Her Amish Christmas Sweetheart. Rebecca Kertz

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       Chapter Two

      Meg woke up in pain. Even with her eyes closed, she could tell by the familiar antiseptic smell that she was in the hospital. Her head hurt, but the heavy weight bearing down on her leg felt worse. She shifted and moaned as pain permeated every inch of her body. She opened her eyes and tried to sit up, then gasped at the searing agony in her left leg. She lay whimpering as she prayed for relief. Make it stop. Please, Lord, make it stop! Tears spilled down her cheeks as she continued to suffer.

      “Meg?” a familiar voice said.

      A face loomed in her line of vision as she opened her eyes. “Nell?”

      “Ja, schweschter. How are you feeling?”

      “Awful. I hurt everywhere, especially my leg.” She turned her head to meet her sister’s gaze and groaned. The simple movement had hurt.

      “Hold on, Meg. I’ll get help.” Then Nell disappeared.

      “Nell!” She felt alone and scared. How badly was she injured?

      Her sister wasn’t gone long. “Meg, I’ve brought a nurse. She’ll give you something for the pain.”

      “What happened?”

      Nell, who’d been watching the nurse insert a needle into Meg’s IV, glanced at her with concern. “You don’t remember?”

      “Nay.”

      “You were in an accident last night. You and Reuben. He was driving you home when a car struck his buggy and forced it from the road.”

      It had been raining. She recalled the terror she’d felt as she saw the car’s headlights, felt the horse rear and the buggy pick up speed as it upended and rolled. She’d felt a searing pain, heard the splash of cold water before it enveloped her—and then nothing. “I remember now.” She felt drowsy all of a sudden, and her pain eased. “Is he oll recht?”

      “Reuben?” Nell asked.

      “Ja.” She had a vague impression of hearing someone’s voice after the accident. “How did I get here?”

      “By ambulance. Reuben did, too. You have a concussion and some bruising.” She hesitated. “Your left leg is broken.”

      Meg shifted and suddenly realized that the heavy weight on her leg was a cast. Her breath hitched. “How bad is Reuben hurt?”

      “He fared better than you. He has some bumps and bruises, as well as a concussion, but no broken limbs.”

      “Is he here?” Meg asked drowsily.

      “Ja, in a room down the hall. The nurse told me he’ll be released today.” Nell grew quiet. “You nearly drowned. Reuben pulled you out of the water. He saved your life.”

      A man she could rely on, she thought. Meg shivered. “The water was so cold.” She got chilled just thinking about it. “I’m so tired.” She fought to keep her eyes open.

      “’Tis the pain medication. Rest.” Her sister covered her with another blanket.

      The warmth and the weight made her sigh. “Where’s Dat and Mam?”

      “Downstairs eating breakfast. I sent our sisters home. Everyone has been here all night. They didn’t want to leave, but I insisted.”

      “Gut,” she murmured sleepily. “Danki, Nell.” She managed to open one eye. “You’re newly married. You shouldn’t be here.”

      “Don’t you worry. James isn’t far. Sleep, Meg. We’ll be here when you wake up.”

      Almost immediately, Meg drifted into sleep. When she next opened her eyes, she saw that she had slept for some time, for the light came through the window from a different angle. She tried to rise and cried out. Her leg throbbed as she fell back again.

      Her father bolted up out of a chair near her bedside, drawing her attention. “Meg, dochter, you want to sit up?”

      “Dat.” She blinked back tears. “I want to, but it hurts too much when I try.”

      He reached toward the side of her bed. “I’m going to raise your head some. Tell me if it hurts.”

      Her bed rose slowly, and while Meg felt the movement, the shift didn’t cause terrible pain. “That’s gut.” She managed a smile. “Danki.”

      He nodded and stepped back to examine her carefully. “I’m glad you’re awake. We’ve been worried.”

      “I’m sorry, Dat.” She could only imagine what her family must have felt after receiving news of the accident.

      “Not your fault,” her father said with a slight smile. “All that matters is that you’re alive and will recover.”

      “Ja, I’ll be fine.” She studied his tired features with concern. It looked as if he had aged several years in one night. The knowledge that it was her fault upset her. “You should go home and rest. Nell said you were here all night.”

      “You were in an accident. Where else would I be but by your side?”

      “And now it’s time for you to go home.”

      He waved her suggestion aside. “Not yet.”

      She worried that the accident would cause him to be more protective of her than he already was. Ever since her last hospital stay, he’d tried to shelter her from every little thing. Fortunately, during the past two years, she’d been able to stand up to him a bit, and he’d finally learned to relax. Now her new injuries would take away that freedom she’d fought so hard for.

      “Nell said that Reuben is oll recht.”

      Dat nodded. “He’ll be discharged today. He wants to stop in to see you before he leaves.”

      Her mother came into the room. “Meg!” She hurried toward the bed. “You’re awake.”

      Meg managed to grin. “Ja, Mam.”

      Nell entered next, and then James, her husband of just over a week.

      “Meg, it’s good to see you awake and smiling,” her brother-in-law said.