The Doctor's Blessing (10 page)

P
hillip knew Amber was right. Harold needed to start looking for a partner or someone to replace him. Since their last conversation on the subject ended with Phillip accidentally running Harold down with his car, he wasn’t eager to broach that subject again. His relationship with his grandfather was tenuous at best. It might not survive many more blowups. And he wanted it to survive.

Amber said, “If you are going to be seeing my patients, you need to get up to speed on their cases. I’ll get their files for you.”

He hated giving in on this. He’d hate himself more if Harold had a serious setback following his angry outburst tonight. It had never been Phillip’s intention to ruin Harold’s health, his business or his standing in the Amish community. Yet in the past month he had accomplished just that.

Coming out of her office, Amber handed Phillip a heavy box. “If you look at my outcomes, you’ll see how safe giving birth at home is for low-risk pregnancies.”

He shook his head. The woman did not give up. “You’ve won. What more do you want? Is that everything?” He gestured toward the box.

“Yes, even those patients I sent to the hospital because of complications. What I want is for you to accept what I do. Wait a minute. Before you leave, let me get a few other things for you.”

She sat down at her desk and booted up her computer. A few minutes of searching gave her a dozen articles in favor of home deliveries with qualified nurse-midwives in attendance. Handing them to him, she said, “If you won’t believe me, maybe you’ll believe the data from other experts in the field. Say you’ll at least read these.”

He looked at the loaded box he held. “Sure, in my spare time.”

“It won’t be that bad. I’ve put the charts of the women who are due first on the top.”

“Good. So, how do we get the word out?”

“It won’t take long. I’ll make a few calls.”

He cocked his head to the side. “I thought you said they don’t use phones.”

“No, but the businesses they use do. We can start by putting a notice in the paper and notes up at the grocery and feed stores.”

“I can see the headlines tomorrow. Dr. Phillip White Crumples Under Pressure.”

Her gaze turned sympathetic. “I realize you’re doing this only because Harold insisted, but I do want to thank you.”

It was hard to resist her when she was being nice. “I’ll admit I’ve been curious about how you handle the whole thing at someone’s home.”

“I’m sure your questions will be answered within a few days. I have women due the end of this week and two due the following week.”

He patted the top of the box she’d given him. “Then I’d better get my homework done.”

“If you have any questions I’ll be happy to answer them. I plan to make this very easy on you.” They walked together to her front door.

“Why, after the grief I’ve given you so far?”

“Because I believe in what I do, and I want you to feel the same way. Birth at home is a beautiful, spiritual experience.”

He thought simply looking into her eyes was a beautiful, spiritual experience. He stopped trying to kid himself. He was falling hard for this woman.

The last thing he’d expected to find in Ohio was someone like Amber Bradley. He deeply admired her grace, her humor, her dedication to the Amish people, her skill as a nurse and her profound faith.

Leaving Hope Springs was going to be much harder than he’d anticipated.

It didn’t take long for word to get around that Amber was back in business. The first person Amber told was her friend Katie. After several moments of rejoicing in the lobby of the Wadler Inn, Katie declared that she’d be happy to pass on the news.

On Monday afternoon, Bishop Zook arrived at the clinic and had a brief chat with Phillip. Amber was not included. Phillip looked surprised by the fact she wasn’t being asked to sit in. She wasn’t. Men dominated Amish society. Only men held Church offices and could work outside the home. Unmarried women could hold jobs to help support the family, but once a woman married she stayed at home.

The bishop, satisfied that Phillip was willing to allow home births, left to share the news with the rest of the Church district. That evening, Amber resumed prenatal visits with her expectant mothers.

Phillip accompanied her. She knew it was important for the families to meet him prior to the big day, but spending so much time alone with him as they traveled the back roads of the county began wearing on her nerves. Each hour she spent with him made it increasingly difficult to maintain a professional attitude. The one thing helping her was the knowledge that he didn’t agree with what she was doing.

Sunday morning rolled around on the first day of August with the good soaking rain so many farmers had been praying for. In church, Amber made a point of sitting with Nick and several of her cousins during the service. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Phillip come in.

Nick leaned over to whisper, “I see your special friend is here.”

Slanting a glance at her handsome cousin, she caught his mischievous grin and made a face. “He’s not my anything, Nick.”

“That’s not what I’ve been hearing.”

Okay, who had been talking?
“Not all gossip in Hope Springs is true, you know.”

Nick glanced toward the back of the church then crossed his arms. “The man might think you’re avoiding him.”

Amber focused her attention on the sanctuary where a large stained-glass window depicting a shroud-draped cross was set high in the wall. Instantly, she felt guilty.

It’s not that I’m avoiding Phillip, Lord. It’s just that…okay, I’m avoiding him.

Being in Phillip’s constant company was making her wish for things that could never be. He was charming and funny. He loved kids. In spite of their many differences, it would be so easy to fall for the guy.

She hadn’t fallen for him, but she could feel herself stumbling.

Remember, he isn’t staying in Hope Springs. He has a life waiting for him in Hawaii.

She had a wonderful life here. A life she had always wanted. So why didn’t it feel as wonderful as it once had?

During the service, she prayed for the strength to keep a level head and her heart intact. After church was over and they all went outside, she remained with her cousins, exchanging small talk and getting updated on family matters. The sun had come out and the air smelled fresh-washed and sweet. She saw Phillip standing off to the side of the church steps. He looked lonely by himself, and very handsome in his charcoal gray suit and pale green dress shirt.

Amber wavered and nearly went to talk to him. The arrival of the mayor saved her. As the tall, lanky public servant pumped Phillip’s hand and loudly expressed his gratitude, Amber made a quick escape.

Her respite lasted until Monday. At least they were busy through the morning, which left them little time together. In the afternoon, Phillip sat down with her to finish reviewing the charts of her clients.

Amber was leery that he would be critical of her methods. She knew she did good work, but this collaboration could prove to be difficult if they didn’t see eye to eye on the basics.

Closing the last chart, he looked up at her. “You’re very thorough. The only patient I question as low-risk is Sophie Knepp.”

“Why? Everything about this pregnancy has been great.”

“She has lost two children.”

“From what Harold and the family told me, those little girls died at the age of two from medical problems. It was before my time here. Her last two pregnancies have gone without a hitch.”

“Still, I’m not comfortable with doing a home delivery with her.”

“Will you be comfortable with any of them?” Amber snapped. She didn’t mean to be snippy but the words were out before she could stop them.

He sat forward in his chair and crossed his arms on the desktop. “You think I’ll find something wrong with all your patients?”

“No. I’m sorry I said that.”

“We’ve got some trust issues here, don’t we? Maybe we should begin addressing those.”

Leaning back in her chair, she studied him intently. “I want to believe you’ve got my back here but it’s a little hard. I know you’ve been forced into this and it goes against what you believe. Besides that, you aren’t invested in these patients because you’ll be leaving in a few weeks.”

“Fair enough. The only thing I can do is to let my actions speak for me.”

Just then her cell phone rang. Opening it, she spoke briefly with the caller and then hung up.

Looking at Phillip, she said, “Here and now you should know this isn’t about us anymore. From now on, our focus must be making sure our clients have a wonderful birthing experience.”

“And safe.”

Nodding, she echoed him. “And safe. Agreed?”

“Absolutely.”

Amber rose to her feet. “Well then, you’re about to see your first home birth. That call was from a neighbor of Mary Yutzi. She’s in labor and we need to go.”

He picked up the phone. “Wilma, do I have any more patients scheduled this afternoon?”

Amber grinned. He was going to find balancing office work and delivering babies to be a real time challenge.

He said, “Cancel Mrs. Curtis and reschedule her for tomorrow morning.”

Hanging up the phone, he rose. “Let’s go welcome a new child of God into this world.”

As soon as they arrived at the Yutzi farm, Phillip watched Amber quickly set up her equipment. Mary was still walking the floor with her hands pressed to the small of her back. Her husband was holding her elbow and speaking softly to her as he walked by her side.

After examining her, Amber smiled. “You’ve got a ways to go yet.”

Getting up from the bed, Mary looked at Amber. “But you will stay,
ja?
”

“I’ll stay. Dr. Phillip and I can make ourselves at home. Why don’t you take a walk outside? It’s a beautiful day.”

With her attentive husband at her side, Mary went out the front door.

Amber said, “Walking will move her labor along more quickly.”

She removed her gloves and washed while Phillip checked over her supplies.

“Clamps, suction bulb, Ambu bag, oxygen, IV fluids, Pitocin, a baby scale. You’ve got a whole delivery suite here.” He sounded impressed.

“There’s more in the car if I need it. Are you feeling less apprehensive about this?”

“Maybe. Cleanliness isn’t an issue here. This home is as neat as a pin.”

“That’s true for most Amish homes.”

It wasn’t long before Mary and her husband returned. Phillip stood in the bedroom doorway and watched as Amber helped her lie down. When Mary was comfortable, Amber lis
tened to the baby’s heartbeat with her fetoscope. “Everything sounds fine. How are your contractions?”

“Uncomfortable and about every two minutes.” She glanced repeatedly at Phillip with a slight frown on her face.

“Good. It won’t be long now,” Amber reassured her.

Walking over to Phillip, she asked, “Would you like to help?”

“You seem to have everything under control.”

“You look like you’re ready to jump in at any second.”

“I am.”

“I’ll tell you what you can do to help. I find reading from the Bible will often calm my mothers.”

“And nervous doctors, too?”

Smiling, she nodded. “Yes, you, too. I hand out an instruction packet on diet and exercise and what new moms need to expect on my first prenatal visit with a client. The packet also contains some of my favorite Scripture passages.”

“Do you do that because they are Amish?”

“No, I do it because I have been called by God to be a nurse-midwife. Praising His name and reading His word while a new life is coming into the world just seems right.”

“Would one of your favorite Scriptures be 1 John 3:18?”

“Yes, how did you know that?”

“Your coffee cup told me. ‘My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.’”

Her eyes softened. “Exactly.”

“Would you like me to read to you, Mary?”

“Ja.”

Amber said, “I think it would make us less nervous than having you hovering in the background.”

He looked about the room. “Do you have a Bible I can use?”

“How good is your German?” Amber asked with a know-it-all grin.

He adored her smile. “I now know
Doktor, doktor, komm schnell
and
Der Englischer ist ab im kopf.
”

Mary and her husband chuckled at that.

Amber slipped past him in the doorway. “I have my Bible in my bag. I’ll get it.”

When she came back, she handed it to him. Happily, it was an English version. She said, “Read anything you like.”

Settling himself on a wooden chair by the bedroom window, Phillip started reading as Amber coached Mary in her labor, checked her progress and kept a good eye on the baby’s condition without seeming intrusive.

Later, when it grew dark outside, Mary’s husband lit the gas lamp on the bedroom wall. Phillip moved to make use of the soft, warm glow.

Throughout the evening, Mary asked for numerous readings and he was happy to oblige. In amazement, he watched as Mary labored with her husband at her side in the quiet stillness of their own bedroom and by the light of a single lantern. It was a surreal experience for Phillip who had attended many deliveries under bright hospital lights with numerous medical personnel in the room.

At 12:09 a.m. Anna Yutzi arrived, weighing seven pounds, three ounces. She was twenty inches long and as bald as a rock.

“A beautiful and healthy girl,” Phillip said after examining the baby. He gave the weighed and measured infant back to her smiling parents. He had usurped Amber’s job, but the chance to hold such a precious child wasn’t to be missed. “
Ja,
she is our gift from God. My mother will be excited to have her first granddaughter,” Mary replied, never taking her eyes from her baby’s face. Her gentle smile warmed Phillip’s heart.

It took another hour or so to clean up and make sure both
mother and baby were comfortable. Mary’s husband assured them Mary’s mother would come to stay as soon as she heard the joyful news.