Her Amish Christmas Sweetheart

Meg’s near drowning had flattened him. He’d managed to save her, but what if she’d been underwater too long? He wanted her to be all right. He loved her. He closed his eyes and sent up another prayer.

The woman stepped out of the car, drawing his attention. “An ambulance is on its way.”

“Thank you,” Peter said.

Within minutes, the ambulance arrived, and he watched helplessly as the paramedics rushed toward the creek. He saw them examine Reuben and Meg before carefully lifting Meg onto a stretcher. The EMTs carried her up the incline to the road. A second ambulance arrived on the scene, and the medics hurried toward Reuben.

Peter approached Meg’s stretcher. “Is she all right?”

“We’ll know more after the doctor examines her in the hospital.” The EMT gazed at Peter through narrowed eyes. “You know her?”

“Ja, we belong to the same church,” he said. After a brief hesitation, he added, “My sister is married to her cousin.”

Peter stared with concern as they carried the stretcher toward the ambulance. To his shock, Meg’s eyelids flickered without opening. “Reuben?” she said.

The technician met his gaze. Peter gestured toward the stretcher currently being carried up from the water’s edge. The man nodded with understanding.

“He’s getting medical attention,” the technician told her.

Meg didn’t open her eyes. “Oll recht?”

Peter’s heart thumped hard as he studied her. “She asked if he is all right,” he told the EMT.

“He’s awake and responding,” the man said. “He’ll be taken to the hospital for a complete checkup.” He and his coworker hefted Meg’s stretcher into the ambulance.

The other workers carried Reuben toward the second emergency vehicle. Peter approached it. “I’ll get word to his family.” The EMT nodded.

“Meg?” Reuben muttered.

“She’s on her way to the hospital,” he said. “She asked about you.” He felt a pang when Reuben sighed and closed his eyes.

Peter stepped back and watched while the EMTs entered their vehicles and started their engines. He felt chilled as he stood in the heavy downpour as the ambulances left. Lord, please help her. He stared at the vehicles’ bright, multicolored flashing lights as they dimmed with distance, then disappeared from sight. He retrieved Reuben’s horse, tied it to the back of his buggy and headed toward the Miller farm to return the animal.

Chapter Two (#u93d1a112-c583-50d3-a821-fbc70f31cb68)

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.”