Courting Buggy: Nurse Hal Among The Amish Read Free Page A

footsteps came behind them,
Daniel told Hal, “We need to go now.”
    Instantly, Emma was beside them, pointing to
the puddle. “That is not a gute thing. I just mopped the floor. I
did not want to do it over, but I will have to, ain't so?” Her
stiff finger wavered toward the pup as she snapped, “Get him out of
this house. He does not belong in here.”
    Noah rushed at the puppy. Biscuit dodged
under the table. The puppy crouched down, shivering as he tried to
figure out what went wrong.
    Daniel told Noah, “I will crawl under the
table on this side. You watch for him on the other side.”
    Daniel went at the pup on all fours. Biscuit
scampered out of hiding and bumped into Emma's bare feet. She
scooped squirming pup up and held him at arms' length. “I have him.
Take him to the barn. He can not stay in the mud room anymore. Take
the box away. It smells as bad as this dog does. They both need to
be gone before company comes.”
     
     

Chapter 2
     
     
    Late Tuesday afternoon, Jim Lindstrom's car
pulled into the driveway and parked. Nora patted down her gray
streaked brown hair before she opened her car door. Tootie
plastered her round, smiley face to the back window, waving
furiously. Jim twisted in the seat and said something to Tootie.
She handed him a straw hat perched on top the back seat. He donned
the hat before he got out of the car.
    The Lapp family rushed to greet them. John
hollered, “Wilcom.”
    Broad shouldered Jim Lindstrom gave John a
hardy handshake. John said, “Looks like you got a new straw
hat?”
    Jim chuckled. “You bet. Didn't figure I
should borrow your anymore.”
    He gave Hal a bear hug. “How you doing,
Carrot Top?”
    “Oh, Dad,” Hal scoffed, wishing he'd forget
to use that nickname.
    By that time, Nora made it around the car and
headed toward them. Hal remembered when her mother was considered a
looker with neatly trimmed short brown hair, warm eyes and curves
in all the right places. Now her neat hair was streaked with gray
and her curves were slightly larger. With the long times between
visits, it was easy for Hal to notice the aging changes.
    Behind Nora was her sister,Tootie. A shorter
version of Nora except Tootie kept her short gray hair in a curly
perm. Both women dressed in neatly tailored pantsuits which made
Hal covetous since she had to wear long dresses.
    The two women hugged everyone as Hal
introduced the family to her aunt before she said, “We should go in
and sit down for awhile before we unload the trunk. I'll bet all of
you are tired after such a long trip.”
    “Been sitting all day,” Tootie stated,
rubbing her bottom. “Your father doesn't believe in stopping except
in an emergency. I darn near was the emergency a time or two before
he pulled into a gas station so I could use the restroom.”
    “Now, Tootie, it wasn't as bad as all that,”
Nora defended her husband.
    John said, “Hal take the women inside while I
help Jim unload the car.”
    Daniel tugged on Jim's shirt sleeve. “Dawdi
Jim, we have a new puppy.”
    “That right?” Jim asked with interest.
    “Would you like to see him?” Noah said, “He
is in the barn.”
    “Sure, let's take a look. John, I'll be right
back to unload.” Jim turned to leave with them.
    “Jim, you best get into your farmer shoes
before you go to the barn. Those are your Sunday shoes you're
wearing,” scolded Nora.
    Jim winked at the boys. “I'll be careful.
We'll be right back. Won't we, boys?”
    “Sure, Mammi Nora,” Daniel said. “This will
not take long.”
    “They have nasty chickens running wild,”
Tootie hissed at Nora's shoulder. “You know how chickens go
everywhere.” She tisked as she stared at the flock of hens,
scratching in the barnyard. “I've never seen anything else like
chickens that does so much strutting over so little to be proud
of.”
    “I'll watch where I step and even rub my shoe
soles in the grass on the way back,” Jim promised. “Come on, boys.
We can't stay gone long. I