A Love For Lizzie. Tracey J. Lyons

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ you can do that?” he asked.

      Susan nodded, casting a glance around the tall man until her gaze found Lizzie. “Lizzie! I need you to come.”

      “I’m afraid we can only take one family member.”

      Lizzie’s mamm looked as if she were about to burst into tears. Paul watched as she tucked her lower lip between her teeth, squared her shoulders and nodded at the man. Her hands trembled as she reached for the door.

      Paul helped her into the front seat of the ambulance, making sure she had the seat belt firmly in place. “I’ll see that she gets to the hospital.”

      “Run down to Helen Meyer’s haus. Maybe she can help you get Lizzie to the hospital,” Lizzie’s mamm said.

      “We need to get going,” the driver said, putting the rig in gear.

      Paul shut the door. Lizzie’s mother smiled nervously from behind the window and nodded as they drove away.

      Paul knew what had to be done. He would get Lizzie to the hospital. How could he not?

      After the ambulance left, Paul realized he couldn’t take the wagon into Jamestown. The trip would take a few hours by horse, and he couldn’t be sure Lizzie’s vader would survive. They needed to get there as quickly as possible. As Mrs. Miller suggested, he ended up running down to find their Englisch neighbor Helen Meyers, who was standing at the end of her driveway.

      “I just saw the ambulance leave the Millers’. What’s going on?”

      “It looks like Joseph might have had a heart attack,” Paul responded. Before he could even ask, she graciously offered to take them to the hospital.

      “It was a blessing that I filled up my gas tank this morning.”

      Paul nodded politely. “I’ll repay you for the gas.”

      “There’s no need for that.” She hastened to give him a smile. “We’re neighbors and, Englischer or Plain, neighbors help each other out. Let’s hurry—we don’t want to keep Lizzie waiting.”

      He followed her to the back of the driveway and got into the passenger seat of the blue four-door sedan. They found Lizzie standing along the edge of the road, near the Millers’ mailbox. Paul got out and opened the back door, letting Lizzie slide across the seat first. He joined her, barely closing the door before Mrs. Meyers sped off.

      Paul turned his head to look at Lizzie. He could see the tight lines around her mouth. She kept her eyes focused straight ahead.

      He started to reach out his hand to cover hers but thought better of it. Even though years had passed since the tragedy that shook the Miller family, there were days when Lizzie still seemed so fragile to him. Today would have been a rough day even without her vader’s heart attack.

      “Today is the day my bruder died, and my vader suffers from a heart attack. I don’t understand the workings of God.”

      “It’s not for us to question his motives, Lizzie.”

      “I know.” She turned to look out the window.

      They rode the rest of the way in silence. Before they knew it, Helen pulled her car in front of the hospital entrance.

      “I’ll let you off here so you can hurry to the emergency room. I’m going to park in the main lot.”

      “Please, Mrs. Meyers, you don’t need to stay. I will find a way home,” Lizzie said.

      “She’s right, there’s no need for you to spend your day here. I’ll make sure Lizzie gets home. We appreciate your help.” He thanked her again as they left the car.

      He cupped Lizzie’s elbow and escorted her through the automatic sliding doors. They whooshed closed behind them. He felt her tense up as people stared at them as they walked over to the reception area. His heart squeezed as he watched Lizzie tip her head down and raise her hand to cover her scarred face. The strongest urge to protect her welled up inside of him. He took a deep breath before coming to a stop at the receptionist’s counter, which was closed off with big sliding glass windows.

      Paul tapped lightly on the window, getting the young woman’s attention. She gave him a hard look. Paul attempted a smile. She slid one of the panels open.

      “May I help you?”

      “My friend, Miss Miller’s father, was brought in by ambulance a short time ago. We were hoping you could direct us to where we can find him.”

      “Can I have the name of the patient, please?”

      “Joseph Miller.”

      The woman typed his name into the computer sitting on her desk, then slid a clipboard across the narrow counter space that separated them, saying, “I’ll need you to sign in here, please. And then have a seat in the waiting area. I’ll call you when you can go down to the Emergency Room.”

      “How long do you think it will be?” Lizzie asked.

      “I’m not sure.”

      Paul picked up the clipboard and handed it to Lizzie, along with a pen. He waited for Lizzie to add her name and then did the same. When they were finished, she exchanged the list for two visitor stickers, which they both stuck to the front of their shirts. He turned and spotted two dark green vinyl chairs set apart from the main waiting area.

      “Come on—” he nodded in that direction “—let’s go over there to wait.”

      Lizzie went ahead of him and sank down into the first chair. He sat in the chair next to her. A long row of windows ran behind their backs. A low coffee table filled with dog-eared magazines separated them. His gaze settled on her. She sat on the edge of the cushioned seat, with her back hunched over and her hands clenched together on her lap. He felt so helpless and wanted to calm her nerves as best he could. He saw her take in a breath and then slowly exhale.

      “Lizzie.” He spoke her name in a low voice. “I’m sure your vader is in good hands. All will be well, I’m sure.”

      She pressed her lips together and nodded, keeping her eyes on the double doors at the far end of the room.

      “I pray that he is. Danke for staying with me. I know you have other things you need to be doing,” she said, keeping her voice low, as well.

      Paul thought about how he’d originally planned to spend the day. For months now he’d had his mind set on breaking away from his family’s furniture business. And he’d decided that this morning, after he’d gone to see Lizzie, would be the time he’d tell his vader about his plan to set up his own furniture shop. His vader’s furniture was very basic and serviceable. But Paul had always favored adding more detail to the pieces, while his vader liked to keep it plain and simple, a reflection of their way of life.

      He’d been lucky to find a vacant storefront right next to the general store in the village of Clymer, a few miles south of their settlement. The rent on the space was good, too good to pass up. Not wanting to miss out, Paul had made a verbal agreement with the owner to lease the space. If everything went according to plan, he’d have the doors open СКАЧАТЬ