Plain Pursuit (21 page)

Samuel jerked away and took two slow steps backward as he glanced back and forth between Lillian and Noah, his eyes reddening with each wide stride. He blinked back his emotion, lifted his chin, and spun around on one foot. He’d only taken a few steps in the other direction when Lillian saw him hang his head and lift one hand to his face, nearly bumping into oncoming traffic in the hallway.

Lillian followed.

Carley was feeding Anna when she heard buggy wheels coming up the driveway the next morning. Dawn had barely broken. She wondered who could be visiting so early. She gave Anna’s mouth a gentle swipe with the towel and headed toward the kitchen door. When she opened it, she was shocked to see a line of buggies coming up the driveway.

What . . . ?

She walked onto the porch and counted the buggies as they drew closer. Twelve buggies in all. Sadie’s buggy was the first in line.

“Sadie, who are all these people, and what are they doing here?” Carley asked when Sadie reached her.

“Both of Samuel’s sisters, Rebecca and Mary Ellen; their daughters, Linda and Miriam; Samuel’s
mamm
, Esther; Katie Ann; and several others from our community,” Sadie said. “Lillian’s
mamm
, Sarah Jane, got a ride to the hospital from our
Englisch
friend Barbie.”

“But what is everyone doing here?”

Sadie was taken aback. She clasped her hands in front of her and straightened, then blew a loose ringlet of curly red hair from her face. “Why, we’re here to help, of course.”

Linda handed Carley a piece of paper. “This is a schedule of who will be bringing supper each night. Everyone in the community is pitching in—a different person’s cookin’ for all of you every night.”

Carley studied the note. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Katie Ann inched forward. “Ivan has made arrangements for the fields to be tended to,” she said.

“And our sons will be here early each morning to milk the cows,” Mary Ellen added.

A woman Carley hadn’t seen before extended her hand. “Hello, I’m Lena Mae. I will be coming by every couple of days to pick up any laundry, ironing, and mending that needs to be done.”

Carley took the woman’s hand, feeling overwhelmed and incredibly touched. “Thank you,” she said again, fighting back tears.

One by one, the women advised Carley about the duties they had assigned themselves. A neighboring teenager, the daughter of a woman named Suzie, offered unlimited babysitting services for Anna.

“I’m Lydia,” the teenager said. “
Mei bruder
, Elam, travels down Black Horse Road every day on his way to do construction in town. Leave a note on the fence post by the mailbox. Let me know the day before what time to be here. Elam will tell me.”

When Carley’s cell phone blared from the pocket of her blue jeans, Mary Ellen extended her arms to take Anna. “Thank you,” Carley said. She handed the baby over and fumbled for her phone.

Noah updated her about the events of the early morning and told her that the renal team had just met with Lillian, Samuel, David, and Lillian’s mom. Noah advised Carley about her role.

“Samuel
has already been tested, and he isn’t a match. He was really upset that he can’t be the one to give David a kidney. So now we need to see if any of the family has David’s blood type and could be a potential donor for him. It’s a very personal choice that no one should be pressured or coaxed into. If they are willing, could you round up Ivan and Rebecca and bring them to the hospital? The renal doctor will talk to them, educate them, and they can decide whether to consider being a donor. You don’t have to bring Mary Ellen. Lillian said she is anemic.” He paused, sighing.

Carley was trying to absorb everything.

“This whole thing is just ridiculous. I have David’s blood type. I should be the one who is getting screened as a potential match.” Noah said.

“I suppose that’s not a possibility?” Carley knew the answer.

“Samuel won’t even consider it. He’s very hardheaded and unforgiving.”

“I’ll talk to Rebecca and I’ll see if we can swing by and pick up Ivan.”

She hung up with Noah and promised to see him later at the hospital, then updated the women. Rebecca didn’t hesitate when Carley asked her about going to the hospital to be screened. Carley suspected Ivan would be just as willing. Carley also confirmed that Mary Ellen was anemic. Leaving Anna with the other women, Carley and Rebecca left to go pick up Ivan and head to the hospital.

Carley’s stomach rolled the minute she walked through the double doors of the hospital. The smell . . . She held her breath as long as she could. When she was finally forced to inhale, she choked and nearly vomited.

“You all right?” Rebecca asked.

Carley nodded but kept her hand over her mouth. Only a few more steps and she’d be in the elevator—a brief reprieve from the repugnant odor and the painful memories resurfacing.

The bell dinged for David’s floor and the elevator doors began to open. She sucked in a breath, but it was pointless. She couldn’t hold her breath the entire time she was there. Nor could
she resist the urge to peer into patients’ rooms as she, Rebecca, and Ivan headed down the hallway to David’s room. Sick people. She wondered how many of them would die in those very beds.

She pushed the morbid thought out of her head as they arrived at David’s room.

Carley noticed right away that David looked much worse this morning. His skin was 1paler and his eyes droopy, as if he was heavily sedated. Lillian and Samuel were sitting in chairs on each side of his bed, both of them slumped over with exhaustion. Lillian’s mother was also sitting in a chair nearby.

Rebecca and Ivan both greeted Lillian and Samuel with hugs. Rebecca kissed David on the forehead. Carley was hoping David didn’t notice the dread on both Rebecca’s and Ivan’s faces.

“How’s Anna?” Lillian asked Carley.

“Little Anna is fine. She’s with Mary Ellen and a bunch of other ladies from the community who showed up early this morning. They have meals lined up, each one taking a turn cooking for you. One of the women will be helping with washing the clothes, mending, and ironing. The men and boys are going to take care of the fields and milk the cows. We even have an on-call babysitter for Anna. It’s just amazing.” Carley shook her head, wondering how differently things might have been handled in her world.

“It’s our way,” Sarah Jane answered when Lillian appeared too choked up to respond. Even Samuel looked down, fighting his own emotions. “The community pulls together at a time like this.”

Carley stood at the foot of David’s bed and looked at Lillian. “I want you to utilize me the best way possible. I’ll help whenever and however you need me. I’ll stay at the farm and work. I’ll stay here with you. I can run errands. You tell me what you want me to do.”

She drew in a breath, hoping Lillian would choose to make use of her somewhere other than in the hospital.

“Lillian,” Sarah Jane interjected, “since Rebecca and Ivan are here, why don’t you go stretch your legs. Go take a walk with Carley.”

Carley knew what Lillian’s mother was trying to do. Lillian looked like she was about to fall apart, and that wouldn’t be a good thing for David to see.

Lillian nodded, and she and Carley moved toward the door.

Once they were out of David’s room, Lillian doubled over at the waist and clutched Carley’s arm for support. Carley walked her to a bench down the hall.

“I know he’s not my son, Lillian. But he feels like my son.” Lillian folded her hands tightly against her chest.

“Lillian, he
is
your son.” Carley wrapped her arms around her friend. “You are his mother. You are reacting exactly the way any mother would. I know in my heart that everything is going to be fine.”

“David looks so much worse this morning,” Lillian cried. “If anything happens, Carley, I don’t know what I’ll do. And Samuel . . .”

“I know you’re worried about Samuel too. I think we need to get you a cup of coffee and something to eat. You’ve got to keep your strength up.”

“I can’t eat,” Lillian responded, shaking her head.

“Not even a pastry from the bakery down the street?” Carley heard Noah ask as he approached with a big white box. “No one makes a better pastry than Mary King.” He handed Lillian the box, which she accepted.

“Thank you, Noah. Maybe I’ll have one later.” She dabbed at her eyes.

Carley suspected Noah hadn’t left the hospital or slept either; he’d added another day’s stubble to his chin, and the shadows had darkened under his eyes. He was dressed in the same blue jeans and white T-shirt as yesterday, and Carley knew Noah was here to be with his family and not on the clock.

“Are Rebecca and Ivan here?” Noah asked Carley.

“Yes, they’re in David’s room.”

“I’ll have one of the nurses take them to the lab to have blood drawn. I don’t want to upset Samuel any further by going in there.”

Lillian looked relieved, but she didn’t say anything.

“How long until we know if Rebecca or Ivan is a match?” Carley asked Noah.

“We’ll know right away whether or not they have a compatible blood type.”

13

CARLEY FINISHED HER COFFEE OUTSIDE IN THE HOSPITAL courtyard then ventured back up to David’s room. Getting out of the building for a few minutes had helped, but the red Chevy continued to lurk nearby, along with the expression on her mother’s face when she’d looked at Carley for the last time.

Carley was anxious to hear if Rebecca’s or Ivan’s kidney was a match for David, so she tried to focus on her friend’s needs. When she did, her own issues waned a tad, and she was able to endure the hospital smells and memories.

She returned to find Ivan, Rebecca, and Sarah Jane sitting in chairs and glued to the television, along with an older Amish man she’d never met. David wasn’t in his bed, and Lillian and Samuel were gone.

“Where are David, Lillian, and Samuel?” she asked as Noah trailed in behind her.

“Lillian and Samuel went with David to have an echocardiogram,” Rebecca said. Guilt swept across her face at being caught watching the forbidden TV. The elderly man merely commented on the woman in the toothpaste commercial.

“She’s a mite too skinny,” he said. “She’d be
gut
to fatten up before they put her back on the television.” He pushed his straw hat up slightly and took
in Carley. “You must be Carley, no?”

“Yes, sir.” Carley extended her hand to him and he latched on, glancing at Noah. “And I reckon you’re the wayward
bruder
?”

“Pop, stop it,” Sarah Jane reprimanded. “Carley and Noah, this is my father, Jonas. Lillian’s grandpa.”

“Pleased to meet you, sir,” Noah said. He offered his hand to Jonas.

Without hesitation, the man firmly took hold. “You don’t look like such a
baremlich
man to me.” He arched his brows as if waiting for confirmation from Noah.

“Depends on who you ask,” Noah said as he shrugged, then glanced at his brother and sister. Ivan wouldn’t look his way, and Rebecca fiddled with the string on her black apron.

“Well, I don’t reckon I’d ask those two, then,” Jonas said. He cut his eyes in Ivan and Rebecca’s direction.

“Pop!” Lillian’s mother snapped. “Stop it.”

Jonas sat up a little straighter. “I think all you people need to lighten up a bit.”

Sarah Jane scolded her father with her eyes. Carley stifled a smile. What a free-spirited character this man was, so unlike the Amish men she’d met so far.

“That includes you, Sarah Jane Miller,” Jonas added. He lifted his chin toward his daughter, who rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“Rebecca and Ivan, did you find out your blood type?” Noah asked.

Rebecca turned toward Ivan as if seeking permission to speak to Noah.

Ivan folded his arms across his chest and said, “Rebecca and me are neither one a
gut
match to give a kidney to David.”

“Oh no,” Carley sighed.

Before anyone could comment, the door to David’s room swung open and two doctors entered, one of whom was Dr. Bolton. He introduced the other as Dr. Lukeman.

Noah seemed to tense up when he saw Samuel and Lillian walk in behind the two doctors.