage door. “If Papa ever gets around to buildin’ Jericho a dog run, maybe you can put a door like this on his cage.”

 Melinda poked her brother’s arm. “Is that any way to ask a favor? Gabe doesn’t have a lot of time on his hands and shouldn’t be expected to make a cage door for your dog.”

 “I’ll make the time for it,” Gabe said with a wide smile. “Fact is I’ll build the whole dog run for Jericho. It will give me a chance to build something on my own without Pap looking over my shoulder and telling me how it’s done. Not only that, but it will keep your dog from hurting Melinda’s critters.”

 “That’d be great.” Isaiah gave Gabe a wide grin. “Danki, Gabe. You’re a right nice fellow.”

 Melinda moved toward the barn door. “Come on, Gabe. Let’s go tell my folks about the cage doors and see if they mind if we go for a buggy ride.”

Chapter 13

M
elinda drew in a deep breath and prayed for the courage to say what had been on her mind for the last several weeks. Gabe deserved to know what Dr. Franklin wanted her to do, and now was the time to tell him.

 “I’ve been wanting to discuss something with you,” she said as they headed down Highway C in his open buggy.