Leah laughed, "You see Jonah, you are impervious to the slings and arrows of the women of Kalispell, most likely why we have taken the time it's taken to reach some sort of agreement about you courting me."
"Now, as I believe I told you, the boys across the street like you, they like the respect you show me as much as I do. So, if it was to become necessary, you could count on them as I do." She continued. "As for our decisions on the future, we should depend on each other for inspiration. Not one making all of the decisions that affect our life together, would you agree?"
There the ball was rolling, and hopefully, as a couple, they could chart a course forward for their life together. He had no idea how she felt about him and had for what seemed the longest time. But she had been very cautious until she could be cautious no longer. The hospital and Orphanage were not the only things important to her.
"I suppose another cup of coffee would be in order."
"I could do with more coffee," Jonah commented, then added, "Of course this will be a team effort, as it has been." Yes, it was 'traditional' for the woman to be subservient to the man, but their relationship had never been that way, and there was no reason to change that. Besides, Leah was strong-willed and independent minded, and it would be a sin to quench that.
As for himself, he needed a woman who was confident and knew her own mind...he knew this was a change of course for his life, and he knew that he needed someone like Leah to keep him on track...for him to want to stay on track and believe that he could.
"You're far smarter than I am, so it would be foolish of me not to listen to you." He grinned, but then quickly frowned. "Well, you are wanting to court me, so that brings to question your wisdom!"
"I would certainly hope, no I would expect things would remain the same, so far as the hospital is concerned, Now our relationship, that is a change for us, so, as with any change I will defer to you about how it should go." She said, suddenly relinquishing control of how things were to progress between them. She trusted Jonah, as she had right along.
"You're far smarter than I am, so it would be foolish of me not to listen to you." He grinned, but then quickly frowned. "Well, you are wanting to court me, so that brings to question your wisdom!"
"No Jonah, that's not exactly true. And you and I are not in some smartness contest." She retorted. "Of the men that I have known, you are by far the most intelligent caring man I believe I have ever met. So I trust my instincts when it comes to those in my life. Wisdom? I'm not altogether sure about that. Not at all."
"Again, I have to question your judgement!" Jonah chuckled, then shrugged. "No one has ever put that kind of trust in me. Well, I suppose my patients..."
Folks here had really put a good deal of trust in him, and he had been motivated to study on his own so that he didn't let them down -- he'd actually put in more effort than when he was attending classes, and now, with the hospital advancing, he hoped to have a chance to pick Dr. Boone's brain.
"I can't promise there won't be troubles, but I'll do my best..." That wasn't good enough and he knew it. "I'll be honest with you." It was the least Leah deserved, although he knew it might be a hard vow to keep.
"I'm not exactly sure what trouble you think there will be, Jonah. As we start this hospital business, you are the Medical Director, the cases you see will be people that you know and have known for as long as you have been practicing here." She said. "Yes there will be missteps, but no pratfalls. We will have surgeons on staff, so you can take what cases you want, yes, you will be the face of the hospital as Director, not as a surgeon. Relax. I am here to support you, as well as any staff members, but you especially."
"I can't promise there won't be troubles, but I'll do my best..." That wasn't good enough and he knew it. "I'll be honest with you." It was the least Leah deserved, although he knew it might be a hard vow to keep.
"I have faith, just be the Jonah I know and everything will be fine." She said, adding, "Josiah Boone has let me know he is going to be here very soon. And I have a bit of a surprise for you, something quite unexpected."
"It'll be good to have Josiah here," Jonah confirmed with a smile, "I can always use some old wisdom." He knew full-well that particularly in medicine, all the reading and studying was just a small part of applying...it was the experience, the odd situations that you encountered where you really learned how to 'practice' medicine. So listening to anecdotes of the older doctor would be invaluable.
"He can stay at the house with me, if he needs to," he added, "there's plenty of room." And there would be even more once the hospital was up and running, and the house didn't have to be used as a clinic any more. "Maybe we can offer some of the rooms..." he shook his head, "I suppose that wouldn't be proper..."
'Ah,' She thought, 'There was that spark she had been waiting for. She could see what she perceived as a twinkle in his eyes, and yes, having Josiah back in town would be good both for the hospital and for him.
"He can stay at the house with me, if he needs to," he added, "there's plenty of room." And there would be even more once the hospital was up and running, and the house didn't have to be used as a clinic any more. "Maybe we can offer some of the rooms..." he shook his head, "I suppose that wouldn't be proper..."
"Not proper? How's that? I mean, it is your home, and you certainly are entitled to guests staying as long as they want." She argued. "Besides, we won't be able to put him up at the hotel, or rent him a cottage right away. Unless he kept is place he had just outside of town. I don't recall it being sold." That might well cause a problem, one they certainly did not need.
"And, you're not in the least interested in the surprise I have for you?" She asked with a coy smile.
"Not proper? How's that? I mean, it is your home, and you certainly are entitled to guests staying as long as they want." She argued. "Besides, we won't be able to put him up at the hotel, or rent him a cottage right away. Unless he kept is place he had just outside of town. I don't recall it being sold." That might well cause a problem, one they certainly did not need.
"No, of course Josiah is welcome to stay with me if need be," Jonah explained, "what I meant was..."
"And, you're not in the least interested in the surprise I have for you?" She asked with a coy smile.
Ah, yes, her surprise...as if she hadn't had a huge surprise already! "Yes, of course," Jonah chuckled, "although I can't imagine what more of a surprise you could have in store for me."
To a degree, he was feeling a little bad that he didn't have anything for her, but then, that wasn't the point, this wasn't a competition, but a partnership.
"Yes, of course," Jonah chuckled, "although I can't imagine what more of a surprise you could have in store for me."
She reached into her clutch and withdrew an envelope, then removed the folded sheet of paper, unfolding it gently. She looked up over the paper at him for a moment, then began to read;
"Dear Miss Steelgrave, My name is Angelique Laurant of Chicago. I have been contacted by a friend who wishes to remain anonymous. I am writing in the hope of securing a position on your staff at the hospital you are building, the name which escapes me for the moment.
I am a Doctor of Surgery here at Mercy Hospital my records are available on request, which has been previously arranged.
Awaiting your reply
Dr, Angelique Laurant, MD, with her address and that of the hospital for verification. So, what do you think, Jonah? A surgeon wanting to come out here?"
"Oh, well..." He was taken aback, not only at the applicant being a woman, but that anyone would actually agree to come to the remote outpost that was Kalispell. It made him wonder what was wrong with her, or perhaps she was just having a hard time finding a position in 'civilization' because of her gender?
But then it occurred to him that regardless of the lady's gender, she was far more qualified than he was, and it would be a big burden off his shoulders to have an actual surgeon here.
"That's amazing, Leah! We should certainly contact her, see what her expectations are." He glanced at the letter, then nodded. "Chicago...she'll at least be accustomed to horrible winters! We'll need to think about accommodations...especially when they first arrive...I'd hate to have the Wigfall boarding house be their first experience here!"