by Janette Oke
“This your last year of school?” he asked her.
She nodded.
“Then what?” he asked again.
“Luke’s gonna let me work in the office in town. He’ll train me and I’ll help him there an’ with his house calls. After thet . . . I don’t know.”
Drew was silent.
“What ’bout you?” asked Belinda.
“Well, I’ve wanted to get some training, too,” he told her. “It would be tough, I know that . . . but I’ve wanted to be a lawyer.”
Belinda’s eyes widened.
“A lawyer?”
“Guess I want to help people, too. Only in a little different way.”
“Like?” asked Belinda.
“My pa wouldn’t have lost everything he owned if he’d had a lawyer. The other fellow had no legal claim on it, but he had more money and more power than my pa. He ate up one little rancher after another.”
Belinda nodded her understanding.
“Why . . . why do ya say you ‘wanted to be’?” she asked him.
He looked down at the dangling sleeve, Belinda’s eyes following his.
“It would’ve been tough enough when I . . . when I had . . . both arms, but now . . . well . . . I’d . . . I’d never be able to . . .”
Belinda let her eyes rest on his arm for only a moment. Then she looked back into his face. “Thet makes no difference,” she boldly stated. “Ya don’t need two hands to think—an’ lawyers mostly think—an’ talk. Ya can still do thet.”
He looked doubtful.
“ ’Course ya can,” continued Belinda. “Ya got a good head— jest like yer brother. So—you haven’t been to school? In the classroom? But ya been taught. Taught real good, too. Yer ma and pa have helped both of you learn what ya need to know. Teacher’s always talkin’ ’bout how much Sidney knows. An’ I’ll bet thet ya know even more, and you can keep right on learnin’, too. Ya can still study. No reason ya can’t still be a lawyer iffen ya want to.”
“You . . . you really think I could?” he stammered.
“ ’Course!”
His hand tightened on her arm, and Belinda could tell he was feeling very moved—whether about her words or something else, she didn’t know.
They sat silently, Belinda swinging one free leg back and forth gently. She was deep in thought, wondering just how she could help Drew realize his dream.
He interrupted her thoughts. “Do you have a beau?”
Belinda blinked.
“Do you?” he pressed further.
She shook her head dumbly.
“I . . . I’d . . .” he began.
But Belinda cut in quickly with, “I don’t think I should have one now. I mean—it’ll take a long time to learn about nursin’. It wouldn’t be fair to . . . to ask a boy to wait.”
Drew sucked in his breath. “Yeah,” he said at last. “Yeah, it will take me a long time to become a lawyer, too.”
Belinda nodded, and a little thrill went through her at his words. He is believing in himself again, she exulted silently.
“So I guess we both have to wait, huh?” said Drew.
“I guess,” replied Belinda. But her smile held more hope than her words.
Silence again. This time it was Belinda who broke it. She stood up, looking over toward Copper.
“I’m glad we had this talk,” she said honestly, smiling shyly. “I was worried some about Sunday. I . . . mean . . .”
“I know what you mean,” answered Drew. “I was worried some, too.”
“I better git home,” continued Belinda. “They’ll be lookin’ fer me.”
“I’ll get your horse,” said Drew.
Drew led Copper to the road and Belinda followed. He handed her the reins as she went to mount. Belinda guessed he wanted to have his hand free so he could help her.
She paused before putting her foot in the stirrup, and Drew stepped close to her.
“Thanks, Belinda,” he whispered, and she turned to look at him.
She hadn’t realized he was standing so close. She hadn’t realized just how compelling his dark eyes were. They held hers as he stepped even closer. His hand went out to rest on her waist, and he drew her slightly nearer. Then he bent his head and kissed her firmly, yet gently.
It took Belinda’s breath away. She had never dreamed it would be like that. So sweet, so tender. Her first kiss.
