Amish by Accident Read online

  She raised her hand to attempt to touch whatever was wrapped around her head, then quickly brought it back down. Every inch of her body seemed to ache.

  “Oh good, you’re finally awake.” A friendly African American woman smiled down at her. “I’m just gonna check your blood pressure, then I’ll send the doctor in to speak with you.” The woman wrapped the cuff around Brianna’s arm and began to squeeze the attached rubber pump causing the cuff to constrict on her arm. She let the rubber bulb go and Brianna felt her arm relaxing again. “Looks good.” The nurse turned and headed out the door.

  “Wait!” Brianna called after her, but it was too late.

  Brianna’s eyelids grew heavy and she fell back to sleep once again.

  Sometime later, she was awakened again and a man in a long white coat hovered over her bed. She glanced up at the fifty-something year-old man as he surveyed her chart and determined that the doctor was probably rather good looking when he was younger. His salt and pepper hair gave him an air of sophistication and accented his sharp facial features nicely.

  “So, Miss Jane Doe, do you have a real name?” His kind blue eyes peered from over the tops of his wire-rimmed spectacles.

  “Yes, I’m…uh…I’m…” Her voice trailed off as she racked her brain. Surely, I know my own name! She looked up at the doctor helplessly. “I…I can’t remember.”

  “That’s all right.” The man gently patted her hand. “You’ve been through a lot. Sometimes it takes the brain a while to recover. Temporary memory loss is quite common in brain injuries. I’ll have my intern come in and run some tests.” He arose from the chair and started toward the door.

  “Wait! Please tell me what happened. Why am I here? Why do I have a brain injury?” Brianna pleaded for answers.

  “I’ll have the nurse come in and explain it all to you. Right now, just relax and try to get some rest.” He smiled at her before exiting the room.

  Easy for you to say, you know who you are! Relax? She sat up in her bed and swung her legs over the side, determined to stand up and go find some answers. When her feet hit the floor and she lifted herself from the bed, her legs became shaky and began to buckle. Panic set in and she quickly reached back to the bed for stability. Resigned and out of breath, she hoisted herself back onto the bed and decided it would be best to wait for the nurse. Brianna yawned and couldn’t resist the delicious pull of sleep as her heavy eyelids draped shut.

  <><><>

  “Luke, did you hear me?” Sarah Anne Yoder asked, becoming more impatient every minute.

  “Ach, I’m sorry, Sarah. What did you say?” Luke brought his attention to the beautiful girl sitting next to him. She was very pretty indeed, espousing facial features from both her German Amish father and German-Mexican Amish mother. She was a nice girl, too. In fact, any boy from their district would be happy sitting next to Sarah Anne. But she wasn’t Elisabeth.

  “I asked if you planned on attending the youth gathering next Saturday. My parents will be hosting it, so it will be a lot of fun,” she said excitedly, flashing her perfect white teeth.

  Luke stared out across Millers’ Pond as they ate the picnic lunch that Sarah Anne had prepared for the occasion. “Jah, I’ll probably go.” He shrugged half-heartedly.

  “Are you alright, Luke? You don’t seem too enthused.” She frowned.

  “No, I’m fine. Just thinkin’ is all.” He scooted closer to her and draped his arm around her shoulder.

  Sarah Anne smiled up at him, and then gasped as he bent his head and leaned in to kiss her.

  Luke pulled Sarah close and eagerly kissed her on the lips. As he closed his eyes, he allowed his thoughts to drift back to Elisabeth. His hands caressing her soft brown hair that flowed down around her shoulders and her sweet lips pressed to his. He paused for a breath and whispered, “I love you, Beth.” Immediately his lovely vision ended as Sarah Anne abruptly pushed him away, hurt displayed on her pretty face.

  “Beth?” Sarah’s voice screeched. “How dare you, Luke Beiler! I thought you actually cared for me, when all along you’re still fantasizing about Elisabeth Schrock. I figured after she left you two years ago that you’d be over her by now, but I was obviously wrong.” Sarah Anne wiped a tear and stomped off in a huff, leaving Luke dazed and alone on the picnic quilt.

  Ach, he chided himself. “I’m sorry, Sarah. Come back.” Even he noticed his half-hearted tone. Because, if he were honest with himself, he didn’t really want her to come back. There was only one person he wanted. Elisabeth Schrock.

  Sarah Anne picked up her pace, headed toward home and away from him as quickly as possible.

  He pounded his fists onto the ground in frustration. Will I ever be able to get Elisabeth out of my head? She left. She chose the Englisch life over a life with me. Luke sighed, and then sent up a desperate prayer. “Lord, if there’s any way Elisabeth and I can get back together, please let it happen. I know I was angry with her for leaving and that I said I’d never be able to forgive her. But I’m stuck, Lord. I love her. I’ve tried courting other girls, but it’s just not working. I need her.”

  <><><>

  Carson glanced up at the mirror on his sun visor before stepping out of the car. He walked up to the office building and cringed before opening the door. Oh, how he hated going to the dentist! Ever since he got his first cavity filled when he was seven years old, he’d loathed the place. He’d sworn off candy for the rest of his life after going through the torture chamber, as he called it.

  Hopefully a new dentist would be gentler. He’d discussed his fear of dentistry with a co-worker one day and she recommended Family Dental. She claimed that she couldn’t even feel the shots given by the dentist! Whether he believed her or not was beside the point. He was so intrigued, he figured he’d at least give this dentist a try.

  Fortunately, today he’d just be receiving x-rays and a cleaning. He strolled up to the receptionist’s desk with nervous anticipation. Nobody greeted him, so he gingerly rang the small brass bell atop the counter. When a woman rounded the corner with a file folder in her hand, he felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him and he nearly lost his footing.

  “Brianna?” His eyes widened as he gripped the counter to steady himself. It can’t be!

  “Brianna?” The woman blinked in confusion, then realized the intent of his question. “Oh. Uh…no, my name is Elisabeth.”

  “You’re sure?”

  She chuckled a little. “Yep, last time I checked, that was the name my folks gave me.”

  He forced a smile.

  “I…I’m sorry. It’s just that…you look so much like her. Wow.” Carson’s hands trembled. He’d been totally unprepared for the shock of Brianna’s, no Elisabeth’s, appearance. Suddenly overcome with emotion, he took a deep breath and turned away to wipe a disobedient tear that formed in the corner of his eye. He hadn’t felt this much turmoil since the day he’d received the news of her plane crash.

  He took several deep breaths to calm himself, then finally turned back to the receptionist. She must be thinking he was crazy. He shook his head. “I guess you couldn’t be her. I apologize.”

  The realization that Brianna was gone forever grieved his heart once again. He raked his hands through his hair, regaining his composure, trying his best not to stare but failing miserably. He just could not get over the resemblance—he could almost swear…

  “Did you have an appointment today, Sir?” the receptionist asked, seemingly unmoved by his obvious attention.

  “Oh, yes. Welch.” He cleared his throat. “Carson Welch. It’s my first appointment. The woman on the phone said that I’d have to fill out some paperwork, so I came in a little early.” He had a hard time concentrating while Elisabeth stood right in front of him. His eyes trailed her every move as she walked toward a stack of files and returned with one marked ‘WE’ in bright orange stickers. She pulled out some blank forms and handed them to him. A chill ran up his arms when they unintentionally brushed fingers.

&nbs
p; Carson returned to the waiting room and took a seat on one of the plush burgundy chairs. He stared down at the papers on his lap, wondering how he’d focus enough to fill them out. Did Brianna have a twin? He’d never heard her mention it, but he couldn’t help but wonder now. He looked back over to the receptionist’s desk, but Elisabeth had disappeared behind the filing shelves once again. As he forced himself to concentrate, he realized the clipboard was missing a pen and he’d left his own in the car. He sighed and returned to the front desk, clearing his throat.

  Her beautiful face appeared around the corner once again. “May I help you, Mr. Welch?” Her bright blue eyes shined the way Brianna’s used to.

  He gave her a warm smile. “Carson, please. Mr. Welch is my father.”

  She laughed and it all but brought him to tears. “All right, Carson. Do you need something?”

  Was he imagining it or was she flirting with him? “A pen. The clipboard is missing a pen and I left mine in the car.”

  “Of course, here you go.” She smiled again.

  Carson took the pen and winked at her before turning back to his seat. I have to figure out a way to spend some time with her. What if I never see her again? He thought his racing heart might beat right out of his chest as he came up with a plan.

  <><><>

  After Carson disappeared into the back office, Elisabeth took her seat once again. It wasn’t every day that an attractive man near her age walked into their dental office. It was quite rare, actually. The normal clientele consisted of mostly children and older adults. She guessed by the absence of a ring on his finger that he wasn’t married. Not to mention he’d winked at her. But it was peculiar the way he stared at her, as if he thought he knew her.

  “I think he likes you.” Her friend Marilyn smiled, as she sat at her desk in the corner.

  Elisabeth’s cheeks immediately blushed. “He is cute.”

  Her other co-worker laughed, playfully slapping her shoulder. “Cute? Girl, that man is a drop-dead gorgeous babe. If I were thirty years younger…mm-hmm…” Connie’s voice drifted off.

  Elisabeth smiled, shaking her head at her friends’ straightforwardness. She’d never heard talk like that growing up among her Amish district. She answered a few more phone calls and scheduled appointments as quitting time drew near. She’d just returned a file to its proper place when a smiling Carson strolled up to Connie’s desk holding a new toothbrush. Elisabeth looked around, but her co-worker was nowhere in sight. That’s convenient.

  “Connie must’ve stepped out. Do you need another appointment?” Elisabeth asked.

  “As a matter of fact, I’ve got a cavity that needs to be filled.” He grimaced, and then signaled her near with his finger. He leaned down to her ear as if he harbored a delicious secret. “Tell me something. Is it true that the shots here don’t hurt?”

  Elisabeth almost laughed, and then noticed true concern in his eyes. “It’s true. Although, I’ve only had one so I can’t give you an expert opinion.”

  “Whew!” He swiped the back of his hand across his forehead. “Am I happy to hear that. I had a really bad experience as a boy and I’ve been frightened of dentists ever since.”

  She suppressed a chuckle and tried to give him a reassuring smile. Her gaze briefly roamed over his fit torso and chiseled forearms. She couldn’t imagine a man of his caliber being frightened of anything.

  “You’re laughing at me.” He feigned offense, but his eyes sparkled. “Just for that, you’ll have to accompany me for coffee after work.”

  She shook her finger and smiled. “Coffee? After you just had a cleaning?”

  “My teeth are going to come in contact with something eventually.” He shrugged. “Might as well be coffee with a beautiful woman at my side. And if you must know, I actually prefer tea.”

  Her face must look like a pomegranate, judging by the heat she was experiencing. He said she was beautiful. Not cute. Not pretty. Beautiful.

  Still, she couldn’t believe this stranger’s boldness. “I’m afraid that’s not in my job description. Besides, I might get fired if I schedule a date with a patient while I’m working.”

  “Hmm…what time do you get off work?” He glanced down at his fancy watch, which she’d learned was called a Rolex.

  “Five minutes.” She suddenly felt shy now.

  “I’ll just have to wait until you get off work, then I’ll ask you. Problem solved,” he said triumphantly.

  She smiled, and then sat up straight when Connie came into the room. “Here is your appointment, Mr. Welch.” Resuming her professional deportment, she handed him a business card with his appointment time written on it.

  “I’ll see you soon.” He winked and sauntered out the door.

  <><><>

  Chapter 3

  Brianna sat in yet another hospital room, waiting for the physical therapist to arrive. She noted the exercise equipment that worked out every muscle in the body, in the large room. Today would be just like the other days she’d undergone therapy—painful. She cringed just thinking of it. But like the therapist had encouraged her, this was just temporary—one necessary step on the road to recovery that would eventually make her whole. Hopefully.

  That was the problem though. Even if she made a complete physical recovery, her brain would most likely never fully recover. The doctor had said that her type of memory loss—Retrograde Amnesia—could be recovered in some cases. But unfortunately, a full recovery was highly unlikely. He said that there was no known treatment for Retrograde Amnesia.

  What kind of life would she have? Would she ever be able to remember her past life and who she was? An overwhelming feeling of depression clouded her mind as she realized she might always be known as Jane Doe.

  Doesn’t anybody care for me? Why has nobody come looking for me?

  Surely somebody was out there—a mother or father—or perhaps siblings? But, without knowing her name or anything about herself, the likelihood of finding someone she’d known was miniscule. She’d been hospitalized for nearly three months and not one soul had come.

  Fortunately she didn’t have to dwell on her circumstances all the time, though. The pharmaceutical medications they’d given her assured her of a good night’s rest. They helped to dull the pain and the feelings of rejection and loneliness. There had to be at least one person in this world that cared about her, but where were they?

  The nurse explained to her how she’d come to be in the hospital. A car accident. Apparently she was in a taxi that collided head-on with a large semi-truck. She had been the lucky one, the nurse had said. The cab driver was found dead at the scene.

  She had no identification on her so nobody knew who she was. She’d gone through the luggage they’d salvaged from the accident, but nothing sparked familiarity. Police reports had been checked for missing persons, but the two that matched her description had already been positively identified.

  So, here she was at the hospital. All alone. What would happen when she was better and they released her? Where would she go? She couldn’t just walk out onto the street with no home to go to. Frightened could not even begin to describe her state of mind. She was desperate. Lonely. Craving for someone to claim her as their own.

  The nurse had spoken of a women’s shelter where she could stay, but that would only be a temporary solution. Would she be able to make it out in this big city all alone? Right now, the hospital was the only home she knew. But she couldn’t stay here indefinitely.

  “All right, Miss Doe. Are you ready to do this again?” the enthusiastic trainer called out as she entered the room.

  “Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.” Brianna shrugged.

  “Have you been walking like I recommended?”

  “Yes, I have. I love to take the elevator to the sixth floor to look at the newborn babies.” Her sad face perked up.

  “Ah yes, the neonatal nursery is always a favorite.” The woman smiled as well. “Finally, a smile. I was beginning to think you’d forgotten how to
smile too.”

  “No, I haven’t. This isn’t exactly my favorite time of day.” She grimaced.

  “Yes, I’m afraid I don’t make many friends around here.” The trainer chuckled. “Let’s get started, shall we?”

  <><><>

  Mattie fairly bounced through the door Saturday evening, grinning from ear to ear. “Guess wha—”

  “Don’t say it!” Elisabeth said excitedly. “Richard asked you to marry him?”

  “Yes!” Mattie beamed as a squeal escaped her throat.

  Elisabeth enveloped her friend in a warm embrace, sharing her joy. “Oh Mattie, I’m so happy for you. So when are you two getting hitched?”

  Mattie set her purse and keys down on the small end table beside their couch. “That’s the thing, Lis. He wants to get married soon.”

  Elisabeth swallowed hard, uncertainty filled her mind. “Soon? How soon?”

  “Three months. But I’m sure we can find you a roommate between now and then.” Mattie tried to reassure her friend. “Is there someone at work who might be interested?”

  “No, I don’t think so. Besides, I don’t think I’d want to live with most of them. They party every weekend.” She shook her head. “And the ones that I would consider are older and already have a place of their own.”

  “What about Carson?” Mattie raised her eyebrows and smiled.

  “Carson? You’d want me to live with Carson?” Her eyes grew large as the chrysanthemums in her mother’s garden at the unthinkable suggestion. Amish or not, she would never consider living with a boyfriend outside of wedlock.

  “No, that’s not what I mean.” Mattie laughed. “Are the two of you serious? Is it possible that he might propose?”