The Amish Animal Doctor by Patrice Lewis

Author:Patrice Lewis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2021-12-15T15:04:18+00:00

* * *

The next morning dawned bright and sunny. Abigail rose early and had everything heated and tucked in insulated carriers by the time Benjamin rolled up in his wagon.

“Ready, Esther?” he called as the older woman came out on the porch with her walker.

“Ja!” she called back cheerfully. “Let’s go!”

Abigail carried the food to the wagon and nestled it among Benjamin’s tools in the wagon box. Then she and Benjamin assisted Esther up into the wagon seat. The woman grunted once or twice in pain but otherwise climbed in with a dexterity that surprised her.

“It will be gut to see everyone,” chattered Esther with childlike glee.

Abigail exchanged a grin with Benjamin over Esther’s head.

“I know everyone’s anxious to see you,” he told Esther.

Soon, other wagons joined them on the road toward the Herschberger farm. Esther waved as people called greetings. Within a few minutes, Benjamin guided the horse up the gravel driveway and found a place to park. He hopped out and lifted Esther down from the wagon seat, then started unhitching the horse. “Do you need help going in?” he asked Abigail.

She shook her head. “We’ll be fine,” she told him. “Go build a barn.”

He grinned—which momentarily took her breath away—then shouldered his tool belt and picked up a large wooden box of additional tools from the back of the wagon. She watched as he headed toward a cluster of men, who were busy planning the barn-raising strategy under the supervision of a foreman.

The barn’s skeletal walls were already framed and lying on the ground, ready to be lifted into place. Soon teams would lift the walls into a vertical position using ropes and poles, and the barn would begin to take shape under their skillful hands.

It was a process she’d watched dozens of times during her childhood. It wasn’t until she’d left the community and entered the Englisch world that she realized how rare the skill of carpentry was, and how few people used it.

Everywhere she heard the babble of voices and the shriek of children as they ran around the farm.

“Komm, Mamm, I’ll settle you on the porch and then come back for the food.” She made sure her mother was steady on her walker, and hovered nearby as Esther started moving over rough ground.

“Esther!” A woman’s voice rose about the chatter. “Look, Esther is here!”

The older woman smiled as half a dozen of her friends descended upon her, chattering and asking questions.

Eva Hostetler wandered over, a smile on her face. “Gut to see you here, Abigail,” she said. “Your mother looks so much better.”

“Ja, she is. And she was so looking forward to today.” She watched as her mother, helped by solicitous hands, made her way to the house. “I think she’s in gut hands. I’m going to grab the rest of the food.”

“I’ll help.” Eva fell in beside Abigail as they returned to the buggy.

“Where’s your hutband and children?” Abigail lifted a covered basket out and handed it to Eva, then reached in for the other.

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