Читать книгу An Amish Christmas Journey - Patricia Davids - Страница 15

Chapter Six

Arles lifted the hood of the van. Toby leaned in and pulled the limp cat free. It was the same calico that had fawned over Greta’s uncle earlier. The poor thing had been hit by the fan blade. It bore an awful gash on the side of its neck and most of its left ear was missing.

“Help her,” Marianne pleaded with tears in her eyes.

Greta quickly offered her handkerchief. “Use this to stop the bleeding.”

“Danki.” Toby pressed the cloth to the animal’s head.

“We must find the owner. The poor thing needs a veterinarian,” Greta said.

Toby looked around. “Maybe the restaurant owner or one of the customers will know who she belongs to. I’ll go ask.”

“I’ll take her,” Greta offered. She unbuttoned her coat. Toby handed the animal to her. She wrapped the poor thing in her long apron and tried to soothe her.

The cat started crying pitifully. Marianne watched with wide frightened eyes.

Toby rushed into the restaurant. He caught sight of the cook, a middle-aged Englisch fellow with a large stained apron tied around his ample middle. “We need some help. A cat has been injured. Perhaps you can tell us who owns it.”

“I doubt it, but let me take a look.” He followed Toby outside and adjusted his glasses to peer at the cat in Greta’s arms.

“That’s one of Mrs. Alcorn’s critters. The old woman died a few months ago. The cats are strays now. Some of the neighbors feed this one, but it won’t go inside any of their houses. The old lady had heart trouble. She always said this cat would let her know when she was about to have one of her spells.”

“Perhaps that was why she was pawing at my uncle’s legs,” Greta said. “She sensed he was about to have an attack.”

“Animals have remarkable senses,” Toby said. “Can you tell us where we can find a veterinarian? This poor animal is suffering.”

The cook pointed down a side street. “Doc Harley has a clinic out near the edge of town. You can’t miss it.”

Arles said, “I can’t ask these folks to wait while we take the cat to the vet.”

“We can’t leave the poor thing lying here in the street.” Greta glared at the driver.

“I wasn’t suggesting that. This man can take care of it.”

The cook shook his head. “I’ve got a business to run, and I have customers waiting.” He turned and strode away.

There was no way Toby was going to leave this animal to fend for itself. He’d just have to hire another driver if Arles wouldn’t help. “You can travel on without Marianne and me. I’ll get our bag out of the van. We will expect a refund.”

Scratching his head, Arles said, “Let’s don’t be hasty. I reckon we can take a few minutes to turn the cat over to the veterinarian. Okay?”

“That’s all we’re asking,” Toby said.

Everyone got back into the van and Greta, with the cat wrapped in her apron, took her place in the back. Marianne sat beside her. Greta tried to reassure the child. “Don’t worry. Someone is going to look after her.”

Doc Harley turned out to be a woman in her sixties with short kinky gray hair, a rumpled smock and a no-nonsense manner. She was able to see them after only a brief wait. She examined the cat and smiled at Marianne who was clinging to Greta’s side. “I think it looks worse than it is. Cats are very resilient creatures. She will do fine.”

“But she doesn’t have an ear,” Marianne whispered.

“She will look unusual, but she will still be able to hear. This laceration on her neck is going to need a few stitches. Other than that, I think she’s in pretty good shape. She could use a little more meat on her bones. Has she been eating normally?”

“According to the man at the restaurant, she’s a stray that belonged to Mrs. Alcorn,” Toby said.

“Oh, yes, our resident cat lady. I thought this one looked familiar. It’s the one she called Christmas. The little stray showed up at her house on Christmas morning a year ago. She was very attached to this one. It’s a shame that no one took her after Mrs. Alcorn passed away. If this isn’t your cat, are you still willing to pay for her care?”

Toby’s funds were limited. He looked at the others. Morris shook his head, “I have no money to spend on a cat.”

“If we leave her here, will you take care of her?” Marianne asked.

The vet shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t have room to look after every stray cat that comes this way. I’ll turn her over to the county animal shelter. They’ll try to find someone to adopt her.”

“No one will love her because she’s ugly now,” Marianne said sadly and reached out to stroke the cat’s back.

Toby heard the pain in his sister’s voice and knew she was expressing her own fears. He wanted so much to help her, but he didn’t know how.

Greta said, “She’s a lovely cat. A missing ear and a few scars won’t change that. I’ll pay for her care today, and I’ll take her home.”

“All right.” The vet smiled brightly. “Let me take her into surgery to clean these cuts and stitch her up. You can have a seat in the waiting room. It may take an hour or so.”

As the vet walked away, Marianne looked up at Greta. “Are you sure you want to keep her? People will stare and make fun of her because she’s different.”

“You don’t intend to drag that cat along with us, do you? Leave it here,” Morris said, his voice laced with disgust.

Greta’s back straightened. “I do intend to take Christmas with us. She needs a home, and I like her. I don’t care that she looks different. She has a good heart and that is more important than her appearance. She tried to help you. We just weren’t smart enough to know what she was trying to tell us.”

Toby admired the way she stood up to her grumpy uncle and gave his sister a gentle lesson, as well. Looks were not everything. Goodness mattered.

“Foolishness, that’s all it is.” Morris settled in a waiting room chair. Marianne sat down a few chairs away from him.

Arles rubbed his chin. “I feel responsible for the poor thing, but I have people waiting in the van. What do I tell them?”

Toby slipped his hands in his pockets. “Didn’t you say you were taking the Coblentzes’s to Ohio City? Can’t you drop them off and come back to pick us up?”

“You know, that’s a good idea. I’ll be back soon as I can.” He grinned and headed out the door, clearly relieved to resume his schedule.

Toby took a seat beside Marianne. He picked up a magazine and thumbed through it. He was surprised when she spoke to him. “Mamm said I had a good heart.”

It wasn’t much, but it was a start. His heart expanded with love for his sister. “Mamm always spoke the truth. She loved you very much. She loves you even from heaven.”

Marianne didn’t reply. She got to her feet and went to look through the magazine rack.

He laid his magazine aside and looked at Greta standing by the window. Pushing out of his chair, he went to thank her.

* * *

Greta folded her arms and stared out at the gray sky as she waited. Toby came and stood beside her. Quietly, he said, “I appreciate what you’re doing for the cat. It means a lot to my sister. I would like to reimburse you for part of this cost. If you would give me your address, I will send you the money when I can.”

“Don’t worry about the money. I’m just glad that I’m able to help. Unlike some people,” she glanced over her shoulder at her uncle.

“Don’t be too hard on him. Not everyone believes we have a responsibility to care for all God’s creatures.”

“But you do.” She looked at him and saw only sincerity and kindness in his face. He had a nice face. The planes and angles of it gave him a rugged look, but they softened when he smiled and his smile reached his eyes, making them sparkle.

He said, “I like animals. Dogs, cats, horses, cows.”

“Sheep?” she asked.

“I don’t know any sheep personally, but I’m sure I would find something to like about them. They look...fluffy.”

“Only until they are sheared. Then they look naked and embarrassed.” She pressed her hand to her mouth as heat rose in her face. Why had she said that?

He chuckled. “You seem to know your sheep well.”

She giggled at her own foolishness. “I live with my grandfather. He raises them. Spend ten minutes with him and his hired man, Carl, and you will learn far more about sheep that you ever thought possible.”

“Do sheep get along with cats?” He took a step closer and leaned one shoulder against the wall. His nearness sent a wave of awareness shooting along her nerve endings. She was stunned by a compelling urge to move closer to him, too.

She didn’t, but she wanted to. Looking down to hide that longing, she said, “As far as I know. I am a little concerned about our dog, Duncan. He’s not a cat lover.”

“Maybe he’ll make an exception for a cat named Christmas.” The sweet, low timbre of his voice sent her pulse racing.

“Perhaps he will.” She tried to get a grip on her runaway emotions. He was making polite conversation and nothing more. What was wrong with her? She wasn’t the kind of woman to get silly over a man. She was practical and levelheaded. So why did she feel giddy and happy when he was close?

She stole a sidelong glance at him and found him regarding her intently.

What was he thinking? Did he find her attractive?

Foolish thought. She glanced away and saw her uncle watching them with a sour look on his face. Instantly, she was back in his house, hearing his angry voice belittle her attempts to gain his affection. Anger rose up to choke her. Shame burned like acid in her stomach.

Toby said, “I’m grateful that you have been kind to my sister and I wanted to thank you for that. Having you along is making this trip much easier on her.”

Greta gripped her hands together. If he knew the kind of person she was underneath the calm face she wore, he wouldn’t want his sister having anything to do with her.

* * *

Toby wanted to see Greta smile again. There was something about the gleam in her eyes and the delicate curve of her lips that warmed him and made him smile in return. There hadn’t been much happiness in his life in the past two months, but this woman gave him hope. Hope that he and his sister could find their way back to each other. Greta seemed to be the oil that calmed their troubled waters. Marianne responded to her in a way she hadn’t responded to the nurses or therapists she had seen in the hospital.

Maybe he was being ridiculous. He’d known Greta for less than two hours, but somehow it felt as if he had known her for a very long time. Tomorrow, they would part company. It saddened him to think he would never see her again.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

She read him too easily. “I was thinking that it’s a shame our journey will be over so soon.”

A hint of color rose in her cheeks. She focused her gaze out the window. “It has been interesting.”

“Much more interesting than I thought it would be.”

“What’s taking that doctor so long?” Morris asked, shifting in his chair and drawing Toby’s attention.

Marianne came to stand in front of him and held out a newspaper. “Would you like something to read?”

“There’s nothing else to do.” He took it from her.

“Du bishcht wilkumm,” she whispered primly and sat in the chair beside him.

Toby shot a quick grin at Greta and kept his voice low. “That’s the first time I’ve heard you’re welcome sound like a reprimand.”

Morris scowled at Marianne but nodded once. “Danki.”

“At least she got him to say thank you. That’s more than I have ever done.” The chill in Greta’s tone smothered Toby’s mirth and caused him to look at her closely.

All sign of emotion had vanished from her face. Whatever was wrong between Greta and her uncle, it wasn’t as simple as a grumpy elder making travel difficult.

She abruptly headed for the door. “I need some air.”