Page 48 of Mail-Order Bride Secret
Their gazes caught and held. His full of faith and hope. Hers likely revealing her misgivings and worries.
A smile crept from his eyes to his mouth. “We’ll be just fine. You wait and see.”
From somewhere inside, an unfamiliar place, yet one tinted with memories of a time when life was simple and faith easy, a chuckle bubbled forth.
“You make me believe.”
His grin deepened, sending smile lines fanning out from the corners of his eyes. The look in his eyes promised everything she’d once dreamed of.
For a moment, she let herself revel in hope and then turned away, a sigh escaping from the depths of her soul.
A knock sounded and he went to answer the door. She guessed it would be someone bringing more food.
“We’ll be just fine,” he said as he left the room.
The words echoed through her thoughts as the day progressed. But she couldn’t see that Otis improved. His fever might have dropped but it lingered. Even more concerning, he didn’t wake up.
Wally continued to say everything would be fine. He meant even if Otis didn’t recover as she hoped he would. Between them, they tended Otis and fed theother children. Wally insisted she go to the kitchen to eat something.
It wasn’t until he lit the lamp that she realized the day was almost over.
“You get some rest,” she told him. “I’ll stay with Otis.” She kept her worries to herself that the boy was getting weaker. His breathing still rasped in and out but with less strength. If only they could do more, but apart from the herbal medicines one of the ladies brought over earlier in the week, no one had any suggestions.
He lingered, studied Otis for several seconds than brought his gaze to Maddie. “Call me if anything changes.”
“I will.”
Despite three children in beds—Jonathan at the foot of Ivy’s so Maddie could watch him—the room was silent as his footsteps ended in his bedroom.
He’d be praying for Otis. And her. The knowledge comforted her as she sponged Otis. As she’d done for hour after hour, day after day. Was there any use in continuing?
Darkness deepened. The only light in the room was from the lamp in the kitchen, casting faint shimmering shadows across the room when she moved. Wearily she wrung out a cloth to drape over Otis.
“Thirsty.” The grating sound startled her. It tookher a second to recover and another to realize Otis had spoken.
“I’ll get you something.” She dashed to the kitchen for a glass of water and lifted Otis’s head for him to drink.
He turned aside after a few swallows. “’Froat hurts.”
“I know. I’m sorry. But you’re on the mend. Soon you’ll be good as new.” Hearing him talk gave her reason to believe it.
In the dim light she studied him. His eyes closed and he slept. His breathing still rattled in and out. But he’d wakened and spoken.
She had to share the good news and she hurried across the tiny hall and burst into Wally’s bedroom without knocking. He lay under the quilt. She went to his side and touched his shoulder.
“Wally,” she whispered.
He grunted but didn’t waken.
“Wally.” Louder. “Wally, wake up.” She grabbed his shoulders and shook him.
He jerked awake and caught her upper arms. “Huh?”
“He’s better. Otis woke up. He drank some water. He makes sense. He’s better. Wally, he’s better.” She couldn’t stop the babbled rush of words.
“Wonderful.” He wrapped his arms around her, holding her secure.
She looked at him. But before she’d decided if she liked this position, he lifted his head and kissed her, then drew her with him as he slowly fell back to his pillow. She lay against him. With one gentle arm, he held her there. With the other hand, he stroked her cheek. The movement mesmerized her. Every vestige of resistance ebbed out. Every ounce of tension dissipated. She belonged here. As his wife. But more than that, she felt safe.
