by Linda Bridey
Mike had jumped at the chance and Rick hadn’t objected. He refused anesthesia, but did take some laudanum. As Rick lay on the table, he closed his dark eyes and put himself into a trance to counteract any pain that occurred as Ben and Mike worked on him. Ben kept an eye on Rick as he fished for the bullet. It was near the bone and was difficult to get a grip on. The doctor didn’t want to cut into Rick if he didn’t have to, but it might be necessary.
Just when he was ready to give up, Ben was able to get ahold of the bullet and slowly extract it. Mike held out a metal tray and Ben put the bullet in it. Mike said, “It doesn’t look like it fragmented, so there shouldn’t be any shrapnel.”
Ben also looked at the bullet and concurred with Mike’s evaluation of it. “Okay, Mike. You get to dress it. Put that poultice that you made on it. You get to do his checkups, too.”
Mike grinned. “Thanks. Rick, you can wake up now.”
Rick heard Mike from a faraway place in his mind and began to drift up out of the trance. His arm now hurt like heck, but he was happy to hear that there had been no complications. He watched Mike apply a poultice and wrap his arm with practiced movements.
Mike said, “There you go. I’ll change that tomorrow morning, so come over here and I’ll take care of you, okay?”
“Sure thing, Mike. Thanks to both of you for your help,” Rick said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Ben cleaned up his equipment and looked at the time. As long as nothing else urgent came in, the clinic would close for the night soon. Now that he was done with Rick, Ben let his mind turn to Sasha and he smiled as he anticipated another night in her arms.
Though she didn’t want to, Sasha left Ben’s apartment late that night after they’d made love again. While he wasn’t concerned with what people would say, she was, even though it frustrated her. Ben sighed as he saw her off and went back upstairs. It was only a half hour later when someone banged on his outside door.
When he opened it, Reckless stood on his door stoop. “Abby’s having the baby and Uncle Marcus is out on another call.”
Ben said, “Okay. Just let me get my bag and I’ll be right with you.”
Reckless nodded as he stepped inside. Ben was back in moments and they left. Ben had learned to ride bareback and he just bridled Othello and mounted without a saddle. He and Reckless cantered into town to Elliot and Abby’s house.
Elliot answered the door and said, “Thanks for coming, Ben. She’s been in labor for a while. About three hours, but she’s in a lot more pain than she was with Zach. He’s with Jake and Rebecca. Claire’s here.”
Ben looked Elliot in the eyes and said, “This isn’t going to be awkward for you, is it?”
Elliot smiled. “Ben, you know all of that’s water under the bridge,” he said as his warm brown eyes looked back into Ben’s.
“All right, then. Let’s see what we can do about getting this baby born,” Ben said, and went upstairs to their bedroom.
Abby’s eyes brightened when she saw Ben. “Hi, Benny,” she said. She was the only person who got away with calling him his childhood nickname.
“Hi, Abigail. So this one’s giving you trouble, huh?” Ben said as he took off his coat and put it aside. “You’re a little overdue, but not too much. I thought that all that party-going at Thanksgiving would do the trick, but no such luck.”
Abby and Claire laughed. “Marcus thought the same thing,” Claire said. As Ben approached the bed, Claire moved away.
After examining Abby, Ben declared, “Abby, you’ve got one big baby in there, sugar. I won’t lie to you; this is gonna be work, but don’t despair. I am going to help you get through this with as little pain as possible. You’re a strong woman and together, we can do this.”
Abby nodded. “Okay. I’m ready. What do you want me to do? I mean, I can’t really do much to help, but I’ll do whatever I can. I mean, push and such. When do I push? Now? Should I push now?”
“No, no,” Ben said. He didn’t want her to panic. “You just lay back and relax for now. I’ll be right back. Claire is going to stay with you for a few moments.”
When he went out into the hallway, Elliot paced there.
“How is she? Is the baby okay?” he asked.
“Elliot, this baby is large. That’s the problem. I’m going to try not to, but I might have to do an episiotomy. Do you know what that is?”
Elliot blanched but said, “Yes, I do. Oh boy.”
Ben said, “If Reckless is still here, have him go get Mike, unless he’s with Marcus. I could use his help in case I have to do one. Then once you do that, you can go in with your wife. I know you were there for Zach and you can be there for this one, too. That’s something Marcus started around here and it seems to help the mothers.”
“Of course,” Elliot said, and smiled. “I wouldn’t miss it. I’ll be right back.”
Ben watched him run down the stairs and then went back into the bedroom.
After another six hours of labor, it became apparent that an episiotomy was in order and with Mike’s help in making Marcus’ special teas to help with the pain and partially knock Abby out, Ben performed the surgery and the Bradburys’ little girl was born. They named her Isabelle and Abby proclaimed that she looked just like her pa.
By noon that day, Ben was dragging and he spent lunch napping at his desk. Marcus let him alone, slipping silently in and out of the office. He knew all too well how much delivering a baby could take out of one. Sasha had heard about the Bradburys’ baby and came to see Ben after popping in briefly at the family’s house to see the new little one.
She saw him sleeping with his feet propped up on his desk and almost left again. Deciding against it, she went over and kissed him. Ben responded to her lips on his and smiled as he kissed her back. He opened his eyes and looked into her beautiful gray eyes.
“Well, hello, sugar,” he said. “Aren’t you a sight for sore, tired eyes?”
She laughed and said, “You did a wonderful job with little Isabelle. She is one big girl. I think she’s going to be tall like her father.”
Ben chuckled as he took his feet off his desk and pulled her down to sit on his lap. “I have to agree with that statement. So what else have you been up to?”
“Nothing much, really. To tell the truth, I’m a little bored. Everyone is busy today and my furniture won’t be here until tomorrow. So I’m at loose ends,” Sasha said.
Ben hugged her close and said, “Well, rest up today then, because you’ll be bushed by tomorrow night.”
Sasha leaned over and whispered in his ear. “If you’re a good boy, I’ll tell you a bedtime story tonight.”
Instantly Ben was awake. He went to kiss her, but Sasha slipped off his lap and out of his reach. “I’ll see you later on,” she said.
“She-devil,” Ben accused her.
She let out a throaty laugh and disappeared.
Sasha decided to cook Ben dinner since he’d had such a long night and day. She worked at the stove as Ben sat at the kitchen table watching her. He hadn’t asked her to cook, but he was grateful to her. As she moved to and fro, Ben admired her figure and the gold highlights in her hair. His craving for her overrode his fatigue and he was alert and very hungry—both for food and her.
Ben thought about how he wanted to come home to her every night and share his life with her and knew that he would propose very soon. He also wanted to be able to make love to her without one of them having to leave in the middle of the night to avoid the scrutiny of the public. However, that wasn’t his main motivation for wanting to marry Sasha.
He loved her and wanted to build a future with her and start a family. She was a spirited, kind, beautiful woman and he admired her intelligence. Ben knew she understood what his work was like and wasn’t going to complain and whine like some women would if personal plans were interrupted by an emergency.
Sasha was enjoying herself as she made their dinner. She put ham steaks on their plates along with mashed potatoes and green bea
ns that Tessa had canned that summer and given to her. She brought the plates to the table and smiled when she saw Ben watching her with a smile of his own.
“Dinner is served, Dr. Walker,” Sasha said as she put the plates on the table and then went back over to the counter for the rolls she’d baked.
She sat down and Ben said, “It looks delicious.”
“Good. You’re quiet tonight,” Sasha said.
“Am I? I guess I was just thinking,” Ben said as he put a napkin on his lap.
Sasha said, “What about?”
Ben started cutting his ham and said, “A lot of things. A hodgepodge, I guess you’d say. Marcus is going to go with Mike in January to help get him settled at school. He’ll be gone for about two weeks. We’re going to miss Mike and miss his help with things.”
“Yes. Tessa is not doing well with Mike going to be away so much, but she’s proud of him. They all are,” Sasha said referring to Mike’s family. “He’s very excited, of course. The only thing that bothers him is leaving his girlfriend behind, apparently, which doesn’t sit well with Tessa.”
Ben chuckled. “I can imagine not. It’s hard for a mother, or a father for that matter, to realize that they are not the most important person in their child’s life anymore.”
“Is that how it was with your parents?” Sasha asked.
“No, it was not. Our parents could have cared less whether we needed them or not. As long as we behaved and made them look good, that was all they cared about. Rebecca did an admirable job at that. I, however, did not, nor did I care to,” he answered.
Sasha said, “How do people have children and not care about them?”
“I don’t know, but many upper class families do it. They have children merely for the sake of having heirs. They hire people to essentially raise them and then wonder why those children do not feel any loyalty towards their parents,” Ben said. “It’s one of the reasons I don’t give a shit half the time about what society thinks.”
Sasha eyed him a moment and Ben said, “I’m sorry for the profanity, but I stand by the sentiment.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “You see, I’d rather have someone show their real self to everyone than show a fake one and then do the things they’re ashamed of behind closed doors. That’s one thing I admire Joe for. Yes, he used to be quite the womanizer and get into trouble, but he never hid that from anyone. He figured you get what you see and didn’t apologize to anyone for that. It took me a long time to get the courage to do that, but I won’t go back to hiding the real me. Of course, the real me has changed a lot, so…”
He caught the amused light in Sasha’s eyes and laughed. “I sound like Abby, don’t I? Rambling endlessly. Well, don’t worry; I don’t expect you to remember everything I just said and respond to each topic.”
“Thank you, because I don’t think I could,” Sasha said. “I have a question for you that is slightly off topic.”
“Go ahead, sugar,” Ben said and gave her his full attention.
“Should we get married, would you invite your parents to the wedding, since you are estranged?” Sasha asked.
Ben chuckled, but it was a mirthless sound. “Well, my father is dead, so no, I won’t ask him. He committed suicide about four years ago.” He looked up at her sharp gasp. “I’m so sorry, Sasha. I shouldn’t have sprung that information on you like that.”
Sasha said, “How awful! I had no idea. Rebecca has never said anything.”
“As you can understand, it’s not something we discuss. Actually, other than her and Jake, I’ve never spoken about it to anyone,” Ben said. “Until now. Yes, my father thought it was best to end his life, rather than live with the shame his illegal actions caused him.”
Sasha heard the cruel bent to his voice and thought that she did not like this side of him. Understanding that it had nothing to do with her, she said, “I can understand why you are still angry with him.”
Ben grunted as he cut another piece of ham off. “Furious is what I still am and—” he broke off as he thought better of saying the cutting words he wanted to about his father. “He ruined my mother’s life. Rebecca and I recovered and have gone on with our lives, but she has had a terrible time of it. Still, she wouldn’t leave him and defended him to the hilt. I will invite her, but I do not expect her to attend. The fact that Rebecca and I did not support our father in what she considered his time of need turned her against us.”
Sasha’s heart went out to Ben. It seemed that he had suffered far more cruelty and neglect than she had. She couldn’t blame him for his bitter, angry attitude towards the people who were supposed to have cared for and protected him and his sister. She admired Ben’s courage to rise above all of the hardship that had come his way.
“She doesn’t deserve good children such as you and Rebecca,” she said.
Ben smiled at her statement. Her support meant a lot to him. “Do you know how good you are for me?”
Sasha blushed. “I’d like to think I am. You are very good for me, Ben.”
Ben’s gaze never wavered as he said, “I knew we would make a good match, Sasha. Sometimes there are things that are meant to be and you and I certainly are.” It was on the tip of his tongue to ask her to marry him, but he wanted his proposal to be special, so he held back those words.
Sasha’s smile made his heart beat faster. She said, “I believe that, too. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me that you feel the same way. When I left Nebraska last December, I never dreamed I’d meet someone like you. Someone who appreciates me and…” Sasha couldn’t continue for the sudden constriction in her throat.
Ben watched her eyes brim with tears and was out of his seat in an instant. He knelt by her chair and gathered her in his arms. “Shh. Don’t cry, sugar. Everything’s all right. You’re here with me now and that’s all that matters.”
Sasha held on to him as she struggled to get her emotions under control. Then Ben took her face in his hands and kissed away her tears. When his lips met hers, Ben’s kiss was gentle and told her how much he loved her. Sasha responded in kind and tried to convey her feelings to him.
The kiss ended and Sasha whispered, “Make love to me, Ben.”
Ben’s answer was to pick her up and take her to his bedroom.
Chapter Sixteen
“You’re doing what?” Sammi said to Rachel as they sat in the huge parlor of their house.
Rachel cleared her throat and tried to meet Sammi’s eyes as she said, “I’m going to live with my Aunt Amelia in Canada.”
“Like hell you are,” Sammi said. “Why would you want to do that?”
Rachel lifted her chin and said, “I’m twenty now and can make my own decisions. I don’t need anyone’s permission to go. I don’t want to stay in Dawson any longer, Sammi.”
Sammi looked into the brown eyes of the young woman who’d become a daughter to her. “You mean because of Reckless.”
“Yes. I need to get away from here and start over,” Rachel said. “It’s too hard seeing him around town or when he comes into the store.”
“Rachel, that’ll fade over time. You felt the same way about Jack,” Sammi said as she took Rachel’s hand and smiled.
Rachel pulled her hand away and said, “No, it won’t. Besides, Jack was just a crush. I still love Reckless, but we can never be together and after what I did… I have to go. You don’t need me around anyway. You’re going to have another baby and with the boys and Skye you have your hands full.”
“What about your brothers? You’re just going to up and leave them?” Sammi said as she searched Rachel’s eyes.
Rachel shrugged. “They’re getting older and don’t really need me anymore. I’m going and there’s nothing anyone can say to change my mind. I have the money for the trip and Aunt Amelia said that she would help me with anything I might need when I get there.”
Sammi heard the determination in Rachel’s voice and knowing how stubborn the girl was, Sammi believed that Rachel wouldn’t be deterred
from leaving.
“When were you planning on leaving?” Sammi asked.
“Next week,” Rachel said, and prepared for the worst.
Sammi sat quietly, so profound was her shock. “You’re not gonna stay for the holidays?”
Shaking her head, Rachel said, “No. I need to go now. Let’s face it, Sammi. You and Mitch only took us in because you felt sorry for us. I appreciate everything you did for us, for me, but it’s time for me to set out on my own. I’ll never be able to repay you and I’ll always love you for it, but I have to do this.”
“Sure we felt bad for you, but we loved all of you right off, Rachel. Haven’t we shown you how much we love you all?” Sammi said as she felt her heart drop.
Rachel sighed as though tired of the subject. “Yes, you have. This isn’t personal, Sammi. It’s not about you and Mitch. It’s about me and what I want for my life.”
“So there’s nothing we can say or do to change your mind?” Sammi asked.
“No, there’s not. I’m sorry, Sammi, but this is what I have to do,” Rachel said.
Sammi didn’t respond. She got up and left the room. Sammi went outside and crossed the yard to the carriage house. Going inside, she went to the overstuffed chair that had been Mitch’s only piece of parlor furniture when Sammi had first met him. It was her refuge in times of crisis and this applied. Sammi curled up in it and let the sobs loose.
Her heart was breaking. Hadn’t she and Mitch done everything they could for Rachel and her brothers? Ever since they’d brought the children to live with them, Rachel had been a little standoffish from time to time. It was understandable. She was afraid to get close to anyone for fear that they would be taken away from her.
She’d been a sweet girl then, but as she’d gotten older, something had changed in Rachel and Sammi just couldn’t fathom what that was. The way that she’d lied about Reckless told Sammi that there was a whole other side of Rachel. A slightly cruel and vengeful side, Sammi now knew. From Rachel’s attitude just now, Sammi could see that Rachel was thinking only of herself. Deeply wounded, Sammi sat in the chair and wondered where they’d gone wrong with the girl.
