Chapter 28

Seth braked hard on the turn, causing his sister to clutch the edge of his truck's bench seat.

"Hang on," he murmured as he passed a delivery truck parked on the side of the road. Pleased to see no one ahead for miles, he sped up.

"Seth!" Melonie gasped.

"What?"

"Bruder, I think you're driving too fast."

That's because he was. All he could think about was getting to Tabitha's side. Even though it made no sense, he felt responsible for what had happened. If he couldn't have prevented Leon from showing up again, he wished he could have been there instead.

He tapped on his brakes at a stop sign, turned left, and edged closer to the vehicle in front of them. The moment it was safe, he passed the white sedan. "We're almost there."

Melonie cleared her throat. "I don't know if you should be driving. I think you're too upset to be behind the wheel."

"I may be upset, but I'm fine." Saying he was upset was an understatement, though. He was angry and worried and guilt-ridden too. All at the same time.

"Prove it."

Prove it? "What are you talking about?"

She waved off his confusion. "You know what I mean. Slow down."

"Melonie, I have enough going on in my life without you being a back-seat driver."

"But I'm not. I'm sitting in the front seat with you," she said without missing a beat. "I think that means I'm allowed to give you my opinion about things."

"Of course you're allowed."

"What I mean, Seth Zimmerman, is that you are also supposed to listen to me."

Glancing at his sister, so spunky and full of herself, he tapped the brakes. His truck settled closer to the posted speed limit. "I hope Lott knows what he's getting into," he murmured.

"If you're suggesting that Lott won't be getting a quiet wife if we do get married ... you're right. And, just to let you know, he likes me the way I am." Melonie sounded so secure.

"Married? How serious are the two of you?"

"Serious enough for him to be officially calling on me now. Mamm and Daed seem to like him fine."

"Hmm." He glared at the line of vehicles in front of them and tapped his steering wheel impatiently.

"Seth, I'm telling you the truth."

"I believe you. But ... you're awfully young, Mel."

"You're only saying that because you think of me as your little sister. I'm not that young. I'm certainly old enough to realize that Lott makes me happy."

As they approached another traffic light, he glanced her way. Melonie's chin was up and her eyes were bright. She felt comfortable in her skin and with her relationship with this boy.

There were so many things Seth wanted to say about that. He wanted to tell her he was proud of her for being the type of woman she was. That he'd been wrong about his prejudices against Lott. Most of all, he wanted to tell Melonie that he was grateful to her for never giving up on him. For writing to him while he was in prison and always choosing to see him—even when their parents had kept their distance.

But his nerves were so frayed at the moment, he was afraid he would either start crying or say too much and make her cry. So he'd save that conversation for another day when he wasn't feeling so emotional.

"Seth?" she asked in a tentative voice. "Are you okay?"

"Jah. I'm sorry." He turned into the hospital parking lot. "There's a lot I want to tell you, but I can't do that now. I fear anything I say is going to come out in a jumbled mess."

"Good things or bad?" Her voice sounded timid and sweet. Exactly the way it had always been, even when she'd been a little girl and following him all around.

It made his voice gentle. "Good. All good," he said as he maneuvered his vehicle into a narrow space in the back of the lot.

As soon as they got out, Melonie came around the truck and wrapped her arms around him. "You're not alone, Seth. God is with you and Tabitha. I am too."

"I know that. Danke."

"I know Mamm and Daed love you and care about you too."

He pressed his lips to her brow. "I know, Mel."

She smiled at him. "Let's go on in, then."

He'd been inside the hospital only one other time. Now, walking through the emergency room doors, he was inundated with the sounds of a baby crying, a television that droned from its place on the wall, and about a dozen conversations. The lights were bright, and there was an astringent smell in the air. Several people stood in lines near the front of the room. Some of them didn't look happy at all.

Beside him, Melonie wrinkled her nose. "It's not like I thought it would be. Where do you think we go?"

Seeing that a man was standing behind a sign that said "Reception," Seth figured that was a good place to start. They joined the other six people in line. Unable to help himself, Seth kept looking at where the nurses were, hoping to see some sign of Tabitha.

Several minutes later, they'd finally reached the reception desk.

"May I help you?" the man asked without looking up from his computer screen.

"We're here to see Tabitha Yoder," Seth said.

"How was she brought in?"

"By ambulance."

The man raised his head. "Sorry. You're in the wrong place." He pointed to another line on their right. "Someone over there will help you out."

Seth gritted his teeth but nodded. "Thank you."

Melonie glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "You handled that well."

He wasn't sure if he had or hadn't. All he did know was that he wasn't going to do anything to jeopardize his chances of seeing Tabitha as soon as possible. "Nothing one can do about it, jah?" he said as they went to the end of the next line. "Complaining won't change things."

"I suppose." She sounded as doubtful as he felt, though.

Seth sighed in relief that she didn't say anything more. He didn't like to admit how much his incarceration had changed him, but there were times when he realized that his experience had a lasting effect that wasn't completely unwelcome. He'd learned patience in prison. Patience and the benefits of keeping one's mouth closed instead of complaining.

Ten minutes later, he was speaking to yet another hospital representative wearing a pair of light blue scrubs and staring at a computer. "We're looking for Tabitha Yoder. She was brought here by ambulance."

The lady tapped on her keyboard. "She's being seen now. Are you family?"

"No."

The woman looked sympathetic but firm. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait in one of these seats. I'll try to have someone come out to give you updates on her condition."

Seth nodded, but the disappointment was crushing. He needed to be there for Tabitha. She had to be in pain, and he was closer to her than her family. Plus, he wanted to be the one to comfort her. "Do you need my name?"

"Oh. Sure." She picked up a pen and a block of sticky notes. "What is it?"

"Seth Zimmerman. And my sister, Melonie."

The woman scribbled their names in such a way that he doubted she was going to look at them again. "All right. Like I said, someone will fill you in as soon as we have some information." She was already looking at the person behind them.

"Thanks," he bit out as he turned.

"Nee. Wait a minute," Melonie said. "My brother isn't Tabitha's family, but he's her closest friend."

"I'm sorry, miss. Rules are rules."

"Listen, Tabitha's sister isn't going to come here. She's got four young boys and a stickler of a husband. Tabitha is going to want Seth. Him," Melonie added, gripping his arm.

A bit of the woman's harried, businesslike demeanor evaporated. "Miss, I know you're upset, but rules are rules. They're in place for a reason."

"It's okay, Mel," he said.

"Nee, wait!" Melonie turned to him. "Seth, didn't the sheriff call you?"

"He did."

With a look of triumph, she lifted her chin. "See? The sheriff asked Seth to come here to the hospital so he could be with Tabitha. Couldn't you call and ask if she's waiting for Seth Zimmerman?"

The pair of men behind them sighed.

Just when the receptionist seemed about to threaten to kick them out, Melonie whispered, "Please? Tabitha was attacked by her awful ex-husband. She needs a friend right now. Are you really going to refuse her that?"

The woman's eyes darted from Melonie to Seth. Whatever she saw there—combined with Melonie's earnest speech—must have swayed her because she picked up the sticky note. "I'll be right back."

When the men behind them sighed again, Seth lost his patience. "You got a problem?"

Whatever one of the guys saw in his eyes made him take a step back. "What? No. Sorry, man."

Turning back to Melonie, Seth leaned close. "When did you get so bossy?"

"You're not the only person who's changed a lot during the past six years."

"I'm beginning to see that."

The receptionist returned with a woman wearing pink scrubs. "Mr. Zimmerman, Donna will escort you to the back."

"Thank you, " he said.

"I'm sorry, but you'll need to stay out here," the woman in scrubs told Melonie apologetically. "There's not a lot of room back there, and Mr. Zimmerman is who Tabitha is requesting."

"That's fine with me." Looking like a fresh-faced Amish woman again, Melonie squeezed Seth's arm. "Tell Tabitha that I'll be praying for her."

"I will. If it's going to be a while, I'll send word and call for a driver for you."

"Danke, Bruder."

Next thing he knew, Seth was walking beside the nurse.

"We're sure glad you're here," she said, glancing up at him. "Your girlfriend has been asking for you."

The new title caught him off guard, but he couldn't deny that it felt right. "I got here as soon as I could. How is she?"

"Fortunately, her nose isn't broken, but she's sustained quite a few other injuries. Her shoulder was dislocated, and the way she fell injured it further. She's already had X-rays and is waiting for a CT scan. That'll show if anything has torn."

"If there is?"

"That's for the doctor to say, but surgery is a possibility." She hesitated, then added, "Oh, and her wrist is broken as well."

"The same arm?"

"All on her right. Is she right-handed?"

"I think so." How did he not know that?

They walked through silver doors that opened automatically. The atmosphere was buzzing in the ER. Curtains and cubicle walls divided each patient area, and there were wheeled stainless-steel carts of equipment parked in the hall. Orderlies were either standing next to gurneys or pushing patients down the hall, and nurses and doctors were speaking in soft tones, glancing at computers or at phone screens. It reminded him of an ant farm. Everyone had a job and was focused on it.

The nurse stopped outside a curtained partition. "She's just in here, Mr. Zimmerman." She lowered her voice. "She's got a black eye, but it looks worse than it is. Try not to worry about that. Also, we've given her pain medication and a mild sedative. She might seem a little groggy, but that's to be expected."

He nodded. Then, after bracing himself, he pushed aside the curtain, peeked in, and saw Tabitha.

She wore a blue-and-white hospital gown and had several monitors attached to her. She was sitting up, though, and awake.

When she caught sight of him, tears filled her brown eyes. "You came."

"Of course I did," he said as he approached. "I'm sorry it took me so long."

"That's you, Seth. Always attempting to take on the burden of things that aren't your fault." She swiped at her eye with the side of her left hand.

"Hey now," he murmured. "Everything's going to be all right. Leon is in custody."

"I know." She hiccupped. "I don't like being here, though. I hate this place."

Unable to help himself, he ran a hand along her cheek. There was a faint bruise near her mouth. And her left eye was swollen and a horrible dark purple color. He was glad the nurse had prepared him for how she'd look. "I can understand that. Hospitals can be scary places."

"I think being here again is bringing back memories of when I was here the last time." She swiped her cheek again. "Of course, I don't even remember being in the ambulance last time."

"You're hurt, but you'll get better."

"You sound so sure."

"That's because I am, because I'm going to help you." He hoped she understood everything that he wasn't saying—that he was willing to do whatever it took to make sure she felt safe, secure, and as pain-free as possible.

"I know you will."

The curtain slid to the side a bit, and then Donna led in a doctor who wore scrubs and a stethoscope around his neck.

"Hello again, Tabitha." He smiled at Seth. "It looks like you've got some company."

"Jah. This is Seth."

"And you are?"

"Her boyfriend."

Tabitha's eyes widened but she didn't correct him.

"I'm Dr. Kintz." He held out his hand. "Good to meet you."

"Same," Seth said as they shook hands. "Thank you for allowing me to be by her side."

The doctor turned his attention to her. "How are you feeling now, Tabitha? Still in a lot of pain?"

"Some, but it's bearable."

Donna, who'd been looking at the monitor and checking the bandages on her hand, said, "How would you rate it on a scale of one to ten?"

"Maybe a six?"

The nurse looked at the doctor.

"Tabitha, I requested the orderlies to take you for a CT scan, then they're going to transfer you to your room. As I told you before, we need you to stay overnight."

She looked crestfallen. "You're sure?"

"It's safer for you. We'd like to keep an eye on you."

When she looked like she might protest, Seth reached for her hand. "The doctor wouldn't recommend it if he didn't think it was necessary. Besides, it will give us time to clean up your place."

The little bit of color that had appeared in her cheeks faded. Her eyes were filled with fresh pain as she clung to his hand, her fingers gripping his own. "I hadn't thought about my house."

He bit back a curse at himself. He should've known better than to bring up her house. Of course she would be afraid to be by herself at home once again. "Please don't worry. By the time you get released, everything will be set to rights. I'll find someone to stay with you too." Even if it was himself.

"Okay, we're all settled, then," the doctor said. "Tabitha, either I or the attending doctor will be in later to let you know about the test results."

"Will Seth be able to stay with me?"

"Of course, honey," the nurse said. "The police will no doubt be stopping by to talk to you and take your statement. It will be good to have him by your side when that happens."

She nodded. "Danke."

"I might be overstepping, but I suggest that you allow this guy to look out for you," Dr. Kintz said in a kind voice. "Take it from me, there's nothing wrong with leaning on someone who cares about you. It can only help."

Tabitha smiled softly at Seth. "That's good advice, Doctor. Thank you."

Seth knew he should thank the doctor too, but he didn't want to do anything but sit with Tabitha and think about everything that was suddenly within their grasp.