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.
“I told you we wouldn’t be far.” Nell eyed her closely, her gaze sharp. “How are you feeling? Still in pain?”
“A little, but not it’s not as bad as before,” Meg assured her. “How long did I sleep?”
“Four hours,” her father said.
Meg was alarmed. “Four hours!”
“You needed the rest,” her mother murmured soothingly.
Her injuries had kept her family from their beds, and she felt guilty. “Please go home. I’ll be fine. You all need to sleep.” She captured her father’s gaze. “Please, Dat?”
“We’ll go, but we’ll be back to visit this evening,” her father said.
“Tomorrow is soon enough,” Meg insisted. “You can’t be traveling back and forth. ’Tis too much.” She bit her lip then winced. “Is every part of me bruised?”
“Nay,” Mam said too quickly.
Meg offered a lopsided smile. “I bet I have a black eye.” She saw the truth in her father’s gaze. Things could have been much worse, she realized. She recalled her last time in the hospital, when a ruptured appendix had nearly caused her death. Some bruises and a broken bone would heal.
“You don’t look bad,” Nell said.
Meg snorted. “It doesn’t matter how awful I look when there is nothing I can do about it.” She studied her family, recognizing the exhaustion caused by their night of worry and fear. “I love you all, but go home. I’ll be fine.” She held up the nurse-call button. “I have everything I need.”
Reuben came into the room, but stopped abruptly when he saw her family.
Dat glanced at the young man. “We should leave.”
“Please don’t leave on my account,” he said.
“They’re leaving because of me,” Meg explained, her lips curving. “I told them to go.” She looked at her father. “They haven’t slept.”
Reuben approached the end of her bed. He froze when her father placed a hand on his shoulder. “Danki for saving her,” Dat said.
To her amazement, Reuben blushed and looked slightly uncomfortable. “I...I’m sorry about the accident.”
“It wasn’t your fault.” Her father met her gaze. “We’ll see you again soon, dochter.” He moved to leave, and her family followed.
“Be careful going home,” she called out.
Each member of her family murmured quietly to Reuben as they passed him.
“Won’t you sit a minute?” she asked softly, as she wondered what they’d said.
Reuben moved quickly then, as if eager to please, and took the seat her father had vacated. “You oll recht?”
“I’m fine. No serious injuries.” She saw relief settle on his features. She studied him and immediately noted huge bruises on his left cheek and forehead. “Your face... Doesn’t it hurt?”
His mouth curved crookedly. “A little. And yours?”
She shrugged, and winced with the simple movement. “I’m achy but I’ll survive.” She grinned to reassure him.
He studied her with concern. “Meg, I’m sorry—”
She saw regret flicker in his blue eyes. “Nay! Dat’s right. It wasn’t your fault. The car hit us.”
He sighed. “I’m afraid I’m a little foggy about what happened.”
Meg was concerned. “You don’t remember anything?”
“I recall a blinding light.”
“The car’s headlights.”
He nodded. “The car hit my buggy.”
Meg regarded him with amusement. “Ja, it was traveling too fast around a curve and struck us. Your horse reared up and bolted off the road and then...”
“The buggy rolled,” Reuben said hoarsely. “I remember that, but what happened afterward?”
“You must have whacked your head hard.”
“Ja.” He stood and gently took hold of her hand. “You must have, too.” He studied her with troubled blue eyes. “Meg, I’d never do anything to hurt you intentionally.”
The man was sweet, and she was grateful that he’d saved her life. She felt a wave of warm gratitude toward him. “I know.”
He didn’t move. He simply held her hand and gazed at her with affection that made her feel increasingly uncomfortable. He smiled and toyed with her fingers until Meg closed her eyes and silently prayed that he’d leave.
* * *
Peter couldn’t get Meg out of his mind. Which was why he drove the two hours to the hospital to make sure she was all right. He parked his buggy near a hitching post, tied up his horse, then hurried inside to the information desk. “Can you tell me where to find Meg Stoltzfus? She’s a patient.”
The woman behind the counter searched the computer on her desk. “Room 202,” she said. “The stairs are to the right. The elevator is farther down the hall.”
“Thank you.” Peter ran up the stairs to the second floor and