Winter Promise

by Martha Rogers

  With his mind made up, he strode across the street and through the door. The bell jangling overhead caused him to jump and look up. When had she put that thing up there? When he lowered his head, he met Abigail staring at him with her mouth open and her eyes wide. She looked as surprised to see him as he was to hear the bell.

  “Doc Elliot, what . . . what are you doing here?” She stood behind the rail clutching several books to her chest.

  “I came to see you. If you’re not busy, I need to talk with you.”

  She laid the books on a table and smoothed her hands down her skirt. “I seem to be in a lull for business, so you’re welcome to stay.”

  If he didn’t do this now, he may lose his nerve and walk right out of here. “Thank you.” He looked around the room. “Is there a place we can sit?”

  Her hand flew to her face. “Oh, of course, yes, right over there at my desk.” She nodded her head in the direction of the office in the back.

  Once they were seated across from each other, Elliot’s throat dried up like the creek in a drought. How should he start, and what should he say? He swallowed hard and began. “I am sorry for not coming to see you sooner. I was deeply thankful that you were returned to us safely and that you suffered no permanent harm.” Her expression didn’t change, not even her eyes, so he plunged ahead.

  “I owe you an explanation of why I’ve neglected you the past weeks. Some things happened to me in Cleveland, and they’ve affected my work and relationships here in Porterfield. I thought I could come here and forget it all, but then you arrived, and then Sophia came, and I realized I could never escape the past that has held me prisoner for over two years.”

  Her brown eyes bored into his, and his first impulse was to jump and run, but he’d been doing that too long. If she didn’t understand what he told her now, she never would. He plunged ahead. “I was betrothed to a wonderful woman, but a few weeks before our wedding she died.”

  Abigail blinked her eyes then leaned forward. “Oh, Elliot, I’m so sorry.”

  The sympathy and caring in her voice gave him courage to go ahead with all of the story just as he’d told it to Kate. As he neared the end, he added the part about the letter and his talk with the reverend. Tears trickled down Abigail’s cheeks, and she bit her lip.

  When he finished, Abigail sat silent. Then she jumped from her chair and in a flash knelt beside him. She grasped his hands in hers.

  “I can’t begin to imagine the grief and pain you experienced with Angela’s death. I sensed something was wrong, but I had no idea of such a tragic experience. Seth was right. God never abandoned you, nor did He blame you for your anger. No one could blame you for your emotions.”

  Elliot nodded. “When I accepted that and truly believed God had forgiven me, I was able to forgive myself.”

  “It’s wonderful that you’re seeking God now. He’ll never fail you. If I hadn’t held on to that when I was taken by those outlaws, I wouldn’t have been able to bear it. God protected me, and He’ll take care of you.”

  He hesitated in order to draw strength for what he wanted to say next. Lord, give me the right words to say to let her know how much I care about her.

  His gaze went to their hands still clasped together. She noticed too and started to pull away, but he held them tight and looked her in the eye. “You know my background, but you don’t really know me, and I don’t know much about you.”

  A brief smile flitted across her lips. “Well, you know my medical history better than anyone else around here.”

  He chuckled at the truth in her statement. “Yes, and I also know that you’re a wonderful, caring woman.” He shook his head. “What I’m trying to say is, would you be willing for me to call on you so that we can get to know each other?”

  At first she said nothing, and his heart raced. Then a genuine smile filled her countenance and her brown eyes danced with excitement.

  “Why, Elliot Jensen, I think that’s the most marvelous suggestion I’ve ever heard. I’d be happy to have you come calling.”

  Elliot’s heart soared straight to heaven and back. The happiness he saw in her face gave him energy he didn’t realize he could possess. They stood, and it took every ounce of strength he had not to lean down and kiss her. No one would see, and no one would know.

  His body moved a step closer and he bent his head toward hers. Then behind him Pete Davis burst through the library door yelling his name. “Doc Elliot, you gotta come quick. The parson sent me. He says the baby’s a comin’ and Mrs. Winston hurts bad.”

  He turned. “Tell him I’m on my way.” He squeezed Abigail’s hands. “We’ll finish this later.”

  He sped out the door and across the street to get his bag.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  ABIGAIL BLEW OUT her breath and slumped into her desk chair, arms dangling to her sides, her mouth open. What had just happened here? Had it been real? Had Elliot been about to kiss her? Questions rolled through her mind like colored glass fragments in a kaleidoscope. Each fragment overlapped the other until they became a jumbled mass in her thoughts.

  She sat still, savoring the time just past. Never had she been as close to Elliot as she had been in those moments when he opened his heart and soul to her. It must have all been a dream. No, Elliot sat right there in the chair across from her and told the story of what had happened in Cleveland. Her heart ached with the story of the death of Angela. No wonder his eyes had carried such sadness. While it ached with grief, her heart also soared with joy at the words he’d spoken. He did care about her, and he wanted to call on her.

  Her fingers touched her lips. He’d bent his head and leaned down to her. She could almost feel his lips touching hers, but then Pete had run in.

  What terrible timing, but of course babies had no sense of time. Erin’s baby! Gracious, she had to check on that. After all, Erin was the sister of Daniel’s wife, and that made her family.

  Kate was probably already there to assist Elliot. They didn’t need Abigail, but she wanted to be there anyway. She grabbed the “CLOSED” sign from the drawer and hung it in the window. Then she gathered up her coat, hat, and gloves to ward off the cold air and hurried outdoors. On the boardwalk she almost collided with Henry Wilder, who steadied her with his hands.

  “Whoa, there, Miss Monroe. Where are you off to in such a hurry?”

  “Erin Winston is having her baby, and I’m going to see how it is progressing.” She strode off across the street.

  Henry caught up to her. “My buggy is right there, so let me take you to the parsonage. It’ll be quicker.”

  Abigail didn’t have to think twice about that offer. She nodded and ran over to his rig and climbed in. “Thank you. I do want to get there as soon as I can.”

  He climbed up beside her and flicked the reins. As they were about to pass the boardinghouse, she grabbed his arm. “Wait just a minute. I want to see if Aunt Mae knows. She can come with us.”

  She raced through the back door to find it empty. After calling her name a few times, Abigail turned to leave when Aunt Mae rushed through the door from the dining room. “What is it, dear child? You sound frantic.”

  “Erin’s baby is coming. I thought you would want to know. Henry has his buggy waiting out front. He’ll take us there.”

  “Oh, mercy me. Let’s go.” She pulled off her apron and threw it on the table then grabbed her coat and hat to follow Abigail.

  They squeezed onto the buggy seat, and for once Abigail blessed her small frame. The trip to the parsonage took only minutes with the horse leading the way. When they arrived, she jumped down and left Henry to help Aunt Mae.

  Abigail burst through the door to find Seth alone in the parlor. “Where is she? What’s going on? Is Elliot here?”

  Seth’s hands grasped her arms. “Slow down. She’s in the bedroom, she’s having the baby, and yes, Elliot is with her. So is Ada. Doc says it might be awhile since first babies usually take their time.”

  Aunt Mae marched throu
gh the door. “Where’s that niece of mine? Is everything all right?”

  Seth hugged his aunt. “Doc Elliot, Kate, and Ada are all with her, so she’ll be fine.”

  Aunt Mae shrugged off her coat and then her hat. “I’ll get some water to boiling and find some extra towels and such.”

  “Hot water will be good since that’s what I was about to do.”

  A cry echoed from behind the closed door to the bedroom, and all color drained from Seth’s face. “Something must be wrong.”

  Aunt Mae patted his arm. “No, no, that’s normal. Why don’t you see to doing something else for a while? She’ll do just fine with Kate and Doc in there.” She glanced at Henry, who had entered the parlor. “Why don’t you take this father-to-be for a little ride to calm his nerves?”

  “No, I don’t want to leave. I have to be here.”

  Henry stepped up. “Of course he does. Why don’t we just sit down over here in the corner and let the ladies do their work?”

  Seth nodded and let Henry guide him to a chair by the window. Abigail heard Henry’s voice as he began talking to Seth, but she couldn’t make out the words. Not wanting to appear to be eavesdropping, she hurried to the kitchen where Aunt Mae filled pots with water from the pump on the sink.

  Despite the chill in the room, drops of perspiration dotted Elliot’s brow. The birth of a baby always gave him a sense of inadequacy in God’s big scheme of things. Childbirth was a natural part of life, but it never ceased to amaze him at how God put together human life. That was one thing he’d forgotten the past two years. Although he hadn’t considered it at the time, taking Erin Winston and Rachel Monroe as patients had been the beginning of God pulling him back into the fold.

  He’d done a fair job of resisting that pull until now, but the few minutes he’d spent with Abigail earlier broke the last bonds of restraint. That moment had been so right, and the peace that had abandoned him began its slow return to his soul.

  He jerked back to attention when Erin screamed again. Her face turned red, and she grimaced as she moaned. Kate and Ada grabbed her hands and spoke words of comfort. Elliot checked her again then frowned. First babies took their own time in coming, but he hoped this one wouldn’t delay. He washed his hands again using the antiseptic Doc made him carry in his bag. This was his first birth since he’d come to Porterfield, although he had assisted Doc once. Erin was Elliot’s patient, so he would take care of this one.

  Elliot searched his mind for all the information he’d read in journals about delivering babies. Some methods seemed a bit harsh, but others made complete sense, like helping the mother breathe correctly.

  When Erin calmed down again, he told her to breathe slowly and evenly, then he began a closer exam. Everything appeared normal, and the baby’s head hadn’t yet showed itself. That wasn’t unusual but would prolong the agony for Erin.

  Aunt Mae tiptoed into the room. “I’ve brought some extra clean towels and have hot water ready when you need it. How’s she doing?”

  “No need to be quiet right now. You can talk to her if you like.” He watched Aunt Mae lean over and kiss Erin’s glistening forehead. After Aunt Mae deposited the towels on the dressing table against the wall, she left the room once again on tip-toe. “I’ll be back with the water.”

  Elliot moved to stand beside Erin. “It’s going to be a little while yet. I want you to relax as much as possible between contractions. When the contractions get really close together, we’ll know the baby is really on its way. When contractions come, I want you to breathe in short spurts. Don’t push or strain until I tell you to.” He glanced across the bed at Mrs. Muldoon. “If you’ll help her do that, I think the contractions will go better.”

  She nodded and bent down to wipe the perspiration from Erin’s brow. “Relax and do like the doctor says. When that little one comes, all the pain will be worth it.”

  Erin smiled and did appear to relax under her mother’s care.

  Elliot remembered reading about how Indian squaws sat in a squatting position to have babies and that they came faster that way. That may work out on the prairie, but he wasn’t sure the ladies here would appreciate such a position. Perhaps if he could get her to sit up so she wasn’t flat on her back, she would feel better.

  He made the suggestion, and Kate and Mrs. Muldoon helped Erin sit up with a extra pillows behind her.

  “Just do whatever it takes to stay comfortable,” he told her. “If you need to get up and move around a bit, that’s fine too.”

  He stood and said, “I’m going to see Seth and give him a little reassurance. I’m sure he’s very anxious about now.”

  When he entered the parlor, Mrs. Newton, Seth’s aunt, had arrived, and Seth and Abigail were telling her what was happening. Mrs. Newton spotted Elliot and hurried to his side. “May I go in to see her?”

  Elliot grinned and nodded to Abigail. “Yes, of course, and you too, Miss Monroe.”

  Her head jerked back and her eyebrows lifted. Whether it was because he’d called her by Miss or if she was surprised he’d let her see Erin, he didn’t know, but she didn’t hesitate to join Mrs. Newton.

  Seth grabbed his arm. “What’s going on? Why is she yelling out like she does?”

  “That’s normal during childbirth. The contractions that help the baby move do hurt, but it’s very necessary for the baby to move down and out of her body. Most likely she won’t remember the pain long after she holds the new baby in her arms. At least that’s what I’ve heard.” Distraction was in order for this young man. “Tell me what you plan to name the baby.”

  Seth blinked his eyes and shook his head. “Uh, it’s Felicity Ada for our mothers if it’s a girl. A boy will be Connor Allen for our mothers’ names before they married.”

  “Those are fine names for a baby.” He placed a hand on Seth’s shoulder. “The best thing you can do is stay calm yourself and do whatever you would normally do on a Thursday afternoon. Think about how good it will be to hold little Connor or Felicity in your arms.”

  Seth’s look of worry turned to one of calm assurance. “Usually I’m at the church, but I’m not going anywhere until that baby gets here. God is here with us.”

  “Yes, He is, but remember, you’ll hear her yell a number of times more before little Felicity or Connor makes an appearance.”

  Seth nodded and returned to his chair in the corner by Henry Wilder. Elliot stared at the reporter. He’d wanted a story from Elliot, and when this was over, a story he’d get. Now that Elliot’s guilt had drained away, the townspeople deserved to know more about the man who treated their ailments.

  When he returned to the room, Abigail left as was only fitting for a single woman to do under the circumstances. The skies outside the room gradually became darker as evening set in. Elliot’s stomach rumbled with hunger, but he ignored the pangs to concentrate on the young woman on the bed. More hours than he liked to count had passed since Erin had begun contractions. After the next contraction, he’d check again and try to figure out what was taking so long.

  He studied the women sitting around the bed, each quiet and filled with her own thoughts. Kate’s contemplative expression most likely meant she was thinking about the medical aspect of this delivery.

  Erin pushed herself off the pillow and cried out again. Elliot rushed to her and checked for signs of eminent birth. He could now see the baby’s head. “OK, Erin, it’s time. Mrs. Muldoon, hold her up and scoot her farther down on the bed.”

  Once he had Erin positioned, he said, “OK, now you start pushing. Every time you feel a contraction, push hard.”

  For the next few minutes both he and Erin worked their hardest for the baby to be born. “Here it comes, Erin. You’re doing great. One last push.” The baby slipped right out into his waiting hands. “It’s a boy.”

  He wiped the fluid and tissue from around the baby’s mouth, but he hadn’t started breathing, and a blue tinge circled his mouth. Elliot removed more fluid from the baby’s throat. He had to star
t breathing . . . now. Don’t panic. You know what to do. God, make this work.

  Elliot had seen a doctor in Cleveland do something very different for a newborn baby who had trouble breathing. Acting quickly, he held the baby by the ankles and gave one good slap to the baby’s bottom. The shocked voices of the women almost drowned out the joyful sound of the baby’s first breath and cry. “Welcome to the world, Connor Allen Winston.” Never had he been so relieved to hear a baby crying.

  Kate scowled at him and grabbed the baby from him to wrap it in a tiny flannel blanket. Ada set a pan of warm water on the table and dipped a cloth in it to wash the baby’s face. Kate then laid the bundle in Erin’s arms before rushing out to tell Seth.

  In a flash Seth was through the door to kneel at Erin’s bedside. “He’s beautiful, and so are you.”

  Elliot left the room to give them a moment of privacy. In the hallway, Kate grabbed Elliot and hugged him. “I almost died when you slapped that baby’s bottom, but then I heard him cry and knew you had saved his life. You’re a good man and a smart doctor, Elliot Jensen.”

  Seth stepped through the doorway holding his son in his arms. “Kate said that if you hadn’t known what to do, we would have lost him. Thank you, Doc Elliot. I for one am deeply grateful that God brought you to Porterfield.”

  A new awareness rose in Elliot. God did have a purpose and a time for everything in His world, and now He had given back Elliot’s future, one that he prayed would include a sweet, accident-prone librarian.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  ELLIOT SAT BESIDE Abigail at the Christmas Eve service. Green garlands dressed up with bright red bows decorated the church. Candle stands with more red bows sat at the end of each pew row and lent a special glow to the room.

  He spotted Henry Wilder and nodded to the man Elliot had thought would ruin his life. Instead, the article that appeared in the paper this week spoke of Elliot’s successes as a doctor and only mentioned the Cleveland incident as the tragic accident that took the life of a girl he was to marry. He’d never seen such love and empathy from people as he had the good people of Porterfield. He should have . . . no, he wouldn’t go down that path. He had Abigail now.