by Molly Jebber
“Dr. Matt and Becca made it all better.”
The child’s mother, Leah Shepler, squinted at Becca and did not bother to address her. Matt crossed his arms against his chest. “Do you have any questions, Mrs. Shepler?”
Her reticule slid off her wrist. She caught it, removed a silver coin from inside, and pressed it in Dorothy’s palm. She stood straight and tall, her dark, black ringlets bouncing, as she jutted her chin. “No, I do not, and Micah and I must be on our way.”
The child hugged Becca before skipping to his mother. Mrs. Shepler did not glance back as she shut the door.
Matt waited for Becca to comment about Mrs. Shepler’s rude behavior, but she did not. She had not spoken a negative word about anyone since she began working for him. “Micah does not take easily to everyone, but he warmed to you right away.”
Her cheeks flushed pink. “He’s a dear little boy, and I love children.”
Matt smoothed back his hair. “He wore me out. Maybe we will have a few minutes to catch our breath before the next patient comes in.”
The door swung open. Mr. Waxman limped in with a gaping leg wound.
Matt whispered in Becca’s ear. “I could have used a few more minutes before our next patient.”
Becca chuckled and joined him in supporting Mr. Waxman to the exam room. Blood flowed from Mr. Waxman’s open cut on his lower leg.
“How did you hurt yourself?” Matt held his breath a moment to avoid gagging. He supported the man to the exam table. Mr. Waxman reeked of alcohol and body odor. He must have started drinking early in the day and neglected bathing for quite some time.
“I fell off my horse.”
Matt assessed the wound and told Becca what he needed to treat the injury.
Becca did not flinch or grimace. She stayed right by his side and comforted Mr. Waxman when he cried out in pain.
She squeezed Mr. Waxman’s shoulder. “Hold on. It won’t take much longer.”
Matt finished suturing Mr. Waxman’s leg and applied a bandage to the wound. He passed the man pills to take to ward off infection. He escorted Mr. Waxman to the door and another patient came in. He and Becca skipped dinner.
The clock struck five. Matt sighed and turned his window sign to CLOSED, then removed his stethoscope and hung it on a peg.
Becca yawned and removed her reticule from a drawer. She moved to the door. “We had a long day. Go home and get some rest.”
He bid her farewell and shut the door. Then he gathered his belongings and headed for the livery.
On his ride home, he noticed a wagon in front of Ruth’s house with an older Amish couple and young woman inside. He steered his horse a little closer and squinted. Becca and Ruth walked toward them. His heart sank. The couple must be her parents. Who was the woman with them? Would she go home with them? He was fond of Becca. He should have told her this. Would he ever have another opportunity to talk to her?
Becca held Ruth’s hand tight as they walked outside to greet their parents and Grace. Not going home before today had been the right decision. It had forced her parents to face Ruth after three long years, but would this make things better between them or worse?
Joseph and Elizabeth Yost stepped out of the buggy.
Her mamm appeared older than her daed, even though they were both forty. She liked Mamm’s plump soft body and smooth, flawless skin. She had full rosy cheeks and big blue eyes. Wrinkles had deepened on Mamm’s forehead and chin. Was it from the worry she had caused her mamm? She hoped not.
Ruth ran to hug them. Becca’s eyes filled with tears as she hugged Grace and watched her parents and sister hold each other and cry. She had prayed often for her parents to reunite with her sister. She hoped they would be delighted Ruth’s devotion to God hadn’t wavered and realize she was the same sweet daughter they raised.
Grace whispered in her ear. “I’ve missed you, dear friend.”
“I’m glad you came. I have something important to tell you and my parents.”
Ruth stepped back and kissed Grace’s cheek. She motioned to her parents and Grace. “Please, come inside.”
Becca hugged her daed. She loved wrapping her arms around his thin frame and having his long arms around her. She inhaled the scent of tobacco in his shirt then peered into his dark brown eyes. “What a nice surprise to find you and Mamm outside Ruth’s door.”
She stepped to Mamm and circled her arms around her overweight soft body. She separated from her and pushed a stray golden hair back in her mamm’s kapp. “I’m happy you’re here.” She searched her mamm’s sad blue eyes and shut her mouth.
Mamm and Daed stepped inside the house and sat in chairs. They hadn’t spoken to either her or Ruth. Were they angry, sad, or overwhelmed with emotion? Why wouldn’t her parents say something?
Daed removed his hat. “Becca, David’s parents told us he plans to visit and ask you to marry him again. We came to warn you and to ask you to kumme home with us.”
“David already came to ask me to marry him, and I told him no.” She recounted her awkward and disappointing conversation with David.
Daed raised his eyebrows. “Would you like me to tell him to leave you alone?”
She shook her head. “No, it isn’t necessary. He got my message loud and clear.”
Mamm put her hand on Becca’s shoulder. “You’ve been in Massillon long enough. It’s time for you to kumme home. Our friends and relatives have put the unpleasant marriage ceremony behind them.”
Grace bobbed her head up and down. She straightened her kapp over her brown hair wound in a bun.
Becca gripped her apron. “David isn’t keeping me from coming home.” She cleared her throat. “I’ve been working as a nurse for Dr. Carrington. His office is in town, close to Ruth’s Mending Shop. I’ve learned about medications and how to help him treat patients with a variety of illnesses and injuries. I enjoy nursing more than I did being a midwife.” She paused to give herself time to gather the courage to continue. “I’ve worshipped in Ruth’s church, and she and I have enjoyed being together. I can’t imagine not spending time with her. I’m happy here. I’m going to stay in Massillon and live with Ruth.” She had talked too fast. She shouldn’t have blurted her news out all at once. This was a lot of information for her parents and Grace to take in.
Mamm brought her hand to her chest. “No, Becca. Please don’t do this to us.”
Daed bowed his head and clasped his hands. He shook his head. “You will be shunned by your friends in Berlin. It’s a sin for you to leave your Amish life behind.”
Grace wiped a tear from her heart-shaped face and clasped her friend’s hand.
Mamm studied Ruth. “You can open a mending shop for the Amish community in Berlin. I’ll help you. Please, kumme home. We miss you. Our lives haven’t been the same since you left. Becca can continue to work for Hester. We can be a family again.”
Ruth gently squeezed Mamm’s fingers. “Please try and understand. I have my home, church, and friends here. It took time to make my business a success. I have customers who visit my shop on a regular basis. They like my work and trust me. I appreciate my Amish upbringing, but to live by Amish rules is not for me.” She reached for her Bible. “I have not abandoned my faith in God. I pray and read my Bible every day. In that respect, I am the same daughter you have always known.”
Becca chimed in. “In spite of wanting to live in Massillon, my faith and devotion to God hasn’t wavered and won’t in the future either.”
Daed straightened. “I don’t believe you can be devoted to God, living in the outside world.” He held up his hands. “I understand you don’t agree with me. Let’s not argue about it.” He pursed his lips. “On another note, Becca, I don’t like you working for an Englischer.”
“Matt Carrington’s a fine doctor, and he has taught me a lot about nursing. He’s faithful to God and a gentleman. You would like him.”
Mamm scooted her chair closer to Becca. “You called him Matt. Do you have feelings for this m
ann? Is he another reason you wish to stay in Massillon?”
Becca swallowed around the lump in her throat. What if Matt asked to court her? She would say yes. She had to tell them she cared for him. Matt was a popular doctor in town. She wouldn’t want anyone else to tell them, and their friends and neighbors from Berlin visited Massillon on occasion to buy special supplies. She and Matt had attended church, he had come to Ruth’s for dinner, and they had been to restaurants together. Even though Ruth was with them on these occasions, Mamm and Daed wouldn’t approve. She must tell them the truth. “Yes. He and I are friends at this point. He hasn’t asked to court me. I would like him to.” She paused and waited for one of them to respond to her news.
Mamm squinted at Ruth. “Did you have anything to do with Becca meeting Dr. Carrington? Have you influenced her to remain here?”
Before Ruth could answer, Becca raised her hand. “I met Dr. Carrington on my first day here. I suffered a minor injury on my way to Ruth’s house. He bandaged it for me and led me here. Later, she suggested I work for him, but she’s not to blame for my being fond of him. I am. Ruth trusts him. Matt and Caleb were good friends. He has an excellent reputation in town.”
Daed leaned forward. “If he doesn’t ask to court you soon, will you kumme home?”
Becca left her chair and knelt before him. She covered his hands with hers. “No, I want to make a life for myself here with or without Matt. I love you and Mamm with all my heart, but I can’t live my life for you.”
Ruth knelt beside Becca. “I will take excellent care of her, and all of you are always welcome in our house. We would love it if you would visit regularly.”
Mamm stood. “We’re disappointed you both have chosen to leave the Amish order. Your daed and I are bound by Amish law to shun you, but I don’t want to separate myself from my dochders anymore.” Her lip quivered as she addressed Daed. “I’ve been miserable not being able to visit Ruth. I can’t stand the thought of not visiting our dochders again. They can’t kumme home again, but may we write to them? Maybe visit them once in a while? They’re determined to live here. Nothing we say will change their minds. We must accept they’re not kumming home.”
Daed paused for a moment with his hand on his chin.
Becca struggled to keep silent. Would he agree with Mamm? It would be an answer to her prayer if he did.
His eyes looked from Mamm to Ruth and to Becca. “I agree with your mamm. We’ll write and visit you once in a while.” He bit his upper lip. “Ruth, I’m sorry we didn’t come and support you during your time of sorrow. We should have been here to comfort you when Caleb died. We hoped you would return to Berlin.”
Ruth met his gaze. “I understand.”
Becca stood and held open her arms.
The Yost family circled in a hug.
Grace joined them.
Becca hugged herself. Her life was moving forward and falling into place. Her parents had agreed to visit, and they showed how much they loved them by making this decision to bend Amish law for them. She could move on with her life with peace in her heart. She no longer had to fret about not seeing them again. She stepped back. “You’ve been traveling all day. Are you hungry? We have a pot of vegetable soup in the icebox. I’ll warm it for you.”
Her parents and Grace followed her into the kitchen. Ruth made a fresh pan of biscuits and Becca heated the soup. She wiped a tear from her eye, as she listened to Daed’s prayer of thanks. What a great day.
Mamm and Grace answered Becca’s and Ruth’s questions about their friends and what was going on at home. Mamm shared that she’d been doing her usual chores, cooking for community suppers and sewing dresses for her friends.
Grace chatted about the boppli she had helped come into the world with Hester.
Ruth shared with Mamm and Daed more details about her mending shop. She paused and rested her hand on Becca’s arm. “Talk about what you’ve learned while working with Matt.”
Becca curved her lips in a wide smile. “I’ve learned how to treat serious open wounds, apply stitches, fill syringes with medicine, and administer shots. I could go on and on explaining what I’ve learned, but it would take all day. I love nursing. One patient, Clyde Peterson, didn’t want an Amish nurse in the room with him. I asked him to let me stay and help Matt treat him. When he left, he apologized for his behavior and offered me tomatoes.” She chuckled.
Her parents threw her a wry grin. Their comments were few. Her new life went against their beliefs. Maybe she and Ruth shouldn’t have been so forthcoming. No, if they were going to visit, she and her sister needed to be open and honest about their life here. Would they agree to visit Ruth’s Mending Shop and meet Matt before they went home?
Becca readied the third bedroom for them. She spread sheets and a blanket on the sofa for Grace and then joined her family and Grace in the kitchen. “Your beds are ready.” She folded her hands in front of her. “Would you like to visit Ruth’s shop and meet Matt in the morning before you go?”
She held her breath. Her sister stiffened and kept silent. She might have gone too far. Maybe she shouldn’t have suggested it. She couldn’t read either one of her parents’ faces.
Mamm looked at Daed with pleading eyes.
Daed raked a hand through his hair. “Yes, but it must be quick. I want to get home before dark.”
Grace pulled Becca aside. “My parents won’t be happy about you leaving our Amish community, but I’m sure they will let me write to you. Maybe they will let me kumme to town with your parents again when they visit you. I’ll miss you, but I’m happy for you. I’m excited about meeting Dr. Carrington.”
Becca valued her best friend. Grace had always loved her unconditionally. “I was hoping we could write letters to each other. I would love it if you could come with my parents when they come to Massillon. Follow me to my room. I have something for you.”
Grace followed her.
She opened a drawer, pulled out a quilt, and passed it to Grace. “I made you another pocket quilt.” She patted the pocket on the quilt tied closed with string. “Wait to read the letter tucked inside until you arrive home and are alone.”
Grace hugged the quilt to her chest. “I’ll treasure this always. It will remind me of the memories we’ve created together, like the first one you made me.”
She carried another quilt to the kitchen and handed it to her mamm. “I wrote you a letter and put it in this pocket.”
Mamm accepted the quilt. “I’ll read it to your daed when we get home. It will comfort me until we meet again.”
Her parents’ dedication to the church and Amish order had been apparent to her since she was a child. They had compromised their values by not following the Amish rules for the sake of their daughters. Grace had agreed to do the same for the sake of their friendship. She loved them. She would never forget this day.
In the morning, Ruth and Becca got up early and cooked eggs and warmed homemade bread for their guests.
Becca’s heart raced when her parents commended Ruth on how well she had decorated her home. Her sister’s face beamed.
They walked to Ruth’s shop together, and Mamm and Grace accepted Ruth’s gifts of plain dark blue, gray, black, and white fabrics and thread. Her sister introduced them to Margaret, and they had a pleasant conversation.
After leaving Ruth’s shop, Becca ushered them inside the medical office. She introduced them to Dorothy. Becca stifled her chuckle when Dorothy circled them each in a hug. Mamm was at a loss for words then recovered quickly and returned the gesture. Becca grinned. Grace seemed to like Dorothy. It showed in the way she talked to her. Her friend and Dorothy chattered on and on as they got acquainted. Becca hadn’t met a person yet who didn’t like Dorothy.
She searched for Matt and found him in his office. “My parents and a friend are in town for a visit. They’re in the other room talking to Dorothy. Matt, I told them I will not be returning home. I’m going to remain in Massillon. They’ve agreed to bend the Amish rules and
write and visit Ruth and me now and then.”
Matt eyes widened. “Becca, I’m happy for you and for me.”
She laughed. “I found it difficult to share my decision with them, but they accepted it much better than I anticipated. We better not keep them waiting. Will you come and meet them?”
“Yes, of course.” He walked out and offered his hand to her daed. “I am Dr. Matt Carrington, Mr. Yost. Call me Matt. It is nice to meet you. It is a pleasure to work with your daughter and my patients adore her.”
Becca left them alone. She glanced over her shoulder and listened to Matt speak to her daed. He treated her daed with respect. She had trusted him enough to bring her daed to meet him. She wasn’t disappointed.
Joseph Yost shook Matt’s hand. “Becca’s always been a hard worker. She has a gut heart. The outside world and working for you is exciting for her. My dochder isn’t used to cruel or unkind people. She’s bound to run into a few. Please take gut care of her.”
“I am fond of your daughter, sir, and I assure you I have honorable intentions toward her. I will take good care of her and Ruth.”
“My dochders claim you are a fine mann. After meeting you, I agree with them. I’m sure we’ll meet again. We’re planning to visit now and then.”
“Your dochders must be delighted. They make it no secret how much they care about you and Mrs. Yost.”
“It was nice meeting you.”
Her mamm joined her daed and Matt.
“I’m pleased to meet you, Mrs. Yost. I was telling your husband how much I appreciate Becca and the hard work she does for me in the office. I am also rather fond of her.”
Becca wanted to shout with glee. Matt and her parents had a great first meeting. They liked him. She read their faces. She never imagined them meeting Matt, let alone accepting him. Her pulse raced. He’d told Daed and Mamm he was fond of her.
Grace nudged her arm. “May I meet Dr. Carrington?”
Becca grasped her friend’s hand. “Of course. Come with me.” She approached Matt. “Matt, I would like you to meet Grace Blauch.”