The Amish Midwife - By Mindy Starns Clark Page 0,43
if the labor goes on, though, so you’ll be ready for school tomorrow.”
Ella nodded.
“They’ll feed you there,” Marta said to both of us. “I’ll get my bag for you out of the office.” I followed her out the door, heart pounding in sudden anger, wondering if the woman had always been a bully or if that was something she had grown into. Between working the rest of yesterday afternoon and all of today, we both knew that I had already given her the time she’d earned and then some.
Zed stepped out of the chicken coop and watched as Ella, with her algebra book and notebook in her hand, opened the door of my rental and climbed into the car. Marta rushed out from the office and tried to hand me her bag. Instead of taking it, however, I simply folded my arms across my chest and leaned against the car.
“Lexie?”
“Sorry, Marta, but you know very well that the time you earned is up. The good news is that another answer will gain you another day.”
The woman looked at me aghast, as if I had sprung a second head. I felt a brief flush of shame, disliking myself in this moment almost as much as I disliked her. Behind her, Zed seemed thrilled, as though he might start snickering.
“Here, I’ll make it easier for you,” I said. “You choose the question this time. Whatever you want—a name, an address, a memory. Your choice.”
Our eyes met and held, a game of chicken I would not lose. Finally, slowly, Marta broke our gaze and looked downward, color flushing her cheeks.
“I can’t,” she whispered.
Suddenly I felt guilt well up within me, and I faltered. A mother had gone into labor. I had no right to make her suffer because of my problems. I was just about to give in and take the bag, get in the car, and head out on the call without another word when suddenly Marta again met my eyes and uttered a single word that sounded like “Amielbach.”
She cleared her throat and tried again. “Fine. When you get back, I will tell you what I know about Amielbach.”
I wanted to drive my victory home, to say something sharp, such as “See? That wasn’t so hard now, was it?” But I could see from the expression on her face that it was, indeed, quite hard.
“Thank you,” I said softly instead, reaching for the bag and taking it from her, feeling humbled.
Moments later Ella and I were crossing the covered bridge on our way to the Stoltz farm.
Not only was Sharon Stoltz early, but she was also spotting. I was afraid she had placenta previa, which meant there was no way she should deliver at home. I called 911, and once the ambulance arrived I took a disappointed Ella back to her house and then plugged Lancaster General into my GPS and headed off to meet Sharon and her husband, Levi, at the hospital.
They were still in the ER when I arrived, and a young doctor was with them. I introduced myself, emphasizing that I was a nurse-midwife, not a lay-midwife as he had probably assumed.
“And you practice around here?” he asked. He had dark hair, striking blue eyes, and a square chin. He was also tall, much taller than I was.
I explained I was from Oregon and had been helping Marta Bayer out yesterday and today.
“Marta Bayer. Isn’t she—”
“Yes,” I answered before he could finish.
He reached out his hand and shook mine. “I’m Sean Benson, baby doc,” he said. “It’s my pleasure to meet you, Lexie Jaeger, nurse-midwife from Oregon.” His eyes twinkled, and then he turned his attention back to Sharon but still spoke to me. “The EMTs said you thought she had placenta previa, and you were right,” he said. “We’ll transfer her up to maternity. You’re welcome to stay, though in an unofficial capacity, of course. It’s up to you.”
I searched Sharon’s face. She was twenty-nine and this was her fourth baby, but her first in a hospital. “I’m happy to stay,” I offered.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I’d like that.”
Ten minutes later, all of us, including Sharon in a wheelchair, were in an elevator making its way up to the fourth floor.
“What brought you to Lancaster County?” Sean asked.
I explained about the traveling nurse position in Philadelphia, and then I added that Marta and I had a mutual friend who encouraged me to come out and help.