The men got out. "What's wrong?" they asked, looking about as if expecting an Indian raid.
"My water just broke, gentlemen. Someone else is gonna have to take us into town. It shouldn't be far now." she announced as they helped her down.
One of the men climbed up, reluctantly, and took the reins.
"I haven't done this is in years," he procrastinated.
Trish climbed inside the stage and stared at the woman. "In case I pass out or something, I'll need a doctor when we get to the next town." Then she slumped over and tried to sleep, but mild labor pains hit her.
Sleep proved impossible, and the man's driving was almost as bad.
When he hit something hard, it bounced the coach and she yelled.
The woman crowded around her. "Is there anything I can do?"
"No, hopefully we'll be there soon."
She nodded her eyes big and round and concerned. "I'll see to that."
Chapter Thirty Six
Gil readied to leave. "What's the next town?" he asked Matty.
"Well Springs. Not much to it, but they got a general store, a livery, a bank, and a church, so I guess that's all that's needed."
"Thanks for the hospitality, Matty." Gil smiled at her as he mounted.
"You're as welcome as rain in a draught. Come back when you can and see me." He whipped the horse she'd sold him into a full gallop.
Gil was cold, but not like before. The weather was breaking and warming a bit, but it was a muddy mess on horseback.
He got into town about midnight and stopped at the livery stable. "Hello in there?" he called, not wanting to startle the owner.
A big burly man came out and stared at him. "What do ya need, mister?"
"Can you feed and water my horse? I've rode a spell and he needs grub almost as much as I do." Gil laughed.
"Sure, two-bits a night."
Gil nodded.
"Where you headed?" The man looked from beneath a wide brimmed hat.
"Vada," He started to walk off. He thought the man might've said something, but he kept on going.
It was raining and miserable as Gil headed for the small hotel. A café stood next to it, and he stopped in there. He ordered hot ham and eggs and coffee.
While he waited, a few straggled in out of the rain.
The waitress sidled up to a tall man who came in. "Did ya get the doc for her?"
"Yeah, he's with her now."
"Is the baby comin'?"
"That's what he says, but he says it will be a long night for her and him too. Now can I have that cup of coffee or do I gotta tell you more?"
"Is there more?"
"Nope."
"Then you can have your coffee."
Gil's brows drew together. Baby? Doc? Could it possibly be Trish? The stage would have come through here. But surely….
His mind clouded with worry.
Finally, he stood and walked over to the man drinking his coffee. "Mister. I heard you say something about a baby?"
"That's right. Who are you?"
"No one of importance, I assure you. But the lady… what did she look like? The one having the baby."
The man stared at him a long time. "You a lawman or somethin'?"
"No of course not." When he didn't answer, Gil prodded him more. "Did she come off the stage?"
"Yep, she did. Jest today."
"Do you know her name?"
"Nope."
"Could you describe her?"
"What's it to you? She wanted or somethin'?"
"No, of course not. I think it could be my wife. She was traveling on the stage."
The man stared at him a while. "She's got long curly red hair for one thing. Real looker."
"Oh my God. Where is she?" Gil grabbed the man's arm and put pressure on it.
The tall man stood. "She's over at the hotel…"
"Thank you." Gil released his arm and took off for the hotel's front desk. "Did a pregnant woman come in here?"
The little man looked up at him with little patience. "Who's askin'?"
Gil was so upset he grabbed the little man around the collar. "That's my wife, dammit, where is she?"
"Upstairs, room two twenty-two." He stared with his mouth open as Gil released him.
Gil took the stairs two at a time. When he reached the room, he paused. What was he going to say to her? What could he say to her? It didn't matter anymore. Trish was having the baby, and he had to help her.
He banged on the door.
No one answered.
He banged again.
This time, a man with glasses and a stethoscope answered.
Gil brushed past him to find Trish lying on a bed, writhing with pain.
"Oh, God, Trish… I'm so sorry. I'm here, honey. It's gonna be all right."
Trish slowly stopped and opened her eyes. "Gil?" She stared at him. "How did you find me?"
"I don't know. I guess it's a miracle. But I did find you. Oh, honey, I'm sorry. I love you so much. Can you ever forgive me?"
Trish went white. She grabbed his hand, squeezing it until he thought it would break into. They both winced.
Gil turned to the doc. "Is she going to be all right?"
"She's fine. This is going to take a while. Maybe you should go next door and get a cup of coffee."
"No! Let him stay," she protested.
Gil reached for her hand once more. Again she squeezed it. "She's in a lot of pain, can't you do anything?"
"Nope, only God can change that, and I don't reckon He will. Now I need to check her again. So go get us both some coffee."
Gil nodded and kissed Trish on the forehead. He went down the stairs two at a time, his heart was thumping so hard he thought it would jump out at him, but his happiness outweighed any physical problems. He'd found Trish. That was all that mattered.
Once he bought the coffee and scrambled back up the stairs, he heard her scream and rushed into the room.
The doc reached for the coffee as he went to her side. He set the coffee away from her on a small table.
"Trish, I'm right here, honey." He turned once more to the doctor. "How is she?"
"She'd doing just fine. The baby is good. It's in position. Just waiting for her to dilate."
"What does that mean?"
"Open up, so the baby can pass."
"Oh…" Gil nodded as though that explained everything.
Trish was sweating. Gil found a cloth by her side and dabbed her head with it.
"I'm so happy I found you." His voice cracked.
She visibly tried to smile at him, but she bit her lip and moaned.
"You better settle out, son. This is going to be a long night," the doctor said.
Gil rose to his feet. "Can't you rush it up a bit?"
"I'm a doctor, not God," the man said plainly enough.
Gil nodded. "Of course. Can't you give her something for the pain?"
"Not now, no."
"You read the bible, boy" The doctor asked as he took off his spectacles and laid them on a small table.
"I used to, yeah."
"Ever read where it says a woman would go through the gates of hell to deliver a child?"
Gil's mouth went dry and his face flushed. "Yes, I remember that…"
"It's the truth." The doc said and sat down to read.
Gil paced the small expanse of the room. The lace curtains and fancy spread over the bed said they must have put her in one of the suites. This was a small town, even the suites were small.
He glanced out the window. The rain came down, creating a certain humidity and a sound that lulled. The rain was almost freezing now and it made a beating sound on the roof. Between pains she slept, but during the pains she moaned and screamed sometimes.
"You don't have to be in the same room, son."
"I’m not leaving her side again."
"There is absolutely nothing you can do."
"There's one thing. I can be here."
The doctor nodded. "All rig
ht, son, if you feel that strongly about it."
"I certainly do."
A few minutes later, Trish reached out his hand for Gil once more.
"It's okay, honey."
"How many babies are we gonna have?" she asked.
He smiled tenderly, kissed her on the forehead, and squeezed her hand. "A dozen."
"Let's cut that down a bit, what do you say?"
"Whatever you say, honey."
She smiled for the first time since he came in the room. "I love you. I'm so glad you are here."
"I love you too. I've been so worried about you."
She writhed with pain once more and turned away. "Don't ever make me leave you again!"
"Never!"
A smile curled around his heart.
Gil wanted to hold her in his arms, but he figured the doctor wouldn't permit it so he kept his distance. He sat in an old rocking chair by the window and waited. He drank coffee and waited some more.
It was nearly dawn and he was almost asleep when he heard an her screams. He rushed to her side once more. "What is it, honey? What can I do for you."
"Have this baby?" She tried to smile and the doctor glanced at him.
"It's time."
"What can I do?" Gil asked the doctor.
"Hold her hand, encourage her to push. She's gonna have to push hard to have this child naturally."
"Of course." He grabbed her hand and looked at her.
"This is it, honey. Hang on, we're about to have a baby." He smiled down at her as he wiped her head with a cool cloth.
"Alright young lady. Are you ready to have this child?"
"More than ready." She cried.
"Fine, now on the count of three, I want you to push, and push as hard as you can." He instructed.
She nodded, her face turned white as a sheet and Gil was about to collapse himself from the fear of the moment.
"One, two, three, push…." The doctor instructed as he checked the baby's position and smiled.
She grabbed Gil's hand and pushed with all her might."
"Good, good, now again on the count of three."
Gil swallowed hard, not knowing what to do or how to help, he held her hand and kissed it.
"One, two, three, push…" The doctor said, his hand busy all the time.
The doctor grunted, "I got a head….a head full of hair…"
She almost screamed.
"One more time ought to do it." The doc said mildly.
"One, two, three, push…."
This time things began to happen, the doctor received the child in his hands and held it up for her to see. "It's a boy, a big one."
Gil stood with his mouth open, his body tensed, and suddenly a huge smile broke over his face. "Did you hear that, it's a boy!"
"Oh!" She cried. "Can I hold him?"
"Let me do a little clean up here and then you may both hold and love your child." The old doctor smiled at them both.
Gil swallowed hard, "Thanks Doc."
"Best part of bein' a doctor is seein' these little ones into the world." He smiled, and suddenly handed the baby to Gil.
Gil reached out and bashfully took his son into his arms. The baby squirmed and peeked an eye at him.
"He's beautiful!" Gil whispered in a daze.
"Please…can I see?" She laughed.
"I'm sorry, honey. Of course." He handed the baby to her and sat beside her, so bemused.
"Oh Gil, he's precious. What can we name him?"
Gil looked at him and then her. "That should be your call."
"Alright…but I need to study on it a while."
The doctor cleaned her up and she nursed the baby. Gil sat watching and enjoying every moment of it.
The doctor finally took the baby and cleaned him up for her.
Gil stared at her, his mouth open, his eyes wide. "That was an experience I will never forget.""
"Me either." She laughed, and reached for him."
Gil leaned over her and kissed her tenderly on the lips.
"He's Perfect!" He squeezed her hand.
"He's a big one." The doctor smiled as he brought the blanket-wrapped baby toward Gil. "Here's your son."
Gil swallowed hard and looked into the little face with such bright eyes and a grip like his mother. A little finger curled around his, and he smiled. "He's beautiful," Gil said throatily.
The doctor nodded and came closer t the bed. "Yes, he is. Now set him down, go get us some more coffee, and let me check your wife."
"Yes, sir." Gil nodded.
He laid the baby in the small homemade crib someone had donated to the pregnant lady on the stage.
He stared for a moment. "It's a miracle, isn't it, Doc?"
"Yes, it is."
Gil went to get some coffee and brought it back.
Trish was resting, but Gil couldn't keep his eyes off the baby.
"He favors you. I think he has your eyes," the doc said.
Was it possible to love some tiny creature he had nothing to do with and that tiny creature look like you?
"Thank you," Gil said, looking at the doc once more. "You must be tired."
"If it wasn't for that coffee you supplied most of the night, I wouldn't have made it myself. First babies are a long process."
Gil swallowed hard. "Then the next ones won't be as long?"
"Not usually, no. Some come very quickly after the first."
"I hope so, for her sake."
The doc smiled and put his equipment in his little black bag. "Good luck, son. You have a healthy baby boy and a wife who will bounce back soon."
"Again my thanks. What do I owe you?"
The doc's gaze dropped to the floor as though studying his question. "You know, they told me she drove that stage mostly into town herself. She must have been one determined woman. A real pioneer lady. There's no charge, son. One day when you need a doctor, come see me."
"I promise, Doc." Gil smiled and shook his hand.
The room got quiet as Trish slept. The baby rested too. Gil reared back in the rocking chair, stretched, and closed his eyes. He'd found his lady, and his family. He was content.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Two weeks later, they were still in Well Springs. The whole town knew the story of the courageous lady that had driven the stage and delivered her baby that next evening. They brought her food, and clothes for the baby and she had met half the town, she was sure.
Trish stared up at her husband.
"What do you want to name him?" Gil pushed her hair from her face.
"Why don't you pick his name?" Trish smiled up at his happy face.
"Me. Really?"
"Really."
"I've always been partial to the name Brodie, Brodie Lee Davis. How does that sound?"
"Brodie Lee Davis. It sounds like the man he will someday be." She smiled and tiptoed to kiss her husband right there on the street.
"You are gonna have every tongue wagging in town at how brazen you are."
"I'm not brazen. I'm in love with my husband," she defended.
"Your shameless, admit it." He smiled and kissed her on the nose. They were pushing Brodie in his new babu carriage and greeting everyone on the street.
"It was so nice of all these people here to see after me and the baby," Trish said offhandedly.
"Yes it was. This is a nice little town."
"So, where do we go from here?"
Gil looked about. "What's wrong with here?"
She looked up at him in question. "Not a thing. I like it here. You know that. But I don't think gambling would be all that profitable in a small town like this, do you?"
"No, I imagine not. However, I forgot to tell you something."
"What now?" She stopped and stared at him.
"I bought on hundred and fifty acres just this side of Wells Springs. It's perfect for growing cotton, and I know a lot about cotton," he professed.
Her mouth flew open. "You bought land here?"
"Well, hon
ey, it's where our baby was born. And the whole town did help out. It'd be hard to just walk away from that, wouldn't it?"
"Oh, Gil." She practically jumped into his arms and kissed him once more, this time much longer.
Brodie made some strange little face and she covered him with his blanket.
"Honey, you will be the talk of the town for a month." He laughed. "Does it please you?"
"Of course it does. I never imagined settling down, much less farming."
"I figure we could handle it. And this place sure seems happy to help out all they can." Gil kissed her back. "I got a feelin' that whatever I don't know about farmin', someone here will and will be more than happy to show me. I've met everyone, I think and I really like the warmth of this place. I feel as though we belong here."
"I'm so happy."
"I thought you might want to live in Vada." He eyed her.
She shrugged. "Not really. I mean, I love the girls and all, but I want a place of my own. I can always go visit them next time you run me off."
"I'll never do that again," he said throatily.
Brodie cooed, and Gil picked him up and kissed him on the cheek, cuddling him and the blanket about his shoulder proudly. "Well, buckaroo, it looks as though we are gonna be farmers. What do you think?"
He gurgled and stretched.
"That's what I thought." Gil chuckled.
"What?"
"He likes the idea too. You know, the doc told me he looks like me."
"Maybe just a tad." She smiled.
"Come on, I want to show you our place." He gestured toward the buggy he had parked outside the hotel. "It's time we were moving out of here." Gil gave her the baby and took the pram inside the general store. "Hey Mac, can I leave this until we get back. I'm gonna show the missus our new home."
"Sure, you can leave the baby with my missus if you want to."
"No, I gotta show Brodie his new place too. It wouldn't be fair not to." Gil winked.
Mac laughed.
Once they were on their way, he cautioned her, as he straightened the blanket over the baby on her shoulder.
"Don't expect too much. The house needs work," Gil warned her.
"Well, you are able bodied," she suggested.
"Son, she's already put me to work. Can you believe it?"
Brodie squinted in the noon-day sun.
Winning the Lady (Book 4 of the Red River Valley Brides) Page 23
