Courting Buggy: Nurse Hal Among The Amish Read Online Free

apple. I can't abide tomato juice. The acid is bad
for my stomach you know.” She let out a plaintive sigh as she
rubbed her midsection. “I have a lot of digestive troubles.”
    Emma said kindly, “That will not be a
problem. We have those juices on hand.”
    “I'm so sorry to hear you have stomach
problems, Aunt Tootie. That can be miserable,” Hal sympathized.
    Tootie sniffed a little louder this time and
studied the table top. “I'll be all right unless I need an enema. I
hope I don't have to have one while I'm here, but if I do, it's a
fortunate thing I have a niece living here who is a nurse.”
    Emma's mouth flew open as she looked from
Tootie to Hal. Hal turned a distressed stare on her mother and
mouthed the words, “Really, Mom?”
    Nora shrugged, clearly powerless where Tootie
was concerned.
    At supper, John asked Jim if he had plans for
the next day.
    Jim said, “No, figured to do whatever you
do.”
    “The boys and me were thinking about going to
the Wickenburg salebarn tomorrow. There is a big horse drawn
equipment sale before the livestock auction. It is always
interesting to look at. Would you like to go?”
    “Sounds like fun,” Jim said
enthusiastically.
    “Well, if you are done eating, we might as
well get away from the table. You remember we always have a time of
devotion in the morning and the evening after supper,” John said.
“We can wait in the living room for the women to do the dishes and
join us.”
    “John, why don't you take Redbird and Beth
with you. They're restless now that we're all busy,” Hal said.
    “Give me one of those girls,” Jim
insisted.
    John lifted Beth out of her wooden highchair
and held her toward Jim. She squealed in discontent and hugged
John's neck. “Sorry about that.”
    “No problem. I'm a stranger to these babies.
Let me try, Redbird, and see if I have better luck,” Jim said. He
lifted the toddler out of her chair. Happy to be freed, she giggled
and patted his cheek. “That a girl.” He said proudly.
    “Works that way most of the time, Dad,” Hal
shared. “Redbird is too friendly, and Beth is too bashful.”
    Jim inspected Redbird as he carried her away.
“Hallie, what do you expect from another Carrot Top. She's just
like her mother was at this age.”
    Once the men were gone, Tootie stood up like
she was heading a women's church group, fold her hands in front of
her and announced, “Ladies, we really should be getting these
dishes done as soon as possible.”
    “Don't worry, Aunt Tootie. John's in no hurry
to do devotions. He doesn't mind waiting for us,” Hal declared.
    “That's not it. I can't abide dirty dishes
roosting on the counter and table. I want to wash. I always have
liked to wash the dishes.”
    “Oh,” Emma said. “Usually I wash, but that is
fine. The tea kettle is simmering on the back of the stove. I can
make the dish water for you. I will wipe.”
    “What do you want me to do, Emma?” Nora
asked.
    “Help Hallie scrape the plates and put away
the leftovers,” Emma said. “Stack the dishes and set them on the
counter by Aendi Tootie.”
    “The slop bucket's in the mudroom. I'll get
it.” Hal brought back a plastic ice cream pail. “Scrape the scraps
in this, Mom, and I'll feed the cats in the barn.”
    While they worked, Hal said, “Mom, I expect
you and Aunt Tootie need a day to rest up after that long trip. So
tomorrow how about we hang out here while you get acquainted with
your little granddaughters. The next day we're invited to the Yoder
farm in the afternoon. I told everyone at the Sunday worship
meeting you were coming. The Yoders women said to make sure we
brought you to visit them first thing.”
    “Sounds good to me. Is that Margaret and
Linda you're talking about?” Nora asked.
    “Jah, that's the ones,” Hal told her as she
scraped a plate.
    By the time, Hal and Nora had the leftovers
in cartons, Tootie picked up the last stainless steel kettle and
swiped it out. “Emma, clean kettles tell other