4
Sarah Blank left work at the Bent N’ Dent to go home for the day. Something about a sore throat or allergies or ... David Stoltzfus wasn’t quite sure what. All he knew for sure was he’d be managing the Bent N’ Dent alone on the busiest afternoon of the week—when the tourist buses came through. For now, the store was quiet. Sally Fisher was the lone customer, so David asked if she needed any help before he went to his office to finish up some paperwork.
Peering at the jars of spaghetti sauces, she waved him off. “I’m just looking for a good sauce for supper. Until the tomatoes start ripening, I need to rely on canned sauce. But I do need dried oregano. I noticed you’re all out.”
David had noticed too. More than just oregano. Most of the stock for herbs and spices was picked over. He’d asked Sarah to restock them this morning to prepare for the tourist buses, but apparently she’d forgotten. Spices and herbs were sought-after purchases by the Englisch. David bought them in bulk and could offer bargain prices.
“I’ll need to go in the storeroom for more oregano. Back in a minute.”
“Take your time, David. I’m in no hurry.”
He went into the storeroom where extra stock was kept and filled an empty box with sacks of herbs and spices. Coming back into the store, he heard the jingle of the bells on the door and looked over to see Hank Lapp come in, talking to someone he didn’t recognize. A young man, with his hair pulled back in one of those ... what did his daughters call them? A man bun. It was hard for David to understand why a man would want to bother himself with long hair.
“DAVID! Have you met this fella? He’s one of DOK’S new students.”
“Um, actually,” the young man said, holding a finger in the air, “no longer a student. A med school graduate. In fact, actually, I’m a resident.”
“A RESIDENT? So you moved to Stoney Ridge, permanent-like?”
“A resident doctor,” he said. “Dr. Stoltzfus is my supervisor.”
“A DOCTOR?” Hank’s bushy white eyebrows shot up. “David, did you HEAR that?” He leaned in. “Is Dok RETIRING? She’s not thinking of LEAVING us, is she? Eddy will be BESIDE herself.”
David shook his head. “No, Hank. Dok just needs a little help.” He stuck out his hand to shake the young man’s. “I’m David Stoltzfus. I run the Bent N’ Dent.”
“Charlie King.”
“DAVID is the BISHOP,” Hank said. “PLUS, his sister is the Dok.”
A confused look covered Charlie’s face. “But ... she couldn’t be Amish and be a doctor, right?”
“That’s correct. My sister was raised Plain, then left before she was baptized to pursue higher education.”
“KING?” Hank said. “That’s a PLAIN name.”
Charlie’s eyes went wide in confusion, then he burst out with a laugh. “You’re right! It is both plain and Plain. Good one, Hank!”
A loud crash came from a nearby aisle. Charlie was first to it, beating David to the source of the crash. Sally Fisher had dropped a jar of spaghetti sauce, and it splattered.
“Ma’am,” Charlie said, “did you cut yourself?”
“I don’t think so,” she said. She looked at David. “I’m sorry, David. It just slipped right out of my hand.” She started to bend down to pick up the pieces, but Charlie had already crouched down, picking up shards of glass.
“Sally,” David said. “Just leave it. You too, Charlie. I’ll get a mop and clean it up.”
Charlie’s eyes were on Sally’s hands, which were trembling noticeably. “Do you often have trouble with your hands shaking?”
“I do!” Sally said. “Quite often. Shooting pains along my wrists.”
“Have you been feeling more tired than usual? Any dizziness?” Charlie asked, his tone serious but kind.
Sally looked taken aback by the questions but nodded slowly. “Yes, actually. I’ve been very tired and sometimes dizzy, especially when I stand up too quickly.”
“Let me help you sit down.” Charlie helped her gently sit on the floor, away from the splattered sauce, her back against the wall.
David left to get a mop and bucket out of the broom closet. Everyone knew that Sally Fisher was a raging hypochondriac. Everyone except Charlie King. This young doctor’s intentions were good, but he was feeding her imagined symptoms. In the bathroom, David filled up the bucket with hot water, wondering if he should intervene or stay out of it.
He was still pondering his role in this scene as he returned to the splattered sauce and started to mop. The bells on the door rang, and David paused to see a young Englisch woman stand at the open door with a shocked look on her face. “Who’s been shot?”
