"This is my dream," she reminded herself. Inspiered by Molly, her greatest goal was to be a nurse in the cancer ward. Instead she found so much depression. Children died. Neil had died. Even her own dear grandmother had all been taken by that horrible monster. She checked her watch as she finished her rounds. Goodness, she was supposed to have taken a lunch break fifteen minutes ago. She left her clipboard at the nurses station, and stopped by the ladies room on her way down to the cafeteria.
She looked in the mirror with a critical eye as she redid her hair. No matter how hard she tried that day, her fine hair wouldn't stay in the updo she had created that morning.
"Leah." A woman appeared in the mirror behind her. She jumped, running closer to the exit.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"Leah, you know who I am."
"Yes, but – I wasn't supposed to see you again Gabriella."
She smiled. "Go to the fourth floor."
"That's the maternity ward. I'm not assigned there."
Gabriella simply smiled that beautiful smile again. "You need to be on the maternity ward. Go." With that she vanished.
"Wait," Leah cried, "I had so many questions I wanted to ask you," she said as though talking to herself.
Her stomach rumbled as she entered the elevator and pushed the fourth floor button in annoyance. What was so darn important it couldn't have waited until after she had lunch. "Gabriella, couldn't you have given me a clue?" she wondered, as she walked past the nursery. The name from one of the cribs caught her eye. A baby girl named Gabriella.Baby Gabriella's last name was Roybal. The date under her name announced she was the oldest in the group, most likely the next to go home "Good enough," she mumbled. In curiosity she scanned the names on the other cribs. The crib marked "Chin, Tran" held a little Asian baby. His black shock of hair went in all directions over his tiny head. Then there was a little baby girl at the end. "Mary Longacre" was the name on thecrib and the newest in the group. 'How cute,' Leah thought.
Then she stopped in her tracks. The last name of Longacre was by no means a common last name. What if she was Ethans? No, maybe Eli moved to the area and that was his daughter. After all the Amish had their children at home she was certain. What if she was Charity's?There had to be a logical explanation.This little girl couldn't be Amish. She turned to go.
Maybe she would find whatever Gabriella had told her to find in the opposite direction, and came face to face with ... "Ethan?" "Leah." He appeared surprised, although he almost looked as though he were looking at her through a screen of pain.
"I was just up here trying to find one of the other nurses, and I stopped by to see the babies. Is Mary yours?"
He nodded, but his dazed look troubled Leah. "She is all mine unfortunately. Her mother passed away last night."
"Martha?" He nodded.
"Oh Ethan. I'm so sorry," she said, as she immediately gave him a consoling hug. "Can I ask what happened?"
"Her mother had complications with the birth. By the time they got her here, it was too late."
"Aren't there midwives that can handle such a thing?"
He nodded. "We had the most experienced midwife, Sarah Windridge, there. She performed a cesarean, however there was a complication she had no experience in treating. Martha was taken to the hospital right away, but she was called home."
"Oh Ethan."
He wandered over to the window. "I have no idea what to do with my little girl."
"You can raise her."
"Amish men are not taught to raise children."
"Perhaps you can have a girl from one of the neighboring farms to help you."
"Perhaps."
"Or maybe your mother or Charity? Even Elizabeth."
"Ahh, I couldn't ask such a thing of Charity or my mother. They have much to do with the wedding. And Elizabeth is having her time in the world. I can't ask her to give it all up to come help me with Mary."
"Wait, the wedding? Who's getting married?"
"Charity, within the month. I know she'd like to have you there."
'So soon after a death?' Leah wondered, but didn't say anything. "Come on," she said, putting her arm around him.
"Where are we going?"
"The hospital chapel. You look like you need a few minutes to think."
"I don't know what to think right now. Amish fathers are supposed to have Amish mothers for their children. I suppose I could give her to another family to raise, but that's all of Martha I have left I couldn't bear to do that."
"Then you shouldn't," she told him as she opened the door. They sat down on a bench. "Remember when you came to see me here when I was about to have my biopsy? You said you had a dream that I needed you?" He nodded. "Gabriella told me to go to the fourth floor."
Ethan immediately burst into tears. "Shh," she said, as she hugged him. She continued to hold him, letting him release all of the emotion he carried inside.
"God heard my prayer," he cried. "I prayed that he would send me some form of comfort. I never dreamed it would be you."
"I want to help you through this," she whispered softly in his ear, "the way you helped me when I needed someone."
It was a surreal drive to Napanee for Leah. Ethan in the front seat, looking so sad and alone. It hurt her so much to see him like that. Then there was the baby in back.
"Where is your farm?" she asked. He guided her to it. "Who's been taking care of your farm?" she asked. "Simeon." The drive was so uncomfortably quiet. She was glad when her convertible glided to a stop in front of his farm. She helped him get the car seat out, and into the house.
As they walked in, she realized that many members of the Amish community were there to help him.
"Leah," a familiar voice cried.
"Charity," she exclaimed as the two girls hugged.
"What are you doing here?" she asked in a hushed tone.
"All I can say is I was sent by God. I'll explain later,"Leah replied to her friends puzzled look.
"You're going to stay for supper at least," Charity insisted.
"I don't think I had better. I don't want anyone thinking I'm here to make Ethan mine or anything when his poor wife is barely dead." "It is not the Amish way to think in such a way. You are a friend here to offer your condolences and support for my brother. Therefore you are welcome here." Charity explained. She looked around the home to find the baby being safely passed around from woman to woman. Ethan sat on a chair looking lost and desolate.
"I'm going to see what else I can do for him," Leah muttered to Charity who nodded in understanding.
"Why are you wearing those funny pajama's "a little girl asked.
Leah laughed as she looked down at her scrubs. "I'm a nurse, and this is what nurses wear" she explained.
"Ruth, I want you to apologize," an older woman whom Leah assumed was her mother corrected her.
"I'm sorry," she said, suddenly looking downcast.
"It's quite alright," Leah assured her.
"I'm Esther Wheatly," she introduced herself.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Leah."
"What a pleasure to meet you. I apologize for my daughters comments. As you can see there aren't many English around here outside of tourist season."
"Quite understandable. I had many questions about the Amish when I first met the Longacres. Our worlds are quite different."
"Indeed they are," Esther nodded.
"Charity, I need you to go pick some radishes for me if you will?" Mrs. Longacre asked.
"Certainly Mama. Leah, come with me," she said, pulling her friend away from the potatoes she was peeling. "So Leah, what did you mean when you said you were sent by God?" Charity asked as soon as they were outside.
"Gabriella appeared to me. I had just finished my rounds when she appeared to me and told me to go to the maternity floor. She said I would know when I got there, and I saw Ethan. He told me he had prayed for a form of comfort, and assumed I was it."
"You don't believe you are?"
"Of course not, I'm English remember? The best thing for him would be an Amish wife who can bring up his daughter in the Amish traditions."
"Leah, God doesn't always work in ways we understand. Sometimes his will has to be accepted blindly until it's made know to us at a later time."
It was a new idea to Leah, and she kept turning over the idea in her head. "God doesn't always work in ways we understand." She believed in God, but the idea that he would make things happen that didn't make any sense wasn't something she was really sure she could except. As dinner was prepared and laid out on the table she didn't see Ethan. Concerned she prepared him a plate to take into him.
He was sitting on the edge of the bed staring blankly out the window. From the window the fields could be seen as they spread out for miles. It was beautiful as the sunset's dimming rays played off the landscape, however she guessed correctly that it wasn't the view that held his mind. "I don't know what I'm going to do Leah," he said quietly.
She slowly walked into the room and sat beside him, sitting the dish down on his bedside table. "I wish I had an answer for you," she replied.
"It means a lot to me that you're here."
"I just want to help you the way you helped me."
"Are you going to go home tonight?"
"I was thinking I could probably stay at the inn I used to work at. I still know people there."
He nodded.. It would mean a lot to me having you close by."
"I'm at your beck and call 24 hours a day," she told him, as she laid her hand on his knee. "Now I know you're not hungry but try to eat a little bit okay?" He nodded.
She felt really awkward among them. Unfamiliar with their customs, she didn't want to give Ethan a bad rep on top of everything else, but she wanted to be there for her friend. She walked back down stairs, and pulled Charity aside. "I'm completely a fish out of water. You have to clue me in as to what the guidelines are."