A Baby for Hannah (34 page)

“That doesn’t sound very Amish.”

“I know. That’s why it’s going to be big but decent. There’s going to be lots of room for our children. And an upstairs loft with bedrooms and a bath.”

“That sounds plain to me.”

“Isn’t that what we are?”

“
Jah,
but I want something nice for you.”

“A refrigerator and a gas stove will be plenty, Jake. And really we don’t have to do anything. I’m happy here. Perfectly happy here. Don’t I have you?”

“And soon our
bobli
.”

“
Jah,
and isn’t that enough?”

“I’m still building the cabin. This one is way too small.”

“Maybe Bishop John was right?”

“Bishop John?” he said as the popcorn began pinging against the metal popper.

“He said you are very stubborn.”

Thirty-Six

Hannah hitched Mosey to the buggy, pausing as the sound of Mr. Brunson’s truck came down the graveled lane. She waited, wondering if Mr. Brunson would stop in and speak with her—or was he uncomfortable now that his relationship with Mary had turned serious?

As Mr. Brunson came into view, Hannah waved. Mr. Brunson waved back, slowing down a little. Hannah caught sight of his face. He looked happy, but he didn’t stop.

Climbing into the buggy, Hannah guided Mosey down the lane and turned toward Libby at the blacktop road. Great fluffy clouds filled the skyline above the mountain range, diluting the raggedness of the peaks. The clouds were moving slowly to the south. They glided along as if pushed by the hand of
Da Hah,
although the science book in school had said wind currents were responsible for cloud movements. Was
Da Hah
perhaps like that? Hiding His hand behind the natural things of the world?

Hannah sighed. Was He trying to move Jake and her in some direction with the events of the past weeks? If He was, they didn’t seem to be moving much. Trying to survive was more like it. If old Menno Troyer hadn’t spoken up, who knows what action Bishop John might have taken against Jake. Yet Bishop John had a kind heart, didn’t he? Maybe he would have come to the same conclusion on his own.

Mosey shook his head, as the tugs tightened on the slight uphill climb past Betty’s place. Hannah almost pulled back on the lines. No one was working at the barn, but it was still early. Should she stop in? But the conversation might take longer than she had time for. The questions would have to wait until after the appointment with Dr. Lisa. Had any new people from the community been attending the tent meetings this week? Jake hadn’t been told of any, but that didn’t mean anything. Betty likely would hear of it first.

Hannah drove on thinking how Jake had been burdened all week, even with the
gut
news from Sunday. Hannah tightened the reins as the tent came into view, its canvas sides moving slowly in the wind. Did
Da Hah
also move with His hand behind those flimsy walls? Had Mary done the right thing in agreeing to join the Mennonites, even if she was in love with Mr. Brunson?

Perhaps things looked differently once one was older, but still that would be an awful big change to make. Mosey turned his head to look at the tent, staring for long moments.

“They’ll be gone soon,” Hannah said out loud. “Really soon, and I can’t wait. Jake has already suffered enough.”

Mosey shook his head, turning to look at the other side of the road.

“I know,” Hannah said. “I can’t stand the sight of the tent either. I wish they had never come here, but they did, and now we all have to deal with the mess.”

Hannah jumped at the loud honking of an automobile horn behind her buggy and jerked back on the reins. Mosey slowed down, but didn’t come to a stop. With a loud roar of the engine, a dark blue pickup swung around the buggy, the young teenage boy who was driving waving wildly. He turned around briefly to look back, a big smirk on his face. Hannah took a deep breath as she turned into Dr. Lisa’s parking lot and pulled her horse to a stop. She sat for a long moment in the buggy without moving. Was it true what her people said? That the Mennonites were simply a step out into the world? Would Mary Keim and Will and Rebecca Riley end up among the
Englisha
? Were their young folks slated for the fate of the rude young boy who roared past buggies and considered it a great joke?

“It must never happen to us,” she whispered as she climbed down and tied Mosey securely to the light post. “Jake and I have to raise our children to fear
Da Hah
and to walk in holiness. Please help us, God. Protect us from the evils of this world.”

Pressing her arms tightly around her swollen body, Hannah walked across the parking lot and up the steps into Dr. Lisa’s office.

“Good morning,” the receptionist said brightly. “How are you today?”

“Okay,” Hannah said, smiling weakly.

“You look a little peaked.”

“I’m okay,” Hannah said, taking a seat as the receptionist looked skeptically at her.

Nurse Sally came bustling up the hall, and Hannah turned toward her. Perhaps Sally would take her back in right away, out from under the receptionist’s scrutiny.

“Good morning, Hannah,” Sally said cheerfully. “Are we ready to go back?”

“
Jah,
” Hannah said, quickly getting to her feet.

The receptionist was still watching her as Sally led her down the hall. Did she really look that awful? Or was the kindly middle-aged lady simply allowing her motherly concern to get the best of her? Perhaps she had a daughter whose pregnancy had ended badly. Hannah shivered at the thought.

“Are you cold?” Sally asked.

“No,” Hannah said. “I’m fine.”

“I guess we’ll see,” Sally said, taking her temperature quickly.

“I’m just a little tired,” Hannah said. “Maybe that’s why I’m looking peaked.”

“Pregnancies can do that,” Sally said, lifting Hannah’s arm to strap on the blood pressure gauge, then pumping in air until the strap bit into Hannah’s arm.

“How is it?” Hannah asked as Sally wrote down the numbers.

“It’s up a little, but we’ll see what Dr. Lisa has to say. Come with me, and we’ll get you ready.”

Moments later Sally disappeared, and Hannah stared at the white wall as she waited. It was so different here, as it should be. This was a doctor’s office where bodies were nurtured and cared for. But the cabin at home was also what it should be, a place where the love between her and Jake could grow. A place of comfort, of shelter from the world, and a place where their children would be safe.

The door opened and Dr. Lisa came in.

“How are you doing, Hannah?” she asked, picking up the chart Sally had left.

“Fine, I think,” Hannah said, forcing a smile.

“Your blood pressure is up,” Dr. Lisa said, taking Hannah’s hand. “Are you still under a lot of stress?”

“I guess,” Hannah said, taking a deep breath. Dr. Lisa might as well know. “There’s been a lot of church things going on.”

“I see,” Dr. Lisa said. “Are you worried about this pregnancy?”

“Sometimes,” Hannah said. “But not really. I think this one will be okay.”

Dr. Lisa smiled. “That’s a good way to look at it. Have you thought more about using our birthing room?”

“
Jah,
” Hannah said. “And I appreciate the offer but I’d like to have the baby at home. It’s the way it should be. It’s not that your room isn’t nice—it certainly is. I’m sure it fits the needs perfectly of most people.”

“Does Jake agree with you on this?”

“I haven’t told him yet.”

“Well, you can always change your mind later. I try to be flexible, but I think you should contact the midwife soon. They sometimes have their schedules filled up. The woman’s name is Mattie Esh. The receptionist will give you Mattie’s card on your way out.”

Hannah nodded and repeated the name.

“So that’s settled then,” Dr. Lisa said, stepping back from the table. “And everything else looks fine. I would say we have a nice, healthy baby coming along.”

“Thanks,” Hannah said. “I hope I haven’t offended you with my decision not to use the birthing room.”

“Not at all,” Dr. Lisa said. “But let my office know at once if you should change your mind or if Mattie has any problems. I would much rather know sooner then after the problem has gotten out of hand.”

“I promise,” Hannah said. “And thank you so much.”

“The receptionist will take care of you then, and you should be okay,” Dr. Lisa said, closing the door behind her.

Hannah refastened her clothes and walked down the empty hall to the front desk.

“All ready to go?” the receptionist asked.

“
Jah,
” Hannah said, taking out the checkbook.

“Was everything okay?” the receptionist asked, handing her the bill.

“My blood pressure was a little high,” Hannah said, writing out the check. “But nothing serious.”

“Oh, that’s good to hear.”

“
Jah,
it is,” Hannah said, passing the check over the counter.

“So when will you be in next?” the receptionist asked, rising to her feet. “Let me ask Dr. Lisa because it doesn’t say anything on your chart. Or did she tell you?”

“No,” Hannah said. “I have plans to use the midwife now. Dr. Lisa said that should be okay unless complications come up. She said you’d give me her card.”

“Yes, certainly,” she said as she reached for a small stack of cards near her phone. “And Dr. Lisa did tell you to call us if there are any problems?”

“
Jah,
I promised her I would.” Hannah tucked the card in her pocket.

“Don’t forget then,” the receptionist said.

“I won’t,” Hannah said as she left. Mosey turned his head to look at her and whinnied when she got closer.

“I made the right decision, I know I did,” Hannah whispered as she untied Mosey and climbed into the buggy. “I want to have the
bobli
at home, the way it’s supposed to be.”

Guiding Mosey back into the street, Hannah settled back into the buggy seat. “Please God,” she whispered, her eyes sweeping the range of the Cabinet Mountains, “Let the
bobli
be okay. He can grow up here in this wonderful land, and Jake will be such a wonderful father for him.”

An
Englisha
car came from out of town, slowing down when it drew closer. Hannah pulled the buggy over toward the shoulder as the vehicle passed, its occupants looking back at Hannah, obviously amused. At least they had no objections to slowing down for Amish buggies. Perhaps they were from out of town and were surprised to see Amish in Montana. At least they weren’t like the tourists back home in Indiana, who sometimes stopped to take pictures of Amish buggies. That was another
gut
reason to live out here in the West.

As she approached the site of the tent, the canvas sides still swayed in the wind. Ben Stoll’s tent. At least it was his doing that it was here. So happy had she been in her thoughts about the
bobli,
she had forgotten about the Mennonite revival meetings. Would Ben see that it returned next year to claim more converts?

“Don’t let it happen, God,” she whispered. “We need a place to raise our family in peace. Jake doesn’t deserve another summer like he’s been through. Can You please change Ben Stoll’s heart, and send him somewhere else with his missionary zeal?”

Hannah sighed as the fluffy clouds moved across the ridges of the mountains.

“But not our will, but Yours be done,” she whispered. “If You see fit to allow another trial like this next year, please give Jake and me the strength to bear it. We are not strong of ourselves, but we ask that You give us Your strength, and give Jake the wisdom to make the right decision if Bishop John wants to excommunicate Ben again. And please don’t leave us alone. We so want to do what is pleasing to You.”

Thirty-Seven

Hannah pulled right at Betty’s driveway. Mosey tossed his head and wanted to turn the other way, but she finally responded to the steady pull.

“You’ll get home to your barn soon enough,” Hannah remarked, pulling up to the hitching rack. The barn door stood open, but there was no sign of Miriam. Hannah climbed down and tied Mosey to the post. He hung his head wearily and Hannah laughed. “You haven’t been on a long trip, so stop acting so lazy.”