One Magic Night

by Cheryl Pierson

“Do you need anything, Doc?” Ethan asked.

  Shay shook his head. “Nothing except a pan of boiling water—big enough to put my medical instruments in for sterilization.”

  “I’ll see to it directly.” Ethan slipped from the room, pulling the curtain behind him with one last worried look.

  Shay turned his attention to bringing the baby into the world, and Katrina’s thoughts tumbled and raced. In the midst of all this, she realized once again she’d put herself in a precarious position by volunteering to accompany Shay with no chaperone. The buggy ride had been unforgettable. The beauty of the night was something she’d dream of for years to come, and sharing its magic with Shay made it truly a night to remember. The sweet melding of their lips still made her heart race and her mouth tingled every moment she thought of the way they had come together in the sweet, intimate joining. But she was not ashamed. Her whole body was alive with an anxious anticipation that was foreign, yet wonderfully delicious.

  As she held Loretta’s hand, her thoughts strayed wantonly, wickedly. One kiss was not enough, never enough. Though the thought surprised her, it didn’t shock her as it once might have.

  She watched the concern play over Shay’s dark features for this woman and coming child. He’d shown his forceful side with her father tonight—a stranger in their community, he had not cared a whit for what others might say or what they might think. He’d reached across her and grasped her father’s wrist, his own arm bulging with muscular strength as he’d held Truman Whitworth’s wrist with ease.

  He had risked everything for her. Katrina’s mouth opened as the thought sank in. She hadn’t realized the full extent of what he’d done until this very moment. For all he knew, the townspeople may have ostracized him for doing such a thing. But he, the only one of them who had cared enough, had done something that could have ended his medical career in this community before it ever started.

  Unwittingly, Katrina had forced herself further into his life—and his future—by volunteering to accompany him. No one had stopped her. Her heart fluttered and sank. By tacit agreement, the entire community had assumed she belonged to him—whether he wished it or not. He’d come for her in the woods, alone, been accused and threatened by her father. He had defended her when her father raised his hand to her, and she had slapped Jack Thompson’s face in front of the entire community. The final straw had been her unthinking offer to accompany him on an evening buggy ride alone—and his acceptance.

  “Katrina,” Shay’s voice cut into her thoughts and she realized she’d been woolgathering. By the trace of impatience she heard, it wasn’t the first time he’d said her name.

  “I’m sorry, what?”

  He smiled at her and her stomach felt as if a thousand fireflies had taken flight and lit their lamps all at once. The light inside her flashed so bright it made her heart ache.

  “Could you go see if the water is boiling yet, and drop these medical instruments into it? We’ll sterilize them for ten minutes, then drain the water and place them on a clean cloth to cool.”

  “Katrina?” Loretta’s voice was soft and worried.

  “I’ll be right back, Loretta. I promise.” She took the metal implements that Shay handed her and hurried from the room to do as he asked. She would do everything in her power to make this night go as smoothly as possible for everyone. And although she knew the events of this evening were centered on Loretta and the coming baby, strangely her own desire was to ease the path for Shay. After the earlier exchange between him and Ethan, she knew how important it was for this birth to be a complete success. She intended to do her part.

  ****

  Shay worked without thought, by rote, as he manipulated the baby’s position. This would not be an easy birth, and he regretted that for Loretta’s sake. He would put off using the forceps if he could. He’d seen what damage those could do, and would use them only as a last resort.

  It comforted him to have Katrina by his side. She was a capable assistant, not squeamish, and eager to help her friend. But, he noted, even more ready to smooth the way for him and whatever he might need her to help with.

  As he worked, he thought of the possibilities of the future. Did Katrina realize what tonight’s chain of events meant for her? He sighed, thinking of how his thoughtlessness had sealed her fate as far as respectability went. Before she’d met him, she had at least one suitor, Jack Thompson, who would have made her a good match, financially, at least.

  A loveless totally unsuitable match that would have crushed the life and spirit from her within the first few months of weeded bliss, otherwise. He gave a snort at the thought, and Katrina glanced up at him, questioningly.

  In that look, her heart shone in her green eyes, and she moistened her luscious, kissable lips with that delicate, pink tongue of hers—and his body picked the most inopportune moment to stir to life once again as it had earlier in the buggy. The thought of the way she had reached for his hand, the soft warmth of her fingers in his, made him harden, his trousers becoming uncomfortably tight.

  Katrina looked away. “I’ll get the implements.” Shay nodded as she rose. “Thanks, Trina.” He forced his mind back to the task at hand, a faint smile touching his lips as he heard Katrina speak to Ethan.

  “She’s in very capable hands, Ethan. Everything will be fine.”

  ****

  Ellis and Martha Avery arrived within the hour.

  “Shall I wait, Martha, or come back for you?” Ellis asked at the door.

  “Tell them I’ll be a while,” Shay muttered as the conversation came to them through the curtain.

  Katrina rose and disentangled her hand from Loretta’s grasping fingers. “I’ll be back soon. It sounds like the Averys are here.” She patted Loretta’s arm. “Everyone’s waiting on that little one of yours to make its entrance.”

  Shay reached to unbutton the second button of his white shirt. The small room was close and stifling in the summer heat. As Katrina drew the curtain back, Martha and Ellis Avery stepped into the front room.

  “It will be a while, the doctor says,” Katrina told them, letting the curtain fall behind her as she walked out to greet them.

  “Oh, thank you, dear.” Martha turned to her husband. “Whatever you like, Ellis. You might like to stay and keep this nervous father-to-be company.” Her narrow look told her husband that was exactly what she expected of him. He grinned widely, obviously happy to comply.

  “I know how that feels, son.” Ellis clapped Ethan’s shoulder with a hearty laugh. “It’s going to be a memorable Independence Day for you. They’ll be setting off the fireworks shortly and you’ll have a new addition to your family. A joyous occasion, son. Joyous.”

  Ethan gave a shake of his head. “I sure hope so, Mr. Avery. I hope it doesn’t turn out like—”

  “Hush, Ethan.” Mrs. Avery turned to look at him. “Don’t mention that now. It’ll bring bad luck, bad memories, to cloud this wonderful night.”

  “Have a seat on the porch where it’s cooler, you two,” Katrina hastened to put in as she hurried toward the kitchen past the two men. “I’ll make some tea or lemonade—maybe both. It’ll be a long, thirsty night.” She was rattling and she knew it, but her emotions were raw, a jumbled mess.

  “Yes, that’s a wonderful idea, dear,” Martha said. “I’ll go in and see about dear Loretta. She’ll want to know Jack will be along shortly. She’ll be glad to have him close by. You know how she’s always depended on that brother of hers.”

  Katrina’s heart seemed to thud to a stop, then in the next moment, it raced so fast she thought it would pound out of her chest. Jack would be here. And he had vowed to kill Shay Logan. There was no doubt, he meant it.

  ****

  Martha Avery discovered soon enough that Loretta much preferred Katrina’s company to hers. It didn’t seem to offend her. She made herself useful doing anything that needed to be done—a few dirty dishes in the kitchen were washed, dried, and put away; forgotten laundry on the line was gathered a
nd folded.

  Katrina felt that the older woman had come more for her than for Loretta. She needn’t have bothered on her account; it would take a miracle to “salvage her virtue,” as Jack had said earlier.

  “Jack…” Loretta murmured, reaching for Katrina’s hand. “I want to see…Jack.”

  Katrina glanced up at Shay’s impassive face. He met her eyes, acknowledging her silent question. Loretta felt she was going to die, and wanted to say goodbye to her brother.

  “He’ll be here soon,” Katrina comforted, a lump in her throat. “He’ll be anxious to see his new niece or nephew.”

  “I’m…so tired.” Another contraction rippled through her body, but the fight had gone out of her.

  Shay laid a cool cloth on her forehead. “You’re not giving up on me, are you, Loretta?”

  “I…don’t want to.”

  “Then don’t.”

  “You don’t know what it’s like.”

  He chuckled grimly. “I know what it’s like to want to quit. But this first baby is usually the hardest.”

  “I lost one…already.”

  “Which is why you will not lose this one.” He bent to check the dilation, and Katrina noticed a hopeful light re-enter his expression. “Push, Loretta. Push with all your might, now.”

  Katrina positioned herself to help Loretta into a half-sitting position.

  “I’m not strong enough.”

  “Yes, you are, Loretta,” Katrina murmured. “We’re going to help you.”

  “How?”

  “Like this,” Shay told her determinedly. He put his large hands on her belly and pushed. “Push,” he told her.

  She gave a muffled cry.

  “Again!” Shay commanded.

  Katrina supported Loretta’s shoulders as she pushed. Why did this have to be so hard? What if Shay couldn’t save Loretta and the baby? Fear niggled at her heart. She thrust it away. Shay needed her confidence in him right now.

  “That’s it, Loretta,” Katrina urged.

  In the next moment, Loretta gave a strangled cry and Shay moved quickly to catch the baby boy as he made his entry into the world.

  Katrina met Shay’s triumphant look and the tears welled in her eyes.

  “We did it!” He said. “Look at this perfect baby boy.”

  The baby gave an indignant cry and Katrina’s arms circled Loretta in a quick hug. “Congratulations. He’s just beautiful.” She hastened to assist Shay with tying and cutting the cord and cleaned the baby as Shay finished up with Loretta. She wrapped the baby in a soft blanket after she’d cleaned him, and laid him beside Loretta. A fierce longing rose up inside of her for this moment in her own life, and she tamped it down, ashamed of herself. This was a precious time for her friend, and she was honored to share it. Still, the glowing look of pride on Shay’s features would be nothing compared to the day when he held his own son or daughter in such a way.

  “Do you have a name picked out?” Katrina asked. “A ‘junior’, perhaps?”

  “No. We were going to name the other one—the one we lost—after Ethan. I think…we’d like to name him after you, Doctor, and after my brother, Jack. Logan Jack Towers.”

  Katrina started to say something, to tell Loretta about what had happened earlier. She might not feel the same way about Shay if she knew that Katrina was in love with him instead of Jack. But what could she say? One look from Shay stopped her, and she closed her mouth. A smile washed over Shay’s features and he laid a hand on Logan’s head.

  “I think that’s a very fine name, Loretta. I’m honored.” He began to gather his medical instruments as Katrina opened the curtain to tell the others.

  “You’ll have some soreness and bruising where I had to help you push…” she heard him say behind her. She took a step out and pulled the curtain behind her, looking up into the ice blue eyes of Jack Thompson.

  “Where is that damn savage?” He gripped her arm and shook her. “I promised you I’d kill that son of a bitch. And I intend to keep my word.”

  ****

  “Jack! Let go of me!” Katrina jerked away from him.

  A large fist came through the curtain, fingers wrapping around Jack’s shirt collar. Shay’s muscular frame followed shortly, materializing out of the room. “You put your hands on her again and I’ll mop the floor with you.” Shay pulled Jack close to him. “Do you understand me, Thompson?”

  “Y-Yes.” Jack licked his lips and relief flooded through Katrina. There was no doubt about who had the upper hand here.

  “Good.” Shay relaxed his hand slowly, letting go of Jack’s shirt. He turned to Katrina. “Better let Ethan know he’s got a son.” He looked into Jack’s face. “Logan Jack Towers.”

  Jack stiffened. “A boy? And he’s all right?”

  “Yes. He’s fine.”

  As Katrina walked to the front door, Jack made a move to shove past Shay, but he clocked his way. “No. Ethan first.”

  “Ethan, you have a handsome new son,” Katrina said. The words were barely out of her mouth before Ethan leapt from his seat and ran past her.

  “A boy! I have a son!” Ethan’s shout resounded through the house, and Shay grinned. Ethan ran into the cabin, grabbing Shay’s shoulders. “I have a son!”

  “I know.”

  “Oh, yes. You know. Jack, I have a son!”

  Jack nodded. “Congratulations,” he said tightly. But Ethan didn’t hear. He was already on his way into the bedroom.

  “Outside, Thompson,” Shay ordered quietly. “There are some things we need to get straight.”

  ****

  The night air had grown still and even sultrier. As the two men walked outside, Katrina stood on the porch between Mr. and Mrs. Avery.

  From the scowl on Jack’s face, it was obvious he meant to make trouble, just as he’d promised, even in the face of the events of this wonderful night. Katrina wished he had stayed away. Tonight, she had shared a miracle with the man she had fallen in love with. That, in itself, was a miracle as well. She had thought to never find a love of her own, and certainly not this way, so unexpectedly.

  “A healthy boy, is it, Dr. Logan?” Mr. Avery asked jovially as Shay and Jack came out onto the porch.

  Shay nodded, his smile strained. “Yes. I think Loretta is going to be fine. She’s resting comfortably.”

  “She better be fine,” Jack muttered. All eyes turned to him, and Shay sighed. But it was Ellis Avery who stood slowly from where he sat on the top porch step and crossed his arms, gazing steadily at Jack.

  “Or what, young ’un? You gonna send our new doctor packin’ if your sister falls ill with a childbed fever? He’s done everything he could.” He gave a sharp nod toward Jack, his eyes narrowed. “You’ll have the whole town to fight if you try it.”

  Jack glared at Mr. Avery, then at Shay. “Think you can come riding back here to Talihina and do whatever you want?” His fists balled.

  “Jack, stop this!” Katrina took a step toward the men. “Dr. Logan has—”

  “Dr. Logan!” he mocked, his face twisting in a snarl. “Aren’t you the proper one now, Katrina? After what you and Dr. Logan did in the woods this afternoon, you’ll probably be just where my sister is nine months from now.”

  “That’s enough!” Shay’s fist followed his warning, crashing into Jack’s jaw and sending him flying backward off the porch. Shay leapt after him, landing on him in the grass, his fist connected again with Jack’s face.

  Jack rolled and landed a blow solidly against Shay’s right eye, but Shay made no noise.

  “Oh, dear!” Katrina started down the three porch steps, but Martha Avery hooked her elbow and brought her up short.

  “Let them go at it, Trina,” she advised quietly. “Best to get it out of the way.” Her lips quirked at Katrina’s expression. “You didn’t think this time would never come, did you, dear? Jack’s not one to be easily thwarted in what he wants.” She looked back out at where the two men rolled and panted and slugged in the moonlit night. “And nei
ther, it seems, is your Shay.”

  Katrina turned quickly to Ellis Avery. “Mr. Avery! Please stop them!”

  He merely smiled and shook his head. "Tempers are hot as the night air, Miss Katrina." He nodded at the two dark figures who had risen to fight on the moonlit sea of grass. "It looks like it'll come to an end soon. Jack's getting tired." His tone became admiring. "Say, Dr. Logan's as good a fighter as he is a healer, it seems."

  Just then, Shay delivered one last blow that staggered Jack, then brought him to his knees. Shay stood a few feet away, and this time nothing could have stopped Katrina from running to his side.

  Lightly, she hurried down the steps and across the lawn to where Shay stood, catching his breath.

  In the brightness of the moonlight, Katrina could see the mingled sweat and blood on his face and neck. Shay's attention was on his adversary. He raised an arm to blot the damp stains of blood and perspiration from his face with his shirt sleeve. Jack made no move at all as he swayed on his knees. He was beaten.

  “Shay!”

  He turned as Katrina called to him, catching her in his arms with a muted groan of pain. She immediately pulled back, but he crushed her to him as if he couldn’t bear to let her go.

  “You see what people will say?” His voice was rough and harsh. “If you marry me, you see how ugly it can get?”

  “I see what they’ll say if I don’t marry you,” Katrina responded saucily.

  He laughed and pulled his clean handkerchief from his pocket. She took it from him and began to dab his eye and the split right cheekbone where a trickle of blood ran.

  “We can’t laugh this off, Katrina,” he murmured, allowing her to clean away the worst of the blood as he studied her face. “People will say—something happened between us.”

  “Something did happen between us, Shay. Love.” She bit her lip in empathy as she dabbed carefully at his eye. “Of course, I’ll be ruined.”

  “No decent man will have you after this afternoon. After tonight.”

  “You’re right. But, you’re a decent man, aren’t you, Shay?”

  He smiled. “I like to think so.”

  “Well, that leaves only one solution.” She slowly lowered her hand to her side. Her palms tingled as she clutched the handkerchief. She had been more forward tonight than she’d ever been in her life, but how could she not fight for what she knew she wanted? Since the moment she’d laid eyes on Shay, she’d known she didn’t own her heart any longer.