Page 2 of A Hidden Hope

Evie pretended to laugh, but she didn’t think it was funny.

Darcy was spot-on about one thing. If something didn’t shift in the right direction with Charlie over the next three months, after two solid years of an epic, over-the-top crush on him, then she had to face reality.

They weren’t destined for each other the way she’d hoped. And prayed.

But what if they were? What if something radical and unexpected did occur in Stoney Ridge?

She wasn’t trying to break up Charlie and Wren, though she didn’t think they were suited for each other.

Not at all. But she couldn’t extinguish a hope that they might see that for themselves and go their separate ways .

.. and she wanted to be there when that happened.

Be careful what you wish for.

Dok Stoltzfus had heard that saying a million times, but she never truly understood it until the Keystone Medical Residency & Service Program finally answered her plea for more doctors.

The KMRSP was a prestigious but under-the-radar program based in rural Pennsylvania, designed for medical school graduates willing to serve in underserved communities in exchange for substantial medical school loan forgiveness.

Applying to this program had been her husband Matt’s brainstorm.

He’d been after Dok to find a partner to share her practice with for months now.

She had placed ads in medical journals and contacted colleagues, but she’d had no luck. Not a single bite.

Then, late last summer, she and Matt went on vacation to a medical conference in Harrisburg.

Bored, Matt wandered through the vendors’ booths and picked up a brochure about the KMRSP.

Matt became instant BFFs with the woman who ran the program, Stella Penkowski, and that evening in the hotel even helped Dok fill out the application.

As in, he did most of it. Dok added her signature.

Dok had agreed with Matt—bringing in a partner to lighten her workload made sense.

But supervising a resident? That felt like a whole different skill set, one she wasn’t sure she had.

She managed her ADHD well enough when it was just her, but adding someone else to the mix?

That required structure, consistency—things she still wrestled with.

Procrastination might not rule her life anymore, but it hadn’t packed up and left either.

On top of her own shortcomings, she was skeptical about mentoring a graduate while the ink was still drying on their degree. Matt reminded her (several times) that there was a national physician shortage in the country, and she really didn’t have any other choices.

There was no response from the KMRSP, and before long, Dok completely forgot about it.

So much so that when she received an unexpected email—along with a resume—from a nurse inquiring if Dok might consider her for a traveling nurse position and mentioned her Mennonite roots, Dok picked up the phone that same day and offered her the job on the spot.

“I’ll be there as soon as I graduate,” the nurse had said, though Dok couldn’t quite remember if her name was Ellie or Eva.

Why couldn’t Dok’s practice seem to attract anyone with more experience? It was beyond frustrating.

When she arrived at the office this morning, her assistant Annie Fisher reminded her that traveling nurse Evelyn Miller was due to arrive tomorrow.

Seriously? How had that detail slipped off Dok’s radar? Somehow, it did.

Then Annie dug out four pink phone messages buried under paperwork on Dok’s desk and frowned at her. “This woman called again this morning, Dok. Each time, she asks you to return her call. All she’ll tell me is that you’ll know what it’s about.”

Dok had no idea. She didn’t even remember who Stella Penkowski was, not until she called her—then it all came back. Stella told her that her application had not only been approved, but that she was getting two spanking-new medical school graduates.

Suspicious by nature, Dok immediately wondered what the catch was. “Why two?”

“Well,” Stella said, “your application indicated you were doing the work of several doctors.”

Dok scowled. That was Matt’s version of her job. While it was true that she took her work seriously, she’d hardly say she was doing the work of several doctors. Two, maybe.

“And then there was that news story attached to it.”

Dok cringed. A few months ago, a local TV news station had done a feature on her called “The Doctor Who Still Makes House Calls.” Apparently, it went viral—whatever that meant.

Social media was the last thing on Dok’s mind.

But one thing she had become aware of after the feature aired: Her practice had been flooded with new patients and, with it, an increased expectation for house calls.

At one point, Annie put a cap on the patient load and insisted on a waiting list.

“Of course,” Stella said, “I’m sure it will be very tempting to offer one of them a full partnership at the completion of the residency.”

That comment snapped Dok right back to the present. “What?!” What all did Matt say in that application?

“Yes. We’ll provide a stipend for housing, but it’ll be up to you to find living arrangements for all three. There are, of course, some minor expectations required of you. Training, mentorship, supervision. I’ll email you a packet of information today.”

Minor expectations? This sounded like a full-time job.

Dok was no stranger to the demands of being a chief resident.

She’d worked in hospitals for two decades until she finally bought Max Finegold’s practice in Stoney Ridge.

And she really, really didn’t think she was cut out to be anyone’s supervisor.

“Well, if that’s all—”

Not so fast. Dok could sense that Stella was ready to wrap up the phone call, but she had a lot more questions. “Tell me what you know about them. Why did they apply to this program?”

“Well, neither of them matched on Match Day. And they’re both deeply in debt.”

“What? They didn’t match?” Dok saw red flags waving in front of her. Most every resident got a match on Match Day, unless ... “Did they graduate from a legitimate medical school?”

“Of course.”

Dok wanted clarification. “An accredited medical school that is actually in the United States.”

“Yes. Penn State College of Medicine.”

Dok let out a sigh of relief. “But they didn’t match? Do you know why?”

“No idea.”

Red flag , red flag. “Well, do you know why they want to work in an underserved area? And do they know anything about the Amish? Because cultural sensitivity is very important. The Amish don’t view health care in the same way that most Americans do.

” She hoped Matt had added all that and more in the application. Probably not.

“How’s that? What do you mean?”

“Well, one example is that they don’t try to deny death is coming. They don’t fight beyond a body’s biological end.”

“Hmm, interesting. Well, honestly, I’m not sure what your two know or don’t know.” The sound of a phone rang in the distance. “I’ve got to go. Oh, before I forget, your residents are planning to arrive at the Lancaster train station tomorrow afternoon.”

“No car?”

“No car. You’ll need to arrange a pickup. And room. Not board.”

“Hold it! I have to find housing for them?!” Dok’s voice rose an octave.

“Just room. Not board. Part of the program. You’ll be reimbursed, of course. Best of luck to you! To all of you!” On that cheery note, Stella hung up.

Luck. Dok leaned back in her chair, holding the phone receiver. Luck? She didn’t believe in it. Hard work, determination, resiliency—those were her truths. Growing up Amish, she had seen luck as something devilish, like gambling.

She blew out a puff of air. She didn’t even know if these doctors were men or women. Both? How was she supposed to find housing when she didn’t even know their gender?

She looked out her window and saw her brother David drive by in his buggy. She let out a happy sigh. She didn’t need luck! Not when she had an Amish bishop for a brother.

David Stoltzfus had barely hitched the buggy reins to the post when his sister Ruth pounced on him. “Are you here as a sister or a doctor?” he asked, their usual greeting.

“Both,” she said, as always. And then she added something about new doctors showing up on her doorstep tomorrow, with only one day’s notice, and how she had no idea where to put them.

David squinted at her. “Put them?” he said, confused.

“House them,” Ruth said. “Apparently, I’m responsible for getting them housing.”

“Housing? For how long?”

Ruth shrugged. “I didn’t think to ask. This whole thing is Matt’s idea.

” She launched into an overly detailed explanation of the Keystone Medical Residency & Service Program, of the applications sent in to Stella Penkowski, of the phone conversation she’d just had with this Stella woman.

His sister grew increasingly exasperated as she described each step of the process.

“And now I’m suddenly a supervisor to two first-year residents!

They’re completely inexperienced. Just interns.

And David ... they didn’t get matched . ”

He wasn’t entirely clear what that might indicate about these two residents, but from the look on her face, it was inauspicious. “And why are there two doctors coming?”

“Matt’s doing. He thinks it would take two doctors to replace me.”

Good thinking , Matt. Next time David saw his brother-in-law, he would have to remember to compliment him. “But ... you’re not retiring, right?”

“No. Absolutely not. Matt’s working on a retirement plan, but I’m not on board.

He wants to work another two years to pay off our house, take early retirement, and then he wants us to take some real vacations.

All his idea. Not mine.” She shrugged, calmer now.

“I mean, a real vacation does sound nice.” A look of longing came over her.