“No, I can’t take credit for the soup or any of the food, really. Mrs. Johnson works her magic in the kitchen. She’s recently widowed and I talked her into working for me. Hold on, I’ll bring her out to meet you all.” He was gone and back in a flash with a middle-aged, slightly plump woman by his side.
“Everyone, this is Dorothy Johnson. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
The older woman chuckled as he introduced her around, and then she said, “I’m really the lucky one. This is truly the perfect job for me and it keeps me busy. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”
She left then and headed back into the kitchen as Liam took their orders. They all decided to have the special. Soon after, their food arrived, piping hot and smelling delicious. As they ate, Julia noticed that a steady stream of customers trickled in, most of them men who headed to the bar. Liam seemed to be in his element behind the bar, joking and laughing with the customers. He knew most all of them by first name and their drinks arrived within moments. About half of them ordered food, while the others just drank and chatted with Liam and the men around them.
“He seems to have a good business here,” Julia said to Emma.
“He does, and it’s grown quite a bit since he opened a few months ago. This area is growing and there’s only one other place to go in town for food or drink, and let’s just say it’s not exactly a family-friendly type of place.”
“Oh?”
“Rascal’s Saloon. The name fits. It’s just a block away, but a world apart. It’s not a place you will ever want to step foot into.”
“That bad?” Julia wondered how it could be so different.
“Truly, it’s not safe for a woman to go there alone. I’m not even sure if they serve food. It might just be drinks. It’s where men go to get drunk, gamble and visit with women of questionable nature.”
“Prostitutes?” Julia was shocked.
“That’s the rumor. It’s probably a big part of their business. As you know, there’s a real shortage of women here.”
“Why don’t the men just marry them?” It seemed like an obvious solution, far better than the alternative.
“Well, once they go down that road, no decent man would consider marrying them. Not in this town, anyway.”
“That’s so sad that a woman would be driven to do that.” Julia finished the rest of her grilled sandwich, which was by far the best she’d ever had, and felt grateful once again that Emma had invited her to stay with her. She sympathized with those women who she suspected had mostly fallen into that way of life as a last resort, when there was no other option available to make money. It was a sobering thought.
“So, was I right or was I right?” Liam asked as he stopped by to clear their empty plates away.
“You should give Mrs. Johnson a raise,” Julia teased. “Everything was delicious.”
Liam chuckled. “Wait until you try her bread pudding. That’s on the house, by the way.”
He returned a few minutes later with the dessert and then cups of coffee for Emma and Julia. As they were finishing up, the front door opened and a stunning woman swept in, heading straight for the bar. She looked to be around thirty and had golden hair that was piled high in a bun with several wavy tendrils framing her face. Julia watched with interest as Liam’s face lit up while he walked over to greet the new customer. She couldn’t hear what he was saying, but it was clear that they knew each other and that Liam was happy to see her. He poured her a drink, and just a few minutes later returned with a sandwich and soup that he set down in front of her. They chatted a bit longer and then he came back to their table.
“I’m so happy that you all came in today. I hope you enjoyed it.” They assured him that they had loved everything and Emma asked for the bill.
“It’s on me. My pleasure.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Emma protested. “The dessert was enough. Let us pay for our lunch.”
“Absolutely not. I can buy my favorite ladies lunch.” He turned his attention to Julia then. “If you’re interested, I’d love to have you join me on Sunday afternoon. There’s a performance at the town center of some Christmas story, Charles Dicken’s’ A Christmas Carol. Emma’s going too, right?”
“Yes, we’re going as a family. I was planning to invite Julia, of course, but this is perfect. We can all go together. What do you think, Julia?”
“I’d love to go.”
###
Julia was busier than she ever imagined she’d be for the rest of the week. Emma was bone-tired all of a sudden, which made Ethan nervous and Julia insisted that she stay in bed. The doctor stopped by to check on her and said it was critical that she rest as much as possible or she could go into labor early. Even with rest, that was always a possibility, he explained, but staying off her feet could make a huge difference.
So, Julia took over all of Emma’s chores. She had the milking down pat and cleaning was easy enough, but she was intimidated by the kitchen. The only thing she really knew how to make was cake. Emma gave her detailed instructions and had her make a few simple things, starting with French toast. She invited Emily to help her and the little girl loved it. They actually had quite a good time dipping the bread into milk and then frying it up. She moved on to pies after that, making both an apple and a chicken pot pie. Emma explained that it wasn’t very different from baking a cake, and she could use the same dough for both pies, savory and sweet. Whenever she got stuck in the middle of a recipe, she ran into Emma’s room and she explained it in a way that was clear and easy to understand.
When Sunday morning came, Ethan was hesitant to let Emma make the trip into town to see the Christmas play.
“What if something happens? I really think you should stay in bed.”
“I’ve been in bed all week and am about to lose my mind. I need to get out, even if just for a few hours. There’s nothing strenuous about watching a play. I’ll be fine.”
Reluctantly, he finally agreed and soon after lunch, they set out. Liam, a few of his brothers and parents were all going to meet them there.
There was quite a crowd when they reached Main Street and the hall where the show was going to be performed. Julia saw Liam immediately as he was standing near the front door, chatting with his parents. As soon as he saw her, he excused himself from his conversation and came over to greet her.
“This should be good. I’m so happy you could make it.” Liam was smiling until he saw Emma, and suddenly looked concerned.”
“Are you feeling all right? You look a bit pale.” he asked her.
“I do? I’m just a little tired, that’s all.”
“Well, come inside, then, and let’s sit.” Liam led them inside and they settled into their seats. Julia was pleased to see that Liam had managed to save them a row near the front of the theater. She was also happy to discover that he’d also saved her a seat right next to his. His parents were on the other side of him.
“Are you familiar with this story?” he asked.
“I love A Christmas Carol. I read it every year around this time. I’ve never seen it as a play, though. This will be a treat.”
“What did you think of the pub?” Liam changed the subject and Julia knew it was an important question to him.
“I thought it was impressive. Perfect, really. Very warm and inviting and the food was great.”
Liam looked pleased at that. “Perfect. I like that. It is, you know. There’s nothing I’d rather do.”
“You seem to have a gift for it. Talking to people, making them feel at home. Not everyone can do that.”
“I suppose you’re right. I’ve never thought about it that way. I’m just grateful that I had the opportunity to do it.”
“Is the other pub much of a competitor?”
“Rascal’s Saloon? No. It’s mostly a different crowd that goes there. Still, I don’t think the owner of Rascal’s is my biggest fan.” He chuckled at that and Julia raised an eyebrow, waiting for an explanation.
“Well, that’s to be expected, though. It’s not realistic for him to believe that he’d be the only pub forever. I would think there’s plenty of business to go around.”
“There is. This area is growing. He’s still not happy about it, though. But, there’s not much I can do about that.” He grinned, and then the lights dimmed as the show started.
At the intermission, everyone except Emma got up to stretch their legs.
“How are you feeling?” Julia tried to keep the worry out of her voice, to instead sound cheerful and upbeat. It was difficult, though, because Emma really didn’t look well. Her face had lost its color and she looked so tired.
“I’m fine. I just don’t seem to have any energy these days. I’ll probably take a nap when we get home.” She yawned then, and Julia turned her attention back to the play, which was just starting again.
###
“So what did you think?” Liam asked when the show ended and the lights came up.
“I loved it. I knew I would, though. It’s a great story.” They all got up and started to make their way out of the theater. They’d just stepped outside when suddenly Julia heard Emma say, “Oh, dear.” There was a strange tone to her voice that made Julia turn around.
“Are you okay?” she asked Emma.
Emma nodded and grabbed hold of Ethan’s arm. “I think my water may have just broken.”
They all looked at the ground and, sure enough, a growing circle of water lay at Emma’s feet.
“It can’t be. It’s too early.” Ethan’s face lost all color and Julia guessed where his mind was going.
“Everything will be fine,” Julia assured them. She turned to Liam. “Can you get the doctor?”
He snapped to attention. “Of course. I’m on my way. Meet you at their house.”
Julia turned to Ethan and Emma, who both looked lost, while Emily hung behind, clinging to her mother’s skirts.
“Let’s get moving. Ethan, help Emma to the buggy, while I walk with Emily. There’s plenty of time for us to get home and get ready.” Julia didn’t have a lot of experience with babies, but she did pay attention when the women she knew talked about the process. Every one of them said that breaking the water was just the first step and that it would likely be a minimum of several hours before the actual labor would start.
An hour later, they were home. Ethan carried Emma into the house, getting her cleaned up and comfortable in bed. Julia got busy making a pot of tea and boiling some water for the doctor. She also found some old, clean cloths and set them by the water in case the doctor needed them.
They’d been home for just twenty minutes when the doctor walked through the door, followed by Liam.
“How is she?” they both asked at once.
“She’s in bed. Ethan is with her. The labor hasn’t started yet.” As they walked toward the bedroom to check on Emma, they were all startled by a blood-curdling scream followed a moment later by an apologetic, “I’m so sorry. I don’t know how that happened.”
Everyone was in Emma’s room now, staring at her in confusion. Just as the doctor opened his mouth to say something, there was another primal scream, followed by Emma meekly saying, “I couldn’t stop myself.”
“Seems like I got here just in time. Your contractions are very close together. Your baby is going to be here soon.”
He turned to Julia then. “I’m going to need some boiled water and some clean cloths.”
“I have it ready for you.” Julia ran off to the kitchen to get what he needed.
A few minutes later, the doctor came out to the kitchen and used some of the hot water and a clean cloth to scrub his hands and arms, right up to his elbow. He then instructed Julia to bring the rest of the water and pile of cloths into the bedroom.
Julia followed him and set everything down in easy reach for the doctor. Ethan, meanwhile, was pacing furiously and completely ignoring Liam, who was trying to engage him in conversation. The doctor sized up the situation and ordered everyone except Julia out of the room. She immediately got busy, helping by trying to make Emma more comfortable and holding her hand when the bad pains came.
It went on like that for hours and Emma was an exhausted mess. The doctor had seemed so calm and confident at first, but suddenly looked concerned at something he saw. Ethan of course, picked that exact moment to walk into the room and ask how things were going. He was a wreck as it was, but seeing the doctor’s concern, he looked like he’d seen a ghost.
“What is it?” he demanded.
“The umbilical cord is coming out first. That’s not good.”
“Why not?” Liam was standing in the doorway and asked the question they were all wondering.
“If it’s wrapped around the baby too tightly, it could suffocate. I need to try and untangle it if it is where it’s not supposed to be. I really need you all to leave now.” He glanced at Julia then, and added, “Except you. I’ll need you to assist as needed.”
Reluctantly, the two men exited the room. Emma herself was almost unconscious, she was so drained of energy. Even her screams seemed half-hearted.
Julia watched with bated breath as the doctor tried to reach in and feel for the baby’s umbilical cord. It seemed to take forever before he finally said, “I think I managed to untangle the cord. We’re in the home stretch now.” He told Emma to push as hard as she could, and then had her do it a few more times until suddenly he was holding a tiny baby. She handed him a damp cloth and he washed the infant, then they heard the most amazing, sweet sound of the baby crying. The doctor laid a clean cloth across Emma’s chest and then gently handed her the baby.
“Congratulations, you have a healthy little boy.”
Emma seemed to get a slight second wind then, and smiled at her baby as tears ran down her cheeks.
“I’ll go get Ethan.” She went out to the kitchen where Liam and Ethan were waiting.
“You can go in and meet your son now,” she said to him.
“My son? Is Emma okay? Are they both okay?” He still seemed a bit in shock.
“They’re both fine, go on in. The doctor is just getting ready to leave.”
“I’ll wait a bit before I poke my head in there,” Liam said.
Julia sat down at the kitchen table, across from Liam. “Emma’s thoroughly exhausted but already madly in love with her baby. Poor Ethan has hardly slept this past week. He’s been a worried wreck.”
“Well, now they can relax and enjoy their new family member.” Liam looked out the window for a moment and then turned back to Julia.
“I’m glad we have a few moments alone, actually, to talk,” Liam began. “That baby came almost a whole month early. I know your original plan was to stay with Emma until she had the baby. I know we haven’t really discussed it yet, but my hope was to get to know you during that time, have you fall madly in love with me and then for us to get married after the baby arrived.”
Julia smiled. Only Liam could talk about falling in love with such charming humor. “I thought it would be nice to get to know you better, too, over the next few weeks,” she agreed.
“I’m sure Emma has told you that I’m ready to get married. Eager, actually. I know we haven’t had that chance to spend much time together, but I already feel like I know you. Emma’s talked about you so much, and the moment I saw you step off that train, I think I fell a little bit in love.”
At Julia’s shocked expression, he amended that by saying, “Okay maybe not quite love, but certainly mightily impressed.”
Julia chuckled at that. “I felt like I knew you a bit already, too. Emma spoke of you so often in her letters.”
Liam grinned. “That’s good to hear.” He stood up then and paced around the room for a minute. “So, here’s what I’d like to propose. I know it’s a bit sooner th
an either of us expected, but I think it could work well if we get married right away and get to know each other as a married couple.”
Julia’s mouth fell open in shock. What exactly was he proposing? She really had just met him. How could she marry him and be his wife so quickly?
“No, I don’t mean to get to know each other fully. I was thinking we could still take the time we need to slowly get to know each other, but we’ll just happen to be married. We can even sleep in separate bedrooms at first.”
Julia tried to wrap her head around the idea. She did come here to get married, after all, and she was more attracted to Liam than she’d ever expected. But, was she ready to get married now? She wasn’t sure. But still, Emma had mentioned having her stay until the baby arrived, and that day had come—though a month early.
“Okay, I can see you’re not sure. And it’s been a long, exhausting day. You don’t have to give me an answer right now. Sleep on it. I’ll stop by in a few days to check in on everyone and you can let me know your thoughts then. In the meantime, let’s go see that baby boy.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Emma was still exhausted the next morning, but by early afternoon was up and moving around a bit. Though still clearly tired, she was also over the moon happy that she’d made it through a difficult delivery and her baby was fine. She and Ethan named him Jeremy, and though just a tiny little thing, he had the prettiest blue eyes Julia had ever seen. Julia made tea for both of them and they settled comfortably in the living room so Emma could recline on the sofa with a blanket and baby on her lap. Cautiously, Julia shared the details of Liam’s proposal with her.
“So, I’m really not sure what I should do,” she finished.
Emma looked puzzled. “Why are you confused? This is perfect. It’s exactly what we’d hoped would happen.”
“Well, yes but I didn’t expect it to happen so soon. I thought it would be at least another month, to give us a chance to get to know each other a bit more and for you to have the baby.”
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