A Simple Charity

by Rosalind Lauer

  “It all looks good, Fanny.” Dimples appeared when Lizzy smiled over the tray of food. “I’m so hungry, I think I could eat a hundred sandwiches.” Lizzy nodded to Meg. “Do you want to hold him before you go? We sure do appreciate everything you did for us, bringing us our baby, safe and sound.”

  “I’m glad it all worked out.” Tears stung Meg’s eyes as she leaned down and took the small bundle into her arms. “Hey, little man. You certainly came into the world with a roar.” The mottled baby writhed and turned his head, alert and healthy. Thank you, Lord, for this bright new life.

  With so many feelings welling up inside her—relief and joy, pride and fear—Meg knew she had better hand the baby off before she started bawling all over him.

  Thankfully, Joe, ever the proud father, swept him out of her arms when the sound of trucks rumbled outside on the street. “Kumm, John. The rescue squad is here to see you.”

  Meg swiped at her eyes as she turned to face the front window. The paramedics had arrived, and here she was, on the scene with all her equipment. She looked toward the kitchen, wondering if she should try to slip out the side door, but what would she do outside, hide in the carriage house? She had no car, no way to escape without attracting attention to herself. She decided it was best that she stay. Besides, she wanted to make sure the medical team understood the baby’s needs. But just before Joe opened the door, she wheeled the oxygen tank out of sight behind the sofa. No need to leave the evidence of her involvement out in plain sight.

  Two of the volunteers on Halfway’s fire and rescue squad were Amish, and Joe was so pleased at the prospect of showing them his son that it was hard to wrest the infant away for the respiratory check. Meg worked with one of the paramedics, an older man named Scott, who proved to be experienced with newborn care. He quickly maneuvered a thin, flexible tube into the baby’s bronchi—and got nothing.

  “Clear as a whistle,” Scott said. The minute he removed the tubing, John let out a wail of protest.

  “I don’t blame you one bit,” Meg told the baby, “but it had to be done.”

  “Time to clean him up?” Fanny lifted the baby from the stretcher and carried him off. “Oh, ya. We’ll get you clean in no time.”

  Tension drained from Meg as she watched them disappear down the hall. It had been a nightmarish delivery, but everything was fine now. A healthy baby and mother. Why, then, did she want to cry?

  The medical team said their good-byes and packed up, their booming voices, heavy boots, and intrusive equipment receding. The invasion was over but for one uniformed man—a cop. In the excitement, Meg had not even noticed that a police officer was here.

  He was a tall man with a calm demeanor and steely gray eyes. “You’ve made my day, and my shift just started. Congratulations, folks.” He had a warm smile for Lizzy and Joe. “Your first baby, right?”

  “Ya,” Joe said. “A boy, and we named him John. Do you want some lemonade, Jack?”

  “That’d be great. Looks like another hot day,” the deputy said.

  Why was he sticking around? It was clear that he knew Joe, but they wouldn’t be close friends. Was this cop planning to question Meg’s involvement?

  As Joe went into the kitchen for drinks, the officer turned to Meg. “I don’t think we’ve met. Jack Woods.”

  “Meg.” She made a conscious choice not to give her last name.

  “You’re a friend of Lizzy and Market Joe?” His silver eyes were earnest and his tone so friendly that Meg didn’t want to lie to him.

  “She’s a midwife,” Lizzy said, pausing with her spoon in the air. “Meg helped bring our baby.”

  “Well …” Meg stammered. “I was asked to help at the last minute. I did what I could.”

  “I thought I knew all the midwives in the area. Let’s see, there’s Anna Beiler and Fanny here …”

  “I’m just visiting,” Meg said. “Helping my sister out at the Halfway to Heaven Bed and Breakfast. Do you know Tate and Zoey Jordan?”

  “Sure. Tate’s becoming a regular at the hardware store in town, and Zoey, she’s like a walking, talking chamber of commerce.”

  “That’s my big sister. We used to say, ‘Telephone, tell-a-zoey,’ ” Meg said, warming to his friendly manner. In another place and time, she would have enjoyed a conversation with Jack Woods. Despite his size, he had a gentle manner that suggested protection and calm, a smile that said everything would be all right. “So you’re part of Halfway’s extended family,” Jack told her.

  “I guess I am.” Meg smiled up at him, wishing she didn’t need to keep kicking the truth under the rug.

  Just then Joe came out with a pitcher of lemonade and a stack of paper cups. Fanny was right behind him with the baby, and Lizzy clucked over how sweet and fresh baby John now smelled. Joe took John, while Fanny sat beside Tommy, who was now content to watch from his portable chair.

  “So was Dr. Trueherz here earlier?” asked Jack.

  “Doc is in the city.” Lizzy popped a slice of salami into her mouth and licked her fingers.

  “There was another doctor on his way … Dr. Minetta,” Fanny explained. “I guess he got lost, since he doesn’t know these parts too well. I’m telling you, if Dr. Trueherz was around, he would have been here quick as a wink.”

  “There’s no replacing Henry Trueherz,” said Jack. “Those other guys don’t understand what it takes to be a good country doctor. Doc Trueherz is great on the fly, and he’s got a rep for forging through blizzard conditions to make a house call.” He turned to Fanny. “How long have you worked with him?”

  Fanny shook her head. “Oh, I’m just stepping in for Anna. All I can say is, thank Gott you were here, Meg.”

  “Oh, you were handling it well until I arrived,” Meg said, dropping to the floor to play peekaboo with Fanny’s baby. Much as she liked Jack, she wished that she might open her eyes and find him gone, out of her hair.

  Fortunately, Joe and Lizzy were distracted by their baby. “And now, our baby is here,” Lizzy said with a happy sigh.

  “I suppose one of the docs will help you get the birth certificate,” said Jack.

  “I reckon,” Joe said, though it was clear that no one here was concerned with the paperwork.

  “You’ll want to ask your doctor about that at your next checkup,” Meg advised. “It can be really hard to get a birth certificate if you wait too long.”

  “I’ll ask Dr. Trueherz,” Lizzy said. She put the empty plate on the tray and reached for her baby. “Kumm, dear one.”

  The conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door. Fanny looked out the window and sighed. “Dr. Minetta.”

  A balding gentleman with a gray mustache and a small frame opened the door and spread his arms dramatically. “Your baby is here. Wow! I knew I was late, but I didn’t think I’d miss everything.”

  “Here he is.” Lizzy smiled up at him, her cheeks pink with pleasure. “Healthy as could be.”

  By the grace of God, Meg thought.

  “These country roads aren’t well marked, and I don’t usually make house calls—that’s Dr. Trueherz’s passion. So it was a routine delivery?” the doctor asked.

  “Oh, no, it was a different sort.” Fanny clamped a firm hand on Meg’s shoulder. “Won’t you step into the kitchen with the doctor so you two can talk about medical things?”

  Meg knew that Fanny’s question was a discreet request not to discuss details of the labor and delivery in front of the men. Truly, Lizzy herself didn’t seem interested in knowing why John had had a difficult birth; she was simply overjoyed that he was here at last.

  Inside the kitchen, Meg recounted the birth as Dr. Minetta listened with admiration. “The cord was wrapped around the neck and chest, causing deep decelerations with every contraction in the last half hour.” She told him that they had suctioned the infant’s mouth and nasal passages, and that the paramedics had followed up but found the bronchi clear.

  “Nice work.” He patted her shoulder. “You make my job easy.
I’m just going to check the mother and baby, and then I’ll be on my way.”

  Meg nodded, relieved that he didn’t ask her name or background. She really couldn’t afford to go on record with this. He probably assumed that she worked with Dr. Trueherz.

  With Fanny, Lizzy, and the baby in the bedroom for the doctor’s exam, Meg decided it was time to make her exit. She raised a hand and smiled at Joe. “I’m heading out.”

  He nodded, scrambling to take one of her cases out to the front porch. “Thank you, Meg. We’re very grateful.”

  Meg leaned down to cluck for Tommy, who indulged her by babbling in return. She ruffled his downy hair and picked up the oxygen tank, hoping to escape without anyone paying attention to her equipment. “Officer Woods, nice to meet you.”

  There was mystery in his smile as he watched her cross the living room. She had made it to the screen door when he snagged her.

  “Hold on. Do you need a lift?” He held the door for her. “I didn’t see any cars out here.”

  “Her sister is coming to get her,” Joe answered from the front porch.

  In truth, she hadn’t even had a chance to call her sister yet, but with the cop here, the impulse to separate herself from the scene of the birth was strong. “I was just about to call for a ride,” she said.

  “No way. Don’t make Zoey come out here when I can give you a ride.” Jack pointed a thumb toward the police vehicle. “The inn is right on my way.”

  “I’d appreciate that.” Meg was too tired and a little too intrigued to deny his generous offer. Besides, nothing was far out of your way in a small town. And social butterfly Zoey would give him a hard time for not giving her a ride. In a heartbeat, they loaded her home birth kits and oxygen tank into the back of his police cruiser and were on their way.

  “So Zoey’s sister is a midwife,” Jack said as they turned onto the road. “Whereabouts do you live?”

  “The Pittsburgh area. I’ve been down here to help Zoey and Tate get the inn on its feet and …” How much should she tell him? “The thing is, I’m taking a break.”

  “A break from being a midwife?”

  “Yes, and if you’ve been wondering why I was dodging your questions, it’s because I’m not licensed right now.” There. She’d said it. Though she sensed that she had nothing to fear from Jack Woods. “And for full disclosure, I’m under investigation for a birth that ended tragically.” There … she had said it aloud, given herself up. “Are you going to file charges or arrest me?”

  “What? Why?” He seemed mildly amused.

  “Because I delivered a baby without a license.”

  “Around here, that’s not a license we usually check for. Driver’s license, yeah. Hunting license, sometimes. But I’ve never busted a midwife. I’m just glad you were there, Meg, with the cord tangled and all that. Not being a husband or dad, I don’t know much about childbirth, but I do know that things can go horribly wrong.”

  She ran her fingers along the seat belt across her chest. “So … I don’t have to worry about you reporting me to the board?”

  “Hell, no. The way I see it, you were at the right place at the right time. Divine Providence, if you believe in God, and I do. The Lord meant for you to be here today, and I’m grateful for that. I know Lizzy and Joe are, too. It’s all good.”

  Meg pinched the seat belt and stared out the window as she tried to process the conversation. So he wasn’t going to get her in trouble. Well, sure. He was a cop, not the Pennsylvania State Nursing Board.

  “Hurray and hallelujah,” she said aloud.

  He laughed. “What’s that?”

  “I’m extremely relieved. Right now I’m in so deep with this case, I know the tiniest impropriety will end my career, and it’s really important to me to get my license reinstated.”

  “From where I stand, you do your job well. Dr. Minetta seemed to agree.”

  She sighed. “Too bad he’s not on the nursing board.”

  “So you’ve been away from the profession for how long?”

  “Two months, give or take. The incident happened in March, when that ice storm hit Pittsburgh. The board didn’t take action for a while after that, not until the client made a complaint.”

  “Do you miss it?” Easy conversation was one of his gifts. He always had a way of making people relax. “The baby business?”

  “Every day. I miss the connection I form with the mother, the different language we speak during labor. And the babies … ushering in a new life.” Again, she was misting over. She took a deep breath. “It’s the best job in the world.”

  “I hear you. In my job, there’s good and bad and in between. But I envy you, focused on new life. That’s cool.” He turned from the road to smile at her, his eyes gleaming with pride. “You know, I delivered a baby once. Came upon a car on the side of the highway; the woman, her name was June, she couldn’t make it to LanCo General in time. So I was the labor coach of last resort.”

  She chuckled. “I’m sure she was glad to have another human being to help her.”

  “Now, I have to admit I was a little squeamish at the idea of it all, but once I got in the car with her, well, there was no turning back, if you know what I mean.”

  She nodded. “She needed you, and you rose to the challenge.”

  “Of course, it was mostly the dispatcher who talked me through it, but it was an amazing experience. Life-changing. I’ll never forget it. June and her husband, they text me photos of the kid sometimes.”

  “Isn’t it fun to see them grow up? I stay in touch with most of my clients.” She thought of the bulletin board of photos at home—her kids. Well, not really, but it looked like they were going to be the only kids she would ever have.

  “So what I’m saying is, I think your job is really cool. Amazing.”

  She shot him a look. “I can honestly say that I’ve never heard that from a guy. Most people I meet think my job is weird. Like I’m some hermit lady who concocts potions in the woods and keeps expectant mothers away from technology.”

  He snickered. “Not surprising. Back in colonial times, many of the women accused of being witches were actually midwives who knew about herbs and home remedies.”

  She nodded. “Most people don’t know that.”

  “History 110 with Dr. Hoppes,” he said.

  “Oh, now you’re showing off,” she teased. She was enjoying the easy banter, but already they were pulling into the parking lot of the inn. Meg felt a pang of regret. She enjoyed talking to Jack Woods, and she was sorry it had to end. He was attractive, with his surfer blond hair and silver eyes. So comfortable in his own skin, Jack had eased her mind with his sense of humor and love for people. In another time and place, she would have asked for his number, but here … this was a temporary stop for her.

  He got out of the cruiser to help her lift out the cases. “Need some help getting these inside?” he asked.

  “I can manage. I’m used to lugging them around, but I really didn’t think I’d be using them again this soon.”

  “Well, lucky for all of us you had this stuff handy. Lucky that you were here.” He lowered the forty-pound case next to her feet and stood facing her, just a breath away.

  Meg felt a wild impulse to rise up on her toes and reach for his shoulders and press her lips to his. She wanted to kiss him, right here in front of the inn in the light of day, with her sister most likely spying from one of the front windows. She felt herself veering toward the heat of his body, but he abruptly stepped back. “I’d better head out. Got to keep a lid on this town. You know how it is; without a police presence, folks’ll be jaywalking up and down Main Street.”

  She had forgotten that he was working. Wow. She had almost kissed an on-duty cop and compromised his professionalism. “Thanks for the ride,” she said.

  “I hope to see you again, Meg. If you’re staying awhile, I could show you around. Hook you up with some of the best Amish cooking in Lancaster County, not to mention some whoopie pies and soft p
retzels.”

  “I’d really like that, but …” The thought of spending time with Jack was very appealing, but responsibility tugged her back to Pittsburgh. “I’ve got to get home. I see that now.”

  “So we’ll keep in touch.” He held one hand to his face, pinky and thumb sticking out. “I’ll call you.”

  She picked up one of the cases. “You don’t even have my number.”

  He paused at the door to the vehicle. “Trust me. I know how to do detective work.”

  As she watched him drive away, she felt lighter. The path ahead was going to be bumpy, but at least now she knew which road to take.

  5

  No one answered the third time Zed Miller knocked on the door at the Lapp house. Moving off the porch, Zed tipped his straw hat back and looked up at the two-story home. The curtains didn’t move, and there wasn’t a sound from within. He knew that Caleb would be at the sheep ranch and Elsie would be in town, running the Country Store. But where was the rest of the family? Fanny had asked him to come by this morning and take a look at some renovations that needed to be done.

  He went around the side and saw that both buggies were gone from the garage. Hmm. Nobody home.

  Zed walked out to the old carriage house, a ramshackle building with two boarded-up windows that resembled missing teeth in a weathered face. Although neglected and battered by time, the structure had good bones. He had been here more than a year ago, helping Tom and Caleb patch up the roof. Holding his hand to the brim of his hat to ward off the sun, he could see the signs of their work, where new black shingles were mixed in with the faded gray. The three large bays for carriages had been designed for buggies, but they hadn’t been used that way for years, since the Lapps housed their buggies in the newer garage next to the house.

  The door creaked as he pushed it open and stepped into the cooler air. The interior was just posts and pillars and a dirt floor. A pile of fresh lumber stood in the center of the space. He tested the steps of the wooden staircase to the right as he climbed, passing through dust motes in the sunlight from a broken window. Ya, the staircase was good. Upstairs was a basic attic that could be used for storage. A very hot attic, Zed thought, wiping sweat from his brow as he headed back down the stairs. A Dutch door led to a small stable area in the back of the building, where horses had once been kept. Someone had planned the building well, but that had been many years ago. He wondered what the Lapps wanted to do with it now.