Jonah chuckled. "Well, in all truth, she beat me to it," he declared, "and just a short time ago Leah broached the subject." He chuckled. "At least formally, although I'd say that for some time we've known. I've just been hesitant to admit it."

Leah sat, hands folded, and a slight smile graced her lips.

"I could have told you, Jonah, you can't go pussy footin' around a woman like Leah here." Josiah said, "But at least it's out there now, and there's no need to be shy about things from here on out." He said in his direct manner which he was known for. " Hopefully this romantic situation will not slow down the progress of our hospital, otherwise I have given up an almost successful practice to come here." He winked at Leah.

"I can only think that it will help," Jonah chuckled, "so there's no need to worry.  We won't have that hanging between us anymore.  I'm not sure about Leah, but I know my feelings for her..."  Why was he discussing this here?  "I found them distracting, but no longer."

Recently, more often than not, when they'd been together, he found himself trying to avoid thinking about Leah, sorting his feelings for her and refusing to acknowledge them.

"I assure you, you didn't make a mistake, and soon enough, we'll have a top-rate hospital right here in Kalispell.  And we can start putting more thought into an orphanage."  Lord, but his mother would sneer at him if she knew any of this -- Jonah Danforth, the nice guy, looking out for the down-trodden, and little kids.

What had Leah Steelegrave done to him?!

"If there was a mistake made it was by Ben Robertson and his dealings with my father to prevent this project from even starting." Leah voiced. "But Jonah and I? We're not even a minor problem as things go. We will be just fine. Now, Doctors, I suppose that a review of what has been ordered so far and what has been delivered to the warehouse in Helena, although I understand that they will be moving them to us as the trails clear."

"Excelent. I would have thought that they would have been delivered to Cut Bank, as that's where I understand the railroad has stalled for the winter, but no matter it wil get here," Josiah said. "So I suppose we need to consider the orphanage, it was part and parcel of the deal with the town, I believe."

"It was, and we have the parcel of ground next to the hospital. That should make things easier all around." Leah beamed, this would be a wonderful addition to the community, at least she thought so.

"Well, at least we have experience with building!" Jonah chuckled.  "Once we get the hospital up and running it won't be much to get the orphanage going."  They had the builders, they had connections with the lumber mill and suppliers, and the orphanage building wouldn't be as complicated nor as big as the hospital.

"That's more staff we'd need, too, to look after the children, cooks and such."  He laughed.  "That might be a good job for Granny Miggins!  She'd keep them in line and teach them what they'd need to know!"

"That bad?"  Jonah grinned, a rare show of humor.   "So I suppose I needn't ask Miss Wigfall if she'd like to be our cook?"  He kept his voice low, lest he be overheard. 

Then he sat back and shook his head.  "I'm sure we'll find someone well-qualified.  I would ask Mrs. Armentrout, but she'd have to move her own brood to town, and I'm not sure she'd want to do that."

Well, maybe it would be worth a try?  "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ask.  And she has a couple older children who could pitch in.  She sure is a great cook, and she likes kids...and it would give her a chance to save to help send some of those little ones to college."  After all, she could sell the farm and move into the orphanage.

"I suppose that's something we should consider, adding living quarters to the building plans."

Leah, still smiling from the previous idea of Granny Miggins and the idea of spiriting Jemima away from Worchester Pettigrew. Suddenly she wondered, could he have meant Mary Wigfall? " I seriously doubt that choice is even available, whether it's Jemima or her mother. In fact, Jonah, I hdd thought we discussed having the Lickskillet here prepare the meals."

"Until we get the kitchen built, I Have to believe that there is a kitchen being built in the building," Josiah stated. "And yes, a competent cook will be necessary, thinking this place could only deal with the additional meals for a short time before it would become inconvenient for Misses Pike."

"In the beginning, we would be fortunate to have only minimal patients, though I doubt that would last. What I mean is, that Mister Guyer is opening a copper mine. and that alone will be a cause for injuries. Not to mention day to day injuries that most folks attempt to deal with themselves. Right, Jonah?"

"I think that once word gets out, we'll be plenty busy," Jonah commented.  "With Helena the closest hospital now there are some folks who just go straight there, and I've sent many there as well.  We won't be hurting for patients, so we'll have to see what's best.  I don't know much about running a restaurant, but I'm sure Mrs. Pike would have to hire more help if the Lickskillet is going to provide the meals."

There was still plenty of time to figure all that out.  "It might not hurt, though, to consult with Mrs. Pike about the logistics...know what food to order, how much..."  Another salvo of lists to start!

"Perhaps at lease she will consult with us when we're ready to start our own kitchen?"

"Now you know, I too have sent folks to Helena or the clinic in Missoula, a bit closer, but not as big as the hospital in Helena. Depended on what was needed at the time. Traveling any distance is never a good thing with someone who's injured." Boone admitted, "I do agree, once it's open, we'll have more than enough to justify building it."

"I had long thought that we would be able to help all of those close by with good medical care, and what we will be able to offer the region will be the best of care in these parts." Leah stated, "Did that make any sense, I'm a bit excited about this, as you may well have guessed."

That made Josiah laugh. "I believe so. Now, we need to find at least a couple of competent nurses, ones that have been trained, that will be crucial to any long term care, meaning more than a days stay in our hospital. Oh, what have you decided to call it?" He looked to Jonah.

"The Leah Steelegrave Hospital, of course!"  Jonah laughed, then amended, "we decided on something such as 'The Kalispell Regional Hospital', or perhaps 'The North Montana Regional Hospital'?  And I agree, it will make life here just a bit safer and easier for folks, and that was all Leah's doing."

The hospital had been her idea, and she was without doubt the driving force behind the progress.  "We've already been sending out inquiries for nurses, aids, other staff.  We should be getting replies back soon, and I'm glad you're here to help us check them out."