"Tillie?" Jacob Longacre looked at his wife as they sat at the
dining table.
"Yes, dear? Is everything wrong? You've been acting odd ever since you first went to visit your relative a few weeks ago. Everything is okay... isn't it?" Tillie became concerned. Jacob has greatly aged over the past few months and it greatly worried her.
"My relative? Oh yes! He's doing well. Nothing to worry about dear, "said Mr. Longacre quickly, trying to cover his lapse. He had forgotten that he had told his family he was visiting a relative when he really went to the doctor's at the hospital.
"Well okay. But what were you going to ask me?"
"Ethan." He didn't know how to put his thoughts in words. Ever since seeing Leah again after so long and after everything that had happened between her and his son, he began to have many personal reflections.
"Yes. I wonder too." She knew exactly how her husband felt. The end of their son's relationship with Leah was very bitter sweet but she supported her family, especially her husband and stand by him for teaching and upholding the ways of the Amish to their children. "But it was right for Ethan to come home. Do not doubt yourself, I don't doubt you." She smiled endearingly at her husband and returned to preparing supper.
"Thank-you. That's the answer I needed." He gently placed a soft kiss on his wife's velvet lips and quietly walked outside.
"Leah, have some more potatoes! You need more food for energy. You'll be starting work tomorrow. You'll be around sick people all day and you'll need to be one hundred percent! Come on! Eat up! There's no need to be polite. We're all going to be a family so do not hesitant at all!" Mrs. Barlow smiled sweetly as she handed Leah the bowl of mashed potatoes.
Leah had recovered from the shock and disbelief after seeing Ethan this afternoon and calmed herself with reason. This town isn't THAT small and I'm sure he's done his little 'fling' and has gotten baptized and will rarely come into town... minus today, thought Leah. "Oh thank-you and don't worry, I'll be fine for tomorrow!" She held the bowl and took a huge scoop of it and placed it strategically on her plate and passed it on to Maxine. "So you two, ready for school tomorrow?" She glanced at Maxine and Brian and smiled.
"Err... sure why not," responded Brian as he began to eat his salad.
"Oh Leah! Can't you see?! I'm already jumping for joy!" Everyone laughed as they all began to eat their dinner. Maxine was always very sarcastic with a free spirit.
Before they all knew it, Monday morning arrived and everyone rushed out of bed and got ready for school and work.
Bam! Bam! Bam! "Brian! Hurry up! I need the bathroom!" Maxine continued to scream as Leah sat downstairs in the kitchen sipping a warm cup of soothing coffee, her life-line.
Eventually, everyone was ready and set to start their Monday morning. Leah got into her convertible with Belinda and dropped off Brian and Maxine at school and drove to the new office, where Dr. Barlow was waiting for them. "Good morning ladies!"
The three of them quickly got into work by seeing the long list of patients, performing many routine examinations and a few booster shots here and there. For most of the day, she spent at the receptionist's desk as Belinda often was the one that helped the Doc since she was a fully qualified nurse. As the morning faded away and the afternoon was born, she became extremely bored. She suddenly caught notice of the appointment list for today and scrolled down it and was hit again in shock. Is this a test? You must be TRYING to kill me here, she thought. Her eyes saw nothing but...
Appointment Time: 3:30
Patient Name: Jacob Longacre
Patient Number: 451679113
Her heart nearly skipped five beats as she promptly looked up at the clock. It read "3:25". I still have time! I can take a break and come back once he leaves, thought Leah. But just as she ended that thought, there was a ding, ding at the door and Ethan's father had walked in. She hadn't seen him since they bumped into each other at the hospital months before.
"Afternoon Leah," said Mr. Longacre. He had always been very stiff with her, never rude, always polite, but never very welcoming.
"H-H-H-Hi Mr. Long-acre..." uttered Leah as she grasped the top of her desk, trying to relief the blow. After a minute of many enormous gasps of air, she was managed to speak properly again. "I thought you didn't want your family to know you were seeing a doctor? Isn't it a bit dangerous if the doctor is in the same town?" She became very curious as she studied him.
"Smart girl. But Dr. Barlow has been seeing me for the past months and I prefer that I stick with the same doctor. Plus, this saves me a lot of bus fare now that I don't have to travel all the way to Indianapolis!" He nodded politely and sat down in an empty chair in the waiting area.
The door of the first examination room swung open and Dr. Barlow walked out swiftly. "Good afternoon Mr. Longacre! Come right in! Oh Leah, can you please pick up Brian and Maxine at school? Mrs. Barlow just called and she says she has a lot of paperwork to do. Who knew it was so challenging to be a librarian!"
For the next two months, Leah's life fell into a simple routine. Wake up at 7, work at 8, lunch at 12, and it ended with picking up Brian and Maxine from school. Also, every Monday afternoons at exactly 3:25 PM Mr. Longacre would walk in and they would share a few polite words and she would leave to pick up the kids. It was the same every weekday... until one Friday.
The door of the first examination room swung open as usual and Dr. Barlow walked out swiftly as he always did and cheerfully said, "Good afternoon Mr. Longacre! Come right in!" Leah was waiting for the usual 'Oh Leah, can you please pick up Brian and Maxine at school?' but instead, he turned around and walked into the examination room with Mr. Longacre.
In confusion, she walked up to the room and knocked quietly. He opened the door and asked, "Is everything alright? You seem confused?"
"Well Doc, you normally ask me to pick up Max and Brian at school but today you didn't..."
"Oh right! I forgot to tell you! They're eating dinner with one of their friend's family and won't be home until later tonight." He smiled and began to talk with Mr. Longacre.
She went back to her seat and noticed that the Doc did not close the examination room's door completely and she could hear their conversation faintly.
"Well... Jacob. I wish I could say your health is improving
but it's not. Your blood pressure is still slowly rising and if
it reaches the top, well... I've already clarified with you the
consequences."
"Yes I know Dr. Barlow but you told me to take it easy and
not do anything that is physically demanding but I'm a farmer.
Farming is my life and my farm means everything to me. I just
can't leave it by itself."
"I know Jacob. But you have two sons who can tend to it.
You need your rest now before it's too late."
"Look! I've explained to you many times that a farm is
very big and you need all the help I can get. Ethan is engaged
and he'll probably be moving out soon and it's almost time for
the harvest! You cannot tell me to forget my roots! I am Amish
an Amish I will remain!"
Just then, Mr. Longacre pulled the door and muttered under his breath as his anger raged and he walked out of the office.
She walked into the examination room and sat down. "It's okay Doc. You cannot change the beliefs of a man, I tried, failed, and I've moved on. The Amish are strong in their beliefs; you cannot try to teach them to go against them."
"You... how do you..." asked Dr. Barlow curiously but she cut him off before he could finish asked her.
"The door was slightly open and I overheard. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." He nodded and they all packed up their things and went home.
That night at dinner, there was an awkward silence as everyone slowly ate their food. "Well... Doc I'll be going to Indianapolis early tomorrow morning and I'll be back next week. Will you be okay with out me?" Belinda was visiting her family who had come from Ireland.
"Don't worry. I'll have Leah; she'll give me plenty of assistance. This reminds me. Since we're talking about help, Leah, can you please pick up the kids?" He handed her a badly drawn map. "I would go but my back is aching me and Mrs. Barlow needs to finish cleaning up and Belinda will need rest since she's leaving in the early morning."
"Okay." She grabbed her jacket and strolled into her car and started the engine. She began to drive, following the vague instructions that came with the messy map. Brian must have drawn it, she thought. She continued to drive and soon entered the driveway of a farm. She had had a very long day and was extremely tired but she had obviously underestimated her fatigue when she looked up and saw that she was face to face with her past. She was in front of the Longacre farm. She honked once hoping she would not have to go inside to find Maxine and Brian.
The front door opened as the kids ran out. "Leah! Leah! Come! You HAVE to look at this!" Brian was jumping with excitement as he grabbed Leah and dragged her towards the farm. She tried to convince him to see whatever it was another time but she could not outside his pleas. She quickly decided to follow him, hoping the sooner she saw the sooner they could all leave.
Brian pulled her into the barn, where she saw Maxine. They were surrounding a large black and white diary cow but there was something else... a baby calf was being born! They all stared in amazement as they watched the birth of new life!
After the birth, there was a burst of 'oh's and 'ah's. "Well... let's go Max and Brian! Your mom and dad will be waiting," said Leah but regretting it right after!
"Leah?" A voice came up behind her and a hand gently touched the smooth curve of her shoulder. She slowly turned around, breathing heavily.
"Ethan..."
"Yes, dear? Is everything wrong? You've been acting odd ever since you first went to visit your relative a few weeks ago. Everything is okay... isn't it?" Tillie became concerned. Jacob has greatly aged over the past few months and it greatly worried her.
"My relative? Oh yes! He's doing well. Nothing to worry about dear, "said Mr. Longacre quickly, trying to cover his lapse. He had forgotten that he had told his family he was visiting a relative when he really went to the doctor's at the hospital.
"Well okay. But what were you going to ask me?"
"Ethan." He didn't know how to put his thoughts in words. Ever since seeing Leah again after so long and after everything that had happened between her and his son, he began to have many personal reflections.
"Yes. I wonder too." She knew exactly how her husband felt. The end of their son's relationship with Leah was very bitter sweet but she supported her family, especially her husband and stand by him for teaching and upholding the ways of the Amish to their children. "But it was right for Ethan to come home. Do not doubt yourself, I don't doubt you." She smiled endearingly at her husband and returned to preparing supper.
"Thank-you. That's the answer I needed." He gently placed a soft kiss on his wife's velvet lips and quietly walked outside.
"Leah, have some more potatoes! You need more food for energy. You'll be starting work tomorrow. You'll be around sick people all day and you'll need to be one hundred percent! Come on! Eat up! There's no need to be polite. We're all going to be a family so do not hesitant at all!" Mrs. Barlow smiled sweetly as she handed Leah the bowl of mashed potatoes.
Leah had recovered from the shock and disbelief after seeing Ethan this afternoon and calmed herself with reason. This town isn't THAT small and I'm sure he's done his little 'fling' and has gotten baptized and will rarely come into town... minus today, thought Leah. "Oh thank-you and don't worry, I'll be fine for tomorrow!" She held the bowl and took a huge scoop of it and placed it strategically on her plate and passed it on to Maxine. "So you two, ready for school tomorrow?" She glanced at Maxine and Brian and smiled.
"Err... sure why not," responded Brian as he began to eat his salad.
"Oh Leah! Can't you see?! I'm already jumping for joy!" Everyone laughed as they all began to eat their dinner. Maxine was always very sarcastic with a free spirit.
Before they all knew it, Monday morning arrived and everyone rushed out of bed and got ready for school and work.
Bam! Bam! Bam! "Brian! Hurry up! I need the bathroom!" Maxine continued to scream as Leah sat downstairs in the kitchen sipping a warm cup of soothing coffee, her life-line.
Eventually, everyone was ready and set to start their Monday morning. Leah got into her convertible with Belinda and dropped off Brian and Maxine at school and drove to the new office, where Dr. Barlow was waiting for them. "Good morning ladies!"
The three of them quickly got into work by seeing the long list of patients, performing many routine examinations and a few booster shots here and there. For most of the day, she spent at the receptionist's desk as Belinda often was the one that helped the Doc since she was a fully qualified nurse. As the morning faded away and the afternoon was born, she became extremely bored. She suddenly caught notice of the appointment list for today and scrolled down it and was hit again in shock. Is this a test? You must be TRYING to kill me here, she thought. Her eyes saw nothing but...
Appointment Time: 3:30
Patient Name: Jacob Longacre
Patient Number: 451679113
Her heart nearly skipped five beats as she promptly looked up at the clock. It read "3:25". I still have time! I can take a break and come back once he leaves, thought Leah. But just as she ended that thought, there was a ding, ding at the door and Ethan's father had walked in. She hadn't seen him since they bumped into each other at the hospital months before.
"Afternoon Leah," said Mr. Longacre. He had always been very stiff with her, never rude, always polite, but never very welcoming.
"H-H-H-Hi Mr. Long-acre..." uttered Leah as she grasped the top of her desk, trying to relief the blow. After a minute of many enormous gasps of air, she was managed to speak properly again. "I thought you didn't want your family to know you were seeing a doctor? Isn't it a bit dangerous if the doctor is in the same town?" She became very curious as she studied him.
"Smart girl. But Dr. Barlow has been seeing me for the past months and I prefer that I stick with the same doctor. Plus, this saves me a lot of bus fare now that I don't have to travel all the way to Indianapolis!" He nodded politely and sat down in an empty chair in the waiting area.
The door of the first examination room swung open and Dr. Barlow walked out swiftly. "Good afternoon Mr. Longacre! Come right in! Oh Leah, can you please pick up Brian and Maxine at school? Mrs. Barlow just called and she says she has a lot of paperwork to do. Who knew it was so challenging to be a librarian!"
For the next two months, Leah's life fell into a simple routine. Wake up at 7, work at 8, lunch at 12, and it ended with picking up Brian and Maxine from school. Also, every Monday afternoons at exactly 3:25 PM Mr. Longacre would walk in and they would share a few polite words and she would leave to pick up the kids. It was the same every weekday... until one Friday.
The door of the first examination room swung open as usual and Dr. Barlow walked out swiftly as he always did and cheerfully said, "Good afternoon Mr. Longacre! Come right in!" Leah was waiting for the usual 'Oh Leah, can you please pick up Brian and Maxine at school?' but instead, he turned around and walked into the examination room with Mr. Longacre.
In confusion, she walked up to the room and knocked quietly. He opened the door and asked, "Is everything alright? You seem confused?"
"Well Doc, you normally ask me to pick up Max and Brian at school but today you didn't..."
"Oh right! I forgot to tell you! They're eating dinner with one of their friend's family and won't be home until later tonight." He smiled and began to talk with Mr. Longacre.
She went back to her seat and noticed that the Doc did not close the examination room's door completely and she could hear their conversation faintly.
"Well... Jacob. I wish I could say your health is improving
but it's not. Your blood pressure is still slowly rising and if
it reaches the top, well... I've already clarified with you the
consequences."
"Yes I know Dr. Barlow but you told me to take it easy and
not do anything that is physically demanding but I'm a farmer.
Farming is my life and my farm means everything to me. I just
can't leave it by itself."
"I know Jacob. But you have two sons who can tend to it.
You need your rest now before it's too late."
"Look! I've explained to you many times that a farm is
very big and you need all the help I can get. Ethan is engaged
and he'll probably be moving out soon and it's almost time for
the harvest! You cannot tell me to forget my roots! I am Amish
an Amish I will remain!"
Just then, Mr. Longacre pulled the door and muttered under his breath as his anger raged and he walked out of the office.
She walked into the examination room and sat down. "It's okay Doc. You cannot change the beliefs of a man, I tried, failed, and I've moved on. The Amish are strong in their beliefs; you cannot try to teach them to go against them."
"You... how do you..." asked Dr. Barlow curiously but she cut him off before he could finish asked her.
"The door was slightly open and I overheard. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." He nodded and they all packed up their things and went home.
That night at dinner, there was an awkward silence as everyone slowly ate their food. "Well... Doc I'll be going to Indianapolis early tomorrow morning and I'll be back next week. Will you be okay with out me?" Belinda was visiting her family who had come from Ireland.
"Don't worry. I'll have Leah; she'll give me plenty of assistance. This reminds me. Since we're talking about help, Leah, can you please pick up the kids?" He handed her a badly drawn map. "I would go but my back is aching me and Mrs. Barlow needs to finish cleaning up and Belinda will need rest since she's leaving in the early morning."
"Okay." She grabbed her jacket and strolled into her car and started the engine. She began to drive, following the vague instructions that came with the messy map. Brian must have drawn it, she thought. She continued to drive and soon entered the driveway of a farm. She had had a very long day and was extremely tired but she had obviously underestimated her fatigue when she looked up and saw that she was face to face with her past. She was in front of the Longacre farm. She honked once hoping she would not have to go inside to find Maxine and Brian.
The front door opened as the kids ran out. "Leah! Leah! Come! You HAVE to look at this!" Brian was jumping with excitement as he grabbed Leah and dragged her towards the farm. She tried to convince him to see whatever it was another time but she could not outside his pleas. She quickly decided to follow him, hoping the sooner she saw the sooner they could all leave.
Brian pulled her into the barn, where she saw Maxine. They were surrounding a large black and white diary cow but there was something else... a baby calf was being born! They all stared in amazement as they watched the birth of new life!
After the birth, there was a burst of 'oh's and 'ah's. "Well... let's go Max and Brian! Your mom and dad will be waiting," said Leah but regretting it right after!
"Leah?" A voice came up behind her and a hand gently touched the smooth curve of her shoulder. She slowly turned around, breathing heavily.
"Ethan..."