Charity was so thankful for her family, friends and church family. The loss of Adam would never be easy, but she was beginning to adjust. She prayed a lot and read the big family Bible aloud to Jeremiah just as Adam had looked forward to doing. He was too young to understand, but he would grow up knowing that the Bible must be read and learned and prayers said.
Jeremiah was a happy, healthy baby and smiled at everyone who looked at him. Everyone, who came into the store, made over the baby. Her Englisch friends offered to baby sit if she needed them, but she knew her family and church friends were available. She thanked them and said nothing.
Matthew had carried the swinging cradle that Adam had made to the store. Jeremiah was gurgling happily in the cradle one day when auslander tourists came in. They exclaimed over the clean store and all that was for sale. Charity realized they didn’t mean to be rude, but they did ask questions about how she and the girls were dressed and about their faith. One of the men said he was a youth minister in a church in Wilkes Barre and was interested in knowing more about the Amish.
Rosemary shyly told him that he should talk to the church leaders and not to the women. He asked why. She stated that even though they knew about the church and their faith that it was the duty of the men to tell about them.
He didn’t understand why the women couldn’t tell him, but his wife touched his arm and said, “Be respectful of their beliefs. Maybe they’re not permitted to talk, especially to men that are not of their faith.”
Charity, Rosemary and Maeve just smiled at them. At that moment Jeremiah gave a cry of pain. Charity rushed to his side with everyone following her.
One of the women stepped in. “Forgive me, but I’m a pediatrician-- baby doctor, and I’d like to help.”
Charity was so concerned about her baby that she spoke mostly in her language. Of course the woman could not understand, but did understand that she was a distressed mother.
“Please, let me hold the little one and check him. It may be nothing, then again he may need medical help.”
Charity reluctantly held her baby over to the woman doctor and said a silent prayer. Looking toward Rosemary and Maeve she knew they were praying, too.
“My name is Bonnie Kate Mercer. This is my husband, Bernard. These are friends of ours Bill and Emily Hutchinson.
Charity paled at the name of Bonnie Kate, bit her lower lip and kept silent. Bonnie pulled the covers off Jeremiah and admired the sweet white gown with embroidery on it. She knew Charity had made it.
“Oh, my. There’s a bite of some kind on his arm. It looks as if it might be a spider.”
With that Charity gave a cry and reached for her baby. “No, please let me see what I can do. Has he ever shown signs of being allergic to anything?”
“No. He’s a very healthy baby,” Rosemary answered. She saw that Charity was too overcome to talk.
“I’m sorry I don’t have anything with me to treat him. Let’s get him to a hospital and they will have everything we need.”
“I’ll go get Kyle to bring a buggy,” Maeve started to run out the door.
“We’ll take my car. It’s quicker,” Bill Hutchinson said.
Rosemary urged Charity to go and take the baby. She and Maeve would take care of the store. Charity hugged her precious baby close to her heart and got in the car. In a matter of minutes they were at Mercy Hospital.
Bonnie Kate placed a firm, loving arm around Charity and hurried her and the baby into the Emergency Room.
“I’m Dr. Bonnie Mercer and I need to see a doctor immediately.”
Two nurses scurried out to find someone while one called over the speaker phone. “Dr. Grover, you’re wanted immediately in the E R. Dr. Grover, please come to the E R immediately.” Another nurse took them quickly into a cubicle. She had no more than pulled the curtain around the opening when a man came rushing in looking tired and worried.
“I’m Dr. Grover. What’s the problem?” His wheat colored hair looked as if he had been in a wind storm and his kind blue eyes took in the group at once. He immediately reached for the baby and placed him on a padded table.
“I’m Dr. Mercer, but I’m not from here. The baby seems to have a spider bite on his left arm. I didn’t know whether it was poison or not.”
“Let me see. It isn’t showing signs of being a poisonous bite, but it was wise of you to bring him in.” He turned looking a little surprised to see Charity. “Hello. Is this your baby?”
“Ja. I mean yes, it is. He’s all I have and I don’t want anything to happen to him.”
“Well, we’re going to make sure he’s A-okay hunky-dory,” he smiled. “Do I know you? You look familiar.”
“I don’t know. You could have seen me in here when my baby was born.”
“What’s your name?”
“Charity Startz Kime. This is Jeremiah.”
He thought a moment. “Oh, yes. I remember now. You were brought in following a buggy accident and had your baby almost before you could get here. I don’t remember all the circumstances. There are hundreds of people who come through here, but some make an impression on me. I remember you and your family because of your faith that God would take care of everything. I believe, also, even though we are not of the same faith.”
Charity tried to smile but didn’t feel like it. “My husband was killed in the accident the same day my baby was born. He never got to see his son and he had been so happy planning for a child.” She stifled a sob.
“Oh, yes. I’m so sorry I brought it up. “He asked a nurse to bring an injection of one tenth CC of corticosteroid. Turning to Dr. Mercer he explained. “I don’t think it is a poison bite and can’t even be sure it was a spider, but I’m following what I know to do.” He then spoke to Charity.
“Mrs. Kime. I’m washing the bite well with soap and water and drying thoroughly. I’ll give the injection and then place a cold pack on his arm. I think he’s too young for acetaminophen, but I will give you an antibiotic cream to rub on the spot. If there is any redness, swelling or he gets real cranky, bring him back to me. I do honestly think this will take care of it.”
Jeremiah gave a scream of protest when the tiny needle pricked his arm. He quietened when his mother cuddled him and crooned to him.
Bonnie Kate hugged Charity. “I’m glad we were able to help you and am so relieved that it isn’t something worse. He’s a beautiful baby and is so happy. I can tell you love each other. I’m sorry. I couldn’t help but hear what you told Dr. Grover. You’ve had too much sorrow in your young life. You’re so brave to have your work to support you and your baby. I’m sure you have family and friends willing to help.”
“Ja. Danki” She blushed. “Yes, thank you. I’m very grateful to you for getting us here so quickly. I need to pay before we can leave.”
Bernard and Bill were standing near. “You don’t owe anything,” Bill said. “That’s all been taken care of.”
Charity was embarrassed. “Oh, I can pay. I don’t need someone else to pay my bills.”
“It wasn’t much and we’re glad to help,” Emily hugged Charity. “I just want you to know I’m humbled to meet you and will come again to trade with you.”
“Let’s get you back or your friends will be worried,” Bonnie said laughing as she ushered the group out to the car.
“At least let me pay you for bringing me,” Charity begged.
“Nope. Nada. Nix. Nill,” Bernard laughed. “It is our pleasure and we count it as a blessing for us. You see, we believe in God and in sharing with anyone who needs us, just as you do.”
Deacon Verkler was coming out of the store when the car stopped and they all got out. He looked at Charity and she was fearful he would scold her. He came to them and looked smiling down at Jeremiah. “I hear what happened. It is Gottes wille these nice people were here. Danki. Got segen eich.” He walked on over to his buggy.
“What did he say?” Bernard whispered to Charity.
Her laughter bubbled out loud. “He said thank you and God bless you.”
Bill frowned. “But he said something else at first.”
Charity thought. “Oh. He said it was God’s will for you to be here. Please come in. I want to give you something.”
Bonnie backed away. “We don’t need anything. We do feel blessed that we got to meet you and were here to help you.”
“Please kumme. I have my own bee hives and we have good clover honey with the comb in it. I want to share with you.”
“I guess kumme means come,” Bonnie laughed. “Okay. This one time. We will be back though and trade with you. I want to see this beautiful, bouncing baby boy. He’ll grow too fast. You’ll wish he would stay a baby longer.”
Rosemary and Maeve were anxiously waiting to hear about Jeremiah.
They were so grateful to the auslanders. Maeve ran to get two pint jars of the honey for Charity. She also included two loaves of Friendship bread.
Before they left Charity hugged the women. She turned to Bonnie with sad eyes. “I’m sorry if you wondered about me when you told us you name. My husband’s favorite horse was named Bonnie Kate and she was killed with the buggy accident. He never knew that either or it would have broken his heart.”
“I don’t know what to say. The more I talk to you the more I admire you. To be so young and have to shoulder so many heartaches.” she sighed. “We need to count our blessings more and be more aware of those around us.”
They told the three young women bye. Before they left Bernard did something to Jeremiah’s little blanket. After they left Maeve went over out of curiosity to see what he did. There was a note wrapped around two twenty dollar bills and a ten dollar bill. “Keep this for your precious little boy. I hope it can be a start to help him with his dreams some day.”
Charity didn’t know what to do. “I told them we did not take charity. Why did he do this?”
Rosemary patted her back. “I don’t think they look at it as charity. They like you and want to be good Christians, so they want to leave something that Jeremiah can use when he gets bigger.”
“I’ll give it back to them when they come back. They said they would come back.”
Maeve protested. “I don’t think that would be kind. They said it was a blessing to them to meet you. Ask your daed what you should do.”
Charity nodded. “Ja. Ask daed.”
The three girls looked startled when someone came running in the door breathing heavily. Lisa Kennedy’s eyes were wild looking and she was in distress.
“Oh, my dear. I’m so, so sorry. I don’t know what to do.”
Rosemary placed a hand on her arm. “What is troubling you? How can we help?”
She started sobbing. “I don’t know what I’m doing here. You can’t help. But I do need help. I need to talk to someone.”
Charity patted Lisa’s back. “If we can’t help, maybe you should talk to your pastor, Rev. Barrington.”
“That’s it. That’s who I’ll talk to. He can’t tell what I say unless I give him permission, can he? Thank you. I’m so sorry. I’ll go talk to him. He’s probably in his office at the church.”
She ran out in a flurry leaving the girls stunned.
“Wonder what that was all about?” Maeve questioned.
“Don’t have an idea,” Rosemary sniffed.
“It is none of our business,” Charity reminded them. “Rev. Barrington is the one she needs to tell about her troubles. Poor lady. We need to pray for her.”
Charity went back to taking care of her baby. Rosemary continued dusting and cleaning. Maeve continued straighten items and sweeping the floor.