Wilderness Challenge - Chapter 19

Chapter 19

         Logan had watched the cabin and knew she hadn’t gone to bed as he advised, but then he really hadn’t expected her too.  Her lamp never went out and with the coming of daylight he watched as she left the cabin and took care of the cow, and then headed for the river.  He had never met anyone more stubborn than she.  If he didn’t know better he would guess she planned to go and hunt down that pack of coyotes.  He sincerely hoped not.

********

         Candi swam for quite a while, while she formulated a plan of action for the day.  She didn’t know when Logan would be over to check on Rascal.  He had been right.  He was doing much better.  True he had a long ways to go before the bandages came off, but the fact that he had started to drink water was a good sign.

         She wondered if she could leave him alone in the cabin while she went out and hunted for that pack of coyotes.  It had to be the same ones that had shown up the night Logan built the smoke hut.  He said they would be back.  Even if they weren’t, she was still going after them.

         She took up her towel as she left the water and went up to the cabin to change.  She soon left the cabin.  She made sure Rascal had plenty of water before she took her rifle from over the mantle, checked the loading, grabbed more ammunition and left.

********

         Logan saw her emerge from the cabin, rifle in hand, and head for the shed.  She soon had Lightning Storm saddled and was on her way.  He knew it.  He would be surprised if she came out of the hunt unscathed.  She hunted a pack, not a single animal.  If ever he had a use for prayer it was then.  “Oh Father God, I beseech you in your tender mercies to watch over Candi and her foolhardy expedition.  She’s angry Lord at what happened to Rascal.  Just take care of her please.  I know it’s been a long time since you heard from me.  Not since I left home as a matter of fact.  Dad always said that no matter how far I went from You, it was always only one step back.  I ask You to forgive me my waywardness.  I realize now how foolish I have been as I have seen Candi’s faith in You, though at the moment she’s not employing any faith.”  He continued to pray for her, as he scanned the horizon and watched for any sign of trouble to the area.  He knew that if there would be any trouble it would come from the direction of the cabin.

********

         Candi found them.  It was hard to tell if they were the same ones who had been at the cabin the night Logan built the smoke hut, but it was clear to see they had been in a fight.  She raised her rifle and fired into the pack, and brought them down one by one.  They wouldn’t harm her or what belonged to her anymore.

         Taken by surprise when another cat she hadn’t seen attacked her when she put her rifle in the scabbard.  It was as if it had been waiting for her to do just that.  She saw two other cats, tear the coyotes apart.  She recognized them from her study of the books she had brought with her.  Lynx.  She still had a tight grip on her rifle, and took it from its scabbard and butted the cat that had attacked her and her horse.  With it knocked away temporarily, she was able to take quick aim before it could attack again, rewarded when the cat fell to the ground.  The other cats circled around her, and snapped at her horse’s legs.  She reloaded as quickly as she could, but dropped one shell to the ground.  One of the cats took the opportunity to attack her.  It took some flesh from her before she butted it away with her rifle butt.  She brought the rifle up and fired.  With two of their number dead, the other cats stalked away.

         Relieved, heedless of her own wounds, which were very painful, she took hold of the two cats and put them over the back of her saddle.  There was no way she could take the coyotes.  The lynx mangled them while they attacked her making them useless to her.

         She arrived back at the cabin an hour later, exhausted by the hunt and the attack on herself and her horse.  She unsaddled her horse and took time to take care of her, and the two cats before she went up to the cabin.

         She didn’t see Logan sitting at her table as she entered the cabin and pitched forward to her knees.

         Logan was beside her in a couple strides.  He swallowed an expletive as he carried her to her bed, where he examined the cuts and scratches she had sustained in her attack by the cats.  Then went to the transmitter and called the station.  “LC Tango One to RS Tango Five, come in.  Over.”

         “This is base, come in Logan,” Ken called back.

         “Need Sandra here right away.”

         “What’s the situation?” Stan came back.

         “She’s badly torn up from an attack, don’t know by what yet, but I’m going to need Sandra here right away.”

         “I’ll be right there with her.  Expect us in five minutes.”

         “Roger.  LC Tango One signing off.”

         He went over to her and looked down at the state she was in then went out the door when he heard the helicopter.  He watched it land then went to help Sandra out.  “She’s bad.  It’s going to take a lot of sewing to get her put back together.  I haven’t had any time to find out what attacked her yet.”

         “Do you want me to stick around?” Stan said.

         “I’ll call you.  We may need to transport her over to the station.  I’ll know better when I’ve got her sewn back together.”

         “I’ll be waiting on the radio.”  Stan lifted off and the two of them headed into the cabin.

         “Is she alert?” Sandra said.

         “I don’t know.  I did get her in bed before I called you.”

         Candi looked up at them, her mind in a fog.

         Logan looked down at her.  She was a mess of blood and cat fur.  “I’m going to need to get your clothes off you and see the extent of your injuries.  Do you understand?”  She nodded her head, and they began to remove her clothing.  They left her lingerie on as he took in the cuts, and scratches on her arms and legs.  There was a lot of torn flesh.

         Sandra was surprised at the extent of the injuries she had sustained.  “Are you going to give her something so that we can take care of that?”

         “I’m going to have to.”  He went to his medical bag and took out a syringe and gave her something to put her to sleep.

         At the sight of the needle she turned her head away and stared at the wall.  Logan formed a small smile as he noticed her reaction.  It was interesting to him that she could hunt and fish, and do everything necessary to live alone in the cabin, but was afraid of simple medical procedures.

         “You just had to go hunting didn’t you?”

         “Who else was going to take care of those coyotes?”  She turned her head to look at him, and saw the tight grim look on his face.  “Is it bad?”

         “It could have been worse.  You could be dead right now.”

         “Thank God, I’m not.”

         Logan could see the exhaustion written all over her.  She would be asleep soon.  “This wasn’t done by a coyote.”  He had extracted some fur from the torn flesh of her upper arm and showed it to her.

         “No.  It was a lynx.  There were several of them also.  They waited until I had done away with the coyotes, before they attacked me and my horse.”  She saw his tight expression to the news.  “Don’t worry.  I took care of my horse before I came up to the cabin.”

         Her eyes closed and Logan knew it was time to get her sewn up.  By the time he finished with her, she looked a lot like Rascal with all his bandages.

         Sandra looked down at her.  “How long do you think she’ll sleep?”

         “I expect she’ll be awake within an hour.  Then I’m going to get some answers from her.”

         “You haven’t had any success so far.”

         “She talked the other night a little bit when we had that bad storm.  In the meantime let’s get some coffee made.”

         With a cup of coffee in front of him, he looked through her work while he waited for her to wake up.

         “We should take her over to the station,” Sandra said.

         “I agree.  Convincing her that it would be in her best interests and keeping her in bed long enough to heal is my greatest concern.”

         Sandra went over to look at her and saw the peaceful look on her face.  It was the peaceful look of a drugged state.

         “I’m going to check on her horse.  If she’s this bad I wonder what condition her horse is in.  It would be a shame to have to put down a good horse.”  He went out and found she had taken good care of her horse when she had returned.  Fresh ointment was on her legs, and on her sides.  She looked good.  He applied more ointment and went back to the cabin.

         He entered just as she opened her eyes, and went over to her.  “How are you feeling?”

         “How am I supposed to feel?  Like a pincushion.”

         “Why do you do it?  You weren’t going to call the station were you?”

         “I hadn’t given it any thought.  I only wanted to do what I could and go to bed.”

         “I checked on your horse.  I’m grateful you took care of her.  She’ll be fine.”

         “Thank you.”

         “I want to take you over to the station so you can heal more quickly.”

         “Why can’t I just stay here?”  She looked over at Sandra.  “Tell him no, please?”

         Sandra went to her side.  “It was my suggestion.”

         “I can’t leave here.  Who will take care of my animals?”

         “I’ll come over here when I’m not on duty and take care of them.  You won’t need to worry.  The station is a better place because it has all the amenities of a normal home.  Hot and cold running water, and electricity.”

         “I’m not staying in your cabin.”

         “You’ll be staying at mine,” Sandra said.

         “I have to?”

         “You can’t do anything for yourself, and I’m not going to allow you out of bed for at least a week.  You lost a lot of blood.”

         “We can get to know each other better over the next week,” Sandra said.

         “It’s best,” Logan said.

         “I’m at your mercy.  Since I can’t get out of bed, I won’t be able to do anything except sleep.  I won’t even be able to do my work.”

         “You can do your work.  We’ll even take it with us.  I’ll call Stan and have him bring the helicopter back and transport you over to the station.”  Logan went over to the transmitter and took up the hand set.  “LC Tango One to RS Tango Five.  Come in, over.”

         “This is base.  How is she Logan?”

         “We’re going to bring her over to the station.  I need you to bring the helicopter over.”

         “I’m on my way.  RS Tango Five signing off.”

         Candi was still very tired, and soon closed her eyes to sleep.  She wasn’t aware of the helicopter trip to the station.  Her nightmare’s continued.  Mixed with the attack by the cats, memories of her childhood, and everything she had encountered since she had been there.  Her screams rent the silence of the cabin.

         Sandra entered her room when the nightmares started.  She was frantic.  Her eyes were wild as she stared at her.  Logan entered the room a few moments later.  Stan had called him immediately.  He gave her a sedative to calm her down, and waited until she settled back to sleep.

         “She needs to talk to someone soon.  She’ll break open everyone of those stitches if she doesn’t,” Logan said.

         “You can’t keep her drugged around the clock, that won’t be good for her either,” Sandra said.

         “No, and I won’t either.  She needs to heal, and the only way that will happen is naturally, with painkillers when necessary, but not with sedatives.”

********

         Candi opened her eyes, and saw Sandra sitting in a chair next to her bed.  “How long have I been here?”

         “We brought you over last night.  How are you feeling this morning?”

         “Like I’ve been through the battle of the ages.”

         Logan entered the room at the sound of voices. He had spent the night on the couch in their living room.  “I think you were.”

         “You know Doctor Carmichael.  You have a very good bedside manner.”

         He gave her his lopsided grin.  “I’ve been told that, but usually by women old enough to be my great-grandmother.”

         “They were right.  Can I get up and eat?  I’m starving.”

         “You’re not going anywhere.  How do you feel?”

         “Stiff and sore, pretty much like Rascal did yesterday, I’m sure.”

         “At the moment he’s doing a lot better than you are.  Why did you do it?”

         “I’m tired of losing everything that means something to me.  I wasn’t about to lose the last thing I have to a pack of coyotes.”

         “So in the process you almost got yourself killed.  Is that what you want?”  He tried very hard not to be angry with her.  The truth was he was furious.

         “You know what I want.  I want to prove I can live out here by myself for a whole year away from everybody, though that isn’t working too well.  You always seem to show up when least expected.”

         “You need our help.  You’ve been attacked by men and animals alike.  Next time we might not be lucky enough to get to your aide on time.  We might be shipping your body home in a body bag.  Is that what you want?”

         She heard the anger in his voice, and saw it in his face as well.  “Do you care so much?  Or is it that you might have to ship my body home?  Nothing would make my parents happier than to know I failed at this venture.”

         “They wouldn’t be happy to receive your body home in a body bag.”

         “Perhaps not, but the ‘I told you so’ would be written all over their faces, when it was returned.”

         “You know that isn’t true,” Sandra said.

         “You don’t know my parents.  It’s like they want me to fail.”

         “Tell me about the nightmares,” Logan said.

         Her eyes went wide with fear.  He knew about the dreams.  “What do you want to know?”

         “Why do you want to be alone?  Why do you feel you need to prove anything to anybody?”

         “Can I eat while we talk?”

         “I can’t let you out of bed, not this time.  It took a lot of needle and thread to stitch you back together.  I’m not going to take the risk of any of it becoming undone while you engage in unnecessary activity.”

         “Can I at least get up to go to the bathroom?”

         “I have a bed pan.  I’ll take care of her,” Sandra said.

         “I’ll be in the other room.”  Logan went out while Sandra located a bed pan and saw to her needs.

         Embarrassed by the fact she couldn’t take care of herself, Candi had no idea she would be in such bad condition when the cats attacked her the day before.

         “You said you were hungry.  What would you like?” Sandra said.

         “Steak, eggs, up, hash browns, juice, and a tall glass of milk, along with some fresh baked homemade bread spread lavishly with strawberry preserves.  Barring that, I’ll take some homemade bread and a tall glass of milk.”

         Logan entered the room again when he heard her breakfast order.  “Are you really that hungry?”

         “Not really, but sometimes I’d like to eat a real meal again.  I’m hoping to have some chickens again soon.  Have you heard anything?”

         “They’ve been ordered.  You should have them next week,” Logan said.

         “I see you found one of those backless hospital gowns.”

         “I’m a doctor, what do you expect?  I keep them in my cabin, just in case of emergencies.  We had enough trouble getting your shirt and pants off so I could stitch you up.”

         “I should be upset at such liberties, but since you were very professional about it, and Sandra was present I will forgive you for taking my clothes off, this time.”

         “Rest assured it was very professional.  The only thing I thought of at the moment was getting you put back together.”

         “I’ll go and get you something to eat.”  Sandra stood to her feet and left the room so they could talk.

         “What were you doing at my cabin last night anyway?”

         “I only expected to talk to you about the foolishness of you’re going after those coyotes.”

         “So instead of my parents saying an ‘I told you so’, you were there to say so.”

         “If you care so little about your safety, then someone else must.”

         “And you appointed yourself as my protector?”  She was angry.  All he knew how to do was yell at her.

         “I’m a doctor, I care about people.  I don’t want to see anyone hurt.”

         “So you came by the cabin to yell at me again, just like you did about the cow.  Those coyotes tried to kill my dog.  I couldn’t let that happen.”

         “You need to start talking to someone.”

         “What did you tell Mr. Mills?”

         “I told him what happened.  It’s what you wanted correct?”

         “Yes, it’s all right.  I can trust him.”

         “Why can you trust him?”

         “He never did anything to hurt me.”

         He brought a chair over to the bed and straddled it, ready to listen.  “Talk to me.”

         Stan knocked on the door, before he poked his head inside, and saw her sitting up in the bed.  “How are you this morning?”

         “You couldn’t find another doctor, could you?”

         “She doesn’t like my bedside manner,” Logan said.

         Sandra entered the room with breakfast on a tray and set it in front of her.  “I was quite certain she said you had a good bedside manner earlier.”

         “That was earlier,” Logan said.

         “Will you be in the tower later, or should I keep Andy there for now?”

         “I’ll be there.  Since she’s here, Sandra can keep me apprised of her situation.”

         “Excuse me.  I’m in the room.  Don’t you want to leave the room if you want to talk about me?”

         Logan looked down at her as she did her best to eat the breakfast Sandra had prepared.  “It’s a good thing she’s here.  We need to keep our stubborn patient from doing something she shouldn’t.”

         “I’ll leave the two of you alone.  I’ll see you later.”  The door closed behind him and left them alone.

         Logan turned his attention back to her.  “Now where were we?”

         “You were telling me what a stubborn person I am.”

         “Hmm, now about those dreams.”

         “I was fine until my parents showed up.”

         “Then what?”

         Tears started to make their way down her cheeks.  “I wish someone really cared about me!”

         “Why don’t you think anyone cares?”

         “Look at all I’ve done here.  The only thing my parents want to do is take me away from here.  They don’t see that I really like it here, and what about you.  I make one little mistake, and you want to send me packing.  I’m tired of being the local pincushion for everyone who has a knife in their hands.  I don’t know who I can trust anymore.”  She looked down at the breakfast Sandra had prepared for her.  A large glass of milk, some fresh baked bread, spread with strawberry preserves, and some fresh picked raspberries, and pushed it away from her.

         “I thought you were hungry.”

         “Are you going to continue to yell at me too?  Do you want me to go home too?”

         “I’m sorry I got angry.  It’s just that I don’t like to see anyone acting foolishly.”

         “You think I’m a fool.”

         “No.  I said you acted foolishly.  I didn’t say anything about you being a fool, because I don’t believe it.  You have done a lot since you’ve been here.”

         Tears slid down her cheeks, as she contemplated the food on the tray.  She picked at the raspberries, and drank some of the milk.

         “Try trusting me.”

         “I was hoping to be my own person out here, no one to compete with.”

         “Why don’t you trust me?”

         “I’ve never been able to trust anybody.  Why should I trust you?  You nearly tore my head off over the cow incident.  I can make mistakes.  That’s what learning to live out here is all about isn’t it?  Making and correcting mistakes?”

         “I’m sorry I got upset with you over the cow, and yes, you’re right.  Living on your own out here is about making and correcting mistakes, but you don’t have to go looking for trouble.  There’s enough out here that it will come to you.  Just give it time.”

         “I’m glad you see my side of it at least.”

         “Yes, I see your side of it.  That’s why I was waiting for you when you got back yesterday.  I knew you had gone after that pack of coyotes.  I also knew that the odds of you not getting hurt this time were slim.  You were out to hunt down a pack, and that spelled trouble right from the start.”

         “I had no trouble with the coyotes.  It was the lynxes that caused the problem.  I simply wasn’t aware of them.  I forgot what you told me about them stalking their prey from the lowest branches of trees.  I also forgot what my books said about them.  I was careless, and single minded.  I was angry, and you’re right.  I almost got myself killed in the process.  How’s my horse?”

         “She’s fine.  I put more ointment on her legs and her sides.”

         “I’m glad of that.”

         “I just want you to know you can trust me.  I’m not out to stick a knife in you.  I fought for you, just like you wanted when your parents were here.  I’m not out to advance my goals at the expense of yours.  I’m here to help you achieve yours, and see to it that you do it in as safe a manner as possible.  Now how about we start at the beginning?”

         “I’d much rather spend the next hour in Bible study and prayer, before I tackle something as personal as my life story.”

         “Did you want some music on as well?”

         She was surprised when he didn’t argue with her.  “Yes please.”

         “Then I’ll leave you for now.  We’ll talk later.”

         “You’re going to the tower aren’t you?”

         “That’s right.  Why?”

         “Is Rascal here?”

         “Yes.  We brought him over with us.  We wouldn’t leave him at the cabin alone.”

         Rascal nosed his way into the room at the sound of his name.  “There you are.”  Candi held out her hand to him, and pet him while she pushed her tray away.

         He picked the tray up.  “If you’re finished with this, I’ll take it out.  Your Bible is on the bedside table along with your radio.  We knew you would want those too.”

         She looked up at him, and their eyes connected.  “Thank you.”

         Logan left her alone to study and pray.

         When Logan left the room Candi had a chance to look around her.  It looked like any other room, with all the comforts you could expect, tastefully decorated with pillows on chairs, along with a doll here and there.

********

         Sandra looked in on her, shortly after Logan left and found her forehead beaded with moisture, and hot to the touch.  She hurried to the transmitter and called Logan in the tower.  “SM Bravo Two, to tower, Logan come in.  Over.”

         Logan hurried to the transmitter.  “This is tower, is there a problem, Sandra?”

         “She’s in a high fever.”

         “I’ll be right there.”  Logan hurried from the tower and entered the bedroom where he found Candi, feverish and tossing in the bed.  He pulled the covers back to check on the bandages, but everything looked all right.

         He rummaged through his medical bag for the medication she needed to fight the infection.  He plunged the needle into her arm and sat by her side and wiped the moisture from her forehead as the medication worked to ward off the infection.  Soon the medication began to work and she was calmer, as she receded into a more peaceful sleep.

         The fever raged for the next twenty-four hours.  He never left her side as he continued to bathe her forehead and Sandra saw to her needs.  He was very thankful for his training as a doctor.  He would have had to send her to a hospital otherwise, a hospital over a hundred miles away.  She would have been much more critical had he sent her out.  Time was critical as he told her the first day they talked. 

         Her fever broke in the early morning hours of the second day, and she receded into a calm sleep.  Between the fever and her continued nightmares, he was exhausted.  He found some extra blankets and sat in the chair beside her bed.

********

         Candi opened her eyes to find Logan asleep in the chair.  She studied him.  His hair fell across his forehead in a dark wave.  Worry creased his face, even in sleep.  She turned her head ever so slightly, and saw his eyes fly open and look at her, as he pushed the blanket aside, and got to his feet.

         “How are you this morning?”  He put a hand to her brow.

         She noticed the basin of water on the bedside table.  “What happened?”

         “You went through tremendous trauma, and despite the fact that you have a very high tolerance to pain, your body had to fight the infection caused by so many wounds.  I made sure everything looks okay.”

         “God is the healer.”

         “I’m aware of that.  He made me a healer as well.  It’s my job to see to it that you remain healthy.”

         She turned her face away from him to the wall, as tears slid down her cheeks.  “I probably shouldn’t have come here.  I’m nothing but a nuisance.”

         “You’ve learned some valuable lessons.  Hopefully you won’t repeat them.”

         “I hope I’m not as stiff-necked as the children of Israel in the wilderness.  They had to keep learning the same lessons for forty years.”

         “I have faith in you to learn the first time around.”

         “I know what I am.  I’m stubborn, like my father, only he’s not my real father.  My real parents died in the fire.”

         “Stubbornness can be a good thing.  If you use it right.  It can keep you out of trouble instead of getting you into it.”

         “Maybe I should go home after all.”

         “You told me you weren’t going to quit no matter what?”

         “Now you want me to stay?”

         “You’ve done remarkably well.  You’ve learned a lot in the four months you’ve been here.  You’re a good hunter.  You know how to cure the game you catch.  You know how to prepare it and most of all you know how to gut and clean the game.  You’re as good a hunter as the best pro I’ve seen, including myself, and I’ve done an extensive amount of hunting.  It’s not easy.  I’ve got a lot of scars myself from bears, bobcats, and a number of other animals I won’t go into.  It comes with the territory.  When you go home you’ll wear those scars as a badge of honor that even your parents won’t be able to take away from you.  Besides, after this you’ll be bored to death by city life.”

         A smile touched her lips.  “You’re right.  I don’t think I could sit still and watch endless hours of television anymore, or be satisfied with getting into my car and going to work every day.  I know Rascal wouldn’t like the simple walk in the park he got before we started out on this venture.”

         “There you are.  Now cheer up.  What would you like to eat?  Are you up to it?”

         She looked up at him, a thoughtful look on her face.  “It’s up to you Doc.  What can I eat?”

         “I’ll tell Sandra you’re awake and hungry.”

         “When can I go back to my cabin?”

         “After I take the stitches out.  I’ll go tell Sandra you’re hungry, then I have to get to work.”

         “Have you been here the whole time I was sick?”

         “Haven’t left.”

         “You didn’t leave me alone with Sandra?”

         “Sandra’s a very good nurse, you also needed a doctor.  We’ve worked together for the past twenty-four hours.”

         “Did I hear my name?”  Sandra came into the bedroom to see her awake.  “It’s good to see you awake.  How are you feeling?”

         “Stiff and sore.  I’d like to get out of this bed.”

         “I would like to oblige you, but not at the moment.  We’ll see how you’re doing tomorrow,” Logan said.

         “At least help me to sit up then.  I need to change position real bad.”

         Logan and Sandra helped her to sit up.  It was difficult to find a place not wrapped in bandages.  She winced at the pain it caused, but said nothing.  It was a relief when she finally relaxed against her pillows.

         “I’m such a nuisance.”

         “Nonsense.  You’re nothing of the kind.  Someday let me tell you my story, when I first got here.  Are you hungry?  I’ll get you something to eat.”

         “I’ll leave you two alone.  I need to get ready to go to work.”

         “Speaking of work, can I do my work for Taylor & McHenry?”

         “It’s in the living room, I’ll get it for you,” Sandra said.

         “If you’ve been here for the past twenty-four hours who took care of my cow?”

         “I did,” Sandra said.  “Don’t worry.  She’s just fine.  So is the calf.  In fact I just got back from there.”

         “Thank you.”

         “I’ll be back to check on you later.  Just rest today, and get well.  Tomorrow we’ll see about getting you out of bed.”

         “How soon before I get the stitches out.  I want to go back to my cabin.”

         “We’re going to have to take it one day at a time.  If you think that you’ll be hunting as soon as the stitches are out, that won’t happen.  You won’t be doing any kind of hunting for quite a while.”

         “How long?  Winter’s coming soon.  I have to have enough meat to see me through the winter.  I also have to harvest my garden and take care of the vegetables in it.”

         “I can’t say for sure.  It’s completely up to you, how fast you heal,” Logan said.

         “I really don’t want to be a burden to anybody.”

         “You already are,” Logan said.

         She looked up at him at that statement, and saw the lines of concern on his face.  She knew he was doing his best to help her get back on her feet, even so tears started at the corners of her eyes that she would be a burden to anybody.  “I’m sorry.  I’m making it hard on everybody.”

         “Just get well.  I’ll come by later to see how you’re doing.”

         Candi watched him leave, and looked up to see Sandra enter with her breakfast.  She would be very happy to get back to her own home.

         “This actually looks good this morning.”

         “I’m glad to hear that.  It means you’re starting on the road to recovery.”

         “Then I can get back to my own home, and what is familiar to me.  I’m sure you’ll be glad when I’ve gone back to my home.”

         “Why do you think that people don’t want you around?”

         “I’ve always been trouble to people.  Doctor Carmichael even said I was a burden.”

         “I’m sure he meant it in another context.”

         “What other way is there to take it?  Either I’m a burden or I’m not.”

         “I don’t feel you’re a burden.  I’m sure the burden Logan talked about had to do with worrying that you would try to do things you aren’t ready for yet.  He wants you to take things easy.  Get completely healed before you get back to business as usual.”

         Candi thought about that while she ate her breakfast.  “Probably.  I’m always ready to think the worst.”

         When she had finished Sandra took her tray.  “Now get some sleep.  You’ll feel much better the more sleep you get.”

         “I am tired.  Thank you.  I appreciate that you’re allowing me to be here.”

         “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

         Candi woke to a darkened room.  Rascal noticed she was awake and gave a low bark of attention.  She reached out her hand to pet him, and the next thing she knew the door of her room opened to admit Sandra.

         “You’re awake.  How are you feeling?”

         “Stiff, sore, and hungry.”

         “Glad to hear it.  I‘ll be right back with your supper.  You slept right through lunch.  Logan wanted to be contacted as soon as you were awake.”

         “What time is it?”

         “Six o’clock.  You’ve fairly slept the day away.”

         “That is late.”

         “Let me go get you a tray with your supper.”  She left her alone for only a moment.  The door soon opened and Sandra returned with her supper.

         “Can you sit up?”

         “I’ll need help.  I’m sore all over.”

         Sandra set the tray down and helped her sit up, then placed the tray on her lap.  “Mashed potatoes, fresh baked bread, bear meat, corn, and strawberries with cream for dessert.”

         “It looks good.”  Candi started in on the potatoes and moved to the bear meat.  Soon the strawberries and cream disappeared.  “That was very good.  Logan said you were a good cook.”

         “Did I hear my name mentioned?”  Logan came through the door just as she finished.

         Sandra looked up.  “That was fast.  I just called you.”

         “I was on my way anyway.  Andy just relieved me.  So how are you?”

         “Fine.  Surprised that I slept all day.”

         “I’m not.  It’s going to take time to heal.”

         “You’re sure I can’t go home to my own cabin.”

         “I’m sure.”  Sandra took the supper tray away and he looked over the bandages.

         “If I didn’t know better I would think you enjoyed looking at my body, but since all you’ve done is yell at me, and tell me to go home, I know better.”

         “Why do you always come back to that?  I’ve said on several occasions that I was sorry about what I said, and about getting angry with you out of hand.”

         “Words.  Words don’t mean anything.  If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my life, it’s that.”

         “You need to start trusting people.  No one here is going to hurt you.”

         Sandra slipped out of the room.  Neither of them saw her go, as Candi looked up at him.  “Give me a reason to trust you.”

         He sat in the chair by her bed, took her hand in his, and absently caressed it.  “I didn’t tell your parents what they desperately wanted to know, not because you didn’t want me too.  What you were not aware of is that despite the fact you asked me not too, I couldn’t anyway, without your permission, and you were very clearly not giving it.  Then when your boss wanted a private word with me, you told me I could tell him what I couldn’t tell your own parents.”

         Tears started down her cheeks.  She knew it was true, but he had told her to go home too.  “You said I was a burden.”

         “I told you that you were a burden because I worry every time you leave your cabin.  I worry you will get caught in the situation you just did.  I worry about you every moment of every day.”

         Candi showed surprise at his statement.  “Why would you worry about me?”

         “Why would I worry?  Why not?  As skilled as you are, you are still a woman alone.  Anything could happen and almost did.  I might not get to you next time.  Then what?  I’ll tell you, I’ll be sending your body back in a body bag.  Something you keep telling me you don’t want to have happen, but your actions preclude that.”

         Tears streamed down her cheeks, angry at his statement.  “You’re worried because you might have to send my body home?  Well don’t be.  I’m not going home in a body bag.  I will see this year out, and I will accomplish everything I set out to do, without your help!”

         “If that is your goal, then start thinking before you go off and do something rash like hunting a pack of cats.”

         “Don’t worry Dr. Carmichael I’ll never forget this conversation as long as I live.”

         “I know you’re angry.  So have I been.  When I found your cow in a desperate situation I got angry.  A week longer like that and you wouldn’t have milk today.  I don’t like to see anyone or anything badly abused, and that goes for people too.  I received training to care for people, but when they are as reckless as you have a proclivity to be every time you go out on one of your hunts, I find myself doing something you taught me again to do.  Pray.  I prayed that when you came back to the cabin I wouldn’t have to sew you back together.  I prayed I wouldn’t have to go out looking for you and find your dead body mutilated by the very animals you went out to hunt.  Have you ever given another thought to the rest of that conversation?  I have.  That’s why I pray for you every time I see you leave your cabin.  I pray for you to come back safely, because I don’t want to sew you back together.  But I will.  If you persist on going out foolishly, I will always be ready to put you back together.”

         She looked up at him, tears streaming down her face.  She had no words.  He was right.  He had given her a reason she could trust him.  No one had ever treated her that way before.

         “Look up Proverbs 22:11.  I don’t want to be your enemy.  I want to be your friend.  Until you accept that you won’t trust me no matter what I say.”

         “I didn’t know you knew the Bible.”

         “There are a lot of things that you don’t know, because you think only about Candace Martin.  Do you even remember my telling you I am a preacher’s kid?  You care about your dog, but how much?  You like it that he has the freedom to roam, but who called me when he came home all beat up?  You wanted a cow, but it took a near tragedy for you to take proper care of her.  That’s the difference between us.  I care about the people and animals that are in my care.  The day you nearly destroyed your cow, I wasn’t as concerned about you as I was about your cow.  I was insensitive to you that day, but I’ll tell you this only once, if I ever find anything you are responsible for in a condition like that unnecessarily, I will yell again, and I just might call Mr. Hampstadt and have him come and get you and take you back home, because you aren’t ready for the responsibility of living here.”

         Candi cried uncontrollably, but Logan wasn’t finished yet.  “If you are a good child, I’ll be able to take those bandages off and take the stitches out in a week.  If you are not, then it will take longer for you to heal, and I may have to do some new stitching.”

         “No thanks.  I can feel every stitch as it is, and some of them are starting to itch.”

         “That’s good.  That means it’s starting to heal underneath.  I’m going to go over to the cabin to take care of your cow.  I also want to see to your horse.  Her wounds aren’t as bad and should heal nicely in no time at all.  That horse is a beautiful animal, and she was unnecessarily hurt, because you wanted to go after the coyotes.”

         “I’m glad she’s all right.  If I tell you that I will act more responsibly from now on, will you stop yelling at me?”

         “Are you giving me words now, because I haven’t seen any evidence of responsibility on your part?  It was me who slept in the chair while you were sick.  I took care of you and made sure you were going to be all right.  Sandra was here to help, but it was me who slept in the chair.  It was me who stroked your hot flesh, and tried to cool you.  It was me who tried to get a sip of water at a time down your throat so you wouldn’t dehydrate.  Don’t give me any words unless you are prepared to back them up.”

         Candi didn’t have anything to say.  He was right.  She was guilty of everything he said.  She looked at him, as the tears streamed down her cheeks and realized for the first time that he had held her hand the whole time.  “I’m sorry.  I promise I’ll do whatever you say.  I won’t get out of this bed until you tell me I can.  I won’t even complain about it.  I won’t ask to go home until you tell me I can.”

         “If you’re up to it, I’ll allow a couple hours a day in a chair.”

         “While I’m up can I do my work?”

         “I heard Sandra say it was in the living room.  I’ll have her bring it in, but even with that I don’t want you overdoing it.  You work a couple hours and then rest and work a couple more hours.”

         “Yes, doctor.”

         “I’m glad to see you’re on the mend.  Do you need something for pain before I leave?”

         “I’m fine.”

         “Would you tell me if you needed it?”

         “Maybe.”

         “That’s a no.  All right.  I’ll leave your medication with Sandra.  If the pain gets bad, take some, that’s why it’s there.”  He left her alone at that and Sandra came back in the room with her work.

         “He told me I could help you to sit up in a chair, and you could work for a couple hours.”

         Candi thought he would allow her to get up the next day.  She didn’t think he would allow her to get up that day.  “He’s angry with me.  I don’t think he likes having me here.”

         “Do you really believe that?  What I see in him is quite the opposite.  He’s concerned about you.  Your being here does bring another element to the wilderness here.  The only people we’ve had to worry about have been the hikers and campers that come here each year.  That’s our job.  Our job is to take care of the forest, the animals, and the visitors.  You add the element of resident occupant as well, something that hasn’t been a part of the territory here in quite some time.”

         “So I’m really not welcome here.”  Candi felt like she had so many times in her life.  Rejection was familiar to her.  Tears formed and she turned away from Sandra.  “Please I just want to be alone.  That’s what I came out here for anyway.”

         “Ten years ago Stan and I came here with two small children.  I’m a ranger too, and I would help him as much as I could, but our family grew from two to four, and I found that I couldn’t keep up my duties as a ranger.  Stan split his duties between his family and his work.  It wasn’t easy for him.  He had a partner back then, just as he has had several different partners over the years.  Some of them understood he had a family to take care of as well as his duties.  Some didn’t.  With your presence here it brings back the same element that was here when Stan and I arrived with our little ones.  Stan understands the needs you have, and he understands that Logan is a doctor and needs to take care of his patient.”

         “I wish he wouldn’t view me as his patient, or a burden.”

         “Now that our family is grown and gone I can take over the duties of ranger again.  Logan doesn’t see it that way.  He’ll get used to it with time.”

         “If he had his own way, I’d be gone.”

         “You know it’s said that you can’t get angry at someone you don’t care about.  Think about that.  Now if you don’t want to sit in the chair and work, get some rest.  I’ll be in the other room if you need anything.”

         Over the following week Candi got to know Sandra pretty well.  And they soon became quite good friends.  Candi never related any personal information about herself, but she did mention some of the mean incidents that had happened in the workplace.  She also got to know Stan pretty much as well.  They were like the grandparents she never had.

         Logan checked on her progress as often as he could between his shift, taking care of her animals at the cabin, and his own sleep.  He was very pleased with her recuperation.