by Molly Jebber
“I’m glad he relaxed.”
He opened the door for her. “You have worked one day with me, and I am spoiled already.”
“Good. I like nursing and working here.” She lifted her bag from a drawer. “Have a nice evening. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Matt shut the door. She had swept into his life like a pretty spring day.
Four weeks later on a Saturday, Becca milked Ruth’s cow then carried the half-full pail inside and poured it in a pitcher. “It’s a beautiful day outside.”
Ruth grabbed a basket. “Come and talk to me while I gather eggs.”
In the backyard, a protesting hen pecked at Becca’s heels. She shook her head as Ruth petted their heads while she collected eggs and placed them in her basket. “You’re the only person I know who can pet chickens without getting pecked at. They pester me.”
“I do not want to chat about these chickens. I want to talk about you and Matt.” Ruth pushed open the kitchen door and stepped inside.
Becca remembered her first day in Massillon. Time had passed quickly since she had begun to work for Matt. His patience, hearty laugh, kind eyes, and attention when she spoke were all things she liked about him. Work had been busy, and she loved it. She pulled plates from the cupboard. “I find nursing exciting. Matt’s an excellent teacher, and he’s patient. He doesn’t even flinch when I drop things half a dozen times a day.”
Ruth laughed and rolled her eyes. “You drop things because you are always in such a hurry to do everything.” Ruth cracked an egg on the side of the skillet. “Matt visited me at the shop yesterday. He is thrilled to have you as his nurse, and I believe he is smitten with you. It is the lilt in his voice when he talks about you.” She tapped Becca’s nose. “You are giddy when you speak about him. Do you like him more than you would a friend? Am I right? Are you fond of him?”
Becca giggled and held her stomach. “I can’t hide anything from you. I never could. Yes. I can’t help it. He hangs the moon. What am I going to do? I love it here. I don’t want to leave you or Matt, but I miss our parents and my friends. I like birthing boppli, but I love nursing more. Mamm and Daed wouldn’t be happy with my working for an Englischer. Nor would they like me learning about the world and getting excited about it at the same time. After reading one newspaper, I can’t wait to read the next.”
“I am sorry you are in such turmoil, but I love having you here. Of course, you are welcome to live with me if you choose to stay in Massillon. It is a difficult decision. Pray and ask God for guidance.”
Becca’s stomach flipped. Could she leave her Amish life behind? Her parents and friends would shun her. She suspected Grace wouldn’t. She hoped her best friend would agree to write letters to stay in touch. The thought of leaving those she loved sickened her, but no more than the thought of leaving Ruth and Matt. She no longer believed God turned away from those who left Amish life if those same people remained faithful to Him. Ruth had taught her this by her example. She leaned more toward choosing Massillon as her home because of this. “I hadn’t intended on moving here. I must come to a decision soon, because our parents and Grace deserve to know what I’m doing. They must wonder why I haven’t written and told them when I’m coming home.” She rubbed her temples. “I don’t want to ponder what to do about where I want to live, but I must.”
“Put it out of your mind for today. After breakfast, we will walk to my shop. I want to introduce you to Margaret Tuttle, my seamstress. She is sixty-five and beautiful. She has been in Columbus, Ohio, visiting friends ever since you got here. She came home yesterday, and we caught up on our news. She often works when we are closed to catch up on her mending. It would be a perfect time for you to meet her. Our visit with her will brighten your day and hers.”
Becca and Ruth finished breakfast and then strolled downtown. The sun heated their cheeks, and puffy white clouds decorated the sky. A ball hit Becca’s leg. She threw it to the boy who stood a few feet away with his arms held out. He ran and joined his friends. Two women were working in their gardens. What beautiful roses they were planting. She waved to townsfolk who were patients of Matt’s or friends of Ruth’s. Her sister and her late husband, Caleb, had chosen the right neighborhood to build their home. Close enough to walk to town but far enough away from the hustle and bustle.
The bell clanged when Ruth opened the door to the shop. A petite older woman with a sparkle in her eyes and dimples in her rosy cheeks greeted them.
Margaret clasped Becca’s hand. “You must be Becca. The two of you could pass for twins.”
Ruth put her arm around Margaret’s waist. “This elegant woman is like a mother to me. I love her dearly. Last year, when I got sick with a fever, she came to my house and nursed me back to health.” She pulled her friend close. “I would be lost without you, Margaret.”
The older woman blushed. “I feel the same way.” She patted Ruth’s cheek and leaned in to her.
The bell clanged over the door again, and a woman entered. “Ruth, I am sorry to bother you on your day off, but may I show you the rip in my dress? I found it when I left the general store.”
“Please come in.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Becca, you and Margaret visit while I take care of Mrs. Sanderson.”
Becca liked the older woman on sight. She had her gray hair wound in a bun and spectacles perched on her nose. She represented the perfect picture of a grandmother. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I appreciate all you have done for my sister.”
“I am a widow and alone. My husband died last year. We did not have any children. Ruth is like a daughter to me.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “From what I have heard your sister has blossomed since you have been staying with her. She misses Caleb, and it broke her heart to lose him. She has never gotten over it. She confides in me about this often. She is excited and happy you are here. You are like a bright ray of sunshine in her life.”
Ruth finished with Mrs. Sanderson and joined Becca and Margaret. “Come and sit with me at the drawing table. I will show you a dress in Godey’s Lady’s Book similar to the one I am designing. Margaret, I found a dress in the catalog I would like to make for you. I will point it out to you.” She flipped through the pages of the book.
Margaret’s eyes brightened. “I like the green one you picked out for me. I would love it if you would make it for me.”
“I will draw a pattern for it tomorrow.” She patted Becca’s hand. “Is there anything you would like me to make for you?”
Becca shook her head. “No thank you. Not yet.” She glanced at the pages with Margaret and Ruth. She liked a lot of the dresses offered in Godey’s Lady’s Book, but she wanted to wait a little longer before trying on one of Ruth’s dresses or having her make her one. She was comfortable in her plain clothes. It was a part of her past she wasn’t ready to let go of yet.
An hour later, Margaret yawned and stretched her arms. “I would love to talk more, but I must finish my mending. If I do not, I will be behind in my work for the rest of the week.”
Ruth closed the book. “It is getting late in the afternoon. We better head home.” Ruth and Becca hugged her friend and left.
Walking past the many shops and restaurants on Main Street, Becca pondered what Margaret had told her about Ruth since Caleb’s death. Her sister hadn’t indicated her sadness in the letters she sent. Since Becca had been here, they had laughed, stayed up late and chatted, worshipped in Ruth’s church, and enjoyed picnics, shopping, and dining together. She had enjoyed herself. She had no doubt Ruth had too. She couldn’t imagine leaving her sister to go home.
What did the future hold for her and Matt? She must find out. She had grown roots in Massillon. She couldn’t go back to her old life and be happy. Yes, she would tell her parents and Grace she had chosen to make a life in Massillon soon. Ruth’s voice jerked her out of her thoughts.
“Matt is sitting by the window at Lizzie’s. No one is with him. I am hungry. We should join him.” Ruth hurried to the restau
rant.
Good idea. Becca followed her sister. She pushed returning to Berlin to talk to her parents out of her mind.
As soon as they walked through the door, Matt stood and beckoned to them. “Come and sit with me.”
Dishes clanged and patrons’ conversations buzzed. Becca and Ruth squeezed through the narrow pathway between chairs to Matt’s table.
Always the gentleman, Matt seated them before he sat.
Lizzie removed a pencil from behind her ear. She blew a strawberry blond hair from her ruddy face. “Becca, you’ve ordered chicken and dumplings every time you’ve come in. Are you ordering it today?” Hands on her hips, she cocked her head.
“Yes. Did you bake any cobbler this morning?”
“I baked a fresh cherry cobbler an hour ago. I’ll set a piece aside for you.”
Ruth ordered the same meal as Becca. Matt told them he had ordered the venison stew earlier.
The door chimed when Lizzie left to pass their orders on to the cook. Becca glanced up. David. Her heart thudded against her chest. She had hoped to never run into him again. What could he want? Nothing I would care to discuss.
He approached her, holding his hat. “Will you step outside with me for a few minutes? I need to talk to you.”
Her face heated. No, but she would. She wanted him out of here before he said anything to embarrass her further. She took a deep breath and gestured to Ruth and Matt. “David, this is Dr. Matt Carrington, and this is my sister, Ruth Smith.”
Matt stood and shook David’s hand.
“Hello, Mrs. Smith.” He fidgeted with his hat.
Ruth stayed seated and gave him a curt nod.
David eyed Becca. “What I have to say won’t take long.”
No, it won’t. She couldn’t stand the sight of him. He had approached her in front of a roomful of people just like on their wedding day. Why hadn’t he waited until she left the restaurant and approached her then? “I’ll be right back.” She followed him out the door. “How did you find me?”
“When I returned from Lancaster, my parents told me you left to visit your schweschder in Massillon. When I arrived here, I asked the owner of the general store if he knew Ruth Smith, and he told me where she lived. On the way to her haus, I recognized you through the restaurant window.”
Hand on hip, she squinted. “Why are you here?”
“Is there somewhere quiet where we can talk?”
She pointed across the street. The least amount of time she spent with him the better. A walk too far would add to this awkwardness. She would remain as close to Lizzie’s as possible. “The post office is closed. We can sit on the bench by the front door. No one will bother us.”
Her heart thudded against her ribs, as he followed her. She had nothing to say to him, and she could care less about anything he had to say to her. She hoped he would make this meeting a short one.
In front of the post office, she waited for him to speak.
He passed his hat from one hand to the other. “I’m sorry for leaving you the way I did. I would like to make it up to you by asking you to marry me.”
She narrowed her eyes. He must be out of his mind. “No, I am not interested in marrying you. Why aren’t you marrying the woman in Lancaster?”
He bowed his head and spoke in a whisper. “She refused to wed me. I told her I had arranged with your daed to marry you but changed my mind at the last minute. It didn’t sit well with her. I would’ve kumme to you earlier, but I stayed in Lancaster for a while to help my uncle build an addition to his haus. I’ve given this a lot of thought. You and I should get married. I need to follow through with the commitment I made to your daed to wed you. Besides, we are both twenty and should be married by now.”
She clenched her jaw. She would never marry a man who wanted to be wed to another woman. Besides, she cared about someone else. Someone she could trust. “As I stated, I won’t marry you.”
“You’re getting older, and there aren’t many available men in our community left. You should reconsider.” David stared at the birthmark on her hand.
She hid her hand under her apron and squinted. “Like I said, I’m not interested.” The more he prattled on, the more stern and coldhearted his tone became. If she had married him, she pictured her life as a miserable one.
He stood and mashed his hat on his head. “You’ll be sorry. I could’ve provided a good living for you. I intend to find a fraa, and I won’t be available when you return to Berlin.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I’m staying at Daisy’s Boarding House tonight and leaving in the morning. If you change your mind, you can find me there.” He stomped off.
She heaved a sigh. She had no intention of changing her mind about not marrying him. Too bad he couldn’t leave tonight. She hoped he found someone else to marry soon. Then he wouldn’t bother her anymore. She waited until he turned the corner before heading to the restaurant. As she pushed the door open, they waved her over. Her chicken and dumplings sat on the table.
Matt seated her. “Are you all right?”
She sipped lemonade to gather her thoughts. David was an arrogant man. How dare he come here and assume she’d marry him after what he did to her. She thought her head would explode. He had glanced at her birthmark, as if to remind her she was flawed. He had traits she knew she didn’t want in a husband. “Yes, I’m fine.”
Ruth patted her hand. “I told Matt about your unfortunate wedding day. What did David want?”
She recounted her conversation with David. She opened her mouth to speak about what a dishonest and heartless man he appeared to be but shut it. Bad mouthing David wouldn’t make her feel any better, and it would cast a bad light on her character. She swallowed hard. “I’m glad it’s over, and he’s gone.”
Matt pushed his back against the chair. “I am glad you refused to take him up on his offer and sent him on his way, because I would be lost without you.”
Her heart soared. He couldn’t have said anything more perfect. Each day she liked Matt more, and it warmed her heart to learn he valued her. She didn’t want to, but she would need to leave him for a little while. She had to deliver her news about leaving Berlin for good to her parents and Grace in person, rather than letting them know in a letter. It wouldn’t be an easy conversation to have with them. She would wait for a week or two.
Chapter Three
Monday morning, Matt greeted Dorothy then joined Becca in the exam room, where she stocked supplies. The sun shone bright through the window and showcased her flawless skin.
She dropped thermometers in a container of alcohol. “I’m sorry David interrupted our dinner yesterday.”
“Do not apologize. You did the right thing sending him on his way. He does not deserve you.”
She blushed and dropped a box of cotton.
He bent to pick it up, and their hands touched. He met her gaze and held it. Those eyes, how beautiful. The door burst open and interrupted them. Micah, a little boy with tousled brown hair and freckles across his nose, hurried toward him. “Dr. Matt, I falled and am bleedin’.” He held his arm up.
Matt grabbed a clean towel and held it on the wound. “Miss Yost and I will fix you right up.”
Dorothy entered the room. “I apologize. He ran right past me before I could catch him.”
Matt waved a dismissive hand. “Micah can be a handful. I understand. Will his mother join us?”
Dorothy rolled her eyes. “No, she prefers to stay with me.”
Mrs. Shepler had not joined her son on any of their visits. She had not touched her son or spoken a kind word to him. Why? He shrugged his shoulders. “No problem.”
After Dorothy shut the door, Becca held the cloth in place. “Let me help you climb onto the exam table, Micah. How old are you?”
He held up four fingers and his thumb.
“Five?”
“Yep, I am. Is the red spot on your hand a birf-mark?”
“Yes, it is.”
He lifted his pant leg and showe
d a birthmark the size of a coin. “I like yours better than mine. Last time I came here, Dr. Matt told me God gives special people birfmarks. He calls them angel kisses.”
She often hid her hand in the folds of her skirt when she didn’t need to use it. She was beautiful to him with or without the birthmark. Micah had delivered his message to her in the right way.
“Dr. Matt’s a wise man.” She winked at Matt then patted Micah’s back. “Your birthmark’s a beauty, and you’re definitely special.”
Matt grinned at her then leaned toward the child. “Becca is going to wash your hands and arm. When she is finished, I will have a look at your cut.”
Becca gently removed Micah’s shirt. She readied soap and water then washed Micah’s hands and injured arm.
Matt strolled to the medicine cabinet and removed two syringes. He filled one with numbing medicine and the other one with an antibiotic. He hid them behind his back, walked across the room, and leaned close to Becca’s ear. “I suspect his cut will need stitches.”
The small boy whirled around and flung himself into Becca’s arms. “No, no. Not stitches!”
“Dr. Matt will give you medicine to make it not hurt.”
“If it hurts, let me know. I will stop and administer more numbing medicine.”
Micah clutched Becca’s arm with his good hand. “Please, don’t let go.”
“I’m not going anywhere, and it’ll all be over before you know it.”
Matt removed the cloth and administered the shot.
Micah closed his eyes tight and whimpered.
He waited a few minutes and then stitched Micah’s arm. All the while stifling his chuckle as the child talked nonstop to Becca about his wooden train set. “All right, brave boy. I am finished. You may join Dorothy and your mother in the other room.”
Following them to Dorothy’s desk, he liked how Becca had handled Micah. She had gained the little boy’s trust. Her patience and way with the child had made treating him much easier.
Dorothy handed Micah a piece of candy. “How is your arm?”