Closest to Your Heart-Chapter Two
CHAPTER 2
A green pickup truck stopped in front of the hospital in Elk City. May Richardson climbed out of it and spoke to the driver, her youngest son.
"Thanks, Oliver." She slammed the door shut and said through the window, "You just come by when you're done working and I'll be ready to go."
"All right, Ma. See ya later." Oliver shifted into gear and pulled away in the truck.
May turned and walked into the hospital. There weren't many people working at six-thirty in the morning, and those that were working knew May by now and greeted her. She smiled and waved in return, and then headed for Abel's room right away. It had been two weeks since the accident, and, true to her word, May had been there every day.
"Good morning, Abel." May came in and sat down. She got out the caraffe of coffee she had brought along and poured herself a cup. While she drank it, she studied her husband. She looked at his tall, lanky frame, his strong arms and able hands. Her gaze rested on his face, where his tan, weathered features were still. She longed to see him smile again, just to hear him laugh. She wanted him to hold her and cry with her. She wished that they could once again kneel together in prayer.
Dr. Hollister was right. It was hard. But she was no quitter. If she was known for one thing, it was endurance. That, and a strong will. She would remain faithful.
She'd been faithful to Abel for twenty-seven years. Well, more than that, if you counted all the years she'd trailed him. She'd known since she was around twelve that Abel Richardson was the only boy for her.
May began talking to Abel, telling him the story. " You remember when I started trailing you like a little puppy? You were so mad. All the boys teased you about me. I remember one time when I was followin' you boys to wherever it was ya'll used to go. Anyways, you finally stopped me. You grabbed me by the shoulders, shook me real hard, and told me, ' Listen here, May Rogers, you get on home. You can't be followin' me all over tarnation. Now go.'
" I was so broken-hearted, let me tell you. I thought I'd die. I did go home and I bawled and bawled like a calf who'd lost it's mama. My mama came in and tried to comfort me, but I wouldn't be comforted. So, for the second time that day, I got a good shaking.
"' You listen up, girl. you can't be wastin' your time sobbin' over a boy that don't want ya. You gotta do one of two things; either wait for him to want ya, or forget him and move on.' Then she patted my knee and left me alone to think about what she'd said.
"And think I did. I knew I couldn't forget you. So I decided to wait for you and just go about with my life until you wanted me." May chuckled. "It took you long enough. But while you were forgetting me, I was growing up and changing. I got taller and filled out, and I began to wear flattering dresses and take time to style my hair in something than a braid.
" And then at that one social you noticed me. For the first time since you'd shook me, you came up and talked to me. I still remember what you said. ' Boy, May. You look...well...older.' Then you looked at your shoes embarrassed-like. I couldn't believe it. You finally wanted me, and you couldn't even say it!
"After that, you got up the nerve to ask my daddy to come callin' on me. And that was that! Before I knew it, you were askin' me to be your wife."
May sighed. It felt good to remember the past. She treasured her memories of her courting time with Abel.
" I remember the one time while you were courtin' me, you decided to serenade me. So in the middle of the night, you came and threw pebbles at my window till I opened it. Then you started to sing to me. It was real good. Then in the middle of 'Let Me Call You Sweetheart', my daddy walked out on the back porch and bellowed, 'Land sakes! Abel Richardson, what're you doin?' You just stood there kinda sheepish-like before you said 'Well, sir, I'm serenadin' May.'
"' You're what?'
"'I'm singin' to her.'
"'Well, I don't mind ya singin' to her, just come back tomorra to do it!' I had ducked back inside my window so you wouldn't hear me laughin'. You were such a Romeo!"
May laughed now, her eyes crinkled up in mirth. As her laughter faded, May felt a sadness blanket her.
"Dear Lord, You're able to help my husband. I pray, Lord, that you will bring him back to me. I need him, Lord. " Her eyes welled up with tears. " Please, God. Bring him back. Amen."
"Thanks, Oliver." She slammed the door shut and said through the window, "You just come by when you're done working and I'll be ready to go."
"All right, Ma. See ya later." Oliver shifted into gear and pulled away in the truck.
May turned and walked into the hospital. There weren't many people working at six-thirty in the morning, and those that were working knew May by now and greeted her. She smiled and waved in return, and then headed for Abel's room right away. It had been two weeks since the accident, and, true to her word, May had been there every day.
"Good morning, Abel." May came in and sat down. She got out the caraffe of coffee she had brought along and poured herself a cup. While she drank it, she studied her husband. She looked at his tall, lanky frame, his strong arms and able hands. Her gaze rested on his face, where his tan, weathered features were still. She longed to see him smile again, just to hear him laugh. She wanted him to hold her and cry with her. She wished that they could once again kneel together in prayer.
Dr. Hollister was right. It was hard. But she was no quitter. If she was known for one thing, it was endurance. That, and a strong will. She would remain faithful.
She'd been faithful to Abel for twenty-seven years. Well, more than that, if you counted all the years she'd trailed him. She'd known since she was around twelve that Abel Richardson was the only boy for her.
May began talking to Abel, telling him the story. " You remember when I started trailing you like a little puppy? You were so mad. All the boys teased you about me. I remember one time when I was followin' you boys to wherever it was ya'll used to go. Anyways, you finally stopped me. You grabbed me by the shoulders, shook me real hard, and told me, ' Listen here, May Rogers, you get on home. You can't be followin' me all over tarnation. Now go.'
" I was so broken-hearted, let me tell you. I thought I'd die. I did go home and I bawled and bawled like a calf who'd lost it's mama. My mama came in and tried to comfort me, but I wouldn't be comforted. So, for the second time that day, I got a good shaking.
"' You listen up, girl. you can't be wastin' your time sobbin' over a boy that don't want ya. You gotta do one of two things; either wait for him to want ya, or forget him and move on.' Then she patted my knee and left me alone to think about what she'd said.
"And think I did. I knew I couldn't forget you. So I decided to wait for you and just go about with my life until you wanted me." May chuckled. "It took you long enough. But while you were forgetting me, I was growing up and changing. I got taller and filled out, and I began to wear flattering dresses and take time to style my hair in something than a braid.
" And then at that one social you noticed me. For the first time since you'd shook me, you came up and talked to me. I still remember what you said. ' Boy, May. You look...well...older.' Then you looked at your shoes embarrassed-like. I couldn't believe it. You finally wanted me, and you couldn't even say it!
"After that, you got up the nerve to ask my daddy to come callin' on me. And that was that! Before I knew it, you were askin' me to be your wife."
May sighed. It felt good to remember the past. She treasured her memories of her courting time with Abel.
" I remember the one time while you were courtin' me, you decided to serenade me. So in the middle of the night, you came and threw pebbles at my window till I opened it. Then you started to sing to me. It was real good. Then in the middle of 'Let Me Call You Sweetheart', my daddy walked out on the back porch and bellowed, 'Land sakes! Abel Richardson, what're you doin?' You just stood there kinda sheepish-like before you said 'Well, sir, I'm serenadin' May.'
"' You're what?'
"'I'm singin' to her.'
"'Well, I don't mind ya singin' to her, just come back tomorra to do it!' I had ducked back inside my window so you wouldn't hear me laughin'. You were such a Romeo!"
May laughed now, her eyes crinkled up in mirth. As her laughter faded, May felt a sadness blanket her.
"Dear Lord, You're able to help my husband. I pray, Lord, that you will bring him back to me. I need him, Lord. " Her eyes welled up with tears. " Please, God. Bring him back. Amen."
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