Page 53 - Homestead By Ann Newhouse

did not object. She promised she would speak to Josh and from there she would prepare to leave, if necessary. She told me she would apply for a job in the hospital in Truth. The flying doctors, who visited us, were attached to the same hospital, and she would talk to them about a position. I found it hard to leave Sofie, but the thought of John Tirrell finding us together sent me on my way, albeit, with a smile on my face.
My next work assignment was for the Homestead medical hall. Sofie had requested an extension, as a couple of extra examination rooms were required. I wondered why she had gone to so much trouble, persuading her father to agree to an extension, when we had discussed leaving. She informed me it was part of the plan. She was going to, discreetly, ask the flying doctors if they knew of any young medical students wanting to work and train in a fully functioning medical situation, which would, possibly, include bed and board at the Homestead. Sofie intended to train the student to assist Johanna, who was in agreement with the plan.
Sofie told me her father admitted to liking me and found me very agreeable. Also, the drive team said I had fitted in well.
Josh had also been assigned to help me on the build. Sofie wanted to keep an eye on him and keep him out of trouble. Recently he had been involved in a little brawl outside the bar, with a lad named Glen, who had claimed Josh and Mitch were teasing a couple of young girls, one being his teenage sister. Luckily, they had first come to Sofie and not John, who would have taken a more serious view, and Josh would have been in a lot of trouble.
It took only a few weeks to complete the extension. Josh and I had been given the job of going into town to buy the furnishings to complete the rooms, as listed by Sofie and Johanna. Josh was delighted as he had never made it back to see Liz, the young waitress at the café.
The new student nurse had arrived, just as we had driven away from the Homestead. Her wages would come out of the community pot that had built up over the years from the profits, and the residents who had passed. This was a contingency fund to pay for any major future work that may occur on the Homestead. It was one reason folk felt secure and, for most of them, happy under John Tirrell’s leadership. They knew they would always have a home for themselves and their children.
We had set off at dawn in the old truck. We arrived at about midday and decided to have a bite to eat and a coffee to wash away the prairie dust.
“Well hi folks,” the young waitress greeted us as we entered the café. “Hi Liz,” Josh replied with a smile that was as wide as the Grand Canyon.