The Mending

by Susan Lantz Simpson

  “I-I’m not . . .” To her horror, Malinda burst into tears. Just before she dropped the flashlight, she caught the look of surprise on Atlee’s face. She stooped down and fumbled around for the flashlight so she could escape, but Atlee pulled her into his arms and patted her back. With Sam married and gone, Atlee must feel compelled to take on the protective role Sam had always played. It took Malinda a moment to relax against her bruder.

  “Shhh.” Atlee patted her back. “Let me help you, if I can. That’s what big bruders are for.”

  Malinda sniffed and dragged in a ragged breath. “D-Dr. McWilliams wants me to move to Ohio,” she whispered against Atlee’s broad chest.

  “Does he want you to be part of some kind of study?”

  “N-nee.” Malinda sniffed again.

  “Does he think you need some kind of medical treatment you can’t get here?”

  “Nee. Lots of people have Crohn’s disease. My case isn’t special, except . . .” Malinda wasn’t sure she should tell Atlee the whole ugly story. Would he run to Daed? She didn’t want a big fuss. The situation was stressful enough as it was.

  “Except?” Atlee gave Malinda a little shake.

  “Except t-to him.”

  “Do you mean personally, not medically?”

  “Jah.” More tears leaked from her eyes. “I’ve told him over and over that I have no intention of going to Ohio. I thanked him for taking care of me in the hospital, but that was it.”

  “That’s the real reason he came here? To get you to go back to Ohio with him?”

  “I believe he really had a conference in Baltimore, but that is why he came here.”

  “And you . . .”

  “I told him then and in a letter that I was not interested and to leave me alone.”

  “He’s written letters, too?”

  “One telling me he would try to visit. I didn’t have enough time to reply to that one. The other letter came recently. I answered right away. Maybe I wasn’t forceful enough.”

  “I can be forceful. Give me that paper. I will call the man. Who does he think he is that he doesn’t have to accept nee for an answer?”

  “I-I’ll call him, Atlee. I appreciate your concern.”

  “Concern? I’m furious. He can’t treat you that way. You kumm to the cheese factory tomorrow. We’ll place that call together. Okay?”

  “Okay. Atlee, uh, Mamm and Daed don’t know about this.”

  “Why haven’t you told them?”

  “I thought I could handle things. I am an adult, you know. I had no idea Dr. McWilliams would be so persistent. He most likely isn’t used to being rebuffed. The nurses sure seemed interested in him, especially . . .” Malinda stopped. No use getting into that.

  “Especially?”

  “One nurse seemed possessive of him. She, uh, wrote me a note, too.”

  “Kumm.” Atlee wrapped a hand around her upper arm and led her to a hay bale. “Sit. I think you’d better start this story over again from the beginning. Then we’ll decide what to tell Mamm and Daed.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Malinda had planned to head to the cheese factory early in the morning to make her phone call with Atlee hovering nearby, but the morning chores and baking ate up the hours. Before she knew it, she was setting the table for the midday meal. She didn’t feel too upset delaying the dreaded call. If she could, she’d avoid making the call altogether, but she certainly didn’t want Dr. McWilliams showing up here again to stir up trouble. She prayed this phone call would be the last contact she ever had with the man.

  “Have you made your phone call yet, Dochder?” Rufus asked as soon as he raised his head after the silent prayer.

  “I got busy and lost track of time this morning. I’m going right after I clean up here.”

  “See that you do.”

  “I can clean up so you can go as soon as you are finished eating.”

  “Danki, Mamm.” Once again, Malinda’s appetite fled, and that iron fist of dread punched her in the stomach. Now she wished she had made time this morning to place that call. Then it would already be over with.

  As promised, Malinda hitched Chestnut to the gray buggy as soon as she’d removed her plate from the table. Mamm had frowned at the food shoveled into little mounds around the perimeter of the white plate, but she made no comment. At her raised eyebrows, Malinda gave a slight shrug and headed for the scrap container. At least she hadn’t piled her plate too full, so she didn’t have a huge amount of food to discard. Nothing went to waste, anyway. Table scraps either went to the animals or the compost pile.

  The late November air had a definite bite that caused Malinda to shiver whenever a breeze blew. She stopped at the end of the driveway and jumped out to pull the mail from the big metal mailbox. She quickly closed herself back in the buggy and shook the reins to get Chestnut trotting at a brisk pace. Dark gray clouds swirled across a blue backdrop, foretelling an upcoming change in the weather pattern. Most of the oak, maple, gum, and elm trees had lost their colorful foliage. Spotty clumps of withered brown leaves clung to branches here and there. Fuzzy-looking loblolly pines, white pines, and fragrant cedar trees danced in the wind.

  Malinda pulled the fleecy blanket across her lap, grateful for its warmth. She slowed Chestnut to make the turn onto the narrow side road leading to the cheese factory. She rehearsed possible dialogues so she’d be prepared when Atlee handed her the phone. She only had a few minutes left to plan her strategy. When she plunged one hand into the pocket of her heavy black cloak to feel for the crumpled slip of paper, the stack of mail slid off the seat and onto the floor. Familiar handwriting peeked out at her from the letters and junk mail littering the floor. All her planned conversations deserted her. Her pounding heart roared in her ears, drowning out even the horse’s clip-clopping on the blacktopped road.

  Chestnut found his own way to the cheese factory without any guidance from the human sitting trancelike inside the buggy. An irrational fear washed over Malinda. She warily regarded the white envelope with black curlicues as if it was a copperhead poised to attack. She’d rather face a copperhead. She could take a rake to it and destroy it. Nothing seemed to obliterate the nightmare she found herself in. If only she hadn’t gone to Ohio, none of this would have ever happened.

  The buggy jerked to a stop when Chestnut decided they had reached their destination. Malinda looked up to discover the horse had stopped close to the hitching post. Automobiles occupied nearly every parking spot. People must be planning cheese dishes for their Thanksgiving meals. Atlee might be too busy to add his two cents to her phone call. That might be a gut thing. Malinda reached down to scoop up the scattered mail and set the stack on the seat beside her, all except for the one letter addressed to her.

  Malinda tore open the envelope and pulled out the single sheet of paper. She may as well read the letter before making her call. There was no polite greeting at the top. The writer plunged right in with the content.

  I thought I warned you to stay away from Dr. McWilliams. How hard is it to understand you are not his kind? I know you people are backward, but are you really that dense? If you think he would ever really care about you, you are more delusional than I thought. Surely there is one of your own people you could set your sights on. I really don’t want to have to come there to make this clear to you. Stay away from Todd McWilliams.

  As before, this note was unsigned, but Malinda had no doubt whatsoever who the author was. How could she make it clear to Nurse Trudy that she had no interest in Todd McWilliams? Malinda stuffed the letter in her pocket. Atlee would be even more furious when he read the newest correspondence.

  Malinda hopped out of the buggy, looped the reins around the rail, and scurried toward the building. She held on to her black bonnet, since the wind threatened to snatch it off her head and send it soaring through the air. The heavy wooden door caught Malinda’s heel as a gust of air slammed it closed behind her. She yelped and jumped aside, thankful that customers and workers wer
e too preoccupied to notice her embarrassing entrance. She kept to the back of the store and scanned the faces in search of Atlee.

  “Looking for someone?”

  “Atlee! You scared me.” Malinda patted her pounding chest. “I thought you’d be too busy . . .”

  “I’m never too busy for my little schweschder, especially when she has something important to take care of.”

  “It looks like you don’t have time right now. I can wait.”

  “No use putting off until later what you can do now, ain’t so?”

  Malinda gulped. She’d like to put this particular task off forever. “It’s pretty noisy in here and busy up by the counter where the phone is.”

  “I’ll go find a cell phone, or we can go back to the office.”

  “Won’t there be too many people around?”

  “I think all employees are out here in the shop or in the processing area. Don’t you want to get this over with?”

  “I don’t want to do it at all.”

  “I know. Do you have the number?”

  Malinda reached into her pocket. The folded letter she’d just received flew out of her pocket and landed on Atlee’s foot.

  “What’s this?” He bent to retrieve the letter before Malinda could snatch it away.

  “Is this another letter from him?”

  “Not from him.”

  “Then who?” Without asking permission, Atlee yanked the letter from the envelope and scanned the words. “It isn’t signed. Do you know who wrote it?”

  “Probably Trudy.”

  “The nurse? She’s threatening you? Let’s go.” Atlee tugged at Malinda’s arm. “The gut doctor will have to get things straight with Nurse Trudy, or we’ll have to make more than one call.”

  Malinda hung her head. How did this horrible situation keep getting worse?

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m so ashamed. This should not be happening.”

  “You did nothing wrong, so you have no reason to feel ashamed. These people”—Atlee shook the paper so hard he stirred up a breeze—“are the ones with a problem. We need to straighten this mess out right now.”

  Malinda prayed the problem would be solved as easily as Atlee thought. He hadn’t heard Dr. McWilliams’s tone or seen his smug self-assurance. She might have to let Atlee talk to the man if she couldn’t convince him once and for all to leave her alone. She allowed Atlee to lead her toward the office. Why did she feel like a naughty scholar about to be reprimanded by the teacher?

  Atlee pushed the squeaky door closed after nudging Malinda into the office. He guided her to the desk and pulled out the chair for her to sit. He pressed a little button on the phone with the word “speaker” printed below it.

  “What does that do?”

  “It puts the call on speaker so I can hear the conversation, too.”

  “Won’t everyone else around be able to hear it?”

  “We’re the only ones here.”

  “But someone could walk in, ain’t so?”

  “I guess, but I want to hear what this man has to say. I’ll have to stand close, then.”

  “You know, Atlee, he’s probably not going to answer. He’s a busy person and is most likely seeing patients or doing something important at the hospital. I’ll probably have to leave a message. Ach, I don’t know what to say!”

  “Dial!” Atlee handed her the phone.

  Malinda laid the crumpled scrap of paper on the desk and squinted at the numbers through the tears that suddenly clouded her vision. Her fingers trembled so violently she could hardly push the correct buttons.

  “Here.” Atlee pulled the phone from her hand. “I’ll dial. We want to reach the right person.” He punched in the numbers. “It’s ringing.” Atlee thrust the phone back into Malinda’s hand and leaned close. Only the phone kept their heads from slamming together.

  “I don’t think he’s going to answer.” Malinda sucked in a sharp breath. “D-Dr. McWilliams?” She cleared her throat and tried again. “Is this Dr. Todd McWilliams?”

  “Malinda? Wow! Is this really my little Malinda from Southern Maryland? I didn’t dare hope you’d call me.”

  “I-I’m not your little Malinda.” She knew she had spoken too softly when Atlee nudged her.

  “What did you say, dear?”

  That did it! One simple little word was enough to raise her ire. “I said I am not your Malinda. I am calling to ask, nee, to tell you to stop calling me and writing to me.”

  “Aw, come on, Malinda. How about if I take a little road trip down that way over the weekend? I won’t interrupt your family’s Thanksgiving. I’ll come on Saturday. We can go someplace and talk . . .”

  He talked so fast that Malinda had no choice other than be rude and interrupt. “Didn’t you hear me? I’ve told you over and over I am not interested in a relationship with you. I’m Amish and plan to stay Amish. I live in Maryland and plan to stay in Maryland.” Malinda paused to inhale.

  “People’s plans change all the time, Malinda dear. Even if you moved to Ohio, you could visit your family often.”

  “You are not listening.” Malinda stomped her foot beneath the desk and fought tears of frustration. She felt Atlee’s agitation beside her. She expected him to snatch the phone away from her at any moment. “Dr. McWilliams . . .”

  “Todd. I’ve told you over and over to call me Todd.”

  “And I’ve told you over and over to give up on me. I am not going to change my mind.”

  “I can be pretty persuasive.”

  Malinda bit her trembling lower lip. How did she get through to someone with such a one-track mind? “All the persuasion in the world won’t change my mind.”

  “I can take care of you when you get sick. I’ll know what to do.”

  “Dr. Nelson is perfectly capable of taking care of me.”

  “But I’m a specialist.”

  And not used to not getting your way. She silently considered another tactic.

  “We’ll talk on Saturday.”

  “Nee!”

  “Dr. McWilliams, Malinda has very politely explained her position,” Atlee broke in.

  “Who’s there with you, Malinda?”

  “This is Malinda’s bruder. She has asked you not to contact her anymore. No phone calls. No visits. No letters. And you can tell Nurse Trudy the same thing.”

  “Nurse Trudy? What on earth does Trudy have to do with any of this?”

  “She’s been writing my schweschder threatening notes.”

  “I think she’d be happy for your attention,” Malinda interrupted. “She is far more suitable for you than I am. My bruder is right. I do not wish to have any further contact with you or Trudy. Please.”

  Silence on the other end surprised Malinda. Could she and Atlee finally have gotten through to the man?

  “Oops! Sorry!” A gangly young employee stuck his head in the door and instantly retreated, clicking the door shut again.

  Great! Malinda wondered how much he might have overheard. She didn’t relish being the weekly topic on the grapevine.

  “Is that your final word?” Todd said, finally breaking the silence.

  Malinda jumped. She’d thought they’d been disconnected or that the doctor had hung up. “Absolutely. I will not change my mind. Ever.”

  “I see.” A soft click followed those two words. This time he did hang up.

  “Do you think he really does see?” Malinda looked into Atlee’s green eyes.

  “I hope so. Should we place a call to the nurse now?”

  “I don’t know a number for her.”

  “We could call her later at the hospital if we need to. You still have your papers from there, don’t you?”

  “Jah, but let’s pray we won’t need to do that.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Thanksgiving passed in a blur of activity. Malinda had stayed busy from before sunup until just past sundown. She peeled, chopped, stirred, or served food most of the day when she wasn’t washing
or drying dishes, wiping the table, or scrubbing kitchen counters. There were times—and this was one of them—when being the only girl in the family was a definite disadvantage. Of course, Emma helped after she and Sam arrived, but most of the preparation for the huge meal had already been completed by that time.

  Malinda had been ever so grateful to sink onto her chair at the big, heavily laden oak table. She’d been almost too tired to actually eat, but she did manage to get down a few bites of roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, and green beans. She made sure she avoided gravy, butter, stuffing, and anything else she feared could possibly trigger a flare-up.

  Even though the morning had been stressful, it wasn’t a bad kind of stressful. She’d enjoyed working alongside Mamm in the kitchen. Staying so busy kept her mind off of what caused real, damaging stress. Whenever the slightest thought of Todd McWilliams tried to sneak into her mind, she quickly banished it. So far, Atlee had kept quiet about their phone conversation with the man, and she certainly hadn’t mentioned it.

  It was only as slices of pumpkin and apple pie were passed around that Daed suddenly remembered their supper conversation from Tuesday evening. “Did you ever make that phone call? I forgot to check yesterday.”

  All plate scraping and chewing ceased as eight pairs of eyes flew to Malinda’s face. “Jah, Daed. It’s all taken care of.” Please let that be true, Lord.

  “Gut.” Rufus forked a big bite of pie into his mouth, and everyone else resumed eating as well.

  Whew! Daed didn’t appear to be interested in pursuing the topic any further. Malinda hoped the nightmare Todd McWilliams had caused had ended. She returned the smile Atlee shot her from across the table and listened to the various conversations humming about her.

  By the time the kitchen had been cleaned yet again and evening devotions were finished, Malinda wanted nothing more than to retreat to her waiting bed. She didn’t even have the strength to sit beside the stove and knit. She only wanted to sleep and sleep some more. Tomorrow would be another busy day of household chores, and then she’d have a weekend of jumping at every sound to get through.