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СКАЧАТЬ she’d quickly figured out how to use the credit card machine. She’d seen Bob Whittier of Whittier’s Store use one often enough to recall how it was done.

      She even had the opportunity to assist James with his last patient. Mrs. Pettyjohn’s poodle, Roggs, had a lump above his right hind leg. James had determined it to be an abscess following a small injury. He’d asked for her help as he did minor surgery to open the wound.

      “Will he be all right?” Nell asked as she handed him supplies and observed his work.

      “He’ll be fine. It looks as if he got into a rosebush. See this thorn?” He held up a tiny dark object that he’d removed with tweezers. “I’ll prescribe an antibiotic for a couple of weeks. He’ll have to wear a cone until his follow-up appointment.”

      Nell had enjoyed her afternoon at the clinic being his assistant. Too much. And she knew it had as much to do with the man as working with animals. Thankfully, the day was over, and after she helped to clean up, she’d be able to leave.

      She cleaned the exam room floors with disinfectant. She was quiet as she mopped, her thoughts filled with what she’d seen and heard that day. When she was done, she emptied out the wash water and put away the bucket and mop.

      “I’m finished with the floors, Doctor—James,” she told him as he came into the reception area where she picked up her purse. “I’ll be heading home now.”

      “Thank you so much for your help today,” he said. “I don’t know how I would have managed without you.” He gazed at her a moment, then frowned. “Why did you come into the office today?”

      “My dog, Jonas, is well and old enough to start his heartworm medicine.”

      “I’ll get it for you.” James retrieved a box from a cabinet and handed it to her. “Take it. No charge. If you come back tomorrow, I’ll have cash for you.”

      “For what?” She frowned. “For helping out for a few hours? Nay, I’ll not take your money.”

      “Nell...”

      “Nay, James.”

      “But you’ll take the medicine.”

      She opened her mouth to object but relented when she saw his expression. The man wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “Ja. Danki.” She gasped as she saw the time on the office wall clock. “I’ve got to go. Mam will be holding dinner for me.” She hurried toward the door. “Gut night, James.”

      “Good night, Nell,” he said softly.

      Nell promptly left and ran toward her buggy, which was parked in the back lot several yards away from the building. She unhitched her mare, Daisy, then climbed into her vehicle.

      As she reached for the reins, she watched as James headed toward his car. He stood by the driver’s side and lifted a hand to wave. She nodded but didn’t wave back. As she drove out onto the road, her thoughts turned to her family and most particularly her father, who wouldn’t be pleased that she was late for supper.

      She spurred Daisy into a quick trot and drove home in record time. As she steered the mare into the barnyard, her sister Leah came out of the house to greet her.

      “Dat’s been wondering why you’re late,” Leah said as the two sisters walked toward the house.

      “I was helping Dr. Pierce at the veterinary clinic.” Nell stiffened. “Didn’t Bob Whittier get word to you?”

      “About a half hour ago.”

      “Ach, nay,” Nell said with dismay. “I didn’t know he’d wait until that late. I called him hours ago.”

      “He sent word with Joshua Peachy but Joshua got sidetracked when he saw an accident on the stretch of road between Yoder’s General Store and Eli’s carriage shop. A truck hit a car and there were children...”

      “I’m sorry to hear that. Is everyone all right?”

      “Joshua didn’t know.”

      “Is Dat angry with me?”

      “Nay, Joshua told him what happened and why he couldn’t get word to us earlier.”

      “But?”

      “But he expected you sooner, and I don’t think he was too happy that you stayed to help out James Pierce.”

      “Leah, you should have seen the waiting room. It was noisy and crowded, and there was no staff to help him. Both Michelle and Janie were out and he was alone. I believe that God wanted me to help him.”

      Her sister smiled. “Then that’s what you tell Dat. He can’t argue with the Lord.”

      As she entered the kitchen, Nell saw her other sisters seated at the table with her parents. She nodded to each of them then settled her gaze on her father. “Dat,” she said. “I’m sorry I’m late. I didn’t expect to be gone so long.”

      To her surprise, her father nodded but didn’t comment.

      Nell took her place at the table, and Dat led them as they gave thanks to the Lord for their meal. Nell’s sister Charlie started a conversation, and all of her sisters joined in as food was passed around.

      As she reached for the bowl of mashed potatoes, Nell caught her dat studying her with a thoughtful expression. She felt suddenly uneasy. Her father might have seemed unaffected by her lateness, but she could tell that after supper he would want to talk with her, and she had no idea what he was going to say or how she would answer him. The truth was, she had enjoyed her afternoon at Pierce Veterinary Clinic too much to be sorry that she’d decided to stay.

      “Tell him what you’ve just told me,” her sister Leah had advised her.

      I’ll tell him how I felt...that God had wanted me to stay and help James. Dr. James Pierce. She only hoped that Dat understood and accepted her decision as the right one.

       Chapter Two

      James admired the beautiful scenery as he drove his silver Lexus deeper into Lancaster County Amish country. Farmhouses surrounded by acres of corn dotted the landscape. Cows and sheep milled in pastures near Amish residences. Flowers bloomed in riotous color in gardens next to white front porches, while lawns were a splash of verdant green from the summer rains that had showered the earth recently. Familiar dark and solid-colored clothing flapped in the breeze, bringing back memories of James’s teenage years living in an Amish community.

      Seeing the Amish woman Nell again reminded him that it had been too long since he’d visited his mother and stepfather, so instead of going back to his apartment as he usually did, he turned in the opposite direction, toward the farm where he’d lived from the age of fifteen until he’d left Lancaster County at eighteen to attend college in Ohio.

      His stepfather and mother’s farm loomed up ahead. The beauty of it nearly stole his breath even while he felt suddenly nervous.

      He didn’t know why. He knew they both would be glad to see him. It wouldn’t matter to them that he’d СКАЧАТЬ