Never Look Back

 by Ellie B. 

California 1886 , San Joaquin Valley   

“Hey, Chad, you wanna go on a ride?”  17-year-old Andi asked her older brother on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.

“Not right now Andi. I’m sorry, I’m just so busy.” 

''It's okay Chad, I understand,” Andi gave her older brother a knowing smile.

“I’ll make you a deal. If you go help Riley train some of the more stubborn horses, I'll make time to go with you on a ride later. How does that sound?” Chad asked Andi.

“That sounds great! As long as I get to ride with you big brother,” Andi said with a teasing grin. 

“Okay, now get going,” Chad said with a mischievous grin.

~~~

“Uhh, this horse is never going to be broken,” Andi mumbled.

 “What was that? Did you say something, Andi?” Asked Andi’s fiancé Riley Prescott.

“Oh, nothing,” Andi replied.

“Do you need a break, honey?” Riley asked.

“No, I'm just getting frustrated with Storm!” Andi said looking at the beautiful painted stallion. He was much more stubborn than he looked. Chad had caught him last week, out trying to steal all of their prized mares.

“I am sorry I'm being such a grump today, Riley,” Andi said.

 “I forgive you. You must have a lot on your mind with the wedding and all,”  Riley said in an understanding voice.

 “Yeah, and Melinda keeps pestering me about what I’m going to do on my birthday in a few weeks. Well, I guess I’m going to saddle Shasta and see if Chad is ready to go on a ride, if that's ok with you?” 

“Sure go ahead, honey,” Riley said, giving Andi a warm smile. 

Andi made her way to the barn.  I just want a  nice long ride to get my mind off things, Andi thought . When Andi got to the barn she said, “Shasta, you wanna go on a nice long ride with Chad?” Shasta shook his mane in agreement.  Andi quickly groomed and saddled Shasta, then  started toward the range where Chad was. Andi just barely touched Shasta's sides and Shasta took off like a shot. 

 They arrived at the range in no time and Andi spotted Chad, "Hey, Chad, ready for a ride?!" 

"Yeah, be there in a second Andi," Chad replied.

Andi waited for Chad, and when he was finally ready they rode off together towards the beautiful Sierra mountains. Andi breathed in the mountain air and sighed in contentment.

"I take it you’re happy to be out here," Chad said with a teasing grin. 

"You know me all too well, big brother. Melinda keeps taking me shopping for my birthday and my wedding. I barely have time to come out here and enjoy my time on the ranch," Andi said.

"Don't worry little sister, you’re just a 30-minute horse ride away. You won't be too far away. So I can come calling for your and Riley's help whenever I need you," Chad said with a wide teasing grin on his face.

 "Oh, you!" Andi lunged to playfully punch her brother in the shoulder, but he swerved his horse, Sky, to the side. 

"Wanna race to settle this little sister?"

 "I don't know why. You know I always win." It was Andi's turn to grin. "You're on," She said ,"To that tree and back!" Andi said, pointing to the tree in the distance.

"Fine; ready ,set, go!" Chad called. Chad and Sky leapt forward before Andi and Shasta even got a chance to go.

"Hey, that's not fair," Andi yelled.

"Sorry little sister," Chad turned around and called back with a mischievous grin on his face. Just then, before Andi could call out and warn Chad, he turned around, and WHAM! Chad had been hit by a low-hanging branch. Chad went flying from his horse! 

"Chad!!" Andi shrieked in horror.

Sky, Chad's horse, reared and raced towards the ranch. Andi galloped over to Chad and fell to the ground next to her brother. He lay face up on a log, his back bending strangely.

"Chad, Chad, please wake up, please," Andi begged, shaking her brother's shoulders. Tears threatened to overcome her. "What am I going to do, lord?" Andi prayed aloud. You can do all things through me that strengthen you. Andi remembered the Bible verse and suddenly felt at peace. 

 I can't just let him stay this way Andi thought. Andi struggled to get her brother off the log and onto the soft grass. She went and unsaddled Shasta and took the saddle blanket and brought it over to use as a blanket for Chad and herself. Then she laid it on Chad before cuddling up to him like she used to do when Chad read her stories when she was little. She had to keep him warm for the night. 

She started crying and thought, I can't just leave him out here, He might die. Andi took in a sharp breath at the thought that her dear brother, Chad, might die. Maybe somebody will come looking since Sky ran home. Andi drifted into a fitful sleep at that comforting thought.

~~~ 

Andi woke to the blackness of the night. "Where am I?" Andi wondered out loud. Then she remembered what happened. "Chad!" Andi called out. She felt next to her, and her hand rested on Chad's chest. Andi held her breath then let it out when she felt his chest rising and falling slowly. Thank you, Lord.

Then Andi remembered Shasta. "Shasta here boy," Andi called out. Shasta whinnied in response and loped over to his mistress. "Oh, Shasta," Andi said, burying her face in Shasta's mane and started crying. "What are we going to do Shasta?" Andi said in a choked voice.

 "I guess we’re just going to have to wait for somebody to find us," Andi responded. She curled back up by Chad and fell into a deep sleep.

         "Chad wake up, wake up please," Andi begged.

"Chad's dead Andi, '' a voice said.

"No, No, he can't be,” yelled Andi.  

“HE IS!” The voice called louder.

“Noooooo….” Andi screamed.

“Andi, wake up wake up! I‘m here.” A voice said, shaking Andi’s shoulders.

Andi woke up covered in sweat and looked around. “Who are you? Where am I?” Andi said, trying to get up.

“Andi, it's me Riley, ” Riley said with a worried frown on his face. 

“ Riley… Riley,” Andi said and launched herself at Riley.

 “Oh, Riley, I thought nobody was going to find us,” Andi said, burying her face in Riley's chest and crying. 

“It's ok, honey, I’m here,” Riley said in a soothing tone. “Now tell me what happened, honey, what's wrong with Chad?”

“Oh, Riley, it was horrible. We were racing and Chad turned around to look at me. He hit a branch and went flying…he landed on a log and his back looks broken. Oh Riley,” Andi said, burying her face in his shirt again. 

“Just go back to sleep, honey. I whistled to the other search parties. They should be here soon,”

'' Ok, and Riley, I love you,” Andi said in a sleepy voice.

 “I love you, too, Andi,” Riley replied looking lovingly down at  Andi. 

~~~

Andi woke up to the early morning rays of light and remembered what had happened. She threw her blankets off, and jumped out of bed. Ouch, wrong move. I guess that's what happens when you spend the night on the hard forest floor, she thought as she slipped into her slippers.

Andi quietly opened her door and walked over to Chad’s room, opening the door. She walked over to the bed quietly, trying not to wake up Chad’s wife, Ellie, who was sleeping in the chair next to Chad’s bed.

She gasped. The top half of Chad’s head had been wrapped in gauze and he was in a full back brace. Andi knelt by her brother's bed and prayed silently, Dear Lord, please help my brother. He needs your healing, Lord. Please make him well aga- Just then Andi’s sister-in-law gasped. 

“Andi, I didn't know you were up,” Ellie said in surprise. 

“Sorry to wake you, Ellie, I  just came to check on Chad.”

 “Can I join you?” Ellie asked, seeing that Andi was praying. 

“Sure,” Together the two sisters prayed together for their beloved brother and husband.

~~~

“Doctor, when is he going to wake up?” Andi asked Doc Weaver. 

“I really couldn't say. All I know is that he’ll probably be paralyzed for the rest of his life,” Doc Weaver said in a sorrowful voice.

“Are you sure, Doc ?” Ellie asked in an anxious voice; near tears.

“I am sorry, Ellie. There is one more option. I could ask one of my good doctor friends from New York to come here. He might be able to do extensive surgery on Chad. It could potentially fix his back. All you can do right now is keep him comfortable and pray until he comes to.”

“Yes, well, thank you Doc. We’ll send somebody to town if he gets worse,” Ellie said.

~~~

“Ohhh, my head.”

Andi snapped out of her slumber. Who said that? She wondered.

“Andi, is that you?” Chad asked in a weak voice from the bed.

 “Chad! You're awake,” Andi said, then started crying. In between tears Andi said, “I thought you were never going to wake up, Chad.”

 “Andi, it's ok, I am awake now. Where are Ellie and Mother?” Chad asked. 

“Let me go get them,” Andi opened the bedroom door and yelled, “Mother, Ellie, Chad is awake! Come quick.”

Soon the whole bedroom was filled with all the family: Justin, Lucy, Mitch, Mother, Andi, Riley, Kate, and Ellie. All the children were downstairs playing. “Oh, Chad,” Ellie cried rushing over to hug her husband. 

“Hey, El, did you miss me?” Chad said softly, giving his wife a teasing grin.

 “Now that we’ve had this warm family reunion, can you all tell me why I can’t move my legs?” Everybody looked at Chad with unease. “Come on, tell me. I’m a big boy,” Chad said with a serious tone. 

Ellie was the first to answer, “Honey, the doctor thinks you’ll be… paralyzed for the rest of your life.”

~~~

“Well, Doc Baker, what do you think?” Chad asked the new doctor from New York. 

“I think Dr. Weaver was right to call me here. If I can do the surgery, with Doctor Weaver’s help, I think we could fix your back,” Doctor Baker said. 

“That's great! When can we do it?” 

“Well, we need to order some equipment to do the surgery; so in about 2 days,” Doctor Baker replied.

“Ok, see you then, Doc Weaver, Doctor Baker,” Chad said. 

~~~

“Andi, why don't you stop worrying about me, and spend time with that fiancé of yours? I mean it is your birthday and all,” Chad said.

“Because I would rather stay here and keep you company, that's why,” Andi replied.

“No, go and spend time with your fiancé. That's an order.”

“But-” 

“No, buts understand me?” Chad gave Andi a soft smile and said, “Please little sis, do it for me.” 

“Fine, but I am coming back soon,” Andi said and hugged her brother. 

“By the way little sis, happy birthday,” Chad called after her.

“Thanks,” Andi called back. She made her way downstairs and into the study.

 “Where is Riley?” Andi asked. Justin looked up from where he was reading the paper. 

“Out on the porch swing. Are you ok, honey?” Justin said with a concerned look on his face. 

“Yeah, I'm just a little tired. I can't sleep at night anymore. I just think of Chad and what if he’ll be  paralyzed for the rest of his life,” Andi said with tears in her eyes. 

“Well, go and enjoy yourself with Riley, honey. And I’ll be praying for you. By the way, happy birthday, Andi.” 

“Thanks, Justin, I love you.” 

“Love you, too, Andi,” Justin called after her. After Andi was out on the porch. Justin sat back in his chair and prayed, Dear, Lord, please help Andi. She needs you right now, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Andi made her way out to the porch and sat next to Riley, who draped his arm around her shoulders. “Are you ok, Andi?” 

“Can we just not talk about it right now, please?” Andi said, laying her head on Riley’s shoulder. 

“Ok, but happy birthday Andi,” Riley replied. Andi mumbled a thank you and soon fell  asleep. 

Just then Mitch walked up. “Howdy, Riley,” Mitch said in a quiet voice, so he wouldn't wake Andi up. He sat in the rocking chair opposite of Riley. “How is Andi?” 

“Not good; I think that she's blaming herself for Chad's accident." 

"She looks dog tired," Mitch observed Andi. 

"Yeah, but I don't know how to help her, Mitch. I feel helpless. You would think that with me about to become her husband I could help her," Riley said in a desperate voice.

"You wanna pray with me, for her?" Mitch asked Riley. 

"Sounds great," Riley said in a thankful voice. 

"Dear, Lord, Riley and I gather here, in your presence, to pray for our loved ones. Lord, you know what’s going to happen.  We need you, Lord, we cry out for you to help us please in Jesus' great name, Amen….

~~~ 

Lord, please help him to come out alright, please Lord. Andi silently prayed for Chad, who was now in surgery to fix his back. He was in the upstairs guest bedroom of the ranch house. It had been turned into a hospital room, so they could perform the surgery.

Just then Doctor Weaver walked out and said, "The surgery was a success, he should be up and around soon." Thank God, Everybody sighed in relief. 

~~~

"Ok, here goes nothing," Chad said. Chad gripped the edges of the bed and used all his strength to lift himself up, while the whole family held their breath. It had been 2 weeks since Chad's surgery and the doctors had given him the ok to try and stand. All of a sudden Chad let go of the bed and stood up. "I'm standing up on my own!" Exclaimed Chad with tears in his eyes. 

Then Andi suddenly said, "God is good all the time." 

Then the rest of the family chorused, "And all the time, God is good." 

~~~ 

It had been 2 months since Chad had had his accident, and Andi was finally getting married! Andi looked up at her brother, Justin, who had her right arm and her brother, Chad, who had her left. Andi leaned up and whispered in Chad's ear,"I love you big brother, and I’m so glad you can walk me down the aisle." 

"Me, too, little sis," Chad replied. It was time for Andi to walk down the aisle into the arms of her soon-to-be husband, Riley Prescott, and get married! 

And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28