Later, once I was back upstairs, I plugged my nearly dead phone into the portable battery pack I’d brought along. Then, as I lay in bed staring at the pitch-black ceiling, I tried to pray. Really I did.
Dear God . . .
But then nothing more came.
Just as I was finally starting to drift off to sleep, my phone startled me awake. In my half-awake state, I was sure it was Ryan.
It wasn’t. It was an Indiana number.
I woke up enough to accept the call and croak, “Hello?”
“Sorry to call so late. It’s Delores.” My Uncle Seth’s daughter. “I have the flu. High fever, aches, and chills. Sore throat and cough. The whole deal.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. . . .” Why was she calling me?
“I have a mother in labor. I can’t find another midwife to cover for me. Would you do it?”
I was wide awake now. “I’m not qualified.”
“It’s her third Boppli. I don’t foresee any problems.”
“I don’t have any equipment,” I said. “Or a vehicle.” Surely she wouldn’t expect me to take Mammi’s buggy.
“I know,” she said. “I have an extra set of gear in my shop. Dad will bring it to you. And you can drive his pickup.”
When I didn’t answer, she said, “I’m guessing that going out in a snowstorm to a birth is the last thing you want to do. . . .”
I didn’t say anything. She was right about that.
“This woman just needs someone with her, another woman. She’ll do fine.”
“How about a neighbor? Or relative?”
“She recently came back to Nappanee after being away for years. She’s a widow who remarried a year ago. Her name is Arleta. She has two older children, but she doesn’t have any relatives in the area. I did leave messages for a couple of her neighbors, but no one’s called me back.”
I doubted any Amish were checking their messages on a night like tonight.
“Can’t your dad drive me there?”
“He could except he’s not feeling very well either. I told him to wear a mask when he picks you up. You’ll need to drop him off at his place and then keep going.”
“He’ll be there in a few—” She broke off in a deep cough.
When she stopped, I said, “I haven’t been to a birth in nine years.”
“You used to assist your mother. And you’d started an apprenticeship.”
“But I never delivered a baby on my own.”
“Your being there will only make things easier for Arleta. There’s no way it will make it worse.”
I swung my legs over to the side of the bed. “What about liability issues?”
“You will simply be helping a woman in need. No one’s going to sue.”
I wasn’t so sure. “Why don’t you send her to the hospital?”
“I tried,” Delores answered. “Her husband was the one who called me, and he refused. Believe me, I’ve tried every other option possible.”
A horn honked outside.
“What if something goes wrong?” I asked.
“Well, if you have a question, call me. If it’s an emergency, call 9-1-1.”
“All right,” I finally said. “I’ll go. What’s the address?”
“Dad has it,” she answered. “Plus special driving directions.”
I stood and grabbed my car charger from the front pocket of my suitcase. “And you’re sure Uncle Seth has everything I need?”
“Jah, positive.”
I shuddered. God help me. I could be making the biggest mistake of my life, but the thought of a woman laboring by herself in a snowstorm was more than I could bear.
****
We hope you’ve enjoyed this special sample of Piecing It All Together by Leslie Gould. For more information on this book, please visit www.bethanyhouse.com or your favorite bookstore.
Books by Leslie Gould
THE COURTSHIPS OF LANCASTER COUNTY
Courting Cate
Adoring Addie
Minding Molly
Becoming Bea
NEIGHBORS OF LANCASTER COUNTY
Amish Promises
Amish Sweethearts
Amish Weddings
THE SISTERS OF LANCASTER COUNTY
A Plain Leaving
A Simple Singing
A Faithful Gathering
An Amish Family Christmas: An AMISH CHRISTMAS KITCHEN novella
PLAIN PATTERNS
Piecing It All Together
About the Author
Leslie Gould is the #1 bestselling and award-winning author of over thirty novels, including the COURTSHIPS OF LANCASTER COUNTY series, the NEIGHBORS OF LANCASTER COUNTY series, and the SISTERS OF LANCASTER COUNTY series. She holds an MFA in creative writing and enjoys research trips, church history, and hiking, especially in the beautiful state of Oregon, where she lives. She and her husband, Peter, are the parents of four adult children.
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Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
Dedication
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Recipe
Sneak Peek of Piecing It All Together by Leslie Gould
Books by Leslie Gould
About the Author
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