Amish Country Arson Page 15

  Rudy's mouth gaped open.

  Hal asked, “I have to finish helping serve the dessert. Were you going to say more, Rudy?”

  “Nah, I am just glad the goat worked out so well,” he said without his usual bluster.

  “Denki so much. Everything about the goat is just fine for me. Even her name. I'd say for the Lapp family the name Gano is perfect. She's a winner all the way around as far as we're concerned. Well worth every bit of the bargain you gave us, Rudy.” Hal whisk away before Rudy could speak.

  As soon as the children walked out of the house, Daniel found Noah talking to Levi Yoder. Levi said, “Daniel, how are you this fine day?”

  “Gute, and you?”

  “I'm gute,” Levi said.

  Daniel put his hand on Noah's arm. “We need to talk.”

  “All recht, what is it?”

  “Alone,” Daniel said urgently.

  Levi realized something was wrong. “I should go find out what time I am to pick my date up for the singing tonight. See you two there I reckon.”

  As soon as Luke was out of ear shot, Daniel said, “Come away from everyone where they cannot hear us.” Noah followed. When they stopped, Daniel said, “The sermons today were aimed at you and me. I am sure of it. Have you listened to the radio lately?”

  “Nah, I have not had the chance since I bought it, but there is not a way to know that me of all the boys has that radio. The sermons were for all of us. Your conscious is just bothering you,” Noah excused.

  “It is for a fact. Bishop Bontrager hit the nail on the head when he looked at me. I hate knowing you have a radio hid from Daed. When you have a chance, you should make sure that radio is still where you put it,” Daniel insisted.

  Chapter 13

  During the fellowship luncheon, Wanda Bruner sat next to Hal. She fingered her silverware nervously.

  Hal gave her a tentative smile. “How are you this fine day?”

  “I am well enough. Praise the Lord!” Wanda exclaimed sheepishly and dropped her hands in her lap. She looked around to make sure the other women were busy eating or visiting with each other and said quietly, “Nurse Hal, I need to talk to you. My sister, Gladys, is not well. She is growing worse, and that is what worries me. She will not go to a doctor in Wickenburg for me, and I have asked often. Now part of the time she is out of her head with a high fever. I am very worried about her.”

  Hal sensed Wanda didn't want to ask for her medical help, but she needed Hal to offer because she was desperate. “Would you like me to make a house call to see Gladys?”

  “Jah, I would feel better if I knew what was wrong with her. She is not getting any better, and this illness has gone on for days,” Wanda said then added, “She has been in such an ill temper lately you must be careful when you are near her. She has hit me twice now when she has been out of her head with fever.”

  As soon as they finished lunch, Hal found Noah. She asked him to hitch up their buggy for her. She whispered in John's ear where she was going and went to find her son-in-law, Adam Keim. “Adam, I need a favor.”

  His eyebrows went up, and his hand wobbled sideways.

  “I need to make a house call on Wanda Bruner's sister. She's ailing. Could you and Emma take the family home when you're ready to leave if I'm not back in time? Wanda went to tell Enoch she's going with me so he has their buggy to get home.”

  Adam shook his head yes and waved his hand good bye at her.

  In the quiet between them, Ben's rhythmic clopping sounded loud on the hard packed country road. To break the awkward silence, Hal asked, “How was the quilting bee Stella Strutt had?”

  “Gute. Quilting bees frolics are always fun,” Wanda said dully, staring at her lap.

  “I agree. When we have one over my way, I will let you and Gladys know so you can come,” Hal offered.

  “Denki,” Wanda said. She opened her mouth to say more than thought better of it.

  “I get the feeling you're uneasy with me. You haven't any reason to be as far as I can see,” Hal said quietly.

  “I've heard many gute things about your nursing in the community,” Wanda confirmed. “The bishop's wife speaks well of you.”

  “But,” Hal glanced at Wanda for more. The woman's lips pinched shut. She wasn't going to add more. “I know there is a but in your mind. Let me guess what it is. Has Stella Strutt told you I own a car and cell phone?”

  “Jah, she did,” Wanda said shortly.

  “Did Stella explain I can only use the car and phone for medical emergencies? I was given permission by the bishop and church members. Stella was there for the vote.

  The church members recognize the advantage of having a way to reach the ambulance faster with my phone when I'm on the scene of a serious illness or accident. As long as I can use my car I'm getting people to the hospital faster so they have a better chance of surviving. I've had many occasions to prove this to the Plain community.”

  “Stella Strutt does not see this like the others. She thinks you are breaking the Ordnung,” Wanda said. “So do I.”

  “Stella doesn't have the final word. That decision was made at a member meeting and sanctioned by Bishop Bontrager.

  Stella Strutt has not needed my medical help. She likes to complain about me. I think she'd sing a different tune if Moses or she were sick and needed me to help.

  You should speak to some of the Plain people I've given medical aid to over the years,” Hal asserted. “It's true you may find the permission to keep my car and phone isn't part of the Ordnung as you know it. It is what works in the Ordnung for this community. I do abide by the rule that I cannot use the car and phone for personal use. You can visit with the bishop about this. He will tell you the same thing,” Hal said.

  “All recht,” Wanda replied quietly, watching the road in front of her.

  “I don't wish to speak badly of Stella. Frankly, she feels she is the Plain Community's policeman as far as the Ordnung is concerned. She spends way too much time in council with Bishop Bontrager telling him her complaints. He takes what Stella tells him with a grain of salt until he investigates on his own. I don't know if you had noticed that about her.”

  Wanda smiled weakly and patted Hal's arm. “I noticed.”

  “I need to stop at my house to get my nursing bag out of the clinic to take with us,” Hal said as she turned into the Lapp driveway.

  Once they were on Bender Creek road, it wasn't much farther to the Bruner farm. Hal pulled in the driveway, drove close to the grossdawdi house and halted Ben.

  Before Wanda opened the door, she cautioned, “I have to warn you Gladys will not like you coming here. I never know how she is going to react to strangers. She will be mad at me for disobeying her wishes about medical help.”

  “Don't worry. I am thick skinned. The main thing is we need to see if we can help your sister feel better,” Hal told her.

  Gladys's grossdawdi house set in the same yard as Wanda's home and was one large room. The kitchen was on one side, containing a small wooden table with a drop leaf to make it larger and two chairs next to a diminutive wood cookstove. A sink with a long drain board was under the window. On the other side the dining table was a small hutch filled with Wanda's china and glasses. The drawer under the shelves held her silverware.

  Two rockers kept a small, round heating stove company in the middle of the room. On the other end of the house, hidden behind a quilt hung from the ceiling by wire, was a quarter size bed. The quilt was blue, black and purple squares in a round the world pattern. Beside the headboard were wall pegs holding black bonnets and dresses.

  The house had a musky, sick smell like bedpan and unwashed, sweaty body combined. Gladys had been sick for some time. Hal slipped in behind Wanda and stood at the end of the bed. A commode was beside the bed. Along with the other odors, the house's stale air smelled of strong urine. Clearly, Gladys was too weak now to get out of bed to use the commode.

  The pale, emaciated woman, in the bed, had her arm over her eyes.<
br />
  Wanda said, “Sister, are you awake? I have brought the nurse to help you.”

  Gladys slowly removed her arm to look at Hal. Her feverish face was dry and flushed. Her lips cracked and bleeding.

  Hal set her nursing bag on the floor and edged around the bed to get closer to her. “Gute afternoon, Gladys. I am Nurse Hal Lapp. It's nice to finally meet you.”

  The ill woman's face pinched tight and filled with hatred as she hissed weakly, “Get out of here, Englisher.”

  “I'm Amish just like you, and I won't stay long I promise,” Hal said softly. “Your sister is very worried about you. She asked me to check you to see if I can find out what's wrong with you.” Hal put a hand on the woman's forehead.

  The woman slapped her hand away but not before Hal felt her dry, feverish skin. Gladys's hands turned into claws as she flailed at Hal, trying to scratch her. “Do not lay your hands on me again.”

  Wanda's hands went to her blushing cheeks. “Awk, nah, sister. Stop that recht now. The nurse only wants to help you.”

  Hal held her hand up to interrupt. “It's all recht, Wanda. I'm done. Come to the kitchen with me so we can talk.” Hal picked up her nursing bag and walked around the quilt.

  Excited by anger, Gladys's chest heaved up and down in labored breathing. Hal heard very clearly loud wheezing and crackles coming from the woman's lungs. No need to try fighting her to listen to her lungs.

  In the small kitchen as far away from the sick woman as they could get, Hal folded her arms across her chest and whispered, “Your sister has pneumonia. Whatever the reason, I can't determine it by looking at her. She really should go to the hospital in Wickenburg for tests. An x-ray on her lungs would help. The doctor will put her on an IV and antibiotics.”

  “She will not like to move, but I realize she cannot go on much long in this condition. Please, Nurse Hal, help my sister.” Wanda's eyes glistened with desperation.

  “I've done all I can. Gladys needs to go the hospital now,” Nurse Hal said urgently, patting Wanda's arm.

  If going to the hospital for tests is what she needs Enoch and I better take her,” Wanda agreed as she listened to Gladys's labored breathing behind the curtain.

  “Nah, that won't work. You need to let me call an ambulance. She's too weak to sit in a buggy. Besides, she needs the oxygen recht away an ambulance can provide to ease her breathing.”

  “I see. All recht, if you think that is best,” Wanda agreed.

  Hal asked, “She looks emaciated. Has she eaten much lately?”

  Wanda pointed to the kitchen's one sink with a long drainer. “Nothing for two days. All she does is drink orange juice.”

  About three dozen small, plastic bottles lined the back of the sink. “That's gute. At least, we can hope she isn't too dehydrated by the fever if she drank all those bottles of juice.”

  Wanda said, “Ach, she did not drink that many in the last few days. Gladys washes the bottles and saves them.”

  “Really. What does she do with them?” Hal asked.

  “I do not know, but she insisted I wash up the last ones she drank just like she did. She has a reason I reckon. The number of bottles go down from time to time I notice. Gladys must throw a few away when the sink drain gets too crowded,” Wanda said.

  Hal put her hand on the woman's arm. “I carry the cell phone I talked about in my nursing bag. I can call the ambulance on that phone, but if you would rather I didn't use it, the phone booth is at the end of the mile. It will take more time to get the ambulance here when every minute might count for your sister as sick as she is. You tell me what you want me to do.”

  Wanda wrestled with the decision a moment. “If the whole community allows you to carry the phone, who am I to say nah especially when it is my sister that is so sick. Use your phone. You are recht. It will save time.”

  Wanda left the kitchen area. She carried a rocker to the end of the bed so she could watch her sister. Hal understood Wanda was willing to give into the phone to help her sister, but she didn't want to be guilty of being around when it was used.

  Hal made the call. She requested the ambulance not use the siren. They should be told the patient is combative. Symptoms were a fever causing hallucinations, possible pneumonia and in need of oxygen.

  Hal joined Wanda and nodded toward the bed. “Any change?”

  “Nah, she is sleeping now,” Wanda said.

  Soon the Wickenburg ambulance pulled into the yard. Hal went out to greet the paramedics. Daryl slid out of the driver's seat. Steve came from the back, and Ivan got out on the passenger side.

  “Hi, Nurse Hal. You're looking better than the last time we saw you,” Daryl greeted, giving her his dead pan expression.

  “I feel much better now. Thanks for getting me to the hospital all in one piece,” Hal said, winking at Steve and Ivan.

  Daryl grinned. “You're welcome. Now fill us in. We got from dispatch this is an uncooperative woman.”

  “Yes, the patient won't go willingly with you so you might need to restrain her on the gurney. She tried to hit and scratch me earlier,” Hal warned. “She has pneumonia and a high temp. She's short of breath and needs oxygen. That might help keep her calm.”

  By that time, Ivan and Steve had the gurney by the porch steps. Steve waved a hand at the door. “Lead the way, Hal.”

  “I'll show you where she is, but I won't get where she can see me. She doesn't trust me, and my presence upsets her.” Hal stopped the men by Wanda in the rocker. “This is Wanda Bruner, Gladys Kraybill's sister. She can answer your questions.”

  “Hi, Mrs. Bruner,” Ivan said in a low voice, picking up the clipboard laying on the gurney. “How old is your sister?”

  “Forty five,” Wanda answered.

  Ivan wrote the answer on the form. “How long has she been sick?”

  Wanda looked toward the bed. “Maybe two weeks or a little more. Gladys isn't a complainer. She wasn't this sick to start with, but I couldn't get her to go to the doctor. Now she's much worse.”

  “We'll get her to the hospital,” Steve said as he pulled the gurney after him. He touched the woman on the shoulder. “Gladys, can you hear me?”

  The sick woman came unglued when she opened her eyes and found a strange man standing over her. “Get out of my bedroom. Wanda, help me. Where are you, Wanda?” She glared at Ivan and Daryl behind the gurney. “All of you. Get out of my house.”

  “Gladys, we're ambulance paramedics. We're going to take you to the hospital to see what's wrong with you,” Steve said, edging toward her feet.

  Ivan came to the middle of gurney and leaned over it toward the bed. Daryl went to the the head. He said in a quiet, calm tone, “At least let me cover you up better. Your arms will get cold uncovered like that.” He brought the blanket up around her shoulders and tucked it gently behind her neck. He nodded at the other two men. “Now on three, covers and all. One, two, three. Lift!” He dodged to the end of the gurney, holding the struggling woman's shoulders while Steven and Ivan shifted her middle and feet. “Buckle her in tight,” Daryl ordered.

  Struggling and anxious, Gladys panted hard and screamed, “Let me go!”

  The men pushed the gurney passed the curtain and turned it around on swiveling wheels. On the way down the porch steps, Gladys spotted Hal, standing by her buggy. She cried, “Do not believe anything that Englisher tells you. She is a liar.”

  Once the ambulance left the yard, Hal said, “Wanda, I always like to admit my patients and follow up at the hospital. I'll take you with me if you want to be with Gladys.”

  When they arrived at the hospital, Hal parked her buggy on the far side the parking lot and tied Ben to the hitching rail. The double doors shushed open when the women came close.

  Nurse Lucy Stineford greeted Hal as they approached the nurse's desk. “Hi, Hal. We have your patient in an exam room. Dr. Christensen is with her.”

  “Is Gladys being difficult?” Wanda asked anxiously.

  “Not right now,” Lucy said
crisply. She raised an eyebrow at Hal for who this woman was before she shared more private information.

  Hal introduced Lucy to Wanda. “This is Gladys's sister. She has been Gladys Kraybill's caregiver. Can we see the patient?”

  “Dr. Christensen has been waiting for you, Hal. He has questions,” Nurse Lucy said. “Mrs. Bruner, can you stay here long enough to give me answers for my admittance form before you go to your sister?”

  “Jah,” Wanda said quietly, keeping her head bent with her face partially hidden under her bonnet brim.

  “Thank you. Hal, follow me,” Lucy said crisply. She stuck her head in the exam room door. “Doctor, I have the patient's sister at the desk and Nurse Hal with me.”

  Doctor Christensen looked up from writing on Gladys's chart. “Send the nurse in first.”

  “You need me for anything?” Nurse Lucy asked.

  He shook his head. “Not right now. Go back to your paperwork.”

  “Hi, Doctor,” Hal greeted quietly. Gladys seemed asleep, and Hal didn't want her to wake up and be combative right away. “You have any idea yet what's wrong with Gladys Kraybill? She has been sick for a couple weeks at least. Her sister couldn't get her to go to the doctor until we forced her today.”

  “She's very sick, and I can tell you the reason. How long ago did she get that nasty laceration on her leg?” Dr. Christensen asked.

  “I didn't know about a laceration,” Hal said in surprise.

  Dr. Christensen looked puzzled.

  “Don't look at me like that. The woman wouldn't let me near her while she's been sick. I don't think she was any more cooperative with her sister. She'd been trying to do everything for herself until the last day or two. Now she is too weak to help herself.

  Today is the first time I've seen her. She slapped my hand away for feeling her forehead and ordered me out of her house. I heard the rattle in her chest and knew she had pneumonia. That was enough reason to send her to the emergency room, so I didn't try to argue with her about doing a complete exam,” Hal explained. “I figured you could do that.”