A Little Bit of Charm (22 page)

Everyone but me, that is
. A shameful wave of disappointment crawled under her skin. Hadn't he agreed to be her friend? So why was he acting so standoffish?

Mrs. Ingraham suddenly stood and clapped her hands, commanding everyone's attention. “Boys and girls,” she called. “Is everyone finished eating?”

In unison the six trail riders responded affirmatively.

“Then I want you to hand your rubbish to your assistant and stand up facing west. Remember, you should feel the sun on your face in the afternoon. Then join hands with your tablemates and once you're ready, walk toward the sound of my voice.”

Amazed, Rachel watched as the children located each other's hands, extracted themselves from the table, and headed toward her steady stream of dialogue.

“We have spread blankets in the shade,” said Mrs. Ingraham. “You can either take a catnap to rest for the ride back to the ranch, or you can sit and listen to Miss Brady read a story.”

“Care to take a walk, Miss King, to the fishing dock?” Jake appeared at her side. “We don't allow the guests there for obvious reasons. We have a fifteen-minute break during story time.”

“Sure.” Rachel scraped everyone's refuse into a trash bag and carried it to the pack mule for the trip home. “I'm having so much fun. Thanks for inviting me.”

“Bethany likes you. I see your ear is hanging by a thread.”

“Sarah can stitch it up tonight after supper.” She kept pace with
him on their way to the dock. “This is a lovely spot, Jake. Are we still on Brady land?”

“Yes. This is our backup water supply in periods of drought.” Jake grasped her elbow as they walked onto the narrow pier. “How is meeting eligible bachelors going at the Amish socials? I've been curious.”

After a slight hesitation, she smiled. “You sound just like my cousin. To tell you the truth, I'm off to a mediocre start. I've met two so far, but I don't think I'm…compatible…with either Reuben or John.” She chose an English word used often by Keeley.

“Hmm, Reuben and John. Those are good, solid-sounding names. I'll bet they're smitten with you.” He watched her from the corner of his eye.

“Maybe, maybe not, but I plan to keep things casual with everyone. After all, who knows how long I'll stay in Kentucky?”

“Makes sense to me. Just play the field. But while you're courting a variety of Amish fellows, why can't you go out with me? I'm not asking you to leave your faith or cut your hair or do something sneaky, but why can't we go out to dinner or to a church potluck together?” He focused on a pair of mallards that landed in the center of the pond.

For a while Rachel watched the ducks swim around in circles. “Why not, as long as we keep it casual,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “But let's get back to the rest of the group.”

“Sounds good to me. The grooms are bringing up the horses.”

Neither spoke on the walk back, yet Rachel felt as if something irrevocable had shifted beneath their feet. She knew there wasn't anything
casual
about courting in the Amish world. And yet for some reason she couldn't stop humming for the rest of the afternoon.

TEN

'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far

Friday morning

D
onna, get in here!”

Donna clenched her eyes tightly shut and counted to ten. But seven was as far as she got before she slid back from the computer and stomped from her cubicle. She waited to release steam until she reached the confines of Phil Richards' office. “You do realize the Department of Health has an intercom system besides working telephones, don't you? There's no need to shout my name if there's some
urgent matter
you need help with.” She glared down at him.

Phil peered up at her over his wire rims. “Why should I bother looking up extensions in the directory when I have a perfectly good set of lungs?” He was dead serious.

“Oh, I don't know…maybe to maintain a professional atmosphere in the office?”

He threw his pen down on the blotter, but grinned nevertheless.
“Is that how you were raised, Cline? Taught to sass your elders as well as your boss? I doubt it. I had the pleasure of meeting your mother. She was one fine lady.”

Donna slouched onto one of his plastic chairs. “You are my elder by a scant eleven years, Phil. And although I readily acknowledge you're my boss, a woman who secretly hopes to get downsized doesn't fear job security.”

He laughed and leaned back in his chair. “Huh, big talker! You and Pete have two smart girls to still put through college, so you can't afford to get fired for years.”

“You're right as usual, Mr. Richards. What can I help you with, sir?” She batted her eyelashes.

“That's more like it.” He reached for his coffee across a messy desk. “What are you working on now?”

She stared at him, all joking aside. “You're kidding, right? I'm going through the restaurant inspections to prepare my annual reports. I've yet to update the database with information supplied by every health care provider in Kentucky. And I need to conduct some unannounced visits to nursing homes and daycare facilities. I haven't taken a real lunch all week.”

“I'll put a gold star next to your name. But in the meantime, we have a problem. We have three more positives for polio infections from those samples gathered so far, all Amish children. The lab copied the CDC on the e-mail alert. Soon Atlanta will be breathing down my neck. How are you coming with convincing the community they need to get vaccinated?”

“Not too good, I'm afraid.” She did her best not to sound defensive. “I found only one family who allowed me to administer the shots. The family has five children, but one was too young to receive. Only a handful of kids have been inoculated in the Amish and Mennonite communities in the area after all our canvassing.”

He frowned. “Did you explain you're a registered nurse, licensed in this state to administer medications?”

“Yes, but questions regarding my training and expertise weren't the issue.” She spotted a large moth trapped against the window glass. She longed to walk around his desk to set it free, perhaps feeling a bit of kinship with a bug.

“Then what in blazes is? You've had weeks on this. Did you go to every house that doesn't send their kids to public schools?”

She trained her eyes on him to stay focused. “To the best of my knowledge, I did. Unless a family lives without mail delivery or isn't listed on tax maps, I found them all. Some have already gotten their kids shots and the others possess definite ideas on the subject. They haven't avoided vaccines because they never
heard
of them. They have their reasons.”

“I'd love to know what their reasons are.” His voice turned soft and controlled.

“A few think the shots could actually cause the disease.”

“That's nonsense. That hasn't happened in this country in years since we stopped using the oral Sabins.”

“Some believe the shots will lower a child's overall immune system, making them more susceptible to unrelated maladies.”

“That's an unproven theory that refuses to die.”

“I agree, but a few parents believe vaccines in general interfere with God's will. If that's their position, we can't force them.”

“Whose side are you on?” His eyebrows drew together over the bridge of his nose.

“The State Board of Health's, of course, but I'm not licensed to carry a gun to hold to people's heads.”

“I could make that happen if you like…a few lessons, a discreet shoulder holster. You could be like one of those lady cops on TV.” He pantomimed a quick draw from beneath his armpit.

“Remember me? I'm one of those crazies who believes the Second Amendment needs to be retired to the history books.”

“Loosen up, Cline. I was joking.” He squinted down his nose at her. “Sounds to me like a few Amish parents did some hit-or-miss
reading and convinced others of their so-called research. Aren't there any leaders in the community you could talk sense to?”

“That would be the district bishop. He is the church leader for the twenty-five or thirty families in his area. There are several in Casey County. I talked to one I found an inroad with and got nowhere.”

“What do you have in mind in light of three more positives in Charm? You must have some insight into how their collective mind works.”

Donna felt a surge of resentment from his word choice.
Collective mind?
These were Amish and Mennonite Christians, not a colony of aliens that beamed down from a yet-to-be-discovered planet. Mothers and fathers who wanted only what was best for their children. But because he was correct about her and Pete needing to put two daughters through college, Donna selected her words carefully. “There is no easily influenced collective mind, but I will try speaking to a bishop on the other side of the county, away from Charm. What affects one will affect all. Maybe a different bishop will be more medically progressive in his thinking and will be willing to exert some influence.”

“Good idea. Get right on that. Finish up those reports you're in the middle of, put whatever else on the back burner, and give this top priority.” He picked up a paper on his desk to peruse. “What are you still doing in my office, Mrs. Cline?” He was only half teasing.

“I plan to first do my own reading on the status of this disease along with current research on these vaccines. I don't want to enter any debates without full information about potential risks and side effects.” She straightened from his uncomfortable plastic chair.

“Whatever it takes to get those Amish kids lining up for shots is fine with me. It's not only polio we're worried about. We need to protect the kids of Casey County and surrounding areas from
mumps, chicken pox, measles, hepatitis B, and a whole variety of infectious viruses.” Phil focused in earnest on his stack of reports.

Donna retreated sheeplike from the room. But what else could she do? Argue against something that as a medical professional she believed in? But she also was a firm believer in personal choice for American citizens. Too often government bureaucracies only presented medical evidence which supported their current position. Often years down the road more in-depth research revealed a different conclusion altogether. Sitting down in front of her monitor, Donna clicked on a popular search engine. A little more time behind her desk before she hit the field wouldn't hurt a thing.

Rachel let the shower stream run down her back and shoulders far longer than necessary. She washed her hair, applied conditioner, and aimed the showerhead at her sore muscles. Today's mounted ride had been more tiring than others. And exhausted was the last thing she wanted to be. After drying her hair, she wrapped it in a bun and put on her prettiest dress in a deep shade of lavender.

Sarah did a double take when Rachel emerged from the bathroom. “I've not seen that one yet. You Pennsylvania gals are quite the fashion plates of the Plain world,
jah?
”

“
Nein
, not really. I just save this one for special occasions.” She walked to the cutting board on the counter and began slicing tomatoes, cucumbers, and celery for the salad.

“What's the occasion? Did Bonnie or Ruby get word to you about the singing tonight? I hope Josh picks you up. The hosting family lives several miles away.”

Rachel regretted her word choice regarding the dress as her mind spun with ideas. She carried the finished salad to the table
and distributed plates, forks, and cups. “I'm not going to the singing.”

“Then where are you headed in your
special
dress?”

Isaac shuffled into the room and sat down. “If your cousin thought it was your business,
fraa
, she would tell you.” He winked at his wife and then bowed his head.

Sarah carried over the pot of beef stew and bowed hers for silent prayer. Then her eyes practically bored holes through Rachel's forehead.

Rachel ladled one small scoop of stew but took a full plate of greens. “It's no secret. And Sarah may ask anything she likes. Jake is picking me up in thirty minutes.”