Sisters of the Quilt Trilogy (13 page)

“I’d like to see Luke before we see the doctor,”
Daed
said as the doors opened.

Once they all squeezed in, Ms. Morgan pushed another button, and the doors slid shut. “We’ll find a quiet place on the second floor for you to talk with the doctor. After he explains things, you may see Luke.”

Daed
removed his hat and fidgeted with it. “We don’t have insurance.”

Ms. Morgan nodded. “Luke and Mary came in under emergency status. Care is guaranteed, but there are still forms to fill out.”

Hannah listened to the nervous murmuring of her family as they all waited in a conference room behind closed doors. Her mother paced the floor, bouncing a whimpering Rebecca on her hip. Her father appeared calm, sitting in a chair with his hands propped on the large table. But he kept squeezing his fists so tight they turned white. Then he’d release them and do it again. Tiny dots of sweat covered his forehead.

Levi and Sarah sat quietly with their hands folded in their laps. Samuel bounced on Esther’s knee, eating peanuts that a hospital worker had bought for him from a vending machine.

The oversized wooden door opened. A man in his late twenties entered. He glanced about the room and gave a smile. “I’m Dr. Greenfield.” He took a seat across from
Daed. Mamm
passed Rebecca to Hannah and sat in the chair next to her husband. The young doctor pulled an ink pen from his shirt pocket. “Mr. and Mrs. Lapp?”

Her parents nodded, looking too emotional to try to speak.

Dr. Greenfield slid his hands into the pockets of his lab coat. “Your son is in serious but stable condition. He has a concussion, but that is mild and temporary. Our main concern is the injury to his arm. We had to operate on it. There was a slight nick on an artery, and the blood flow wasn’t sufficient to give the hand and lower arm the circulation they needed. We repaired the artery, and things look good right now. The next few days will let us know how well his lower arm and hand will heal. We’ll need to watch him closely during that time. He’s in ICU, so he’ll get the medical care he needs.”

Daed’s
eyes narrowed. “You said he had a concussion.”

The doctor gave a slight nod. “We are closely monitoring his condition, but there’s every indication that his head will be fine.”

He squeezed his hands into fists again. “Is there a chance he could lose his arm?”

A grimace caused lines across the man’s face. “Yes. But we hope that won’t be necessary. Right now everything appears to be healing. There’s no damage to any tendons or ligaments, which means if his arm and hand do well over the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours, he won’t have any lingering issues to deal with—except needing as little stress as possible and getting plenty of rest for three to four weeks.”

Swallowing hard and hoping she wasn’t about to upset her family further, Hannah spoke. “What about Mary?”

The doctor gave her a friendly smile. “I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you about a patient who isn’t a family member. The Yoders arrived a few minutes after you, and they’re currently meeting with Mary’s doctor. They can share with you any information they wish.”

He turned back to her father. “Two adults at a time are allowed in ICU, but no one under twelve is admitted unless circumstances dictate. With supervision, the younger children can stay in here or go to a waiting room. There’s a cafeteria downstairs. If you’ll go to the nurses’ station, they’ll show you to Luke’s room.”

Her mother took a deep breath. “Thank you.”

Daed
nodded. “Yes, thank you.”

“Glad to help.” Dr. Greenfield left.

Mamm
straightened her pinafore. She turned, eying each of her children to make sure they were ready to cope with what faced them without drawing undue attention.

In a quiet, stoic manner they filed out of the room.

For the first time in months, maybe years, Hannah felt her own ideas and desires fade. All that mattered was that Luke and Mary get well.

H
annah.” Her father’s voice cracked a bit as he called to her from the doorway of the hospital waiting room.

“Yes sir.” Hannah rose and placed little Rebecca in Sarah’s lap.

“You go in next. Then you can get Sarah, Esther, and Levi ready to see Luke. I’ll find a pay phone and call the Bylers to let our community know how things stand.”

“Yes sir.” Hannah hoped the Bylers would be close enough to hear their phone. It was located in a shanty at the end of their long lane and used mainly for business purposes. They had an answering machine inside the shanty, but days passed without them remembering to check it. After thinking about it, Hannah was sure her father would call Mr. Carlisle if he couldn’t reach the Bylers. Mr. Carlisle would see to it that the community was informed of what was going on.

Leaving Sarah to watch over their three youngest siblings, Hannah walked through the door and down the ICU corridor. As she made her way along the hallway, she saw Jacob Yoder leaving ICU and heading for the waiting room. The young man looked pale and shaken. But Sarah was here; she’d be pleased to keep him company. Hannah dipped her head low, avoiding eye contact just as she’d promised Sarah she’d do. But a quick glance up said he never even saw her.

Hannah nodded at a nurse who glanced up from her station. Coming to a halt outside Luke’s room, she saw her brother through the sliding glass entryway. She froze.

He lay in the bed with his eyes closed. His right arm and hand were bandaged. Restraints held both arms to the metal sides of the bed. A bag containing some type of amber liquid and a bag of what had to be blood dripped into different tubes attached to his good arm by needles. Strange machines were connected to him and to various boxes she’d heard the nurse call
monitors
.

Her mother sat in an upright recliner beside the bed, staring at Luke. The expression on her face spoke of despair and hopelessness. Determined to help as best she could, Hannah stepped into the room and eased into the small chair beside her mother. “It’s okay,
Mamm
. Luke and Mary are gonna be all right. You just wait and see.”

Although Hannah hadn’t gone in to see Mary yet, she’d overheard Becky Yoder tell all she knew of her daughter’s injuries. Poor Mary. She’d suffered a right femur fracture, a right dislocated shoulder, and a left subdural hematoma. The doctors had said that with physical therapy Mary’s leg and shoulder weren’t a concern. But she could have problems with her memory, speech, and coordination because of the head injury that required surgery to relieve the buildup of blood against her brain. She might not remember her family or friends. She might need to learn how to brush her teeth, feed herself, walk, and get dressed all over again. She’d also need months of physical therapy for the injuries to her shoulder and leg.

Becky said her daughter’s heartbeat had been so weak at the scene of the accident that the medic thought she didn’t have a pulse. Hannah wondered just how close to dying Mary had come.

Guilt nibbled at Hannah, for even with the grief of this situation, she was finding this world of medicine fascinating.

Hours dragged by as Hannah and her family took turns watching Luke breathe. Various nurses and doctors came by and explained all sorts of medical issues that were hard to keep up with.

The younger kids were miserable camping out in the waiting room, and
Daed
was fed up with just waiting for Luke to awaken. He’d mumbled something a few hours earlier about the rest of the potatoes having to be harvested before the weather turned.

While Hannah sat in Luke’s room, both sets of parents gathered in a conference room to discuss who would stay at the hospital and who would return to the farm. Hannah knew the heads of the households wanted to get as much of their families as possible back home. Not only was there plenty that needed to be done, but the contact with such worldliness through the televisions and some of the people was not something either man wanted his children exposed to. And meals at the cafeteria were expensive for an entire family. Besides, it made no sense for two entire families to hold a vigil here.

“Hannah.” Her mother motioned for her to leave Luke’s room and come with her. Hannah followed her out of the ICU area and into a secluded hallway. Her mother turned to her. “Your father came to me about this and then talked to Becky and John Yoder. We think the best place for you to be is here. Becky and I will stay as well.”

The sadness in her mother’s eyes and voice hurt, and Hannah couldn’t answer.

Mamm
glanced down the hallway. “John and Becky would like you here in case Mary wakes up. If you tell her she’s safe and everything is okay, that will settle the matter.” She smiled, but it never entered her eyes. “Won’t it?”

Hannah nodded. Mary did trust her. There had been a time when Mary wouldn’t believe she was safe from a storm or an imaginary monster unless Hannah told her so. But that was years ago, back when Mary was a child.

Hannah was also fairly sure of what her mother wasn’t saying. If Mary never woke, or if she woke with some of the problems the doctor had mentioned, Hannah could be a comfort to Becky.

Mamm
took Hannah by the hand. “The man driving the car that ran into Luke and Mary showed up here at the hospital.”

Hannah hadn’t expected this. “Why?”

“He’s in the conference room with your
Daed
, John, and Becky. He’s so sorry for the accident, Hannah.” Her voice cracked, and she fought to control her emotions. “It ain’t his fault. He wasn’t speeding. He just topped the hill as the buggy was crossing the road. He and his wife have both offered to come work for us awhile. I think it’ll do the poor man some good to know he’s helping those he hurt, even if it wasn’t on purpose. And with their help, we won’t be short-handed if you stay here.” She paused, searching her daughter’s face. “Besides, your
Daed
says that you’re doing better here than at the farm and that maybe you need some time away.”

Hannah swallowed. “I’d be happy to stay here with Luke and Mary. I’m learning bits and pieces about medical stuff, and it’s fascinating.”

Their conversation paused as they waited on a man to pass them in the hallway. Hannah hated the reason they were at this place, but there was so much to learn around here. When no one saw her, she’d managed to read a few lines from a novel that someone had left in a waiting room and had flipped through a few psychology magazines.

Her mother smiled. “I’ve always said you’d make a good midwife one day, Hannah. Now, go on back in with Luke.”

An hour later
Mamm
came into Luke’s room, explaining that John Yoder and
Daed
had found lodging near the hospital for the three of them who were staying. Two drivers had arrived, and everyone else was downstairs loading up to leave.

Mamm
, Becky, and Hannah went down to say goodbye to their families. Mary’s father promised to return in a few days. In the meantime, Becky was to call him at the Bylers’ house with updates at a preset time each evening. In what seemed like a blur, Hannah stood in front of the hospital waving goodbye to most of her family.

How did life change so quickly?

Luke couldn’t manage to open his eyes, but he felt a peacefulness in his heart that he’d never known existed. The God who dictated the strict ways of the
Ordnung
had another side to Him. Based on what Luke’s heart felt, it was a gentle, listening, loving side. One that was quick to warm Luke’s being and build hope during desperate times.

He heard Hannah near him, singing a hymn from the
Ausbund
. He pushed against the weight that tried to force his eyes shut and caught a glimpse of his sister.

Hannah smiled. “Hi, Luke.”

Where was he? His eyes closed and refused to open again, but he didn’t give in to the pull of sleep.

An image of Mary broke through his murky thoughts. He tried to focus while his sister explained to him where he was, where Mary was, and why. Hannah’s always gentle voice now irritated him. He wanted to get up and demand that someone take him to see Mary. Now! But no matter how hard he fought against the engulfing grogginess, he couldn’t break free.

In addition to his sister’s voice, he could hear other strange noises. There was a whooshing sound that reminded him of the diesel-powered milkers used on the dairy cows, rhythmic beeps like he’d never heard before, and the faint hum of some machine. Something under his nose was blowing cold air up his nostrils, but beyond that he detected a smell like the chemical his
Mamm
used to clean the floors. He ached from the top of his head down to his lower back, but his eyes refused to open, and his body occasionally jerked against its imprisonment. Unable to fight any longer, he allowed himself to sink back into that restful place.

Sitting in the recliner beside Luke’s bed, Hannah hurt for both Luke and Mary. She closed her eyes. With them in such a bad way, it was only the beginning of difficult times.

In spite of her concerns, sleepiness nipped at her. While she relaxed, an idea flowed into her mind.

A quilt
.

With Mary having months of recuperation ahead and Hannah intending to spend as many of those hours with her dear friend as she could, it seemed a good time to start a quilt for Luke and Mary. If her friend awoke with problems remembering her life, it could serve to tie Mary to her past and to her future as they worked on the squares together. Thoughts of gathering materials and designing a special pattern brought a sense of peace, causing Hannah to close her eyes and lean back in the recliner.

“Wh-where’s Mary?” Luke’s scratchy voice shot through her.

Hannah jumped to her feet, startled. Breathless, she grasped his hand. “Luke, you’re awake.”

He stared at her, confusion radiating from his eyes. “Is … Mary … alive?”

“Yes. She’s in a room down the hall.”

A nervous chill ran through her. A nurse had said that when Luke woke, no one was to tell him any more than Mary was alive and resting. Desperate not to utter the wrong thing, Hannah motioned toward the door. “I … I’ll tell
Mamm
and the nurses that you’re awake.”