The Problem with Dreams

Chapter 7 - Doctors and Technicians

The beginning of the Sabbath passed for the Abernathys with their usual prayers and dinnertime conversation in Hebrew. They'd continued on with their Hebrew lessons over the summer and everyone was much improved through using it regularly for family conversations, even though the topics were often dominated by the words on their vocabulary lists for the week.

            Susan went to get Matt at the end of his Friday night shift. Then on Saturday after Greg's services, they all spent the afternoon looking for lighting fixtures and recording their choices for Mr. Thompson.

            "When do these get put in?" Matt asked curiously.

            "As soon as they're ready I would presume," Greg told him. "I'm sure it will be a while yet."

            "Probably," Matt agreed. "Do we have things to look for tomorrow as well?"

            "We do actually," Greg said and he pulled another list from his pocket which would occupy them after church the next day.

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            "I wonder if we should have checked on Richard and Marion," Greg mused as he and Susan got ready for bed on Sunday evening.

            "I'm sure they don't expect us to be there every day like we were earlier in the week," Susan said.

            "Maybe, but we haven't checked on them since Wednesday, Susan. I know we've been busy, but it feels like we may have been neglecting them just a bit," Greg commented.

            "I'll call in the morning Greg, see how they're doing," Susan said. "I only have meetings in the morning, so I can go by to help tomorrow afternoon if they need me."

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            As it turned out, their friends did need the help, even though they never would have asked.

            "Thank you for coming," Marion said when Susan came by shortly after noon on Monday, bringing Jessie with her.

            "I hope you don't mind, but Matt is working this afternoon, Greg's in producer meetings again, and Zackary went to visit a friend," Susan said.

            "No, I don't mind, but there isn't much for her to do here," Marion warned.

            "I can help Mama," Jessie told her.

            "She can, actually," Susan said. "Now what do you need me to do Marion?"

            "Baby sit?" Marion asked. "I need to go to the store. I'd send Richard but he's not very good at the drugstore sorts of things. I've just fed the twins so they should be okay until I get back."

            "Where is Richard?" Susan asked.

            "I think he's trying to change the sheets on one of the cribs," Marion said. "We've started using it for Charlie at night. He's over six pounds now and is sleeping four hours at a stretch during the night."

            "That's better than he was doing!" Susan praised. "How's Melissa?"

            "She finally broke the five pound mark, which we were really pleased with. Dr. Mathias was pleased with her progress at their appointment last Friday," Marion said. "He said we could try feeding on demand, as long as it didn't go past four hours. She goes almost three now most of the time. My milk is coming in fuller now, so I think she's getting more with each feeding."