Free To Know Her by Name by Lori Wick

eating in silence just as he bit into his second muffin. With the food still in his mouth, a shudder went all through his body. Pup noticed and stopped eating.
    â€œAre you in pain?”
    McKay pulled the muffin away from his lips. Hanging from the muffin was most of an eggshell. Pup scowled at it.
    â€œI wondered where that went,” she said blandly before passing him the basket so he could take another.
    McKay shook his head no and forced himself to chew what was in his mouth. The crackle of shell was a bit hard to take, but he chased it all down with water. The drink made him feel slightly better, but another little piece in his teeth caused a second shudder.
    He wondered when he would stop being surprised by Callie Jennings. While he was still laid up in bed and even resting on the sofa, she had tripped and nearly fallen on him several times. It was not at all unusual for her to stumble and empty half his water or coffee into his plate when she was bringing him a meal. She often bumped him with her arm, hitting him once in the eye and on the nose and several times on the chin: All things his mother would have begged forgiveness for. Callie Jennings never said a word.
    He could honestly say he’d never met anyone like her. With this feeling came more pity. Maybe he shouldn’t pity her—after all, she did have a friend in Mud, and Govern had obviously cared enough to come back to her once in a while. But her oddities, her solitude, her silence, and the whole situation wrung his heart in pity.
    â€œI’ve got berries again. Are you interested?”
    â€œThat sounds good, thank you.”
    She brought a small bowl of blackberries to the table and set it between them. She had sweetened them with a bit of sugar, and they were very tasty. Between the two of them they finished the bowl.
    â€œThat was delicious.”
    Pup only nodded and stood to work on the dishes. Having decided to help her, McKay stood as well, but things spun a little when he was on his feet. He gripped the edge of the table for a moment and then looked up to find Pup’s eyes on him.
    â€œI can get the dishes. Do you want help to the sofa or bedroom?”
    â€œThe sofa.”
    He tried not to lean too heavily on her as they moved, but he was feeling rather weak. It was a relief when he was able to sink down into the cushions.
    â€œYou want your Bible?” Pup surprised him by asking.
    â€œYes, please,” McKay said softly, his heart amazed. He thanked her when she handed it to him and then had a long, silent talk with the Lord. He wouldn’t have believed that she even noticed. He’d been looking for an opportunity to talk to her about his faith but had given up on finding one.
    I didn’t ask believing, Lord. I wanted to, but didn’t think there would be a way. You love Callie Jennings as much as You love all of us. If You want me to talk to her, Lord, just open the door.

    Three days later, and exactly three weeks since he’d been shot, McKay turned another corner. He could still feel that ache in his shoulder and some stiffness in his limbs, but he knew by bedtime that he was well enough to ride back to Boulder. In fact, when he finally climbed into bed, he didn’t immediately fall asleep. Darkness had descended, but he was not that tired. This, too, told him he was ready to go. He had ventured only to the porch and into the front yard on his own, but he knew it was time. He was prepared to take it easy, even sleep a few nights in the hills if need be, but tomorrow he would get a nice early start back to Boulder.
    It was during all of these plans that McKay heard the noise. At first he thought it was in the cabin but then quickly realized it was outside. Immediate concern for Pup sprang into his mind and he reached for his pants. He ignored his shirt but swiftly pulled on his boots. The cabin was completely dark, but the moon shining into Pup’s bedroom illumined it enough to tell him