The Amish Wonders Collection

by Ruth Reid

  Mattie’s gaze fell over the somber faces of those around her. Bishop Yoder; his wife, Mary; Grace; Ben; several other women from her settlement. Then she located Bo, her rock, standing off to the side, and steadied her gaze on him. He pressed a smile and nodded as if to encourage her to remain strong, but he couldn’t disguise the bewilderment displayed in his eyes.

  Nathan’s door opened again. This time Doctor Oshay came out of the room, his white coat splattered with blood.

  Mattie moved out of Grace’s embrace. “What’s happening to mei sohn?”

  “Idiopathic epistaxis—a nosebleed.”

  “Oh.” She blew out a breath, tension draining that it wasn’t more serious.

  He furrowed his brows. “This isn’t a typical nosebleed. He hemorrhaged. I was able to cauterize the blood vessels, but unless we identify the source of what’s causing the problem, it’s like putting a Band-Aid on a severed limb.”

  The image wasn’t one Mattie wanted to think about, not with her son lying so helpless in that crib. “Can I see him?”

  “Maybe once he’s received the two units of blood I’ve ordered. He will probably require more, but I’ll be monitoring his lab work closely. Once his condition stabilizes, I’d like to arrange transport to a larger facility. I can’t reiterate enough how important that list is that I asked you to make.”

  “I’ll work on it nau.” Mattie was thankful she had something to do other than wait. Oh, Lord, help me remember. Please. Weakened by a medley of emotions she couldn’t stave off, fear overrode her prayers. Mattie began to sob. She’d failed God.

  Bo’s phone buzzed. He let it go to voice mail. He was too focused on Mattie and the doctor’s conversation outside Nathan’s room. At the moment, nothing was more important than learning why the doctor’s coat was splattered with blood and why the emergency crash cart was rolled into the room. Tears streamed down Mattie’s face and tugged at Bo’s heart. He wanted to comfort her, but it wasn’t his place. Besides, she wasn’t alone. She had her people for support.

  After a few minutes, the doctor walked away and went to a cubical workstation at the nurses’ desk. Mattie was immediately enveloped in Grace’s arms, then another woman hugged her, then another.

  Bo rubbed the back of his neck. He paced to the window overlooking the parking lot and saw the horses and buggies. Mattie had support. But that didn’t stop him from gnawing away at his reserve. Finally, he pressed through the crowd.

  “Mattie?” The urgency in his voice startled even him. Now he had everyone’s attention.

  She pulled away from an elderly woman’s arms and wiped her red-rimmed eyes.

  “What did the doctor say?” His words came out too fast and ran together to pass as merely inquiring for professional reasons.

  “His nose started bleeding. I don’t remember what he called it.” She glanced at the others standing by her, but they shook their heads.

  A nosebleed shouldn’t summon a crash cart to the room unless . . . “They got the bleeding stopped, right?”

  “Jah, and the doktah ordered blood transfusions too.”

  Bo rubbed his jaw.

  “I have to work on that list the doktah asked for.”

  He wanted to have a minute alone with her, and this was a good enough reason to break her away from the others. He motioned to the room. “The paper is still on the table.”

  Mattie made Grace promise to come get her if there was more news, then went with Bo to the conference room.

  Bo closed the door behind them. Taking the chair opposite hers, he asked, “How are you doing?”

  She didn’t answer immediately, and when she looked up, her eyes were glossy with tears. “I’m all right.”

  “Sure?”

  “Nay,” she wheezed.

  He reached across the table for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Nathan’s in God’s hands.”

  “I know.”

  She didn’t pull her hand away and he didn’t release his for several moments. When he did, he tapped the paper. “You should start making the list for the doctor.”

  Mattie jotted a few things down and paused. “I can’t think.”

  “What do you have so far?”

  She picked up the paper. “Oatmeal, honey, milk, and bread.” She tossed the paper on the table. “Everything’s a blur.”

  Bo snatched the paper and pen. “Close your eyes.”

  “What?”

  “Close your eyes,” he repeated. He waited until she finally did. “The doctor wanted a list of anything he might have ingested. Cleaning supplies. Chemicals. Plants. Now picture your greenhouse. You’re opening the door. What do you see on the left?”

  “Mei worktable.”

  “And?”

  Her eyes popped open. “I don’t see how this is going to help. Is this a trust thing?”

  “I already know you trust me. Now, close your eyes.”

  She did, but more out of embarrassment. Her face was flushed, a shade of pink he’d like to see more often because of the way it intensified the simple beauty of her face. “What’s on the table?”

  “Potting soil and clay pots.”

  “What’s hanging above the table?”

  Her eyes opened again. “How do you know I have herbs hanging?”

  “I’ve been in your greenhouse. I told you. The day I came over—the day you fainted—I heard a lamb bleating. I found him in your greenhouse and I returned him to the barn.”

  “Oh.” She closed her eyes without his prompting.

  “What herbs are drying?”

  “Rosemary. Lavender. Sage.”

  Bo listed everything she mentioned. He walked her through the greenhouse, then the soap detergents in the washhouse, the cleaning supplies under the kitchen sink, and finally everything in the bathroom. “I think this is a good place for the doctor to start,” he said, looking over the page-long list.

  Her eyes lit. “I told you about feverfew, right?”

  “Right.” He remembered reading in the chart about her giving Nathan that herb, but Bo added it to the list anyway with a sidenote that she’d made him a broth the day he was first admitted. The doctor probably read it in the chart, but it didn’t hurt to put it on the list.

  “Foxglove. Add that one to the list. I have plants surrounding mei garden to keep the deer out and seeds in the greenhouse.”

  Bo jotted down the information. He would inspect the barn and greenhouse just to be sure nothing was overlooked once they left the hospital, but the current list would get the doctor started on things to rule out.

  “Danki. I don’t know that I could have kumm up with a list without your help.”

  “You’re wilkom.” He winked.

  She cracked a weak smile. “Are you making fun of me?”

  “Nay—no,” he teased, enjoying her faint smile.

  “Do you think I’ll be able to see Nathan nau?”

  “Let’s ask.” He pushed up from the chair and, as he rounded the table to her side, his phone buzzed.

  “Lambright.”

  Mattie pointed at the door and mouthed, I’ll go out.

  Bo cupped his hand over the receiver. “Don’t go. This will just take a minute.”

  “Hello? Bo, is that you?” The woman’s frantic voice sounded muffled.

  “Yes, Mrs. Walker. Is everything all right?”

  “It’s Josh. Have you heard from him?”

  “No. How long has he been gone?”

  Mrs. Walker sighed. “He was gone when I got up this morning. I kept thinking he would be back, but now it’s after dinner. I’m really worried.”

  Bo grimaced. “Let me look into it and I’ll get back with you.”

  “I realize he’s had a troubled history,” Mrs. Walker said, “but I can’t have his poor behavior influencing the other boys. I can’t keep him if he’s going to constantly disobey the rules.”

  “I’ll have a talk with Josh when I find him.” For the first time since becoming Josh’s caseworker and Big Brothe
r, he wanted to give the kid a good shake, but that would make Bo no better than his own father—the past would repeat itself, the very reason Bo would never marry and have children.

  “Please call me as soon as you hear something.”

  “I will.” He ended his call. “Something’s come up, Mattie.”

  “You’re leaving?” Desperation filled her eyes. “Do you have to?”

  She was talking out of fear, but for a split second, he felt the urge to pull her into his arms and make promises that he could never keep. He cleared his throat. “I can come back and check on you.”

  She blinked a few times and fresh tears dribbled down her cheeks. “They’re nett going to let me see Nathan again unless you’re with me, are they?” She paused. “I’m sorry. I have no business asking you to stay.”

  He grabbed the paper on the table. “Let’s turn this in and see if the doctor will make an exception about the visitation.” He cupped her elbow and guided her out of the room. In the hall, the other church members met them. Bo felt the weight of all of their stone-cold stares, the bishop’s in particular. For all he knew, Mattie was the bishop’s daughter or daughter-in law. He wouldn’t go down that road. Bo released Mattie’s elbow. “You wait here while I try to make the arrangements.”

  Bo approached the nurse at the desk. “I have the list Doctor Oshay asked Mrs. Diener to make. I would also like to speak with him a minute if that’s possible.” A few moments later, Bo stood before the doctor explaining the situation.

  “I can’t make that decision,” Doctor Oshay said in an even tone. “You need permission from either Doctor Wellington, who is the attending physician, or administration. I’ll have Doctor Wellington paged.”

  “Thank you.” Bo glanced at his watch as Doctor Oshay approached the nurses’ station. Even if Doctor Wellington was available, she wouldn’t allow the unsupervised visitation. She was the reason Bo was under investigation. Administration might okay the request provided a hospital caseworker was present, but Ms. Elroy had twisted Mattie’s words the last time.

  “Excuse me,” he said, getting the attention of the nurse making the call. “I’m going to stay and monitor the visitation. I’m sorry for all the trouble.”

  She hung up the phone. “To be honest, it’s after five and the administration building is closed for the day. I doubt the on-call administrator would have agreed to the request over the phone anyway.”

  “I understand.” Bo pulled in a long breath and released it slowly. Turning, he spotted Mattie in the crowd. Finding Josh would have to wait. Mattie needed him more.

  Mattie watched Bo the moment he turned away from the nurses’ desk. She’d seen that worried look before. “Excuse me,” she muttered to Grace and the others and she walked toward Bo. “Are they going to let me see Nathan?”

  “In a few minutes.”

  “Alone?”

  Bo held her gaze a half second, then averted his attention to the floor. “The nurse was going to see if the hospital case manager could monitor the . . .” He looked up. “I don’t trust her.”

  Mattie swallowed hard. She remembered the woman from when Nathan was in the hospital the last time. She didn’t trust her either. At the same time, she was still wrestling with trusting Bo despite sensing he wanted the best for her—for Nathan.

  “I’m going to stay,” he said.

  “I thought you needed to leave. You said something had come up.”

  “It can wait.”

  His smile had a way of taking her by surprise—warming her insides. She looked down at the hem of her dress and silently chided herself for allowing a simple smile to affect her. He was an Englischer after all, someone she shouldn’t allow to affect her in private ways. He looked beyond her and waved.

  Mattie glanced over her shoulder at the nurse leaving Nathan’s room, then turned and hurried over to the woman. “How is he? Can I see him nau?”

  “He’s resting comfortably, Mrs. Diener. Has the doctor talked with you about the bleeding episode?”

  Bo glanced at Mattie, then addressed the nurse. “We know Nathan’s been given a couple of units of blood to replace what he lost, and that his condition is guarded.”

  Mattie entered Nathan’s room, and seeing his ashen skin, she clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp. Her gaze traveled to a small tube that protruded from his nose and was connected to a container on the wall, which collected blood.

  “Don’t be alarmed by the restraints,” the nurse said, drawing Mattie’s attention to her son’s secured wrists. “They keep him from pulling the tube out of his nose.”

  Mattie’s throat tightened.

  “The tube isn’t hurting him,” Bo volunteered.

  “Yes, that’s true,” the nurse said. “We’re able to monitor the amount of blood loss. We can use that information along with the lab work to determine how much blood to replace.”

  The container wasn’t full. Mattie wanted to ask at what point they would give him more but couldn’t get the words to leave her mouth. She started to tremble. First her hands, then arms, then her entire body began to shake uncontrollably.

  Bo pushed a chair from the corner of the room closer to the bed. “I think you should sit down,” he said, guiding Mattie into the vinyl cushioned chair.

  She could only sit a moment before her nerves got the best of her. Mattie peered over at the nurse writing on a clipboard. “Has he asked for me?”

  The nurse looked up from the papers. “He hasn’t awakened . . . yet.”

  “Will he?” Her voice broke.

  “Right now it’s better for him to remain sedated.” The nurse continued her paperwork.

  Mattie’s legs weakened. She took a step backward and Bo was there to guide her into the chair again. His calm, reassuring presence didn’t stop her eyes from welling with tears. “He’s so pale.” Even to her ears, she sounded weak, frail. Hopeless.

  Bo’s Adam’s apple bobbed down his throat in a hard swallow. He grimaced, then looked up at the light fixtures attached to the ceiling.

  Mattie clamped her eyes closed. This was too much. Lord, I don’t understand why this is happening. Nathan is not responding. He doesn’t know I’m in the room.

  Her time with Nathan ticked away. Before she had a chance to see his eyes open, the nurse was telling her that visiting hours were over. Mattie looked at Bo. Ask them to let us stay longer . . . please, ask them.

  As if able to read her mind, he shook his head apologetically. “We’ve already stayed past our allotted time, Mattie. We need to go.”

  Allotted time. She scoffed. Her son was dying, and what time she had with him was measured in government-allowed minutes. Nathan was her son. Her responsibility. How could she wait another week to see him?

  Bo slipped his hand into hers. “Let me help you up,” he said, tugging gently.

  She rose from the chair, her gaze fixed on Nathan. “You rest nau, sohn. I’ll be back soon.” Her shoulders sagged as she followed Bo out of the room. Soon the other members of the district, whose faces were sober, surrounded them.

  “How is he?” Grace asked first.

  Mattie shook her head, unable to speak.

  “He’s lost a lot of blood,” Bo replied. “They’ve given him blood, but his blood pressure is low and there’s still the risk of him spontaneously bleeding again.”

  Grace wrapped her arm around Mattie’s shoulders but directed her question to Bo. “Why is he losing blood?”

  Bo shrugged. “That’s something they are still trying to figure out.” He glanced at Mattie, then looked at Ben. “I understand the children were in your care prior to Nathan being admitted.”

  “Yes. Nathan had a fever. That was all.” Ben’s expression hardened. “Why do you ask?”

  “Mattie’s been asked to make a list of . . . foods and even products Nathan had access to and might have accidently ingested. Would you do the same? Any information will help.”

  “Jah, of course,” Ben said. The frown softened. “Anythi
ng for Mattie and Nathan.”

  Bo’s cell phone rang. “Excuse me.” He stepped to the other end of the hall and took the call. A few minutes later, he returned, a stricken look on his face. “Mattie, can I talk with you a moment?”

  She studied his grim expression. “What is it? Did you hear something more about Nathan?”

  “No. I need to leave.” He glanced over her shoulder at the others and shifted his stance. “I-I just wanted you to know I’m going to petition the judge to extend your time.”

  “Will the judge do that?”

  “I don’t know.” He glanced at the others. “Will you be okay driving home alone?”

  “Jah, of course.”

  He stared at her a moment, wishing he didn’t have to leave. “I’ll pick up my car later. Is that going to be an issue?” His gaze went beyond her for a brief second. “I don’t want to leave without—I mean, I’ll stay and explain things to the bishop if you think—”

  “Everything will be fine.” As much as she didn’t like the thought of being the focus of gossip, she already was. But if seeing her children meant associating with an Englischer, so be it.

  “Okay.” He smiled. Bo started to turn, then pivoted back around. “I’m praying for Nathan . . . and you.”

  “He needs a miracle.” She glanced up at the ceiling and blinked back the tears. “Please,” she whispered. “Get the judge to change his mind.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Bo slipped into the restroom and changed out of the Amish clothes, then neatly folded and placed them into the paper bag. In the short time he’d worn the Amish clothes, he’d felt at home in them. Of course he would never make the mistake of admitting that to Mattie again. Made for him. He huffed. Stupid.

  Bo pressed the elevator button. He should have listened to his voice mail earlier. Had he been able to pick up Josh, the kid wouldn’t have thumbed a ride—wouldn’t have gotten into the car accident, and wouldn’t have been hauled into the ER in the back of an ambulance. Bo pressed the button again. Maybe he should take the stairs.

  The door opened and Bo hit the Close button a few times. Landing on the lower level, Bo followed the signs to the emergency room.