#13
"That one is a Samuels, and the other one was a Thompson; does that last name ring a bell with you?" Mark asked Karl. Karl was busy working the backhoe controls, concentrating with all his might to remember which lever did what. "Nons," the handyman replied between gritted teeth.
"Iss muches inconsiderate of thems, needings to die," Karl huffed, "muches goods tings ve haff this," and he motioned over the backhoe. The two men completed the necessary work, and Karl said a farewell blessing over the grave. Mark wouldn't have bothered, but he stood silently until Karl finished.
There was no use asking Mark to run the controls; his shoulder under his shirt and vest was bright red with fresh blood from his previous wound. Mark paid no attention to his pain and discomfort, he helped Karl roll the stunned and disoriented dog into the bucket and as they got to where Warren and the kids were grouped, Benny insisted he be allowed to ride in the bucket with Inky.
Clora, Helga and Gail watched from the kitchen windows, as the tractor, children and men slowly wound their way down to the house.
As gently as possible, Karl lowered the bucket to the porch and the three men assisted the dog out and onto a old quilt.
"Helgas, you comes and makes heem betters," Karl demanded, "the dog and Benny's they are muches heros. I vill tells you as ve vork." he held his hand up to stop Helga's many questions. The Kazakh couple went right to work.
Clora took Mark inside and gently peeled his vest and shirt away from his injured shoulder and back. There was a reason Mark never worked with his shirt off, and as he sat at the table, Gail and Warren could see that the courageous man had a back full of scars. Scars that Warren knew could have only come from a whip lashing. At some time, Mark had been beaten almost to death.
Astonished children came to cluster around their father and offer words of encouragement, as Clora quietly and softly cleaned and bandaged her warrior. Benny stood very close, and as soon as he could, Mark encircled the small dark haired boy with his freed arm.
With pride, Mark told Clora, Gail and Helga and Karl who had come into listen how Benny saved his life. "I don't feel like a hero," Benny mumbled into Mark's shirt front, "all I feel is really bad inside."
"That is the way a true warrior feels," Mark hugged Benny. "Life is not to be taken lightly or with out just cause. All of you," and Mark reached out for all the kids, "did a very grown up thing today, and the rest of the family thanks you very much."
There was a loud honking as Helga blew her nose, and seconds later Karl did the same thing. Warren took one of the babies that Gail handed him, and she picked up the other two and they disappeared into the baby's room.
"Dad, will you tell us sometime how your back got hurt?" Tess was the elected speaker for the nosy question.
"Not for a while," Mark said firmly, ending any further discussion. "How is Inky?" the father directed the questions away from himself; and with relief, Helga answered.
) Praying all is well with Mr Pac and you.
