Joseph Arrowsmith

Joseph Arrowsmith

of Campbell, received a 2-pound box of assorted chocolates from Philadelphia Candies, provided by The Vindicator

“Don’t worry,” Mike said. “You’ll be back from South America in three months; then we’ll be married.”

A single tear ran down Mary’s cheek. She tried to smile.

Mike furrowed his brow as he said, “It’s Patti, isn’t it?”

Mary said, “Don’t misunderstand me. It’s not that I don’t trust you. It’s just that I know how girls like Patti can be.”

Mike looked deeply into Mary’s eyes as he said, “Love and faith are two halves of the same heart. Do you see?”

“I do, Mike,” Mary said. “I’m embarrassed to even mention my fears to you. Here, let me clear them away.” At this Mary wiped the air with her hands as if she were clearing away cobwebs.

Mike laughed at this gesture as he took her hand and said, “It’s only 12 weeks. Believe in us and it will carry you through.”

Two days later and Mary was in the mountain clinic of Nuevo Prospero. There, in the thick green forest, hundreds had gathered for treatment from all over the region.

Mary worked long hours dressing wounds and giving vaccinations with the other five nurses. There was no cell phone communication, and the mail came in only sporadically.

Twice she received letters from Mike, and all seemed well.

Then, after two long weeks of rain and mud, she received a valentine in the mail. The card was shaped as two hearts joined as one, but the hearts were split by a hand-drawn black lightning bolt. There was no message in the card and the address was typed. The letters were smeared and rough.

Mary wanted to call home, but on that day, the satellite phone was 10 miles away. For several minutes she cried with the card in her hand. Then she stopped and told herself that now was the time to have faith in their love and make a stand.

So, in the tropical rain, she cleared a web of vines from her path and went to work. No more mail came.

The weeks passed and soon she was on the last leg of her journey home. She sat in the front seat and looked out of the window as the bus pulled into YSU.

There on the steps were Patti and Mike. As soon as the door opened, Mary jumped off and walked toward them.

Patti ran to her and said with tearful eyes, “I tried to get back with Mike and when he refused me, I did a mean thing.”

Mike made his way through the crowd and picked Mary up in the air. When he returned her to the ground he said, “Coming here is Patti’s way of apologizing. As for me, I want you to know that, even though we may be separated by air and oceans, our love will always bind us together.”

With this they kissed as the crowd swirled around them. They were two hearts joined together as one. Never again to be parted. One heart sealed with faith.