Chapter 27
W hen Maureen stormed into the room and yelled, “Lydia, you’re fired,” Lydia cowered. What had she done? Did Amanda’s father call to inform Maureen about the dent in her car when Lydia was driving it? Had law enforcement tracked down her whereabouts and demanded her return to the States immediately?
“What gives?” Denny asked. “Missing the scarf and earrings that Lydia swiped from you?”
“No, I gave those to her as gifts.”
“Lydia’s calamity in the kitchen?” Denny asked.
“No, this is something far worse.” Maureen’s cheeks turned an angry fiery red.
Denny folded her arms. “You want to let me in on this?”
“I hired Lydia to look after Amanda, not look the other way.”
“What could be so bad?” Denny asked in her usual blithe manner. “Something to do with your TV show?”
“No, that’s relatively insignificant. Small potatoes.” Maureen hunched over. “Oh, Denny, I’ve been such a terrible mother.”
“What are you talking about?” Denny’s brow creased. “You’re a wonderful mother. And what does this have to do with Lydia?” She wagged her head. “Don’t tell me she and Jimbo have something going on.”
“Not that I know of. But from what Amanda said, I can’t rule out anything.”
The words You’re fired reverberated in Lydia’s ears. Maybe this was the Lord’s way of keeping her here. But also of never seeing her family again.
Lydia slipped out of the room before Maureen could speak of her again. In the dark hallway, Lydia walked right into Alec. Molly hurried by following Alec’s flashlight beam.
Lydia heard the words Princess and puppies . Wanting to be as far away from Maureen as possible at the moment, she followed Molly and Alec, hastening to keep up.
How exciting was all she could think. Lydia was a lot more capable at helping birth animals than she was raising Amanda, who wasn’t anything like the children in her family or church district. Eventually, Lydia would have to face Maureen and her accusations but not now when she might be needed by Princess. If Princess even needed her help. On the farm, animals often gave birth at night without anyone’s assistance. Barn cats seemed to be quite capable, but as she recalled someone always helped their dogs whelp their puppies. She thought of her dat’s many barnyard skills that he never spoke about. She could remember his reaching inside a cow to turn the calf around the right direction before the veterinarian could arrive.
Yet sometimes the process went wrong, and the animal was born lifeless. She wished her dat were here right now not on the other side of the ocean.
Crazy thinking is what she was doing. Her mind was spinning in circles, but she kept up with the two ahead of her. Even in the shadows, she could make out Alec’s confident stride.
They stopped short when they reached the kitchen. Lydia almost ran into them.
“Please, Molly,” Lydia said, “fetch some towels, and warm some water on the stove.”
Ahead, Lydia could make out the silhouette of Princess as she paced and panted. Standing in the whelping box, she dug into the newspaper, then turned in a circle and lay on her side.
Molly returned carrying towels. “Do you think she’s okay?” she asked.
“No idea.” Alec’s voice was low and sober. “But I doubt we can get a veterinary doctor here in time to be of any use.”
“How long has she been like this?” Lydia asked.
“A couple of hours?” Molly said. “I wasn’t paying attention.”
Lydia stroked the dog’s underbelly and guessed Princess would give birth to three or four puppies. If they all lived.
She prayed silently: please, Lord, help Princess. Lydia’s hand felt another contraction, and she hoped the Almighty really did love all creatures great and small. This last year Lydia had been so disobedient. Why would God answer her prayers?
Another contraction and Princess let out a sound that reminded Lydia of a bawling calf.
“The first one’s coming,” Lydia said, attempting to keep her voice soft and soothing. The last thing she wanted to do was agitate Princess.
Indeed, a puppy emerged. Princess licked the pup still encased in its placenta and broke it open. Princess licked the pup’s mouth and nostrils so it could breathe.
“It’s breathing.” Lydia felt like weeping with joy. She knew from watching the animals back at the farm that this was a moment of life and death for both mother and baby. Lydia took hold of a towel and dried off the puppy briskly.
She wished Amanda could watch this miracle of life but didn’t want to disturb Princess, who had started panting again. All three people in the room fell silent as another contraction took hold of Princess like an ocean wave. Princess moaned as another pup emerged. Mama dog repeated the process.
In an hour, Princess had birthed three perfect puppies.
“You were incredible, Lydia,” Alec said.
“Not me,” Lydia said. “Princess did all the work.”
He chuckled. “I’m guessing that’s why they call it labor .”
The three puppies suckled from their mother who continued to lick them. Then Princess flopped her head to the side and rested.
“I hope this room is warm enough.” Lydia felt Alec’s presence close behind her. She wondered if Alec might kiss her. She would be thrilled if he did, but he seemed intent on the puppies—not on her.
“I’ll stoke the fire,” he said.
“Good idea,” Denny said.
“Denny?” He swung around. “How long have you been standing there?” Alec asked.
“Ten minutes, but I didn’t want to bother Princess. And it seemed as if Lydia had everything under control.” Denny hovered in the darkness. “Well done, Lydia.”
“ Danke .” Lydia knew she had done very little. Her dat would say that pride is a sin. But she was proud of herself. She sighed because she couldn’t win.
In a jolting flash, the lights came back on, illuminating the room and making everyone squint. Lydia could hear the furnace kick on.
“Good,” Denny said. “It should be eighty degrees in here.”
“How do you know so much?” Lydia asked.
“From a book I read at my bookshop.” Denny stepped closer and rested a hand on Lydia’s shoulder in a way that seemed so loving it startled Lydia. “Looks like you have personal experience in these matters,” Denny said.
Lydia looked up at her. “Yah, I do, but she would have done fine without me.”
“Maybe.”
Lydia was glad to see that Denny didn’t reach out to stroke Princess, who might bite her under the circumstances.
“My best guess is that she needs water and food,” Denny said and turned to Molly. “Do you know where they keep her kibble and dishes?”
“Yes, I’ll be right back.” Molly slipped out of the room.
Lydia was surprised to find a tear in her eye. She had no idea why. Because Alec had failed to kiss her? Because Denny had once again taken over? Lydia felt a battleground of conflicting emotions warring in her heart. She missed her parents, even if they were disappointed in her. She longed to be back in familiar surroundings.
“When I return to America, I’m taking one of the puppies with me.” Denny spoke as if it were a done deal.
“What if the owner isn’t willing to sell you a pup?” Alec asked and received a shrug and return. “Knowing Gordon, I doubt he will. Especially if he discovers you’re a Campbell.”
“I’ll find a way to convince him.” Denny pointed to the lighter-colored pup in the middle. “I want that little girl. And I’ll name her Rosie.”
Lydia wondered how Denny knew it was a female from so far away.
Alec saved Lydia from having to ask. “How do you know that’s a girl?” he asked Denny, who leaned over and examined the puppy. Princess didn’t seem to mind the intrusion, but she did lick the pup thoroughly after Denny was finished checking it.
“Just as I thought, a little girl.” Denny’s grin expanded. “When you’re hot.”
Lydia felt like throttling her. But Amish were pacifists, Lydia reminded herself. “Turn the other cheek,” the minister had told everyone during a sermon at church last year.
What had gotten into her?