by Unknown
She followed the sound of the music until she got to a large fountain in the middle of the park and saw a group of musicians standing there. There were other instruments too, but Emma stood and stared at the accordion, isolating its sound and for a second, imagining that she was back home. The accordionist smiled at her and she smiled back, feeling a lot more comfortable. When the song was over, the accordionist said, “Mind sparing some change?” Emma licked her lips nervously and backed away. The man called out, “Hey lady, don’t be like that. Come on, pay up.” Emma continued to back away, feeling very scared as the accordionist sneered at her, “Where are you from anyway? You’re dressed like a freak!” The other musicians laughed nastily.
“I- I don’t have anything to g-give,” Emma stammered nervously but the man kept coming closer as he said, “Did you escape from an asylum or something?” Emma turned and started to run, but she could feel the musicians running after her, laughing loudly as they called her names. A large man suddenly blocked her path and Emma looked up, trembling with fear. “Hey!” he shouted and Emma froze before she realized that he was addressing the accordionist and not her. “Back off! She said she hasn’t got anything.” The accordionist glanced nastily at the man, but seeing his height and width, he didn’t say anything in response. “Go on- scram,” the large man said angrily, and the musicians turned and walked off, grumbling amongst themselves.
Emma sighed with relief and turned to the man, grateful to him but she saw him looking at her with a strange expression on his face. “What are you doing here?” he asked her, sounding strangely angry. Emma blinked at him, as she said uncertainly, “My mother is in the hospital I was just out for a walk.” The man shook his head and said, “If you don’t know the place then don’t wander around alone, expecting other people to come to your rescue.” Emma’s jaw dropped open and she closed it hastily as she said, “I wasn’t expecting-” but before she could finish, the man had turned around and walked away. Emma stood there speechless for a few moments, her face flushed red with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. She watched him walk away and then shook her head, balling her fists with frustration.
Too angry to think clearly, she decided to walk back to the hospital, and followed the same route she had taken. As she walked, she kept thinking about what the man had said. From the way she was dressed, it must have been obvious that she wasn’t from here, and she felt that it was horribly rude of him to say those things to her. As she continued walking, she felt angrier and more upset, and wanted nothing more than to get back to the hospital and stay there until it was time to go back to Faith’s Creek. As she stepped back onto hospital grounds, she heard some men shouting in the distance. They were woodcutters bringing down a tree that had been blocking the driveway. Emma watched, fascinated as the men worked together to bring it down. Once the tree was down, one of the men signaled to the others. As he turned around, Emma stood frozen to the spot. It was the same man who had told her off for wandering on her own.
*****
As Emma stared, she turned redder and redder, but no matter the intensity of her embarrassment, she could not seem to tear her gaze away. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with thick blond hair and the bluest eyes she had ever seen. Without the shade of the trees, Emma could see him much better now and she wondered if he knew the effect he was having on her. Still, she wouldn’t let herself be distracted by his handsomeness and she marched over to him, crossing her arms as she stood before him. She was comically tiny next to his large frame, and he raised an eyebrow as he looked at her.
“It’s you again,” he said rolling his eyes and attempting to walk past her, but Emma blocked his path and said crossly, ‘I think you should apologize.” The woodcutter laughed and then stopped when he realized she was serious. “Wait- me? Why should I apologize? For saving you?” Emma gasped and said, “Saving me and then humiliating me, yelling at me like that when I didn’t do anything wrong.” The woodcutter looked at her for a moment. She was a very small girl but the way she standing now with her wild eyes and her folded arms, there was something incredibly arresting about her. He held up his hands in mock surrender and said, “Alright, you win. I’m sorry.”
Emma dropped her arms to her sides and said with an expression of utter shock, “Really?” He smiled again and nodded as he said, “Yes, you’re right. I shouldn’t have gotten mad at you. There was no reason to, you didn’t do anything wrong.” Emma looked at him suspiciously and said, “Are you making fun of me?” The woodcutter laughed and shook his head, “No, I swear.” He extended his hand and said, “I’m Michael.” She glanced at it, she didn’t touch men, and then looked back at his face as she said, “My name is Emma.” He dropped his hand and amicably said, “It was nice meeting you, Emma- strange, but nice.” This time Emma smiled and Michael gazed in wonder at how her face seemed to transform.
“Hey!” a loud voice called out and Michael turned to see the rest of the woodcutters waiting for him. “I should get back to work,” he said, scratching his head awkwardly. “Maybe I’ll see you around.” He turned and went back to the others and Emma turned and walked back into the hospital building unable to hide the wide smile that was slowly spreading on her face. She hurried past the front desk and avoided the scary doors, choosing to run up the stairs instead. When she burst into her mother’s room, she saw her sitting up and looking out the window. “Emma, where did you go?” she asked her daughter, her face scrunched up with worry.
“Mama, I didn’t know you would be awake. I was- I was looking around at the hospital.” She hurried over to her mother and peered at her face, “Do you feel any better?” Her mother shook her head and said, “No, but you do. Maybe this place does heal after all.” Emma waved a hand dismissively and sat at the foot of the bed as she said, “The physician said he’ll fix you right up and then we can go home.” Her mother shook her head and said, “You’ve always been a terrible liar, dear.” She laughed and the laugh turned into a cough that had her entire body convulsing violently. Emma patted her mother gently on the back and felt dismayed at the thought that she might even be getting worse.
Once the nurses had seen to her mother, and she was asleep, Emma walked over to the window and thought back to Michael. He was very handsome, that was for sure. She blushed even just thinking about it, but she had never seen anyone like him before. The men back in the community were all the same. They had their hats and their beards, and they even dressed the same. She thought of Mrs. Bailer’s son, Daniel, with his austere expression and his black hat and she almost shuddered at the thought that she might have to marry him. That’s not what she imagined when she thought of her future, but she knew that was what was laid out for her by the community elders, and she had little choice in the matter.
Her marriage would determine the family’s status in the community, and based on that, the rest of her sisters would be asked for their hand in marriage. If Emma married Daniel Bailer, it would mean that the sons of the most respected families would come as suitors for the Weaver girls, but if Emma were to marry someone less respected, or indulge in some scandal, that would endanger the prospects of all her sisters. She thought of Rosie and her desire to marry Caleb and how the elders seemed to think that decision rested on Emma’s shoulders.
She sighed. Things were far too complicated for her. It wasn’t like the English world where everyone could marry for love. Love, she considered the word. She had never even met Daniel properly, and she never been in love with anyone. She shook her head and told herself she was being silly- things didn’t work like that in the community. Her parents didn’t know each other before they were married, but they surely loved each other. She turned and glanced at her mother, thinking of how her illness had affected her poor father. She sighed and turned to the window again. As she gazed out into the hospital grounds, she saw the woodcutters working and she could tell which one was Michael. Even from high up, she could make out his thick blond hair and his broad back. She tried to turn away, to st
op looking, but she couldn’t pull herself away. She heard his laugh ringing in her ears and felt herself turn red.
*****
“Emma, why don’t you go to the cafeteria and get yourself a bite to eat?” the nurse said in a kind but stern voice. It was clear that Emma was getting in her way. She glanced nervously at her mother, who nodded and said, “Go on, dear. I’ll be alright.” She nodded and then slipped out of the room, hurrying straight for the stairwell that led her down to the hospital grounds. As soon as she got to the reception, however, she spotted a familiar face. It was the driver who had brought them into the city, and when he saw Emma he called out to her. She plastered a smile on her face and walked over to him as he smiled and asked, “How’s your mother?”
“She seems to be better than yesterday,” Emma said softly and the driver nodded as he said, “Well I just wanted to check in. Where are you headed?” As he spoke to her, Emma saw someone open the door from the corner of her eye and she caught a glimpse of the hospital grounds. She longed to go outside but she knew she had to politely converse with the man who had been so helpful to her family. “I was going to get some lunch,” she paused and then with some hesitation, she added, “Would you like to join me?” The driver nodded quickly and said, “I’m famished.”
Emma felt the disappointment sinking in her stomach as she realized that she had missed her chance to go outside and run into Michael. She had been thinking about all day yesterday and since she had woken up this morning, she only had him on her mind. She smiled at the driver and followed him into the cafeteria, already trying to hatch another plan where she might be able to organize a run-in without being too obvious about it. Just as she was thinking about it, she walked straight into someone. “I’m sorry,” she started to say but then stopped when she recognized the blonde hair and kind blue eyes. “Michael,” she gasped, as he smiled at her and said, “How nice to run into you.”
She turned red as she said, “Yes- um this is a family friend,” pointing to the driver. He extended his hand and as Michael took it, he said affably, “I’m Emilio, I travel in and out of the Amish community here, and so I happen to know Miss Emma’s family well.” Michael nodded and said, “I’m currently working here- the hospital grounds are a long project and I have to lead a team of six woodcutters to make the driveway more navigable.” Emilio nodded and said, “Wow, that’s hard work. I’m just a driver most of the time. We were just going to go and get some lunch, would you like to join us?”
Emma’s heart started to beat faster and she hoped he wouldn’t say no. Michael smiled and said, “I really should be getting back,” Emma felt her heart deflate, but then Michael continued, “But I suppose I can get a bite to eat first.” Emma could hardly contain her smile and she tried not to skip as they made their way to the cafeteria. Michael’s hair had been punched back today and he looked exceptionally handsome as he smiled and laughed, talking to Emilio. “Oh, Miss Emma’s an excellent cook,” Emilio was now saying, and hearing her name, Emma snapped back to reality. “Really?” Michael said, glancing at her with a twinkle in his eye, and Emma blushed as she said, “I wouldn’t say excellent.” Emilio scoffed and said, “Always so modest. No, she can do everything. She cooks, sews, cleans, she even raises chickens and horses.”
The rest of the conversation was carried out by the two men, while Emma just glanced up shyly at Michael every now and then and somehow, she always seemed to catch looking at her. During lunch, as Emma tried to gulp down the unfamiliar food, a loud beeping noise started near Emilio and as Emma panicked, Emilio calmly pulled out a small device from his pocket and started talking into it. He put it back and said, “Don’t worry, Emma that was just my phone.” He clapped his hands and said, “Well, duty calls. I have to go back to work. Emma, should I walk you to your room?” Michael held up his hand and said, “I’ll make sure she reaches her ward, Emilio.” He stood up and the two men shook hands before Emilio waved them goodbye and left.
Alone with Michael, Emma gulped and said, “I’ve learned my way around the hospital, you don’t have to walk me.” But Michael shook his head and said, “I guess I just like spending time with you. If that’s alright with you, I mean.” He seemed uncharacteristically shy and Emma found that so endearing she beamed widely and said, “Yes that’s perfectly alright with me.” Michael scratched his head sheepishly and then got up, waiting for her. She stood up and gathered up her skirts as they exited the cafeteria. As they passed a crowd of people, Emma saw them whispering and pointing at her. She suddenly felt her good spirits leave her and her face fell. Michael noticed and said, “I think you’re just fascinating to them, you certainly are to me.” Emma managed a small smile and together, they walked out into the hospital corridor.
“So, yesterday you told me it was your mother who’s in the hospital, right?” Michael asked, and Emma nodded. “What’s wrong with her, if you don’t mind me asking?” Emma shrugged and said, “I don’t really know. She’s been ill for some time now, and in my community we don’t really believe in medicine. We have a physician who gives us herbs and basic treatment, but he said that the disease she has isn’t something he can treat. So we came out here.” Michael nodded and said, “I’m sorry for your family’s suffering. Is it just the two of you?” Emma shook her head and said, “Heavens no, I have four younger sisters and my father back home.” Michael laughed and said, “Five sisters? Wow, I’m an only child.” Emma smiled and as the two continued talking as they walked through the hospital, she felt the butterflies in her stomach flutter uncontrollably.
*****
After Michael had dropped Emma off to her room, he walked back, feeling very strange. She was like an alien with her old-fashioned ways and her strange clothes, but she was so beautiful and so fierce under all that austerity that he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Michael shook his head. Maybe she wasn’t an alien, but she definitely inhabited a completely different world. She didn’t even know what a cellphone was and she had never seen a car before. He knew it was ridiculous to even think about her like that, but he couldn’t help it.
He stopped suddenly. He didn’t care about all of that. All he knew was that he wanted to see her again. He looked around and wondered what he could possibly say to justify seeing her again. Suddenly, he had a wild idea and he fingered the pocket of his shirt as he considered it. It was completely mad, just mad enough to maybe even work. He ripped off the pocket in a sudden and fluid gesture and as he stared at the torn fabric in his hands, he grinned.
Emma was just curling up on the window seat when there was a sharp knock on the door. Glancing quickly at her sleeping mother, she hurried to the door and answered it, shocked to see Michael standing there, smiling sheepishly. “Michael? What’s wrong?” He didn’t answer her, but shifted his weight slowly from one foot to the other. “Emma stepped out into the corridor and closed the door behind her as she said, “Is everything alright?” Michael scratched his head and held out a scrap of fabric as he said, “I was hoping you could help me with something.”
Emma reached gingerly and took the scrap in her hands, realizing that it was a pocket off his shirt. Michael shrugged and said, “I don’t know what happened but I was putting something in and it just came right off. Do you think you could fix it? I have to go meet my boss and I can’t go like this.” Emma looked at it and nodded as she said, “Of course, I’m sure I have a needle and some thread inside. You’d better come in, but we’ll have to be quiet.” Michael nodded and gratefully said, “Thank you, Emma, you’re a lifesaver.”
She led him into the room, glancing nervously at her mother as she rummaged through her things for the needle and thread. Once she found it, she turned to him and gulped. “You’ll have to- I can’t stitch it on while you’re- wearing it.” She was turning bright red as she said it, and Michael licked his lips before he said, “Yes- of course.” Slowly, he unbuttoned his shirt, peeling it off as he realized he hadn’t thought the situation through. He handed the shirt and she took it word
lessly, trying not to look at his bare torso, but he was so breathtakingly handsome that she was having a hard time not staring.
She stitched slowly and carefully, making sure she did the job well, but his half-naked presence was making her very aware of herself and she felt her fingers trembling. “Do you-” Michael started to stay but stopped and cleared his throat, “Do you want me to step outside?” Emma glanced up, her eyes landing on his strong bare chest and she blushed as she shook her head and said, “No need, I’m almost done.” She furrowed her brows and concentrated on the needle, and as the sunlight from the window fell on her, illuminating her eyelashes, Michael marveled at how beautiful she was.
He knew that he had lied and he felt bad about having asked her to work on something that didn’t need it in the first place, but he loved being around her so much. He glanced around the hospital room. It seemed so unadorned with just a knapsack lying on one of the chairs. There wasn’t a single flower or even a Get-Well-Soon balloon, and Michael wondered at how alone the two of them must feel out here. He resolved to do something nice for them, but before he had a chance to think about it, Emma was done with her stitching. “Here,” she said, standing up and handing him the shirt. He took it from her, catching her eye and then turning away quickly as he pulled the shirt on.
“It’s perfect. Good as new,” he said as he buttoned it up, “Thank you, Emma- I owe you.” Emma smiled and shook her head, “It’s no problem at all.” Michael thanked her again and then turned to go. Just as he was about to leave, he heard a soft moan from the bed and he froze with his hand on the doorknob. Emma’s mother had woken up and groggily, she called out to her daughter. Michael mouthed a goodbye and left quickly as Emma hurried to her mother’s side. “Emma, I had the strangest dream. There was a man in here, but he wasn’t wearing a shirt.” As Emma helped her mother sit up and handed her a glass of water and her medicine, she cleared her throat and said, “Yes, very strange indeed.” As her mother fell back asleep, Emma walked over to the window and rested her head against the glass, thinking about the strange day she had just had.