Steadfast Mercy Page 8

  “And don’t tell her you saw me here.” Hazel placed her hand on her belly. “I want Jacob to hear the news first.”

  “Nay need for worry.” He had no plans to tell Darleen anything. Caleb turned just in time to see Jonica being led into a room, two doors down. As he headed to join them, he sensed Hazel still watching him. Tongues would wag within hours. Hopefully, he’d have time to explain to Darleen before distorted speculations reached her ears.

  Caleb knocked on the open door as he entered. “Sorry to interrupt.”

  “That’s no problem,” the nurse said from behind a computer.

  He glanced at Jonica, but her focus remained on Stephen trying to get off the paper-lined table. Caleb stood on the opposite side of the exam bench to block the boy. “Stay still, Stephen.”

  The boy looked up at Caleb and blinked, releasing a string of tears. “Ich bang.”

  “I know.” Any child would be afraid in his situation. Caleb placed his hand on Stephen’s leg. “Your mamm and I are nett going to leave your side.”

  Stephen wiped away his tears with his bandaged hand. “You promise?”

  Caleb nodded. “For sure.”

  The nurse continued. “Can you tell me what happened?”

  “He cut his hand on a knife,” Jonica replied.

  The nurse frowned, no doubt wondering why a boy his age had access to a knife. “When did it happen?”

  Jonica glanced at the wall clock. “I’d say it’s been an hour.”

  “More like two.” Caleb took into account the time it took to harness the horse and time spent at Sadie’s.

  “Any known allergies?” Tammy continued.

  “Nay.”

  The nurse typed Jonica’s response into the computer, then asked if Stephen was up-to-date on his shots. When the nurse finished gathering information about his medical history, she washed her hands at the sink, then approached Stephen. “Can I examine your hand?”

  Stephen turned away from the nurse and reached for his mother.

  “Stephen, sweetie.” Jonica combed her fingers through her son’s hair, sweeping it away from his face. “Be a gut bu and let her take a look at your hand.”

  Though reluctant at first, Stephen finally extended his injured hand toward the nurse.

  Tammy carefully unraveled the blood-soaked rags and set them aside.

  “The white powder is flour,” Jonica explained. “When the flour didn’t stop the bleeding, we tried kaffi, but it didn’t work either.”

  The nurse went over to the sink and turned on the water. “I’ve heard of people using flour on cuts but coffee is a new one.” She filled a basin with water and removed some paper towels from the dispenser. “I’m going to wash your hand so the doctor can take a look, okay?”

  Stephen nodded. His bottom lip puckered and his eyes welled with tears. “Will it hurt?”

  “It might a little. But I’ll be as gentle as possible, and when we’re all done, I’ll let you pick out a sticker.”

  “Stephen is a brave young bu,” Caleb said. “Isn’t that right, Stephen?”

  The boy nodded.

  The nurse wiped the area clean, exposing the reddened area around the wound, which had finally stopped bleeding.

  Jonica leaned forward. “How bad do you think it is?”

  “I’ve seen worse.” Tammy emptied the wash pan in the sink, then went to the door. “The doctor will be in to see you shortly.”

  Stephen sat up the moment the nurse left the room. “Can we geh? Mr. Jordan said he would let me watch him whittle.”

  Jonica leaned down to Stephen’s level. “I won’t hear of it. You already know what happens when you play with knives.”

  Caleb rolled the stool around to Jonica’s side of the table so she could sit.

  “Mr. Jordan gave Stephen a horse he’d whittled out of a piece of wood,” Jonica explained.

  Stephen pulled it out of his pocket and handed the wooden object to Caleb.

  Caleb inspected the carving. The proportions were accurate, the horse’s muscle structure correct. It was not a simple piece merely whittled with a pocketknife. The oak was smooth. “His work is exceptional.”

  Jonica frowned. “I wonder how long he’s been working on it.”

  Caleb shared her concern. Something with this much detail must have taken days to complete. The sanding alone would have taken several hours to get it this smooth. Caleb turned the piece over in his hand, then handed it back to Stephen. “You should put it back in your pocket so you don’t lose it.”

  “I don’t want you hanging around him,” Jonica said.

  “Why? He’s nett a stranger,” Stephen said.

  “Stephen.”

  She held up her hand, but it didn’t stop the boy from adding, “I’ve seen him before . . .” He lowered his head and muttered, “In mei dreams.”

  For half a second Jonica stood with her mouth agape.

  “He’s an Englischer,” Caleb attempted to explain. “Nett that all Englischers have hidden agendas . . . but some do.” The boy’s puzzled expression revealed his lack of understanding. “It’s best that you listen to your mamm.”

  A few minutes later, Dr. Mallory came into the room along with the nurse. He examined Stephen’s hand but seemed more concerned over the blood-saturated rags than the cut itself. “Did you apply pressure?”

  “Jah, but it just kept on bleeding,” Jonica replied.

  Dr. Mallory continued the exam. “Is there any history of bleeding disorders in the family?”

  Jonica appeared deep in thought and looked at Caleb as if staring straight through him. Then without further prompting from anyone, she seemed to shake off whatever she was thinking. “Bleeding problems? None that I know of.”

  The doctor was giving the nurse instructions about the suture tray, but Caleb was more interested in why Jonica was picking at the thin paper lining the table. What was she so nervous about? Hearing the doctor and nurse discuss needle size must have made her green around the gills. Her forehead beaded with perspiration and she licked her lips as though her mouth had gone dry. Caleb positioned himself to catch her should she faint.

  “Does he bruise easily?” Dr. Mallory asked.

  “Easily?” Jonica echoed.

  Her dazed, vacant stare warned Caleb she needed support before she leaned against his arm. He placed his hand around her waist. “Do you need to sit down?”

  She shook her head but immediately squeezed her eyes closed. Clearly, she was having problems standing on her own.

  Caleb eased her onto the stool and rolled her into the corner out of the way.

  “Mamm?” Stephen’s uninjured arm flailed.

  “Mamm isn’t feeling gut.” Caleb took Jonica’s place at the boy’s side. “I’m here with you, Stephen. You’re going to be okay.”

  “I would like to do a brief physical while the nurse gets everything else ready.” He examined Stephen’s mouth, nose, and ears, then tapped his abdomen in several places, touched his neck and armpits, then listened to his heart.

  It all seemed routine to Caleb and the doctor didn’t reveal any of his thoughts.

  The nurse rolled a stainless-steel tray over to the table, then adjusted the overhead light so it was aimed at Stephen’s hand.

  “This is going to sting a little,” Dr. Mallory said as he injected the numbing medicine in the tissue surrounding the wound.

  Caleb held Stephen’s uninjured hand. “Tell me something you like to do.”

  Stephen squeezed Caleb’s hand as the doctor made the first stitch.

  “Do you like to go fishing?”

  “Jah, mei daadi used to take me.”

  Caleb was determined to keep Stephen’s attention off what the doctor was doing. “Maybe we can go fishing sometime.”

  “Today?”

  Caleb liked the boy’s enthusiasm. October wasn’t an ideal month for fishing, and his mother had made it clear they weren’t staying in town long, so waiting for the pond to harden over with ice was out.
“We’ll go when your hand is better. I promise.”

  Jonica stood and wiped her forehead with her dress sleeve. She mouthed “thank you” to Caleb as he stepped aside.

  “Mamm too?”

  Jonica’s brows pinched together. “Mamm too? What are we talking about?”

  Caleb smiled. “Stephen and I are planning a day to go fishing.”

  “In October?”

  Caleb winked. “We needed a distraction.”

  “But you promised,” Stephen said.

  “So I did.” Caleb shrugged at Jonica. “I can’t break mei promise.”

  The doctor finished the stitches and wrapped Stephen’s hand with gauze. “You’ll have to keep your bandage dry, so I think you and your dad will have to postpone the fishing trip a few days.”

  Stephen frowned.

  “Tammy, would you please take Stephen out to the nurse’s desk and find this brave young man a sticker? I would like a few minutes to speak with his parents.”

  Caleb glanced at Jonica, but she seemed oblivious to what the doctor had said about needing to talk with Stephen’s parents. Caleb held his tongue. If Jonica wasn’t going to correct the doctor, neither would he.

  The nurse helped Stephen down from the table, then took him by the hand. “I think we can find two stickers.”

  After the door shut behind the pair, Dr. Mallory got right to the point. “I would like Stephen to have some blood work done.”

  “What’s wrong with him?” Jonica’s voice cracked.

  “Most cuts like Stephen’s stop bleeding with a little pressure. His didn’t. He lost more blood than he should, which leads me to suspect a possible clotting disorder or some form of autoimmune disease. Does he get sick easily?”

  Her face contorted. “He’s been overly tired lately. He’s had a lot of nightmares since mei parents were killed in an accident. Do you think lack of sleep might have something to do with it?”

  “I don’t want to alarm you before the tests come back. It might be just something we need to keep an eye on.”

  Jonica’s complexion paled and she swayed like she might pass out.

  Caleb came up beside her. “You should sit and rest a minute.”

  She shook her head. “I want to know what’s wrong with mei sohn.”

  As she began to shake with sobs, Caleb turned her into his arms, offering both emotional and physical support. “It might nett be anything,” he whispered in her ear. “We’re going to pray it isn’t.”

  Her body tense in his arms, he half expected Jonica to push out of his hold. Instead, she buried her face in the crook of his neck. Holding her wasn’t a big deal—she needed someone.

  Dr. Mallory jotted something on a prescription pad, then tore off the top sheet. “Give this to the outpatient department at the hospital.”

  Caleb took the piece of paper. “Once the blood work is done, how long before we know something?”

  “We should know something by Monday or Tuesday,” Dr. Mallory said.

  Jonica pushed off his chest, breathing heavily and staring like she was confused.

  “That’s only a couple of days away, Jonica,” Caleb said.

  “Jah, this is Friday. I know.” She turned to the doctor. “Tell me, Doktah, what do I need to prepare for?”

  “That will depend on a number of things. But again, let’s wait and cross that bridge if and when it comes. For now, it’s a waiting game. Hopefully the results will prove negative.”

  “But what if they’re nett negative? I don’t understand . . .” Her words were lost in another wave of sobs. “Are you thinking it’s something bad? Something incurable?”

  “There are a number of things it can be. Does anyone on either side of your family have a blood disorder? Such as hemophilia, thalassemia, or sickle cell? It could also be leukemia, which is a form of blood cancer. I can’t rule anything out at this point.”

  Caleb waited for Jonica to respond, but she didn’t. She just stared. The doctor’s attention shifted to him, but he didn’t have any information to share. Nothing about the father’s side of the family. “I don’t know about the family history. Jonica’s parents were killed in an accident.”

  “Cancer?” she gasped. “You think he has . . . ?”

  Watching her body tremble uncontrollably, Caleb fought the urge to gather her into his arms again. Instead, he placed his hand on her shoulder. Lord, please strengthen Jonica with Your presence. Give her peace.

  The doctor grimaced but in a flash the concern was gone. Accustomed to being the bearer of bad news, he gave them a moment before he replied. “There is a possibility, but I’d like to discuss that more after the blood work comes back and we have a better idea of what we’re dealing with. For now, have the blood drawn. Do you have a contact number listed so I can reach you once the test results are back?”

  “I . . . ah.” Jonica turned to Caleb. “Do you know Beverly Drombroski’s phone number?”

  He shook his head. “I have it written down at home.”

  “You can give my receptionist the information later to update your file. In the meantime watch him for signs of bleeding—in his stool, even if his gums bleed when he’s brushing his teeth. If you see any bleeding at all, bring him in right away. Also, if he complains of joint pain or runs a fever, don’t hesitate to bring him in.”

  Jonica nodded, tears rolling down her cheeks.

  It almost seemed like a moot point in light of everything else, but Caleb asked anyway. “What about the stitches? When should they be removed?”

  “Stop at the desk and the receptionist will set up an appointment.”

  Caleb plucked a couple of tissues from a box on the counter and gave them to Jonica. Why hadn’t she told Dr. Mallory about Stephen’s fever the other day?

  Chapter 9

  Jonica removed the pamphlet she’d received at the doctor’s office from her handbag and read about bleeding disorders as Stephen slept on her lap for the ride home. She didn’t get beyond the first page before tears welled, blurring the words—genetic disorder.

  “Stephen is going to be okay,” Caleb said, breaking the silence.

  “You don’t know that.” Get control. Breathe. She took a moment to calm herself. Caleb didn’t deserve the clipped response. He’d been nothing but kind to her and Stephen. She dried her face with the back of her hand. “I shouldn’t have snapped at you just nau. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” A comforting smile touched his lips.

  “Nay, it isn’t.” She swallowed the lump rebuilding in her throat. “I shouldn’t take it out on you. None of this is your fault.”

  “It isn’t yours either.”

  “I’m his mamm. I should have known something was wrong.” She continued reading, stumbling over a majority of the information. “I don’t know what all these words mean.” She glossed over the scientific jargon about the different clotting factors and their functions, and skipped to the list of signs and symptoms.

  “We don’t know for certain that anything is wrong. Even the doktah isn’t sure.”

  She gazed down at Stephen sleeping peacefully. “He’s always had pasty skin color. I thought it was because he didn’t get much sun. He tires easily . . .” Her lungs burned pulling in a hitched breath. Recalling all the times she’d forced Stephen out of bed when he begged to sleep longer muddled her thoughts.

  “What else does the pamphlet list as things to watch for?”

  Jonica shrugged. She didn’t want to admit that she could see in Stephen everything she’d read so far. “Do you know anyone with blood cancer?”

  “Nay. But a lot of people are easily tired. I’m that way.”

  “What about hemophilia or leukemia? Do you know anyone?”

  “Nay, I don’t know anyone.” He was quiet a long moment. “Do you think you should tell—” He glanced at Stephen, then mouthed, “his father?”

  She shook her head. “We never stayed in contact.” Peter had whisked her off her feet and sweet-talked her until he’d t
aken what he’d wanted. Afterward, embarrassed beyond repair, they both agreed never to mention what had happened. Her moment of weakness changed her life forever.

  “Did you tell him about . . . ?”

  “That I was pregnant? Jah, but that didn’t change his mind. He didn’t want to stay Amish. He still chose the world—to live as an outsider.” She’d already said more than she’d told anyone. Even her closest friend, Faith, didn’t know the reason they moved away. Nor could anyone know of the meaningless, one-night stand.

  Jonica peered down at her son. “I can’t talk about this nau.”

  “I understand.”

  She appreciated Caleb trying to be encouraging in a horrible situation, but Stephen’s medical condition wasn’t his problem. She had given birth as a single mother, and she would walk through this crisis alone. She missed her parents, especially her mother. A mixture of anger and loneliness overtook her emotions and she cried harder. Her world was crumbling.

  Caleb split his attention between her and the road but remained silent. Either he found himself at a loss for words or sensed she needed space. Either way, she was grateful for not having to explain the nightmare she’d been fighting in her head.

  The sun was low on the horizon, filling the landscape with a golden glow, when Caleb pulled into the driveway and parked next to the porch. “Wait just a minute.” He jumped out, looped the reins over the hitching post, then raced around to her side of the buggy.

  Caleb held out his arms to take Stephen. Feeling drained, Jonica didn’t object.

  Aenti met them at the door. “How is Stephen? You’ve been gone such a long time, and I’ve been worried sick.”

  “He’s sleeping,” Jonica whispered. She wasn’t ready to go into a long explanation of everything that had transpired at the doctor’s office. Jonica motioned to the staircase. “Will you bring him upstairs to his room, please?”

  Caleb nodded for Jonica to head up the stairs to Stephen’s room. Asleep in Caleb’s strong arms, her son seemed small. Inside the room she pulled the bedcovers back and stepped aside to give Caleb space to lower Stephen onto the mattress.

  Stephen opened his eyes. “Are we still going fishing?”